Carol Baby - Retired Greyhounds: A Guide to Care and Understanding

JillyCooper with GRWE dog Heather.

Many greyhounds have appalling lives once their racing life is over, or when they are no longer any use for breeding. Some of them are just chucked out, like Feather, or receive a bullet through the head or end up in desperately over-crowded kennels or, worst of all, are sold to run their hearts and bodies out for incredibly cruel trainers on tracks abroad.

All this should never happen, because greyhounds make the most wonderful pets. Some of them obviously need training when they come to their new owners straight off the racetrack.

In this lovely book, the very knowledgeable Carol Baby will take you on a most rewarding journey. She will tell you how to find the right dog; how to introduce it to the strangeness of domestic life, how to house train it; teach it to play and have fun; teach it to get on with other dogs and cats and to give infinite pleasure to children. Few dogs are more charming with children than a greyhound . Feather always causes shrieks of joy from my grandchildren, when he takes off and races round and round the field or big lawn just for the fun of it.

Greyhounds are equally miraculous with older people. My husband Leo, who has Parkinsons, is unsteady on his legs. Feather never pulls on the lead and slides past him like a skein of silk but admittedly steals his reclining invalid chair at every opportunity!

This is a lovely book. Carol Baby does not pull any punches that anyone rescuing a greyhound will need time, patience and above all love, but it is a worthwhile adventure and I am convinced if you follow Carols guidance you will end up with a glorious dog.

Jilly Cooper, 2010

BREED DESCRIPTION AND CHARACTERISTICS

There is no doubt in greyhound lovers eyes that they are the most beautiful dogs, long-legged, streamlined and elegant , sleek and dignified but the beauty is not just skin deep. Greyhounds are gentle and affectionate, quiet and loyal, calm and loving. It is a pleasure and a privilege to have one living in your home.

The fifteenth-century Boke (book) of St Albans characterized the greyhound as headed like a snake, neckewd like a drake, backed like a bream, tailed like a rat, footed like a cat. This makes the breed sound like bits and pieces of different animals put together without thought, but a greyhound is far better designed than that. However, the quote does tell us that people were writing breed standards for ancient breeds such as greyhounds as far back as the fifteenth century!

The author with her lurcher, Ash, and ex-racing greyhound Foxy.

Beauty in greyhounds is not just skin deep: kindness shines out of those eyes.

Racing greyhounds are bred purely for their ability to race and win, rather than for looks. This is what keeps the breed healthy, as dogs with inbred defects are unlikely to be winners. Well bred racing greyhound pups will be sold for between 3,000 to 10,000, and an already proven dog will sell for upwards of 20,000; the price tag therefore acts as an incentive to make sure that no inherited defects are apparent in racing greyhound stock. So when you take on an ex-racing greyhound it is unlikely to have any predisposed inherent defects, and it will have a long pedigree, including winners. Racing greyhounds tend to be smaller than show greyhounds, and are not bred to Kennel Club requirements. However, I have included the Kennel Club breed standard, as it is interesting to compare your ex-racing greyhound and see how it matches up.

THE KENNEL CLUB BREED STANDARD

A Breed Standard is the guideline which describes the ideal characteristics, temperament and appearance of a breed and ensures that the breed is fit for function. Absolute soundness is essential. Breeders and judges should at all times be careful to avoid obvious conditions or exaggerations which would be detrimental in any way to the health, welfare or soundness of this breed. From time to time certain conditions or exaggerations may be considered to have the potential to affect dogs in some breeds adversely, and judges and breeders are requested to refer to the Kennel Club website for details of any such current issues. If a feature or quality is desirable it should only be present in the right measure.

General Appearance

Strongly built, upstanding, of generous proportions, muscular power and symmetrical formation, with long head and neck, clean well laid shoulders, deep chest, capacious body, slightly arched loin, powerful quarters, sound legs and feet, and a suppleness of limb, which emphasize in a marked degree its distinctive type and quality.

Characteristics

Possessing remarkable stamina and endurance.

Temperament

Intelligent, gentle, affectionate and even-tempered .

Head and Skull

Long, moderate width, flat skull, slight stop. Jaws powerful and well chiselled.