Just submitted an application to adopt a greyhound!

DH and I went Petco today and they were having a Meet and Greet for a local greyhound rescue group. We just bought a house a few months ago that has a fenced in back yard and we've been talking about getting a dog for a while. My husband is a dog person and has patiently been waiting for the right circumstances to bring one into the fold. Since I'm now working from home it is really an ideal situation for a pup. I've never had a dog so I must admit I'm a little nervous about it, but I really love greyhounds and have always said that if I were to adopt a dog it would be a grey. They are beautiful dogs and seem to be so sweet and gentle. Anyway, we came home and submitted an application online. Apparently the next step is to set up a home visit and interview with an adoption coordinator. Obviously my chief concern is that we get a cat safe grey, preferably one that's been fostered with cats. I'm a little worried as to how my two kitties will react, but I've been doing a lot of research on proper introductions, so I'm hoping when the time comes it will all go smoothly. Anyway, wish me luck! If anyone else has a greyhound or can offer up any tips on cat/dog intros I'd love to hear from you!

Hi,

Congrats on the greyhound adoption! I adopted a greyhound many years ago and Cleo lived with me from the age of 2 until almost 13, when she passed from a massive stroke.

I did not adopt through an agency, as my mom's property was next door to a training track. They had an extended offer to give me a greyhound whenever I was ready. One day I was, and they showed me Cleo, who was slated for euthanasia (the dog racing industry is HORRID!!!!) the next day. I took her home on the spot.

I had one small dog and one cat at the time I got Cleo. I housed Cleo in a crate for the first couple of days and allowed the cat to sniff her while she was crated. We never had a problem---EVER. In fact, the second cat I got later never had an issue either.

I hope you're not planning on the greyhound living outside as they truly are couch potatoes/housedogs. Mine housetrained effortlessly and loved nothing more than lying on the couch when there wasn't a lap handy!

Healthwise, we had a lot of issues, mainly due to the maltreatment she received while racing. She had chronic erlichia (tick fever) and her skin would tear easily (just brushing against a friend's boots cut her leg one time as she rubbed on the metal hook). And greyhounds have the WORST mouths---stinky, and tartar filled. Frequent dentals and rigorous homecare is needed.

Feel free to ask me any questions. We enjoyed Cleo immensely.

A photo of Cleo taken in her last year (was old and skinny):

Good Luck! Baby cousin and his (now ex) wife had adopted two. They were quite sweeet and eager to be petted. They are with the ex now. (Baby cousin is in the Army and deployed to Iraq.)

I had 2 greyhounds for a while. They were both generally good with cats but you still have to be very cautious with them. Doug was sleeping one time when Bogart (baby) ran by and woke him up. Doug's reaction was to jerk his head up and grabbed Bogart in his mouth. I was sitting next to him and screamed in time for Doug to realize what he had done and dropped him without harm. That could have been a disaster.

Tyler couldn't help himself with feral cats that ran away from him. We had a feral colony on the property and after he raised down and killed a cat one day, I had to supervise him 100% of the time. I broke him of the habit, but it was a hard lesson.

What these incidents told me is that their prey drive is triggered by movement. And they are so fast that you have to be dilligent.

I absolutely loved my greys. They are couch potato dogs and Tyler took the queen sized water bed in the guest room as his bed at night. They also had their own sofa in the living room.

Here is Doug with Bogart. Bogart would eat out of his bowl and Doug would let him. This picture was taken shortly after Doug almost ate Bogart when he woke him up. Doug was a monster size at 95 pounds.


I don't have a picture of Tyler online, but he was a lighter brindle and about 20 pounds lighter.

I lost both of them to bone cancer when they were 10 years old.

Oh, how exciting! I hope all goods well for you guys, adoption is a wonderful thing! Fingers crossed. Good luck!

This is GREYT news! Congrats!!

I am a big greyhound fan and have worked with a local greyhound rescue for over 8 yrs.Greyhounds are truly wonderful dogs.They are very quiet and docile and are couch potatoes.Very good family dogs.

Never let your grey unleashed in an open area.If he/she sees something (they are sighthounds),they will take off after it and greyhounds are generally not street smart.So only allow runs in enclosed fields.The rescue will cat test the dog before bringing him/her to you and the option is usually available (at least with most rescues) for a trial adoption,to see if and make sure the dog gets on in your home.

I am excited for you!! I had co-ownership of a pair of greyhounds (both were lost to bone cancer a few years ago) and I have to say they are definatly my "heart" breed.I know you'll love them!

Oh how lucky. You won't be disappointed (especially if you get one that is cat friendly). I love the Greys, but prefer the Whippets as they are a smaller dog (30 lbs compared to 60 or more). If we get another dog (after Keno passes), I would like a Whippet - but would have to buy/adopt one that is cat friendly.

