Greyhound

From Pet Encyclopedia

Greyhound

Origin of Breed

Egypt

Breed Nick Names

English Greyhound

[edit] Introduction

The Greyhound is a hunting dog which has mainly been bred for racing and coursing game, but recently has become more popular as a family dog and pedigree show dog. In the UK kennel club the Greyhound is classed in the Hound Dog Group.

[edit] Origin and History

The breed can be traced back to ancient Egypt where a Saluki (Persian Greyhound) was believed to have been found in a tomb built 4000 BC. Originally these sighthounds were used for hunting, they can see up to ½ mile. The sighthound were introduced to what we now know a United Kingdom in 5th and 6th century BC. Todays use of the greyhound is racing, as they can reach speeds off 41 mph. Until the early twentieth century Greyhounds were bred and trained for coursing. During the 1920's modern greyhound racing was introduced in the United States, in the United Kingdom (Belle Vue) in 1936 and in Northern Ireland (Celtic Park) the April 18th 1927. The Greyhound currently holds the record of the fastest dog recorded.

[edit] Appearance

Males are usually 28 to 30 inches tall and weighs around 70-100 pounds, females tends to be smaller from 27-28 inches and weigh around 60-75 pounds. Greyhounds are short haired and low maintenance. They come I a various of colors, to mention a few: Black, White, Fawn, Brindle, blue (gray), and so on. Its also believed that Greyhounds can be pets to people that are allergic to dogs.

[edit] Temperament

Greyhounds are an athletic build dog and even though used for racing its a low energy dog. They are very gentle, loving and quiet animals, most Greyhounds don't bark but whine, you do occasionally get a Greyhound that barks. Adult Greyhounds require 2 walks of 20-30 minutes a day to stay healthy and happy.

[edit] Health

Typically Greyhounds are long living breed where hereditary illnesses are rare. Greyhounds are deep chested animals and they can develop Gastric Torsion and ostesarcma. Due to the Greyhounds build they need soft bedding to lay on e.g. a duvet on the floor as they can develop painfull skin sores. A greyhound lives typically 10-13 years If a greyhound needs surgery a special anesthetic is needed. Greyhounds cannot metabolize barbiturate-based anesthesia like other dogs, dues ti the low amounts of oxidative enzymes in their liver. You will need to makes sure that the vet you choose is aware of this. Greyhounds are often used as blood donors, they have a high amount of red blood cells, which allows a larger quantity of oxygen to get from the lungs to the muscles. Greyhounds also have a lower level of platelets than other breeds. For more information about blood values in Greyhounds please see link.

[edit] Living with Retired Greyhounds

Retired Greyhounds are referred to as ex-racers, they retire for several reasons like: no chase instinct, age, injuries just to mention a few. These ex-racers makes wonderful pets, most times they get on with other dogs (as long as its not small and fury breeds), walk well on lead and loves a good fuss and cuddle, and loves a comfortable sofa to sleep on. It is recommended that your ex-racer wears a muzzle when out and about until you get to know it, this is not because of aggressiveness, but in case you meet a small fury. They will also need a coat during the cold season, they feel the cold worse than other breeds because they do not have a lot of body fat, and getting cold or being left with a draft can cause pneumonia. Collar needs to be special shape collar, as most greyhounds have heads that have a smaller dimension than their neck, and can there for get easily twist them selfs out of an ordinary dog collar. Depending on the size of the ex-racer, you might need a raised food and water bowl.

Problems to be aware of when adopting an ex-racer is that they have never been in a home before. They will need to be house trained, most ex-racers are very clean in their kennels. Household appliances like hoovers, washing machines, TV etc. can cause them to startle, but it will soon pass when they get used to their new surroundings. Be prepared to get your ex-racer used to you leaving from day 1, this is very important as, they can develop separation anxiety. After 2-3 hours with your new best friend, leave it home alone for 10-15 minutes do this over a few days and expand this. You can use a DAP or rescue remedy to help this process in case your new best friend gets really upset, please consult a vet first.

When you got your ex-racer home, take it straight to the garden and wait till its done its business and praise it (use treats if you want) this should start the house training, put the lead on it and for 5 min walk it around your house and then take of the lead and let it explore, make sure you have removed all food temptations from worktops and keep your bin in a safe place.

When your new best friend is settled, this takes usually 2-3 weeks, again they are individuals some take longer some shorter, you will find that they are daft, cheeky, funny and very loving. You will at times find that you will have to turn around and laugh, before disciplining your hound. They will need a lot of patience as they are a bit slow when it comes to learning, but sticking to the house rules and the routines and it wont be long before it knows what you mean.

If you should find that you have had your hound in the garden, and it seem like hes got a cut on/in one of his paws, dont be disturbed by this as this is very common, clean the wound with saline water and keep an eye on any signs of infections

[edit] External Links

http://greythealth.com/blood.htm

[edit] References