Canine Corner
Disclaimer: The contents of this page should never be used to replace advice for your greyhound-savvy vet.
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Routine, Biomechanics, Characteristics and Energy
Greyhounds have unique personalities and racing styles, shaped by their routine, biomechanics, and energy management. Trainers observe subtle behavioral and gait changes to ensure optimal performance. Greyhounds exhibit various stride types, each affecting speed and stamina. Their habits and preferences influence race outcomes and overall athleticism.
Bone Cancer In Greyhounds
Bone cancer in greyhounds is a widespread issue, often linked to genetics that are well-distributed across the population due to outcross breeding. Despite efforts, there is no known way to "breed out" this cancer. The shrinking greyhound population, combined with limited breeding options, makes it harder to address this issue.
Following Your Bliss
Greyhound trainers are dedicated, multi-faceted professionals responsible for the welfare and training of racing dogs. Their roles include everything from athletic coaching and medical care to emotional support and environmental management. Successful trainers assess each greyhound's potential and fitness, balancing stress and comfort to maximize performance and prevent injuries.
The Dog Park Blues
Dog parks can be risky for greyhounds due to potential injury, aggressive encounters, and miscommunications with less socially adept dogs. Their high prey drive and fast speeds on uneven surfaces also pose dangers. Greyhound adopters are advised to avoid dog parks, opting for controlled playdates or group walks instead.
A Few Words about Nature, Nurture and Your Greyhound
Retired greyhounds experience a significant adjustment when adopted, leaving behind the structured, nurturing "colony" culture they’ve known. While many adapt well, the transition can be challenging. Greyhounds' play instincts are focused on chase, not inanimate toys, reflecting their training as performance dogs in a social, competitive environment.
The Alpha, Beta and Omega of It
The terms "alpha," "beta," and "omega" are used by greyhound professionals to describe social hierarchies within greyhound colonies, though these terms are debated based on studies of wild wolves. Greyhounds are bred for competitiveness, and these designations reflect behaviors observed through extensive experience with the breed.
Fitness for Furbabies
To get a sedentary, out-of-shape greyhound fit, start with brisk walks, gradually increasing distance and intensity. Add activities like free galloping, swimming, or using a flirt pole. Monitor hydration and cooling down, especially in warm weather. Increase exercise duration gradually, and ensure proper care of paws and health.
Hot Fun In The Summertime and Pleasant Fatigue
Summer brings joy but heat risks for greyhounds, who regulate temperature poorly. Ensure hydration, moderate exercise, and recognize signs of heat stress. Use common sense: walk in cooler hours, monitor weight, and induce “pleasant fatigue” without overexertion. Err on caution, hydrate well, and prioritize safety to enjoy summer together.
Randomly Overheard in Casual and Polite Greyhound Discussion
In racing greyhounds, genetic diversity stems from female family lines, while sires contribute key traits. Breeders selectively balance bloodlines for athleticism, heart, and character, ensuring performance and health. Misguided interference threatens bloodline preservation and diversity, yet greyhounds’ refined selective breeding continues to shape their unique athleticism, temperament, and adoptive appeal.
Learning "How To Dog"
Retired greyhounds, deeply immersed in pack life, possess exceptional canine social skills learned within their colony—a unique, purpose-bred society. They expertly communicate, bond, and coexist, often beyond other dogs' capabilities. Adopters must embrace this sophistication, realizing greyhounds already “know how to dog,” while humans must learn “how to greyhound.”
Reactive Greyhounds
Greyhounds possess exceptional canine social skills due to their colony upbringing, making them fluent in "dog" language. Reactive behavior often stems from encounters with non-greyhounds unfamiliar with this refined communication, leading to culture shock. Their lightning-fast reflexes, bred for competition, amplify these reactions—typically, nothing is "wrong" with the greyhound.
The Disconnect
Understanding a greyhound’s unique breeding, training, and life experiences as a performance athlete is essential for adopters to effectively bond with and care for them. Dismissing this reality can lead to misunderstandings, harmful reactions to normal behaviors, and missed opportunities for connection. Open-mindedness fosters deeper appreciation and smoother transitions for greyhounds.
