Greyhound Puppies

One might easily say that America’s interest in Greyhound puppies is a result of the Simpsons episodes about Santa’s Little Helper. Apparently, when the feisty Greyhound found himself getting “restless” with home life, he ran to the racetrack to hook up with his "girlfriend", whose name was She’s the Fastest. The romantic encounter resulted in a litter of 25 Greyhound puppies.

Simpsons fans were charmed. Suddenly, many people became interested in adopting Greyhound puppies. However, there was a serious problem. Adopting Greyhound puppies is not an easy task.

For the most part, Greyhound puppies are bred either for racing or for show. This means that they are rarely available as pets. The show dogs are referred to as or American Kennel Club Greyhounds, whereas the racing dogs belong to the NGA or National Greyhound Association.

In some cases, Greyhound puppies may be available through either of these organizations. However, Greyhounds that are available for adoption as puppies may have some inherited health issues that might cause problems later on. It is better to wait until the dog is at least two years old. This is when the dog has his or her maiden races, which are a test of the dogs racing potential. If the dog does not “break maiden", he or she will be retired, and hopefully brought to an adoption center. While the dog may simply be too slow for racing, this should not imply that there are any serious health issues.

American Kennel Club Greyhounds are bred for show. As such, they are usually taller than racing Greyhounds. Compared to racing dogs, AKC Greyhounds have:

• Deeper Chests
• Longer legs
• Longer necks
• Backs that are more arched
• Tightly folded and smaller ears

Since they are not bred for racing, they are heavier than racing Greyhounds. In contrast, NGA Greyhound puppies have longer, wider bodies and thicker tails. Their muscles are bunchier than those of Greyhound show dogs. Racing dog fur is also thicker.

NGA Greyhounds are usually raised by professional breeders, who have been carefully trained to look for speed, endurance and temperament of these future potential racing stars. Most of these dogs are bred on "farms," which are located at parts of the country that still have Greyhound racing.

During the first year of their lives, Greyhound pups live together with their littermates. Although they are frequently in contact with their breeders and trainers, they are never exposed to other breeds of dogs. As a result, they are comfortable with people, but often uneasy with other dog breeds.

Once the puppy is a bit older, his or her living space is expanded. This larger room may sometimes have an indoor running track. At this point, Greyhound puppies are also trained in the art of "luring". A toy is dragged across the floor to literally lure the puppies with a target. This helps develop their agility and coordination. When the Greyhound puppies reach four months of age, they are sent to a rearing facility where they are able to run around and play. By the time they reach 10 to 12 months, they are ready for their formal racing training. It is here that the puppy’s future is predicted. Will he or she be a racer or a pet?

In November of 2008, the citizens of Massachusetts voted to outlaw Greyhound racing. Many other states have done the same. Does this mean an increased availability of Greyhound puppies? Only time will tell.

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