Greyhounds are one of the oldest breeds of dog known to man pre-dating ancient Egypt. Being sight hounds, they were originally used for hunting. They still are in some parts of the world.

Today, Greyhounds are raced at some 36 tracks in 13 states across the country*. Their athletic, muscular build allows them to attain speeds of up to 45 MPH. Greyhounds begin their racing career at 18 months of age, race until they can no longer compete, sustain an injury, or reach the mandatory retirement age of 5 or 6.

* Source: The Greyhound Protection League, August 18, 2007

They are friendly, affectionate, gentle, quiet, sweet, loyal, clean, loving, sensitive, trusting & good natured.

Most greyhounds are retired from racing at age 2-6, and the average life expectancy of a Greyhound is 12-15 years. Greyhounds have few of the congenital (in-bred) problems that plague other large breeds, such as hip dysplasia.

Most Greyhounds weigh between 50-80 pounds, with some smaller females weighing as little as 40-45, and some larger males as much as 90-100 pounds. Ex-racers normally stand between 26-30” at the shoulder.

Greyhounds are bred as athletes, and are their healthiest when they are lean. You should be able to see 1-2 ribs. If their backbone and ribs are buried, they are too heavy, and this strains their joints and can shorten their life.

The “grey” probably comes from a medieval word for “great”, not for the color. Greyhounds are bred for speed, not color, so any color is acceptable. Brindle (striped) dogs are common, as are fawn, red, and black dogs, or white dogs with any color patches. Grey is the rarest color.

Actually, Greyhounds are very low-energy dogs. Even when they are at the track, they are housed in crates for 20 or more hours a day, and race only twice a week, for about 30 seconds at a time. Greyhounds are the ultimate couch potatoes, and do just fine with potty walks 3 or 4 times a day, and perhaps a couple of longer walks a week. While many enjoy an occasional run in a FENCED AREA, they do not “have” to run to be happy. They love long naps on soft cushy beds and couches!

Like any breed, some are different than others. Some greyhounds have a high prey drive and aren’t safe with small animals, but most greyhounds are fine with other dogs, cats, and sometimes even birds or bunnies. As part of the foster process, we get to know how our interact with other animals, and match them up with adoptive families accordingly.

Often, this depends on whether the child is good with dogs! Greyhounds tend not to rough-house like some breeds, but enjoy affection and companionship from calm children. If a child becomes overbearing, they tend to walk away, rather than snap, but every dog has its limits. Children should NEVER be left unsupervised with any animal.