Retired Racers - Greyhound Ownership and Care Quiz

Answer: False

The greyhound is one of the most ancient of breeds; they have been depicted in artwork from as far back in time as six thousand years ago. It is entirely unclear as from where these animals gained their name as the true meaning of the 'grey' prefix has been lost in the mists of time.

It is believed that it may stem from an old Scandinavian word that means 'bitch', from a Latin word 'gracillius' meaning slender, whereas some are of the opinion that it may stem from 'gazehound' alluding to these animals excellent eyesight. Irrespective of what the name means or from whence it came, the greyhound is a fabulous, interesting and exciting animal to have as a member of the family.

Answer: He or she will have a tattoo on the inside of both ears

All greyhounds that have been bred for the purposes of racing or coursing will have a tattoo consisting of letters and numbers on the underside of one or both ears depending on where they were bred. All English greyhounds will be tattooed inside one ear, usually but not exclusively, the right ear, whereas all Irish bred hounds will be tattooed inside both ears.

Greyhounds are known as a silent breed and rarely, if ever, bark. On those rare occasions that you may hear one bark there will most certainly not be a discernible accent! The colour and patterning of a greyhound will have no bearing whatsoever on where the dog comes from. There is also no difference in size between English or Irish dogs but, on the whole, the males are taller and bulkier than the females.

Answer: Brindle

A brindled hound has a most attractive colouring and patterning. Brindled hounds may vary from a pale, almost fawn coloured coat to a very dark brown hue which, in some animals, can look almost blackish. Wide variations in the depth of colour to the striping may also occur. Brindled hounds are not as common as other colours and, when an attractive brindled hound becomes available for re-homing, there is often a great deal of interest in these animals. Unlike some other breeds with this colouring, brindled greyhounds rarely display any behavioural or character flaws.

Answer: Canute

The greyhound has always been a status symbol and their importance as such can clearly be seen through the art, literature and law that they have been subjected to. Indeed, the greyhound was the first breed of dog to be mentioned in classical Greek literature; On his return from the Trojan War, Oddyseus was first met by his hound 'Argus' who recognised his master after a twenty year absence and then died at his feet.

The greyhound is mentioned in the Bible, the only dog to be so mentioned, in Proverbs 30: 29-31. During the time of the Pharoahs the birth of a greyhound was second in importance to the birth of a son and greyhounds were often mummified and entombed with their masters to serve them during the afterlife. An ancient Welsh king once decreed that the killing of a greyhound was to be, in turn, punishable with death.

Answer: A muzzle

The 'chase' instinct in the greyhound is highly developed and is set on a 'hair trigger'! Unless you are an experienced greyhound owner it is absolutely imperative that the dog wears a muzzle at all times outside the home until you are completely confident that the dog can be trusted. Greyhounds, especially males, are very large and incredibly strong dogs and require a strong handler.

Should your hound escape whilst out walking the following points should be remembered; (a) you will not catch it, (b) it will chase anything that runs away from it, (c) it will, invariably, catch its quarry and finally, (d) it will almost certainly kill whatever it catches unless it is an exceptionally gentle dog... Or it has been muzzled! Remember, until you know your dog and can trust him or her to behave, always use a muzzle. Also remember that in some parts of the world, a muzzle is compulsory no matter how well you know your hound.

Answer: A wide collar specifically designed for hounds

There is never, in my opinion, a good reason to use a 'choke' or 'check' chain on any dog. The greyhound has a very long and slender neck and, although very well muscled, it is delicate around the throat as its large trachea runs close to the surface. Collars for these dogs, and indeed other hounds, should always possess extra width along its length except where the buckle is located. Depending on the size of your dog, a collar of between two and a half and three and a half inches in width should be sufficient. Fortunately any greyhound that you are likely to own will have spent a good deal of its early life on the lead; because of this they are well-trained and less likely to pull against its collar while being exercised.

Whilst walking your dog always maintain a firm grip on the lead otherwise, should anything small and furry dash out in front of your dog, you are likely to find yourself referring to the points that I raised earlier in question 5! There are a number of artisans and small scale collar-makers that produce some beautifully patterned collars designed specifically for hounds and a quick internet search should see your dog looking resplendent on his future outings!

Answer: Both food and water bowls should be elevated

These dogs, especially some of the larger males, have very long legs and they can find it difficult to eat and drink in comfort if their bowls are placed directly onto the floor. Unlike a giraffe, they are not able to splay their legs as wide to stoop down to eat or drink. Ideally an adjustable stand should be provided upon which both bowls can be securely placed. These can prove to be expensive so any other means of elevating your hounds bowl will make meal times far more comfortable for him and will help prevent your dog suffering with ailments like gastric torsion and the owner from the vets bills that will, invariably, follow.

Greyhounds are no different from any other breed of dog in that they metabolise theobromine very slowly and so, should not be given human chocolate to eat even as a treat so as to avoid any risk of poisoning. Finally, any owner who thinks that it might be a good idea to allow their dog to catch its own food will quickly find themselves in court and, highly likely, their hound the subject of a destruction order.

Answer: True

Unfortunately this is very true. Many retired ex-racing greyhounds will be experiencing some degree of dental caries by the time they retire and are adopted and this is thought to be caused by neglect in a number of areas. Reasons for this have been put down to a wide variety of things such as too much soft food, poor quality food that may be infected, genetics and even excessive wearing of the muzzle and the shape of the dog's mouth.

There are toothpastes available to help the owner reduce instances of tooth decay in their dogs, but the practice of brushing reluctant dog's teeth can prove to be difficult at best! My last hound, Oliver, on a single visit to the vet required the removal of almost half of his forty-two teeth in one operation. I am certain that he was a far happier dog afterwards and, although it proved expensive, we were far happier as owners.

Answer: 45 miles per hour

Many people will assume that, as these dogs are athletes of the highest order, their greyhound will require many hours of strenuous exercise. Nothing, and I mean nothing at all, could be further from the truth. A greyhound will tire far earlier than many dogs and will only require around one hour of exercise before spending the rest of the day fast asleep... They are so lazy!

Answer: No

Unfortunately, many greyhounds are bred by unscrupulous people and for this reason their past histories can be difficult to trace. The greyhounds that find their way into the rescue centres are the lucky ones. In order not to upset some players, I will not go into the fate of unwanted or unsuccessful dogs, suffice to say that many are treated unkindly. Those animals, like my last greyhound that had enjoyed a relatively successful career, will have a racing record and a registered pedigree certificate which are available for a small fee from the greyhound racing authorities based in Newmarket, England. Imagine my surprise when I received Oliver's pedigree certificate and discovered that we were both 'whelped' on the same day of the year! It made our life together so much more special and birthday celebrations were always that little bit more joyous!