Now I tell you about us. We are not like other dogs, who have a home with humans while they are growing up. We all live at the track for awhile, in a big kennel. There are 30-50 greys all together in the kennel. We are fed well, and usually receive good medical care. ( After all, we must be in prime condition to run! ) We spend most of our time in a crate, but we get out 4 to 5 times every day to exercise and go potty and stuff.
As you see, it isn't a bad life, but we don't have a lot of human affection. We do have trainers, who teach us to use the track and start box, and to walk nice on our leash, and to get along with each other. We start to train when we are about six months old. But we don't usually race until we are eighteen months. The trainers are nice sometimes, and we come to like them.
Some humans think racing is bad, but we love to run. We don't care who wins, we just love to run together. We have to wear muzzles because we get so excited by the running and the crowd that we nip each other, even though we are all buddies. Like any athletes, we get injured occasionally. But there is always a vet on hand to help us.
A day comes for each of us, when the humans don't want us to run at the tracks anymore, so they "retire" us. If we are lucky, we then go to a rescue organization who find a forever home for us. But they all need lots of good homes, still.
If you would like to give one of us greys a forever home, you can easily get information from your local Humane Society, or ask your local shelter to connect you with a greyhound rescue group. We are greyt dogs!
Herooo!
- The typical greyhound is calm, loving and gentle.
- The typical greyhound does NOT need a huge space to run. A good 20-minute walk every day is enough exercise. If you have a backyard that is fenced, that is sufficient.
- Greys live long for a large breed, about 12 years.
- Greys do not bark much, if at all. They occasionally do what their humans call "rooing".
- Greys love to run. Owners take them to fenced dog parks to run with other greys, or take them to lure-coursing events. Some greys excel in agility.
- Greys do not make good watchdogs. . .they are much too gentle and friendly.
- Greyhounds make good companions for elderly owners; most do not pull on leash, and are easy to have around the house.
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Greyhounds are one of the oldest breeds known. They are the only breed mentioned in the Bible.
- Greyhounds were once owned exclusively by nobility - commoners were forbidden to have them. They were given as gifts between kings.
Love, Malcolm MacGreygor
So as you see, we are very nice and important dogs. We need good people to spend our after-racing lives with. If you have any questions about us, you can look on the web - we are not hard to find!
For good general informaion:
The Greyhound Project
National Greyhound Adoption Program
Greyhound Hall of Fame
...And here is a national list of adoption programs; note that several are not included! :
National List
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Thanks to Race the Wind in Wichita, Kansas, for sending us Morgan MacGreygor. |
 Special thanks to Colorado Greyhound Adoption, A greyt organization celebrating its 10th anniversary! |
