Pictured above: Prima Bonnie - 19 month old retired racing Greyhound owned by Bill & Teresa Murphy of Euclid, Ohio
Did you know:
Greyhounds average between 22 and 30 inches in height at the shoulder and weigh 55 - 80 pounds,
with females usually being smaller than males.
Both males and females race successfully.
The American Greyhound Track Operators recognize 18 coat colors and/or patterns.
Greyhounds do not have normal "puppyhoods" and therefore many retired racers, especially those
under three years of age, often take the opportunity to be a puppy after they are adopted. They act
out puppy behavior such as chewing and general playfulness but typically quickly outgrow this
phase.
Greyhounds can and should be trained to standard obedience commands, and contrary to a
widespread misunderstanding, they can be taught to sit, and it does not hurt them!
They do not
know how to climb stairs and have to be introduced to things such as mirrors and sliding glass doors.
Greyhounds are basically like all other dogs, but because of their training and racing career, they
have some unique characteristics.
They are sight hounds (also called gaze hounds), meaning that
they hunt by sight rather than smell. As hunters, they work cooperatively with other hounds and
develop strategies of pursuit spontaneously during the chase. This natural instinct is reinforced in
Greyhounds by training to chase lures (usually mechanical but sometimes live). Greyhounds are not
vicious predators, but they do chase things that move by nature.
They are sprinters and can run up
to 45 miles per hour for very short periods (the average speed on a dog track is generally in the
30's).
Some retired racers love to run; others take retirement very seriously and move as little as
possible. Likewise, some dogs have a strong prey drive and chase squirrels and other small animals
at every opportunity, where others would not give a cat a second glance. Even those dogs with a
fairly healthy prey drive can be taught not to chase the family cat or Chihuahua. However, it is
important to know that a dog responding to the ancient call to chase will probably be
oblivious to its owner's calls to come. This is why a Greyhound can never be allowed to
run loose except in a securely fenced area. Even Greyhounds which have been through
obedience training should not be trusted off leash in an unfenced area.
