From what I’ve read, they’re very mellow animals who love being inside, are good with kids & other pets, and don’t bark much.
Do they come housebroken? Do they come spayed/neutered? Do you get to name them (or do they go by their racing name or some variation)? About what age are they when you get them?
They come housebroken (crate-broken, really) and spayed and neutered. They have “kennel names” but you can always rename a dog. They tend to be young when you get them (2 or 3) but there are some older ones. An old boyfriend’s roomate had two when I knew him and they were great dogs - very mellow, very sweet. When Haplo goes to the kennel in the sky I’m considering getting one.
A few caveats - some will not be able to live with cats because they have a strong prey drive. Most organizations seem to test them for cat safety.
A greyhound can never be allowed to run free, because if they see a squirrel you may never see them again.
A greyhound can never be left tied to a stake or anything, because they get up to top speed in a very few strides and can break their necks going after the squirrels.
Whathisname’s dogs both had to be taught to climb stairs when they came home with him, but once they picked that up they were right at home.
ETA - oh, and he did have to work with them a lot to not “counter-surf” - in the racing kennels, there isn’t any food that isn’t theirs. They picked it up okay though.
Someone I work with brings “Jack” into the office once in a while. He’s a former racing greyhound and is very mellow. He lays around most of the time and seems to get along with other dogs and people in the office. I took him for a walk outside once and he bolted when he saw a small fuzzy animal in the distance. He was on leash so I was able to hold him back but his instincts are to chase something fuzzy which he was ready to do with no urging on my part. They are a lot bigger than I thought and are very strong. I think they make good pets and “mellow” seems to be a good description for them. As I see it Jack is retired now and deserves to take it easy…
There is a website that talks about adopting these dogs… http://www.greyhoundfriendsforlife.org/adopt.htm
It’s funny that this came up. I was just talking about this with a friend of mine who got one over the last few months. She said he’s a great dog, but they had to teach it how to play.
I worked in an Assisted Living facility for several years that kept a retired greyhound as a pet and companion animal for the residents. Her name was Missy, and she was one of the sweetest dogs I’ve ever met. She was obviously abused during her career though–she was skittish and afraid of people. Even after being in the facility for several years, it was very hard to get her to come near most people. She mostly laid around on her dog bed. There was an enclosed courtyard for her to run in, but rarely did she go very fast. She was a quiet, sweet, mellow dog…but very afraid of people.
She was adopted through Gardians for Greyhounds, IIRC.
My wife and I saw about half a dozen greyhounds at the local Petco. There were people from some greyhound adoption agency talking about them and answering questions.
The one warning they gave was that the dogs were not good around very small children and infants. They are easily startled when they sleep. If a small child were to go up to one while it was sleeping and pull on it’s ear - or otherwise wake it up - there’s a good chance the dog will snap before it realizes what’s going on. Children have been bit because of this.
Once kids are old enough to know better, there’s no real danger. They are otherwise really good natured dogs.
They do make excellent pets and the breed tends to do well with children and other pets.
Most racers are crate trained, so house-training is made much easier, if it isn’t already done.
Ages vary between 2-5 years old for most retired racers put up for adoption.
IMHO, they damn well better spay/neuter the dog prior to adoption. I would consider any “rescue” that doesn’t do that suspect.
Racing names and call names are different. Their handler when dealing with the dog uses a call name the racing name is just the “official” name. They are different so that during a race a dog won’t get distracted by someone yelling out, “Hey Speedy, want a treat?”
My advice is to work with a group that fosters the animals rather than just taking them directly from the track and putting them in a home. This way you can get a better picture of what the animals needs are and how to address them. Spend some time with the dog and make sure it “fits”.
I have friends who have rescued 3 from the track. They are a joy to walk, they sleep a lot and 2 of the 3 are very friendly. The third must have been abused, because he will attack men - with little or no pattern. I was at their place one night and playing with him. He seemed to really like me - but when I got up and got myself a beer he was (literally) up in my face. I saw teeth flash before my eyes. Luckily he had a muzzle on, because of past incidents. They were horrified, but I was entertained. Gimme a beer-guard dog for my own fridge!. 
For the most part I have found rescued grays to be wonderful animals and have thought of getting one.
If you are considering adopting one there are a couple things I’d recommend you do:
Find the local rescue agency in your area and see if they have any “meet’n’greets” at local events or pet stores. Go and talk with greyhound owners and meet their pets. Ask about unusual behaviors or surprises that the owners ran into while settling their retirees in their new “forever” homes.
