The sport of racing greyhounds consists of the dogs chasing a lure (an artificial hare or rabbit) on a track until they arrive at the finish line. After the dogs are no longer able to race or as soon as they no longer consistently place in the top four, the dogs' race career ends. These dogs usually top out at around 4 to 6 years of age. The best dogs are kept for breeding purposes. Rescue groups now work diligently to place retired greyhounds in adoptive homes, instead of some thousands a year being euthanisized. Other greyhounds are either sold to research labs, or sent to foreign racetracks, sometimes in developing countries. These dogs are sleek and built for speed with highly defined thigh muscles and little to no body fat. They have a very deep chest enabling large, deep breaths for running. The front legs are absolutely straight. The long tail is carried low and has a slight upward curve at the end.
These dogs are referred to as the "45 mph couch potato." They don't require much exercise and actully just enjoy sprinting as opposed to endurance running. They are the second fastest land mammal.
Greyhounds are pack animals and enjoy the company of other dogs. Some of the ex-racers (a very small percentage) cannot go into houses with cats or small animals, as they see this as their "lure" and tend to chase, if not catch and kill them.
Greyhounds do not have undercoats and therefore are less likely to trigger people's dog allergies They have very little body fat, also which means they are more susceptible to extreme temperature (heat and cold). This is why you see many greyhounds wearing coats on cold days and pajamas to bed at night.
FUN FACTS ABOUT GREYHOUNDS:
~A Greyhound is capable of reaching peak speeds of 45-miles per hour and is the second-fastest land animal to the cheetah.
~The Greyhound's tail acts as a rudder, enabling it to turn quickly at high speeds.
~A litter of Greyhounds usually ranges between 5 to 9 puppies.
~The name of a Greyhound may not exceed 16 characters and cannot be the same as that of another Greyhound.
~A Greyhound's racing name is not his real name because yelling his real name during a race could interfere with performance.
~Greyhounds actually spend a lot of time each day relaxing and sleeping.
~Greyhounds are muzzled not because they are vicious animals. To the contrary, they are considered one of the most docile breed of canines. Muzzles are used to prevent overzealous play in the turnout pen and during the heat of action during a race, in addition to assisting in the determining photo finishes.
~Like all sight hounds, Greyhounds must not be allowed to run free, they may end up in the next state when they come to a halt. The drive to run and hunt is deeply ingrained, so fenced yards and leashes are a must.
~Among the pharaohs known to keep Greyhounds were Cleopatra VII, Tutankhamen & Amenhotep II.
~In the tenth century, King Howel of Wales declared that the penalty for killing a Greyhound was the same as that of killing a person - death.
~In 1014, King Canute established Forest Laws that prohibited slaves & serfs from owning Greyhounds.
~Famous Greyhound owners have included Alexander the Great, George Washington, Rutherford B. Hayes,
George Custer, Babe Ruth, Frank Sinatra, Al Capone, Ed Sullivan & Bo Derek.
