Are you thinking about adding to your family?
Common Questions
Pet Greyhound Maintenance and Care
Texas Adoption Groups Listing (for printing)
TGA Adoptions Brochure
Who to Contact2005 and 2006 Adoption Summit Photos
View "Born to Run" Video and visit "Born to Run" website!
Just like any other major step in your life you need to get the facts and do some homework. You don’t buy a car without knowing all about its capabilities and needs first, so why adopt a retired racing greyhound without knowing what to expect? We are here to help.
JG Savannah "Savannah"
TGA GreetersThe Texas Greyhound Association is the state’s official breed registry and is governed by the Texas Racing Commission. We are concerned with the encouragement of breeding, training, racing and strongly concerned with the humane care of greyhounds. We are happy to assist our members and potential members in their endeavors in the greyhound industry, as well as those of potential new homes for the retired athletes.
TGA works with several well known adoption agencies in Texas and around the country by providing money through grants, helping find homes for the retired dogs and making sure that all greyhounds are treated humanely.
These pure-bred natural athletes enjoy many years of good health. With proper care, greyhounds have a life expectancy of 12 years or more.
COLOR: Greyhounds come in many colors; brindle, blue, black, white, red and/or a combination of these colors.FEEDING: As pets, greyhounds eat no more than any other dog of comparable weight, four to six cups of dry kibble a day.
"Ms Bull"EXERCISE: Greyhounds adapt well to life as a pet and need no more than a romp in the backyard and an occasional walk in the park to keep them fit.
GROOMING: Greyhounds have little oil in their skin, so they do not produce much "doggy odor" and only need an occasional bath when soiled.
HOUSEBREAKING: Greyhounds are already trained to follow a "potty" schedule, so it takes a little
time for them to adapt to their new life-style.
------------------------------------------------GREYHOUND MAINTENANCE AND CARE
MORNING: Turn him out when you get up, leave out while you mix his food. After he eats turn out again for about 15 minutes.
AFTERNOON: If someone is home, turn him out about 3:30-4pm. If not, he will be OK till about 5pm. Sometimes he will only wet and lay down for about 20 minutes.
NIGHT: Turn him out before you go to bed, 9pm-10pm. This time he should do his business quickly.
Portion of food: 2 to 3 cups of dry, 1 can of canned food add a little water for a good mixture. I feed only once a day in the morning.
It will take a few days for your pet to adjust to his new life style. He will probably check everything and everyone out. If he whines a bit, he misses his kennel mates. This will pass, he will find his own private place and make himself comfortable. He is very independent and will come to you for attention when he feels he wants to.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COMMON QUESTIONS - GREYHOUNDS AS PETS
"Ms Bull"WHAT KIND OF PETS DO RETIRED GREYHOUNDS MAKE?
Greyhounds are affectionate, friendly dogs who thrive on attention and human companionship and make terrific pets. Raised with their littermates, where they competed for affection, greyhounds love becoming the center of attention as household pets. Greyhounds do not usually make good watchdogs. Their friendly nature is not really very threatening.
ARE THEY GOOD WITH CHILDREN?Veterinarians and animal handlers who work with greyhounds are the first to admit that the greyhound possesses one of the best temperaments of all dog breeds. Gentle, patient and sensitive, they make an ideal companion for children and seniors alike.
HOW ARE THEY WITH OTHER PETS?
Greyhounds are friendly by nature and socialize well as a result of encounters with other greyhounds in the racing kennel. Cats are unknown to greyhounds and a little-extra time and care are required to make a happy home for all.
ARE RETIRED RACERS HOUSEBROKEN?
Frequently, an adopted greyhound is completely housebroken from the start. In their kennel environment, they are 'turned out' three or four times a day to relieve themselves. Therefore, racing greyhounds are kennel-broken, which means they are trained to go outside and keep their kennels clean. Walk them frequently at first, and they quickly learn that their new home is the place they keep clean and outside is where they go to relieve themselves.
DO GREYHOUNDS NEED A LOT OF EXERCISE?
Greyhounds easily adapt to the life-style of their new owners. Feel free to take your greyhound walking or jogging with you as your exercise regime dictates.
WHY ARE GREYHOUNDS SO SKINNY?
During their racing career, they eat up to 4000 calories per day, but burn off excess weight when they run. As a pet, they eat much less, just four to six cups of dry food a day.
WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT IF I ADOPT A GREYHOUND?
Expect a gentle, loving pet who, with a little time and patience, will be a great addition to your family. Because everything is brand new to the greyhound, expect him/her to be somewhat confused and very curious. House manners have to be learned, but greyhounds are very intelligent dogs and learn quickly.
DOES MY DOG NEED A SPECIAL SPACE IN THE HOUSE?
