Greyhounds, AKC vs. NGA

[Romy]

Does anybody know what the differences and similarities are? We are looking into getting Strider a sighthound friend, and think this may be a good way to go.

Unfortunately a rescue grey is not an option for us. None of the rescues will give us the time of day because of our baby (come back when she's at least 10 years old they tell us )

 

[Dekka]

no idea. That sux about the rescues. BUT you know whippets are awesome pets (lol but I am biased)

 

[RD]

I... don't know if you WANT a Greyhound puppy, Romy. They're not (nor do they grow up to be) the sweet, calm, docile individuals that their retired racing counterparts are.

I dunno about the AKC vs NGA but I'm pretty sure that the AKC Greys are bred for the show ring and the NGA Greys are bred for racing/coursing.

 

[Sweet72947]

That's crap that the rescue wont' let you have a dog because of the baby. I don't see why a calm, even tempered grey couldn't coexist with a child.

and I agree with RD, everything I've read about greyhound puppies says that they are CRAZY with energy and do not stop moving/running/getting into trouble.

Have you tried Greyound Pets of America? They are a national rescue, and they have an AZ chapter: http://www.gpa-az.com/

I don't see anything on their site that says they don't adopt to families with babies, in fact I saw several statements saying that greyhounds are good with children.

 

[Elleoz]

Doesn't that stink about the rescues? We have gotten that response as well. While I understand their point, in most cases I think that it is totally absurd. As a parent of two small children I take the responsibility to raise the puppy and the children together and supervise them appropriately. If there is an issue and the dog is known and/or tested to not do well with young children then fine. If something does happen, it is my responsibility not the rescues.

Good luck and I think that RD is right about the puppy temperment. Good luck!

 

[HoundedByHounds]

Az. eh....hmmm...
Can you not adopt/buy a retired dog directly from a for the track breeder and avoid the middle man as it were?

 

[HoundedByHounds]

Windrock Kennel had a December litter listed on at one of the Greyhound sites I checked....pricey!

Breeder Listing Site

 

[PWCorgi]

Can you not adopt/buy a retired dog directly from a for the track breeder and avoid the middle man as it were?

Some retired races end up in local shelters as well (around here anyway), you could try keeping an eye open at local shelters or look on Petfinder.

 

[darkchild16]

Have you tried Greyound Pets of America? They are a national rescue, and they have an AZ chapter: http://www.gpa-az.com/

I don't see anything on their site that says they don't adopt to families with babies, in fact I saw several statements saying that greyhounds are good with children.

They are who i volunteer with and we do adopt to families with babies all teh time. And you DEFINATLY do not want a baby grey from the voice of experience believe me. We had a 6 mth old get turned over because she could not race and NEVER NEVER NEVER again. I will take a entire litter of 4 month old APBT puppies over one grey puppy ANYDAY.

And the difference between NGA and AKC is the NGA is the racing registry all dogs from GPA come with their NGA papers. AKC is the show strain. If you want a pet of just a lure courser you do want AKC.

If you have any questions about GPA or greyhounds PM me. We have been a foster home for 6 years and have done every part of the adoption process.


Side note: You can also foster until you find the right one but they will ALWAYS at least our chapter foster to adopt ONLY to families with children and other dogs. So if you pick one and it doesnt work out you have about a month to change your mind and you dont loose out on the fee or anything they just give you another dog to try.


PSST heres the tuscon chapter http://www.gpa-tucson.org/

 

[darkchild16]

Some retired races end up in local shelters as well (around here anyway), you could try keeping an eye open at local shelters or look on Petfinder.

with a baby in the mix you DO NOT want to go there. Most kennels that do take them to the shelters do not worry about how their dogs end up which reflects how they were raised. If you go through a rescue that pulls from the track like GPA they know the kennels the owners of the kennels and the history of dogs from these kennels. Here there are 2 that we WILL NOT give their dogs to famlies that include small kids these dogs are a danger to kids but great with adults because of how they were raised. That is one reason I am strongly against Greys from a shelter for a family with kids or prey size animals.

