Adopting the Racing Greyhound

by Cynthia A. Branigan

A HOWELL DOG BOOK OF DISTINCTION Since the first edition of this groundbreaking book was published, tens of thousands of people have been inspired to adopt ex-racing Greyhounds. These gentle, lovable dogs have special physical and emotional needs, and no other guide is more authoritative or complete in preparing potential Greyhound owners for the responsibilities involved than  Adopting the Racing Greyhound. This fully updated edition features veterinary information not available elsewhere, backed up by painstaking research by some of the country’s leading authorities. Respected Greyhound authority Cynthia Branigan—who has helped place more than 4,000 ex-racers through her organization—provides updated statistics on the costs of adoption as well as new health information, such as safe new flea, tick and heartworm preventives, anesthesia protocols for Greyhounds and suggestions on purchasing veterinary insurance. Branigan carefully explains how potential adopters can decide whether a Greyhound is the right dog for them—a critical issue in successful adoptions—and covers everything from feeding and grooming to training to extending the dog’s life span. She helps readers prepare a Greyhound for the arrival of a new baby; decide whether or not to add a Greyhound to an existing pack of dogs; determine when to return an adopted dog; and locate adoption agencies throughout the world. Branigan also offers a wealth of updated information on medical conditions in Greyhounds and the latest in tests and treatments.

Genres: Nonfiction, Dogs, Animals, Reference, How To, Education

228 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1992

Reviews

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

I might be getting a greyhound.

This author is more of the "Dogs are my children" school of thought than I am.

I probably won't be cooking for my dog.

[Laura (Kyahgirl) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book to read for a person thinking of bringing a greyhound into their home. Greyhounds are different from other dogs in a lot of ways so I found it useful to help me understand those differences. Branigan spends the first part of the book trying to talk the reader out of getting a greyhound which is a pretty good approach. I've had dogs for years but this book helped me to understand that I have to change my thinking a bit if I want a retired racer living with my family.

[Brett Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was required to read this book before adopting a Greyhound. Having had dogs and cats all my life, I was a tiny bit annoyed by the obligation. And, once again, was reminded of how much I don’t know. Despite the calm and affectionate personalities these dogs are known for, there’s so much about them that differs from other dogs. Turns out, this book is required reading for potential adopters for good reason. From matters of curious interest—who knew Egypt worshiped them with statues we can pet today? (risking Louvre security), to critical drug sensitivities not shared by other dogs. I was frequently astonished, and saddened by how sometimes cruel the racing industry has been to these sweetest of companions. A quick, smooth read, with everything from Greyhound anatomy to a section for Vets on Grey-specific treatments, drugs, and doses. While not my cup of history / philosophy / science / religion / mythology tea, in the Grey-world, it’s a thorough treatment, and a valuable reference over the life of your pup.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most greyhound adoption organizations recommend this book, and it's no mystery why: it's filled with practical, useful information, written in clear prose, based on the author's extensive professional and personal experience with greyhounds. She has a sense of humor as well ("[Greyhounds] are watchdogs only in the sense that they will watch, but probably not act," p. 19).

There is also a picture of an adorable greyhound puppy on p. 48.

Racing injuries (p 51-52): a "spike" is when the toenail of one dog punctures the back leg or foot of another dog (painful, but minor if treated properly and not allowed to become infected)

Racing dogs are used to:
-rising early
-strict routine
-being handled
-music
-walking on a lead
-being around other greyhounds
-four turnouts daily
-being around people
(p. 53-54)

Crate size: 27" x 40" x 30" (500-size crate), plastic is preferable to metal/wire.

Some of the most important things to remember are: (1) NEVER let the greyhound off the leash in an unfenced area, (2) greyhounds are more sensitive to anesthesia, many medications including tick and flea meds (though Frontline and Advantage are both fine), and insecticides; a general rule of thumb is that if a product says "safe for use on puppies and kittens" it is also safe for greyhounds.

They are intelligent, quiet, affectionate, and learn quickly with positive reinforcement (reward-based training).