While there, ask about the adoption process. Ask questions like what is provided in the adoption fee (spay/neutering? harness? muzzle?), whether they foster the animals before sending them home with adopters, which local vets do they recommend, and what kind of after-adoption support they offer. If they don’t foster, give some consideration to finding another agency, as a “fresh from the track” greyhound is more likely to have some unusual issues that a neophyte owner may struggle to overcome.
Research. Asking here is a good step. I’d also recommend reading a couple of books. First is “Retired Racing Greyhounds for Dummies,” a good general guide to greyhounds with an emphasis on training. Second, “Adopting the Racing Greyhound” by Cynthia A. Branigan (look for the 3rd edition if possible). This second one has more emphasis on health issues and understanding the dog’s former life and it’s effect on your potential canine companion. Greyhounds do have some special needs and will be adversely affected if these needs are not met. These books will help you to understand these needs and help you decide if you’re up to meeting them.
Not related to advice or anything, but I was at the dog park a few weeks ago with my pup (2yr old black Lab, about 55 pounds). She loves to chase balls and is fast. She will pretty much smoke any other dog out at the dog park when she is chasing a ball. People marvel at how fast she goes.
There was a greyhound there that day, and holy crap. That dog could keep up with mine without seeming to expend any effort, or even trying to run. There were only a few moments when the grey ran, and it reminded me of last time I trailed a Lamborghini on the highway: It may only be going 60 mph, but you can just tell it would have no trouble doing 180.
It it a truism that greyhounds can run, but I had never seen one “in the wild” before. Those dogs are crazy, crazy fast.
We had a retired racer for 10 years. Please remember, even dogs of the same breeds can vary wildly. However, a nickname for greyhounds is “the worlds fastest couch potato.” They live up to it quite well. Ours had his own couch.
They are great pets, but try not to think of them like dogs. First off, it is virtually impossible for a greyhound to sit, especially retired racers, their thigh muscles are just too darn big. Ours was never able to. Playing for them is running full tilt or sleeping. They don’t catch, they don’t fetch, they don’t really do tricks. However, a retired racer is extremely used to being handled by many different people. Ours would stand around while the neighborhood kids swarmed him. We also had a cat that Critic didn’t care two hoots about.
Sight hounds-that is what they are. What is a speck in the distance to you, is a short run for them. When your greyhound escapes, you get the car, you don’t walk. I will say that I worked for a few weeks to teach ours the perimeter of our yard and he kept to it quite well. They are not impossible to train that way, it just takes work. They, as racers, don’t get a lot of playtime off leash.
Also, be aware, not all “rescue” greyhounds are retired racers. The more squirrely ones I have witnessed (darn few I might add) were never racers. Not every dog races and the rescue groups take pretty much all of them. I definitely would select a retired racer due to their ease at being handled.
These racers are not disposable. They are what make the kennel owners money. You don’t abuse your money maker, if you do, you are stupid. You should see the greyhound whirlpool. It isn’t living in a mansion, but by and large, they are treated very well when they are racing. The problems typically occur when the dogs stop racing and aren’t good enough to breed. It is not necessary to consider them all abused by any stretch of the imagination.
Bleeding: Greyhounds bleed easily. Any cut or scrape can bleed prolifically. They have extremely thin skin, as a matter of fact, many vets keep them around as blood donors, nice fat veins, easy to reach and thin skin. WOOT! We clipped ours nails once and by the time we got back around to the front, there was a puddle of blood around his foot. Ooopsie!
Diet: Ours may have had a lifetime problem with his digestion, but he had the most sensitive stomach I’ve ever seen. He was quite prone to diarrhea. Generally, you always have a bag of rice in the house to help settle their stomachs. I seem to recall giving him pepto bismol too. (He ended up dying as a result of an intestinal blockage. His intestines were basically a knot. He was always thin, even for a greyhound, and by the time we realized it wasn’t worms or something easy, he was of too low a weight to risk exploratory surgery, it was most probably a congenital problem.)
Beds: They have bones everywhere and they are quite large, where a regular dog can be ok just on a rug or on a bare floor, really, a greyhound needs a bit more cushion than that. They can be quite the bed hog, fair warning. 
Just please remember, if you want a doggy dog, they aren’t it. What they are are very sweet, lovable, gentle, peaceful animals. Really, an apartment is ok with them, as long as you walk them. Ours was quite happy to retire, thankyouverymuch.
