Some Notes On the Benefits of Greyhounds as Pets
June 22nd, 2010 AdminI’d just like to say that Greyhounds make FABULOUS pets!
Mine is Chloe, she’s 8 now, raced for 4 years and bred for 2, before she came to us. They are total couch potatoes, being built to sprint and not for endurance. I just took Chloe for a 40 minute walk – all she’ll need for the day. Usually she’ll get 2 shorter ones, but we have to be somewhere else tonight. She’s now lying on the duvet beside my desk and she’ll stay there until the fire is on upstairs and she’ll come up to lie on her beanbag in front of it 
She never barks (except at hedgehogs) unless something is a problem (like pain, or she really, really needs to go outside NOW!) and then only once and wait for me to respond.
They love to run with other greyhounds, some will run by themselves but Chloe doesn’t often. She just ambles along when we go for a walk, sniffing earnestly at odd plants and trees. Chloe lives with 2 cats and, after a period of mild tension, they have all come to a detente where they will sniff each other and that’s about it. Chloe is quite timid, more than usual for a greyhound – some are bold, some not so much. She doesn’t like surprises or loud noises or things moving over her head.
I have ME and so not a lot of energy. A greyhound is a perfect dog for me as I can manage the 30 minutes we usually take for a walk, without knackering myself for the rest of the day. The low energy requirement is good for elderly people as well, and those who are movement impaired.
They’re quite smart dogs, though some can appear a bit dim. They learn easily and quickly, responding well to training and treats. You do need to fence your yard though, as they are accomplished escape artists and happy to wander.
They love routine and company, but Chloe is okay with changes to her day, and copes well when I have to go out without her. She is prone to trotting off and cleaning out the cats’ bowls if left to herself. She’s always very happy when we get home, even if we don’t immediately take her for a walk. We initially had some separation anxiety issues, but that didn’t last long and she’s fine now (though she always gives me a very sorrowful look as I close the door!). If we had the space, I’d get another one, as they’d keep each other company, but it wouldn’t be fair on the dogs (big house, but not that big) or the cats.
I can’t believe how quickly I’ve become a total dog person, since we got Chloe. Once upon a time I was all “Hmm cute woman, has a dog with her” but now I’m all “Hmm, nice dog, good shape, looks well fed. Oh, there’s a woman holding her lead. Nice lead.”
In New Zealand, Greyhounds As Pets is the organisation that arranges adoptions, but most countries where greyhound racing exists have a counterpart organisation or six. I googled http://www.google.com/search?aq=f&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=greyhounds+canada and got several different organisations, covering different parts of that country.