Separation Anxiety, 101
When adopted, greyhounds face culture shock from losing their pack, routine, and familiar structure, which can cause separation anxiety. Routine, punctuality, and engagement are key to easing their transition. Gradually conditioning them to short absences and providing mental and physical stimulation helps. Patience, calm bonding, and, in rare cases, vet-prescribed medication can resolve severe anxiety.
On Greyhound Populations
Greyhounds are the product of careful, selective breeding over generations, guided by formal competitions that identify individuals best adapted for performance. Success requires more than speed—athleticism, courage, stamina, and heart are essential. These competitions sustain genetic diversity, ensuring a thriving, well-tempered population. Without them, all greyhounds are diminished.
Intangibles
Breeding performance greyhounds demands meticulous planning, selecting compatible bloodlines, and skillful raising to ensure success. Beyond physical attributes, “spirit and character”—Tesio’s intangibles—define racing temperament, revealed under competition’s stress. These traits, evident in top racers and humble performers alike, carry into retirement, making greyhounds uniquely cherished pets. Breeders and ancestors deserve gratitude for fostering these wonders. Breeding performance greyhounds demands meticulous planning, selecting compatible bloodlines, and skillful raising to ensure success. Beyond physical attributes, “spirit and character”—Tesio’s *intangibles*—define racing temperament, revealed under competition’s stress. These traits, evident in top racers and humble performers alike, carry into retirement, making greyhounds uniquely cherished pets. Breeders and ancestors deserve gratitude for fostering these wonders.
Pity Adoptions
The “pity adoption” approach, portraying greyhounds as victims of abuse, deters potential adopters seeking a good-natured, manageable pet. While effective for political fundraising, this narrative misrepresents the reality of well-adjusted, content performance greyhounds. Highlighting their unique, pack-informed nature and adaptability as companions would better promote adoption opportunities and appeal to adopters.
The Edifice
Greyhounds thrive within pack dynamics shaped by cultural immersion, selective breeding, and shared instincts. Their natural social grace allows them to coexist harmoniously, even at large gatherings. While adjusting to novelty, like being an "only dog," can be challenging, their unique upbringing makes them effortlessly transition from athlete to affectionate pet.
Greyhounds Who Bite? OUCH!!
Greyhounds experience stress when transitioning into new environments, such as retirees entering adoption homes or saplings moving to racing kennels. These transitions, while sometimes overwhelming, rarely lead to aggression. The author, who has handled greyhounds from diverse origins—large-scale U.S. operations, small kennels, and international breeders—emphasizes that despite significant stressors, none ever bit their human caretakers. If an adopted greyhound displays biting behavior, absent medical issues, adopters should consult their adoption group and reassess their approach. Proper management is essential to avoid sensory overload and ensure a smooth adjustment for greyhounds into their new, unfamiliar environments.
The Kidney Flush
Many retired greyhounds may develop bladder control issues, often noticed after a walk or yard time, leading to accidents inside the house. While most greyhounds are fastidious and avoid soiling their living space, some may struggle with incontinence. This can be caused by a variety of factors, such as a small bladder, urinary tract infections (UTIs), or a history of exertional myopathy (Rhabdomyolysis), which affects kidney function. Ensuring proper hydration and a strict schedule for bathroom breaks can help. In some cases, a simple treatment using pearl barley water can improve kidney function and urinary health, alleviating incontinence.
Fragile Greyhounds
The common belief that greyhounds are fragile and prone to injury if they gain a few pounds in retirement is misguided. These dogs are built to withstand high stresses, with powerful physiques that make them resilient athletes. A fit greyhound is muscular, agile, and durable. After retirement, minor weight gain is not harmful and can even be beneficial for health. The key to assessing a greyhound's condition is hydration, not rigid weight standards. Proper hydration and moderate fitness are more important than worrying about skeletal appearance. Retired greyhounds, when well-cared for, should thrive without being overly lean.