Also, many of the rescue groups are batshit crazy. They take things to the nth degree. I kind of understand, but sometimes it seems like they would rather keep the dogs themselves than let them get adopted. They are extraordinarily easy dogs to like to have around.
I would gladly have a herd of them. I think they are phenomenal. I miss ours even now and he’s been gone about 8 years. I would recommend them to anyone, of any age, as long as they understood the facts about their temperaments.
======end of greyhound owner====
------begin greyhound track employee-----
I never saw the kennels but was friends with a girl that worked in them for about 10 years. She hates the reputations that greyhound breeders have. She would tell me about staying there for days on end because one of her dogs was sick, about how much she loved the dogs and what it was like taking care of them. In the 4 years I worked at the track, I’d never seen or heard of any form of abuse or neglect. Dogs get hurt when they race, it happens and when it is bad, it is horrible to see, but by and large, it is a rare occurance, although I know that toe dislocations are quite common because they always turn on their left side. I knew several kennel owners who all seemed to be pretty upright folks. Our track used to have the adoption center on site, but the organization no longer does that. When the adoption folks bring dogs, I’ve never known them to bring adoptable dogs. They bring their pets, which I think is a disservice. It is one more hoop they make you jump through to getting one. While I loved visiting with the rescue dogs, I kept my mouth shut otherwise.
Example: they required us to purchase a large crate as a condition of adoption. Our dog hated it and refused to ever go in it.
These dogs need good homes. There is no shortage of greyhounds, just a shortage of homes. Once you experience having one, the urge to get more is quite profound. They really are just super nice dogs. I think we are the only people we knew that only had one. Well, we got an italian greyhound, they were a funny pair.
Oops, sorry,
Ours never made a sound, except when he was dreaming. He never barked, never whined, never growled. Quiet as a church mouse. Even with the other dogs were barking like mad, he was like the distinguished British guy evaluating the situation. Another reason I think they would make phenomenal apartment dogs.
I’ve seen this trait A LOT in dog rescue groups of all types, so it is not limited to greyhounds.
We’ve been a greyhound family since 1997. You don’t just adopt a dog, you join a cult. They’re wonderful. All the info that has been posted here is great. I recommend working with an adoption group that fosters. We got our second hound right off the track but we pretty much knew how to deal with teaching her what home means. Fostered hounds have already had someone to show them the ropes, so transitioning to your home is much easier.
You still get to have lots of wonderful puppy-like first time experiences with them, though! Fun stuff like the drive-thru, his first taste of frozen yogurt, going to a garage sale with him and letting him pick out his own “new” stuffie (they love stuffies!) - it’s wonderful. After a few months with you they start to open up a bit more IMO, and get a little more silly and demonstrative. My shy girl who wouldn’t look at me, who cringed when I reached out to pet her? After a few months she was play-bowing at me, slapping her front paws on the ground, and barking to initiate play. It was great to see.
They’re pretty healthy dogs as a rule. They don’t have hip dysplasia, they don’t bloat very often compared to other large deep chester breeds. They can have bad teeth and they can have hypothyroidism. In old age they have higher incidences of osteosarcoma. But they tend to be pretty healthy. You really can’t let them get fat though, because they’re just not structurally built for it.
You’re alright with the dog being on the bed and couch, right? I mean aside from having like five dog beds per greyhound? They really REALLY like soft surfaces. Mine has claimed all our microplush blankets and somehow can take up an entire queensize bed with just her little 55lbs self. Good thing she’s adorable.
They really are the sweetest little souls. They will own your heart.
My family had two adopted greyhounds, with very different personalities. The first, Indy, was a former racer from Colorado who we adopted when he was nearly five, so he must have had a long career. He was the sweetest, mellowest, playfulest, most affectionate dog I have ever met. He loved everybody, even little babies. He would get right up in the baby’s face and inhale and smack his lips, but he never touched. He loved to do the play bow and play lunge with us, then he would spin like a top with excitement. And then he would flop on the couch for the rest of the day.
