Frequently Asked Questions

Ex-racing greyhounds are amazing dogs. Like any dog, each greyhound is a unique individual with a particular personality. Typically, however, the breed is known to be gentle, sweet, affectionate and sensitive. Known for their laid back demeanor, rather than a hyper personality as people sometimes think, they can be playful, cuddly, energetic according to their individual ways . . . and lazy the rest of the time. Greyhounds have been bred for thousands of years to run fast and ex-racing greyhounds were trained for the track, so these factors have an impact on their subsequent life as pets. Adult greyhounds usually acclimate quickly into their new lives in a home. But it’s important to know what to expect.

Life on the track is as different from a home life as you can imagine. As puppies they are raised on a "puppy farm" never experiencing what a "pet puppy" would experience. When they begin their racing careers, at about a year of age, they move into a kennel, where they typically live in a crate. Most have never ridden in a car or been in a house. They've never seen a window or a sliding glass door, stairs, a TV set, a couch. They've likely never seen a child or any other dog, other than greyhounds.

At the same time, they have learned to sprint out of a starting box and view doors, gates, car doors in a similar way. As greyhounds can reach speeds of up to 47 mph and can be at cruising speeds in seconds, they can quickly be out of voice range if they escape. That's why we tell adopters that greyhounds should not be off leash in unenclosed areas. They do not have the "street smarts" other dogs may have and are at great risk of getting hit by a car.

For new greyhound adopters, GAC placement volunteers will work with you on how to help your greyhound transition from a working track dog to being a family pet. It's a fun and rewarding journey and can build a loving bond between you and your dog.

Greyhounds are canine athletes. For large dogs, they have fairly long lives, typically living from 11-13 years old. They have their own special medical needs related to how their trim bodies process anesthesia, flea control products, and worming medication. Also, many greyhounds will require thyroid medication. Having a vet who is greyhound knowledgeable is a plus, and GAC will do its best to supply you with the name of a veterinarian in your area who is experienced in treating greyhounds.

In addition, we bring in many greyhounds that have sustained leg injuries. We encourage adopters to consider adopting a greyhound with a healed or old injury. For life at home, these injuries often have very little impact on daily activities.

No. Greyhounds are strictly indoor dogs. They cannot be left outside to live or while you’re away at work. Greyhounds have little body fat and cannot tolerate high heat and cold. In addition, greyhounds, like any dog, are social animals and want to be with "their family," not relegated to a patio, garage or yard. We adopt out the greyhounds to be loved members of a family.

Greyhounds are no different from other breeds in this respect. They love their people and want to be with them as often as possible. The reality is that most people have to work! Planning and having realistic expectations are key. Before adopting, you need to consider how much time you will have to devote to your dog, how you will handle the dog’s need to relieve himself while you’re gone, and plan for exercise and activities for the dog both while you’re away and when you come home.

Our program does not approve of crating for healthy, adult dogs. Racing greyhounds have spent their entire lives in crates and have developed a strong sense of personal space. We want these dogs to live with us in our world and to share it. We have a two-part article, "The Great Crate Debate," on our website in the Adoption section that further explains our philosophy, alternatives and how to wean a greyhound from crates.

While, the majority of greyhounds have never seen a child until they leave the racetrack, most are tolerant of children. We test our greyhounds to assess each dog's reaction to children. Some are enthusiastic around children, for example, while others are just okay. Greyhounds are sensitive dogs who are used to having personal space and deep, uninterrupted sleep. Some have a strong startle response if woken suddenly from a deep sleep or pounced or crawled on. Once appropriate interaction is established with the child and the dog, greyhounds who live with children usually love "their" children deeply. In any case, no dog should ever be left with a young child unsupervised.

Greyhounds are large and strong, and while they are gentle in nature, it's not recommended for children under the age of 14 to take an ex-racing greyhound for a walk without an accompanying adult.

Younger children may also not understand how important it is to the greyhound's safety to shut gates and doors to the outside world. When bringing a greyhound into a home with kids, education and setting ground rules is of the utmost importance. With proper communication and planning, the right greyhound can be a wonderful addition to a family with children.

Greyhounds are crate trained at the track. It is similar to being housebroken in that they've learned not to eliminate in their "space." But since they have never been in a home before, they are not housebroken. Your GAC placement representative and our "Greyhound 101" information provides guidance on effective housetraining methods.

GAC tries very hard to choose a dog that will fit into your family. Our dog behaviorist tests each greyhound with cats and we also test with other dogs (non-greyhound) for safety and compatibility. Although certain small animals, such as chinchillas and rabbits, look a lot like a racing lure, there are greyhounds who live in homes where these animals are also family pets.

Our adoption fee is $240. This partially defrays our cost of spaying or neutering the dog, getting dental work done, blood work, and giving all vaccinations and any other needed treatments. Our costs for getting a greyhound ready for adoption are much higher than the adoption fee. The low adoption fee is made possible by reduced veterinarian fees and generous donations from fellow greyhound lovers.