Page 6 of this newsletter describes the things that our Chapter requires that the parents agree to when adopting with babies or young children.

http://www.greyhoundpets.com/Summer 2007.pdf


our website www.greyhoundpets.com actually has a bunch of info on it that some of the others chapters dont add. (Gotta love having a web designer as one of our officers)


Greyhounds and Kids - If you have small kids at home you will be happy to learn that greyhounds are one of the very best breeds at getting along with children. Simply stated: gentle, affectionate and even-tempered, greyhounds are great with kids. However, even the docile greyhound has its limits. Small children are often curious about dogs and do not realize what causes pain to a dog. For that reason, the introduction of the greyhound to the kids is critical. Children are natural touchers, pokers and tasters of things that interest them. Someone must define the limits for the kids and the greyhound. That someone is you, the adopter, and your supervision can lay the foundation of a mutual friendship between the greyhound and the children which will last for many years.

 

[Romy]

Wow! Thanks for all the resources everybody!. I need to change my profile actually, as we moved to Washington state last month.

I... don't know if you WANT a Greyhound puppy, Romy. They're not (nor do they grow up to be) the sweet, calm, docile individuals that their retired racing counterparts are.

I dunno about the AKC vs NGA but I'm pretty sure that the AKC Greys are bred for the show ring and the NGA Greys are bred for racing/coursing.

I don't really understand what you are saying. The retired racing greys were puppies at one point no? What do they grow up to be if not sweet calm greyhounds? Are you saying AKC greyhounds have a different temperament than NGA dogs?

Everybody tells us that sighthound puppies are horrible monsters. Maybe we were just lucky with Strider, but compared to all of our adult fosters except one (a staghound puppy actually), he has been 99% angel. He's mellow, listens, chews on appropriate things, etc. We were preparing for a chainsaw when we got him, and we ended up with a butterknife....or maybe rubber spatula. Compared to our DDR shepherd, she was like chainsaw x50 as an adult, much less a puppy.

I love whippets. My husband however requires a dog to be one of two things.
1. Muscular
2. Tall

Greyhounds have tall, and I think as big as Strider is getting it would be nice for him to play with someone his size anyway. Robert told me he wouldn't consider a whippet, but he likes basenjis. He's afraid to play with the smaller frail looking dogs like whippets, iggies, chihuahuas etc.

I met a lady who works with sighthounds and she has the connections to "just buy" a young track dog, so we are investigating that route. We probably won't add anything for a few months, just kind of investigating our options and laying groundwork for whatever is going to end up happening. There is a greyhound breeder who has a retired champion female who is going to be ready for a retirement home, and also a yearling male. Those are AKC and lurecoursing lines.

I would really really like to course with our next dog also. We can't with Strider because he is training for service work, and I don't think he will be able to turn off that chase drive while he's working if we go ahead and develop it.

 

[darkchild16]

actually from what one of our officers tells us that is normal for a borzoi puppy. She bred and trained Ob and Rally Borzoi for years she only jsut now got out of it and has the last of her line in her home who is now 10 years old. She has had both Borzoi puppies and greyhound puppies and she says there is a considerable difference.


I would be wary of a young track dog if you are looking for a puppy like Stryder LOL. If youare ready for a crazy dog then they would make great LC dogs. Our retired would but he broke a tiny little bone in his foot hence his retirement so LC is out of it.

GOOD LUCK!!!

 

[Romy]

Thanks Darkchild! We've got plenty of space, and have no problem with a more active dog. Strider is such a slug we don't even crate him. If we're going somewhere he can't come (he's not ready for a restaurant yet) he just gets shut in the bedroom when we leave and he sleeps the whole time we are gone. We're worried about him getting enough exercise, because he definitely is much more active around other dogs. We play fetch and go for short walks, but it's not the same as dog play. As he gets older and mellows out even more it's going to be more challenging to keep him exercised, so that is why we are looking into a fast friend.