Our second greyhound, Apollo, was adopted from Mexico when he was not even two, so he probably never raced. He was the biggest greyhound I have ever seen, and scared of absolutely everything. He was scared of adults, children, toddlers, babies, Spanish-speaking people, distant noises, close noises, popping noises, slamming noises, newspapers, fireworks, and, of course, the vet. He loved the people in his family, though. His favorite thing was to lay in his dog bed with me. When you called him, he would perk up happily, and come racing at you at full force. Have you ever had a greyhound barreling down on you at 45 miles an hour? It’s scary. He was also way more clever than Indy. He figured out how to open the cabinet where the trash was stored and pull it out on its rollers. He also used to trick my dad into getting off the couch by whining at the back door as if he needed to pee, then zipping around the table and claiming the couch for himself.
Both dogs were very dependent. They would whine loudly hours in advance of my mother coming home (though they rarely barked). Both were occasionally destructive. Indy chewed up three TV remotes, some of my Christmas presents, and a booklet of handwritten sheet music. (I still haven’t forgiven him for the sheet music, and he’s been dead for years!) Apollo peed in the house when he was anxious.
Both had a very high prey drive, especially Indy. He once picked up a Pomeranian in his mouth at a dog convention. Luckily, the Pom was fluffy and was only grabbed by the fur. Tragically, the dogs killed a neighbor’s cat while they were out on a walk one night. The cat jumped out in front of them, and the dogs killed it almost instantly. Some greyhounds, though, have no prey drive. The adoption organization typically tests them for drive toward cats and dogs by placing them muzzled in a room with other animals.
I also used to volunteer for Greyhound Pets of America, so I saw a lot of different dogs. I would say most greyhounds are like Indy: very mellow, affectionate, good with people. A few of the dogs are more energetic and like to zip around more. A few dogs are like Apollo: permanently traumatized. Most organizations foster the dogs in experienced homes first, so they should be able to tell you about the dog’s personality. Apollo was actually our foster dog; we adopted him because we knew it would be hard for him to find a home.
If I were ever to get another dog, it would be a greyhound. They are lazy, snuggly, and sweet. They are big dogs, so they don’t live long. Both Indy and Apollo lived to about 11 or 12.
Another greyhound owner checking in … Zane has been part of our family for about 4 months - joined our household with an 17 yo, a 13 yo, a 7 yo, a 9 yo whippet, and two rabbits … and the 10 yo turtle.
Great dog. Sweet. All of what has been said and more. This one has hardly any prey drive but loves to fetch. But yes be aware of the potential rough spots. They have been bred and raised as commercial livestock, not pets. Housebreaking may be incomplete when you get them. Some will be a little anxious. At first tile floors and stairs will confuse them. Yes, careful not to let the little ones fall asleep on them or to otherwise wake them up when they are asleep - our 7 yo got a nip on her forehead exactly that way. NEVER off leash and careful with doors being open. Dog parks can be a bit of a risk as they can get competitive and nip at other dogs when competing unless muzzled. Sensitive guts seem to be very common. We are doing well with grain free feeds.
Generally quiet but they do “roo” - try playing that youtube near a greyhound - it’s very funny. (Although my wife gets obsessed with making him do it.) And our whippet just stares at him while Zane roos. It just is a potent reminder that they really are pack animals and that the humans need to be clear that they are leaders of the pack.
We went through greyhoundsonly in the Chicago area and I cannot say enough good things about them. You really are joining if not a cult then at least an extended family when you get a greyhound. BTW, for some reason people don’t seem to want to adopt the black ones. I don’t know why. So you’d really be doing a great thing to adopt one of those.
Actually would be great in an apartment with walks.
We’ll likely never get any other kind of dog. And someday we will get another.
Funny… While playing this video, my grey awoke from her slumber on the couch, with this look of “What is all the racket? Can’t you see I was trying to sleep here?” The other one didn’t even lift his head.
Another greyhound owner and Colorado Greyhound Adoption volunteer here… I was first introduced to greyhounds about 5 years ago. Prior to that, I was a “cat person.” They are often described as rather cat-like: sleep a lot with short bursts of playfulness, independent but enjoys human affection, clean animals. (It takes a lot for them to start smelling like a dog.)
Just a few points to add to what has been said in the thread already:
Regarding greyhounds and children… If the children are old enough to practice proper dog etiquette (don’t bother them when they’re sleeping, don’t pull on tails, tug on ears, etc.), they tend to do fine with kids. In fact, when faced with the choice of fight or flight, they would rather pick the latter.
A lot of people think that they need a huge yard to run around. Yes, they love to run, but it’s not necessary. In fact, they make great apartment/townhouse dogs because they tend not to bark and tend to sleep a lot. As long as they have somewhere to go potty 3-4 times a day, and go for a moderate walk a few times a week, they’re pretty happy.
