Up to date November 28, 2020
Take a look on the figures above. Any authentic canine rescue charity would dream of numbers like those.
Those are what greyhound adopters reported in a contemporary find out about, and I’m now not stunned. I see super ranges of pleasure amongst greyhound homeowners. They’re a real selection for brand new canine homeowners.
Like every canine breeds, there are just right issues and in addition issues you want to understand. That is your evidence-based information to what to anticipate from an followed Greyhound. Let’s get started with the great things.
What’s Nice About Greyhounds
- They’re quiet: research display decrease ranges of nuisance barking than moderate canines
- They’ve low aggression against folks: this used to be probably the most key findings from the Howell find out about
- They’re just right with youngsters: the similar find out about additionally confirmed that they are able to be thought to be a family-friendly canine
- They’re just right on lead: research display this however you’ve definitely additionally noticed how delicate they’re on walks
- They don’t want a whole lot of workout: They love a run, and nonetheless desire a day-to-day stroll, however not anything too strenuous- bizarre, huh?
- They’re wholesome: take a look at their inbreeding coefficient and you could simply bet why
Plus you get a heat, fuzzy feeling from realizing you stored one. I don’t wish to depress you with the numbers however they aren’t just right.
Opting for A Greyhound
All breeds have professionals and cons, and Greyhounds aren’t any other. Then again, prior to I record doable problems, let me say this: make a selection your Greyhound rescue organisation in moderation and also you’ll receive advantages later. Search for a standardised behavioural evaluation of:
- Acceptance of dealing with
- Useful resource guarding
- Reaction to new eventualities
- Prey pressure against small canines and cats, each off and on the lead
With such a lot of wanting adoptions, it’s higher for everybody to use strict variety standards at first. And it presentations within the figures. The reported failure charges of three.2% after 1 month and 7% after 6 months are as little as it will get.
Do Greyhounds Want Muzzles?
The foundations on greyhound muzzling range from state to state. Muzzles don’t seem to be required to be worn in Victoria, while in NSW a retraining program is needed first. In South Australia, there are 3 ways to get a muzzle exemption:
- Greyhounds followed throughout the GAP program will also be awarded the numbered inexperienced collar that entitles them to head with no muzzle
- GAP too can organise (for a rate) the evaluation of Greyhounds who weren’t received via this system
- Non-public evaluation may be conceivable via certified and licensed individuals (see us for suggestions in Adelaide)
In every case, as soon as a canine has handed their evaluation, the landlord/adopter sends the signed forms away to obtain a license card that they then lift always when out with no muzzle.
Different Greyhounds should be muzzled when now not to your assets. It’s now not as dangerous because it sounds- their light-weight twine muzzles aren’t a serious problem both in appears to be like or use. Greyhounds should even be on a leash always when in public. Lately South Australia has been trialing greyhound days at positive off leash canine parks however you want to guide those briefly as call for is top.
Imaginable Issues With Greyhounds
Medically, Greyhounds are a wholesome breed and you’ll be expecting few issues. 3 notable exceptions are:
This desk presentations the extra commonplace behaviour issues reported in two primary research. If the figures appear exaggerated, it’s value noting that I blended ‘from time to time’, ‘regularly’ and ‘all the time’ to get those numbers. I’ll give an explanation for them afterwards.
| Behaviour from time to time/regularly/all the time | % in ANZ Find out about | % in Italian Find out about |
|---|---|---|
| Predatory behaviour against cats | 54 | 85 |
| Predatory behaviour against small canines | 25.4 | 31.8 |
| Predatory behaviour against huge canines | 9.7 | 10.8 |
| Aggression against unfamiliar animals | 27.2 | 61.9 |
| Aggression against acquainted animals | 26.9 | 30.2 |
| Worry of unfamiliar adults | 21 | 27.8 |
| Worry of unfamiliar youngsters | 18.3 | 15.8 |
| Generalised concern or nervousness | 28.4 | 33 |
| Worry in new eventualities | 41.4 | 32.9 |
| Worry of thunderstorms | n/a | 46.6 |
| Worry of alternative noises (e.g. site visitors) | 38 | 38.1 |
| Separation nervousness | 42.6 | 15.4 |
| Repeatedly following proprietor | 73.8 | 69.3 |
| Harmful (lawn) | 46.8 | 9.1 |
So we’ve got two primary problems:
- Predation and aggression against small or unfamiliar animals
- Anxiousness and concern in a spread of eventualities
The Australia-New Zealand find out about used to be finished just one month after adoption, which I believe explains the a lot upper fee of destruction and separation nervousness. This reality additionally provides hope that those behaviours will relax.
You’ll be able to learn extra about nervousness post-adoption right here.
To me, the larger doable factor is predation and aggression against cats, small canines, and unfamiliar animals. Whilst commonplace in principle, in sensible phrases it’s nearly by no means an issue. Greyhounds must had been pre-assessed prior to adoption, and particularly if they’re screened for a muzzle exemption.
When you personal a cat, care remains to be beneficial, particularly initially. Although you don’t seem to be required to make use of a muzzle in public it’s good to make use of one at house till you already know issues are OK.
The more than a few anxiety-related behaviours almost certainly come from the disadvantaged environments those canines lived in prior to adoption. They appear to make stronger with time, except for for one.
Chances are you’ll simply must get used to having a quiet and mild shadow round the home. It’s a small value to pay for rescuing this kind of gorgeous animal from oblivion.
Additional Studying
Elliott, R., Toribio, J. A. L., & Wigney, D. (2010). The Greyhound Adoption Program (GAP) in Australia and New Zealand: A survey of householders’ studies with their greyhounds one month after adoption. Implemented animal behaviour science, 124(3-4), 121-135.
Howell, T. J., Mongillo, P., Giacomini, G., & Marinelli, L. (2018). A survey of unwanted behaviors expressed via ex-racing greyhounds followed in Italy. Magazine of Veterinary Conduct.
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By way of Andrew Spanner BVSc(Hons) MVetStud, a vet in Adelaide, Australia. Meet his staff right here.