If we got a grey pup, I would definitely crate train and have it spend a good amount of time outside playing. I'm out in the yard all day with Aurelia playing, and Strider is out with us too. He just gets bored with human infant play and fetch after a while and falls asleep. I have heard borzoi breeders and whippet breeders say that those two breeds are hellish puppies which they aren't compared to other breeds. It's hard to tell if greyhounds are really as bad as people say they are, since I haven't met anyone personally that has had a puppy. It's just hard to tell if it is a breed specific myth, because everybody spouts it off, but nobody has any actual experience. If you could give an example of what life with a grey pup would be like, we'd really appreciate the perspective.

 

[darkchild16]

Keep in mind this is a 6 month old.

Diamond was a track reject because they didnt know who her parents were so she could not be registered. So at 6 months she was sent to GPA the youngest we can recieve them. She from what the lady said who had her which is the president of our chapter. But she got into EVERYTHING. She NEVER stopped. Since she was race ready from the farm she still cant physically sit. All she does is go go go. Now as she has aged shes been a nit more mellow but as a puppy. *shudder*

 

[SisMorphine]

Greyhound puppies are evil. And this coming from someone who is currently dealing with bulldog puppyhood!! You have to be EXTREMELY strict and consistent with a Grey pup.

If the rescue you spoke with won't adopt to you, look for another rescue. How old is your child?

Truth be told, I don't recommend Greys for families with young children for the most part. Greyhounds can be very social, sweet, and calm, which most families want in a dog in a house with young kids. But my problem is that Greys are SO sensitive to pain. Whereas a child can accidentally fall on a lab or a bully breed and not get a reaction, most Greys WILL react, and any reaction to pain gives you the possibility of a teeth to skin connection.

That being said, I do believed that Greyhounds are the perfect dogs. I will never be without one again. I just wanted you to understand why some people don't recommend Greys with young kids as a general rule.

 

[anna84]

I'm really curious now, I never new grey puppies were hellions. Is it just chewing and crazy energy?

 

[darkchild16]

That is the least of your worries Anna. It is so hard to explain really you have to witness it. But there is a reason they live on the farms with their litters until they are 10 mths old

Like Sismorphine said I would take a bully breed puppy over a greyhound puppy ANYDAY!!!! I thought that Diamond was gonna be easier then my APBT puppies I had been warned but like most thought it was just breed hype. Lets jsut say I was SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO wrong and was glad that I only really dealt with her at the kennel.

 

[RD]

Romy, it's been my (limited) experience that the track life contributes to the wonderful, sweet, calm temperament of the adult Greyhounds you get out of a rescue or from a track. I've never met a Greyhound raised in a house from puppyhood that is quite so chill and sweet - even as old dogs, they're somewhat wilder and more reactive. I'm sure there are exceptions to the rule, though.

 

[SisMorphine]

Give a Greyhound puppy and inch and he'll take 25 miles . . . very fast

It is the farm and track life that contributes to the calm gentle demeanor that you see in the rescue Greys. It is a very structured life, far more structured than most pet homes can usually offer.

 

[Romy]

Thanks for clearing that up RD, what you said makes a lot more sense now.

I guess that leaves me with a couple of options then, either look closely at how they are handled at the tracks and try to simulate it, or see if I can get an older pup,

Does anybody know what age is the magic one for their brains to fall into place? Would 10 months be too young, or should I hold out for a year?

Maybe if I show this to Robert he'll let me get another borzoi instead.

ETA: Aurelia is 5 months old. The rescues wouldn't adopt to us when I was pregnant, even though when they did the house inspection I showed them the gated areas of the house we had set up, and the indoor porch that was gated off with a 4x3x2' crate specifically for the dog to retreat to if it needed some quiet time away from little hands.

Aurelia has play mats that spread out on the floor that Strider is not ever allowed to step on, hover over, or lick (etc.) but he may lay next to them. That is the baby's space. He likes to lay next to her mat so she can pull his hair and kick him so I'm constantly putting a stop to that. She's finally learning how to touch gently consistently. On the flip side, Strider's bed is his haven, and she is not allowed to go in it or mess with him while he is in it.