Greyhounds all have different personalities, just like people. Some are very outgoing, others very shy. Some are more active than others. Some are more patient and tolerant than others. Some think cats and small fluffy dogs are lunch, others ignore them. The adoption groups work to find the greyhound that would fit best in your household.
Greyhounds aren’t necessarily the right dog for everyone, but I’ know I’d be perfectly happy owning only retired racers from now on… I’ve officially converted from a “cat person” to a “greyhound person” for sure! 
I’m shocked they have a hard time adopting black ones. That is what color I want! Bunches of them! It goes well with their otherwise dramatic appearance.
As far as the cult thing, yeah, it can be like that if you like, it is sort of like owning a jeep and waving at every other jeep driver. We typically swarm any greyhound and enjoy discussing them and promoting them (can you tell?) but in our life, we didn’t really get involved.
I don’t think rescue groups as a whole realize how wacked out they seem to outsiders. I’m a lifetime pet owner, from fish to horses. I get that some animals need more work that others and it can be hard to know what you are getting into. I was willing to put in the work to socialize another dog we had that had been severely abused. Every day of her life was spent making her happier, more comfortable and pleasantly plump. I had her for 16 years. Compared to her, our greyhound was much, much, much easier. Actually, compared to most dogs we’ve had prior and since, the greyhound was much easier.
There are a ton of rescue groups out there. petfinder.com has a ton of them. Take a look at all their listings, if every single animal is categorized as special needs, no other dogs, no cats, no kids, then that should tell you something about the group. Either they take extremely unadoptable dogs, or they want to make it as difficult for you to get one as possible. Be willing to jump through hoops, there are a lot of assholes out there, but when it starts getting too hard, find another group.
There is a lot of very good info in this thread. I don’t know if you noticed, but I did, the biggest cult you seem to join when you’ve had a greyhound is the one in your head, that says, well, maybe ONE more won’t hurt…
There is one drawback. You can NOT go out in public without people coming up to you. They are such unique and dramatic dogs, they are attention getters. I feel bad for other dogs when there is a greyhound around.
Damnit, this is an evil plot to make me get another one, isn’t it?
I have a friend who has one - a rescue, ex Harold’s Cross stadium in Dublin.
It is a fucking nightmare dog.
He has had dogs all his life, all very well trained. But this thing is so dumb and instinct-led, there’s no training it. It’s very docile with people, but anything under the size of a terrier is prey, and that’s that.
He let it off the leash for the first time, a month after he got it, on a huge patch of wasteground. It immediately spotted a rabbit, sprinted after it, caught its foot in a rabbit hole and snapped its leg in half.
After four or five months in plaster, it was well enough to walk around again. He met me in a pub with the dog. We were in the beer garden, and he went to buy a drink. The pub cat walked past. WHOOM! Good job the leash was wrapped around the bench. The dog nearly strangled itself when it reached the end of the leash.
Another time it slipped the leash in a park. SMACK! 1 squirrel became 2 x 0.5 squirrels.
The most disturbing time was when they were at a country show, having a picnic. The dog was on a leash. A little yappy dog walked past, and BANG! It was in the greyhound’s jaws - even while on the leash. My friend got his hand bitten while rescuing the dog. The owners were deeply upset, though the little dog was unhurt.
The weirdest incident of all, though, was on a beach. My friends scanned the beach up and down and up and down, and determined there were no small dogs or anything else in danger, and let the dog off the leash to run around. SHAZAM! It shot off like a streak and dived its head into a plastic bag. And came out with a ferret in its jaws. My friends ran over, rescued the ferret. Inside the bag were two other ferrets. The bloke who owned the ferrets was taking his “boys” on a trip to the seaside. “As long as the little boy is OK, I don’t mind,” he told my friend in a Yorkshire accent. 
So now the dog is muzzled and the leash is tied round my friend’s wrist whenever they go out. Which is a shame.
Well, I do also describe them like your very nice, very sweet, but pathologically dumb friend. Ya can’t hate them because they are just too sweet. They really aren’t very bright. Compared to a border collie, they are pretty damned close to well, retarded. I mean that in the nicest way humanly possible. They just aren’t smart. Doesn’t mean they aren’t awesome anyway. Heck, having a toddler reminded me of my college days, herding drunk friends around.