Greyhounds, I adore them. You may see greyhounds around as you are walking your own dog, or you may know that many are in rescue and seeking homes, you may know they sleep a lot or that they don't need much in the way of exercise
These facts are mostly true-but greyhounds are dogs too. Many of them have lived in kennels and raced in their early years. Generally greyhounds don't race after about 3 years of age, they are generally retired through injury,
although some of the really young ones are labelled as "non racers".
A label of non racers does not mean they will not chase small furry creatures, it just means they are not interested in chasing a lure-not every dog is fooled into thinking a lure is worth chasing. It may even be said that a non racer may possibly be even more likely to chase cats. squirrels and other wild life-so don't be fooled into thinking a non chaser is going to be calm when out and about in the real world
Greyhounds are often also labelled as "perfect pets" or ideal family companions, and this is generally the case BUT they are institutionalised and have lived in kennels their entire lives, so the same preparations need to be made as you would make for bringing a puppy into your life
They are rarely house trained- after all they have lived in a kennel-this means they only have access to other toileting areas when they are walked or if the kennel has an outside area attached-which is not usual. This means you have to do the house training if you take on a greyhound
Greyhounds also need to adapt to the outside world. Their experience of the outside world is VERY limited-do not expect to be able to walk for miles, or sit around with other breeds of dog while you have coffee without first helping them to adjust and by instituting a plan for developing social skills with other breeds of dog. The only dogs they meet in their lives are other greyhounds-every other breed is a surprise to them. This often trips people up as many of the Greyhound Trusts are not always clear about this point-so this is why I am including this here. Some greyhounds do not find it difficult to make the transition from kennel to home life difficult but many do-so be mindful.
They can adapt very quickly-but this is with our help and understanding-without this things can go pear shaped -please things need to be done slowly. If you adopt a greyhound this will be time well spent-but never a waste of time. Put aside thoughts of training and focus on just allowing a new hound to take in the new sights and sounds and experiences of living in a house which will become a home and place of safety
I will add to this blog post-it is not finished yet! It is work in progress-so bear with me
But if you do adopt a greyhound and you are patient and understanding you will be rewarded with an amazing friend
If you would like help or support with a new greyhound I am here to help-an email will find me, or do leave a whatsapp Pennie
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