In the kennel, your dog has always had its own kennel crate where it felt safe and secure. There are a number of ways to accomplish this in your house. Using a large crate or having a special bedding area during the first few weeks, will help the greyhound adjust at his/her own pace to the unaccustomed freedom of your house. Although many people feel uncomfortable about using a crate, greyhounds are quite at home in them. Indeed, using a crate can provide for a completely successful transition period by affording the dog actual physical security when left alone during the adjustment period and thus preventing any possible damage due to separation anxiety. It also can eliminate any temptation to investigate the garbage. Another advantage to the crate is that greyhounds, like other dogs, instinctively will not soil their own living space. This makes crate usage a very effective tool in the housebreaking process.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO OWN A GREYHOUND?
The initial adoption fee varies with each adoption group. Anywhere from $150.00 to $250.00
covers all necessary veterinary treatment(spaying/neutering,booster shots,parasite/heartworm check and teeth cleaning) by a licensed veterinarian. It costs about $1 a day to feed a greyhound.
WHAT HAS THE LIFE OF A RACING GREYHOUND BEEN LIKE?
Greyhounds spend most of their lives in the company of other dogs. When they are born, the average litter size is about eight pups. Young greyhounds are given a lot of attention and handled as much as possible. As they approach their first birthday, their training begins and they are taught to chase a lure, eventually progressing to a racetrack. Track life is very routine--feeding in the morning, turnouts in the exercise yards to relieve themselves and resting in individual kennel crates. Dogs race every three to seven days and most racing kennels have about 60 dogs. Most greyhounds have seen little of the everyday world including houses, stairs, mirrors and cats, and have seldom, if ever, ridden in a car. The transition to living in a home requires some time.
WHAT SORT OF MEDICAL CARE WILL MY GREYHOUND NEED?
The best medical care is preventative in nature. Your dog will need to be checked periodically for worms. Your dog also should be checked annually for heartworm and placed on heartworm preventative medication. Your greyhound's distemper/parvo and rabies vaccination will be current. Be sure your vet is familiar with the problems greyhounds have with anesthesia and if your dog's teeth have tartar build up, consider having them cleaned. Greyhounds are particularly sensitive to the chemical in flea collars. For this reason, the only type of flea products that should be used are sprays or powders containing PYRETHRINS. As with any pet, regular veterinary checkups are recommended.
SAFE FLEA PRODUCTS FOR GREYHOUNDS
Adams Flea and Tick Mist and Adams 14-day Flea and Tick Mist (the best).
All Holiday/VIP Organic line products with d-limonene and linalool as the sole active ingredient(s).
Mycodex Shampoo and Aqua-Spray with Pyrethrins. Siphotrol- 10 and Siphotrol Plus foggers.
Raid Fumigator smoke foggers.
3M Sectoral Two-Way Pet Spray and 3M Sectoral Two-Way Flea Foam.
Any other products listing Pyrethrins, permethrin, allethrin, resmethrin, or permectrin as the only active ingredient(s).
SAFE DEWORMERS FOR GREYHOUNDS
Vercom Paste (roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, tape- worms).
Nemex-2 (rounds, hooks).
Droncit tablets or injection (tapes).
Filaribits (regular kind only-heartworm preventive).
Caricide (heartworm preventive).
Side-Caricide (heartworm preventive which also prevents rounds and hooks).
UNSAFE PRODUCTS AND DRUGS - DO NOT USE THESE ON OR AROUND A GREYHOUND!ALL flea collars and flea-killing medallions, ALL long- lasting flea dips,Dursban(chlorpyrifos) insecticides,Dichlo- rvos (DDVP) insecticides, Methoxychlor (DDE), Diazinon, Lindane, Malathion or any other insecticides that end in "-thion."
Proban oral flea control tablets or liquid, Pro-Spot 40, and Spotton (fenthion) topical systemic insecticides.
Filaribits Plus heartworm and hookworm preventive.
*DNP, Task, Telmin/Telmintic, Vermiplex/Anaplex (Dichlorophene and Toluene) deworming drugs.
When in doubt, ASK your veterinarian whether something is safe. There are many things available which are harmful to greyhounds, but carry no warnings because greyhounds are so rare away from the track.NO CHOCOLATE OR FLEA COLLAR!!
Who to Contact:
The Texas Greyhound Association supplies grants and assistance to the Greyhound Adoption Agencies in Texas. There are others in the state and around the country, that we also work with in conjunction with the National Greyhound Association, greyhound race tracks and others. When considering a greyhound we suggest you visit where the dog is being housed and spend some time with the greyhound. Before committing to a long term relationship with all household members, take your time and find the right greyhound for you and your family. Best Wishes and enjoy years of pleasure from a wonderful animal.
For additional information call Texas Greyhound Association @ 254-857-4377 or email
Lois Mowery.
.jpg)