I think they are SOOO cool. I bred/showed Cornish Rex, so my love of the body style is what I like best for the Whippets/Greys

my friend has a rescued greyhound who is safe with cats and she really is a total sweetheart! I wish the best of luck

Thanks everyone for the well wishes/tips and to those who shared your stories and pics of your beautiful doggies! The rescue contacted us and said that they would be in touch this week to set up an interview and home visit. I know that this organization takes a lot of care in matching the right hound to the right home, so I have confidence that we'll find a good match for our household. I love the fact that this breed is known to be a "45 mph couch potato" LOL...actually that sounds a lot like my cats...bursts of extreme "kitty crazies" followed by hours of snoozing on the sofa. I have no idea how long the adoption process is going to take, but I will keep everyone posted!

That is great! We had a greyhound when I was a teenager and they are poetry in motion.Hopefully your rescue dog will be in better health than ours was. "Stretch" came from the pound and was a runt.Our GH was an un-neutered male and had been mistreated as a pup so he was cranky and aggressive...not at all like your normal GH. You know you pretty much have an indoor dog with a Greyhound,right? That thin skin and light coat makes him feel both heat and cold like you do.They will find the softest place in the house to sleep on though(beds and furniture)so hopefully that is ok? He`ll need some space to run in and it needs to be fairly flat and free of obstacles(hidden branches/roots,sharp stones,barbwire fencing).Believe me the GH moves so fast,any little bump or contact with a sharp or unyielding object will cut him badly.Our GH looked like Frankenstein! Always getting sliced or cut by something. I hear they can be timid at first but make great pets! Will yours be an ex-racedog?GHs naturally chase and kill any small moving animal foolish enough to come around them.The breed has a tendancy to get joint trouble when older.Non-smoking household I hope...Huge chest and lung capacity they have.
Can`t have a Greyhound without getting him that smooth and wide leather collar,k?It`s like a rule.

You are going to LOVE your GH! I`m jealous.

HosMan

P.S. forgot but like CatMom said those Grey`s have some oral hygeine issues and get tarter foul breath that will peel paint.

Originally Posted by sweetseamus

I love the fact that this breed is known to be a "45 mph couch potato" LOL...actually that sounds a lot like my cats...bursts of extreme "kitty crazies" followed by hours of snoozing on the sofa. I have no idea how long the adoption process is going to take, but I will keep everyone posted!

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Hahaha...well many Greyhound owners and enthusiasts say the Grey is "cat-like".They act different then most other breeds of dogs!!

They ARE 45 MPH couch potatoes!!

They also like to lean against you. If you have a really big one, they can knock you over (or at least small children, as my niece found out). Some of them "chatter". You'll recognize it the first time you see it.

My Tyler used to tear his skin all the time, and for about a year he was in an Elizabethan collar about 6 times. Their skin is fragile and I agree with others that they must be indoor dogs. He's also the one that landed in an emergency vet the time I sprayed vet-prescribed flea treatment in the house.

They're also sensitive to anesthesia, and if you ever have to put them under at a vet, make sure your vet knows about the special needs of greys. Talk to the adopters about a good vet for them in your area.

Yes, I've heard about the skin, teeth, and other medical issues. No worries, we'd definitely keep the dog indoors. I've been doing lots of research and recently joined a greyhound forum similar to this one that has a lot of good info. The rescue we applied to just posted a lot of new pooches to their site...sadly many are older dogs that were owner surrenders due to medical or financial reasons. I guess that's becoming an all too familiar tale in the world of animal rescue these days.

and it looks like we could have a new pup as soon as next weekend! There's a boy currently in foster care that the adoption coordinator thinks would be a good match for us. He's a 6 year old fawn male...so adorable! Apparently his previous owner decided all of a sudden they didn't have time for him and couldn't be bothered anymore. Anyway, he's very sweet and mellow and good with cats, so we're trying to schedule a time to meet him this week.

Also, when the adoption coordinator visited today she brought her dog so I got a chance to see how Seamus and Smudge would react. They both puffed up and glared from afar but otherwise held their ground. They didn't even hiss or growl. After a while when they realized the dog wasn't a threat, Seamus actually resumed his nap! Smudge kept an eye on the dog the whole time, but by the end of the visit, was clearly more curious than scared. They weren't nearly as freaked out as I thought they'd be. It gives me hope for future peaceful cat/dog relations!

Oh a FAWN...how lucky are you???!!!! He sounds adorable. How big is he? My Cleo was quite petite, with a top weight of only 60 pounds.

Good luck. And please remember---PICTURES---and lots of 'em!

C

Thats exciting!
Keep us updated!!!! I love the fawn hounds!