[Nichole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read a hand-full of books on Greyhounds and this was absolutely the most useful and detailed one I found. It was well-organized, written simply and had great insight on exactly what sort of background these dogs come from when they transition from the track to a real home. I had never considered that they wouldn't be acquainted with stairs! Or that they were surrounded by piped in music at all hours and may be weirded-out by silence at first.

[Karina Reyes · Rating 4 out of 5]

a reprint with more updated photos would be great. Otherwise, much of the info is useful.

[Julie Storing (thefoxyreader) · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3.5 stars but rounding down because this book needs an update)

After being married to my husband for 7 months, he basically said, “Hey, you should read this book about taking care of Turbo. I had to read this before I could adopt him.”

As if I hadn’t been taking care of him for quite some time now…whoops.

SYNOPSIS: How to take care of a greyhound

This book is pretty old. Originally printed in 1992 and then updated in 1998.

So quite some time since the last update…

And yeah, a lot has happened in the world, including the phasing out of greyhound racing (yay!).

So if you put aside it’s age, it actually is a pretty comprehensive book about what to expect when adopting a greyhound and their fun little quirks in relation to other dogs.

Having taken care of Turbo for a while now, I can’t say I was really surprised by much, but I also had the benefit of Turbo being pretty accustomed to my husband and our house. Turbo was adopted well before I entered the picture.

So, overall, I think this is a good resource for new greyhound parents and I can see why adoption agencies are still handing out a 30+ year old book.

[Lewis Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick read that probably could have achieved it purpose in about half as many pages. I still found some useful insights here about Greyhound diet, temperament, and habits. (They don’t like stairs, evidently.) And though the book is longer than it needs to be, it’s still pretty short, so it’s tough to get too annoyed at its padding. I also enjoyed the dorky lo-fi photos and aw-shucks wholesome vibes. For instance, the final section of the book cautions us that, if we adopt a Greyhound, we will be stopped in the streets and asked about our dogs. Branigan advises to “always be prepared with a descriptive brochure about adopting.” I, for one, now plan to never leave my home without first arming myself with descriptive brochures.

[Chantal Fay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolute must-read for anyone interested in adopting a retired racer. The book does a great job covering the specific medical differences between greyhounds and other dog breeds. It also explains how the greyhounds were cared for during their racing careers, especially focusing on the transition period from track to forever home.

[Kendal Bottenfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book provided great insight about how to take care of a retired racing greyhound. It was very interesting to read and provided a lot of information that you need to know in order to take care of one.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great overview of what to expect and what makes greyhounds a little different from other dogs. I would also give the experience of adopting a racing greyhound an enthusiastic five-star review.

[Ethan Grove · Rating 3 out of 5]

A somewhat helpful guide on what you need to know about adopting greyhounds (and, really, much of what's included is applicable to adopting any dog). The book is dated and, like "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up," gets repetitive at times.

[C.J. Frederick · Rating 4 out of 5]

A long time ago, this was the first book I ever read on ex-racing greyhounds. Branigan's description of the breed was so compelling that I ended up adopting first one, then a second, and eventually had three greyhounds. They were wonderful family pets. I cannot imagine how many racing greyhounds that Branigan's writing managed to save from a less-than-stellar post-career fate, but I'm sure she spearheaded the movement with this book.

[Pj Anderer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Also required reading to adopt my greyhound. Good background information on the breed and their lives.

[CawfeeDrinker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy to understand and remember.

[Robin Karnes Peacock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not overwhelming, well written and not boring. I feel much more prepared for this special breed.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable and very informative book about racing greyhounds. It gave me a good idea of what to look for prior to adopting and what to watch out for and tips once I get one.

[Sandeep Sudhakaran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Learned a lot about greyhounds and am glad I read it as I was thinking about getting one

[Barb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent manual for anyone who adopts a racing greyhound.

[Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

So helpful!

[Chelsea]

Unfortunately my library only had the second edition, and I feel it was pretty dated as far as the critical information was concerned (medications, treatments, etc.) but the gist of it is good background knowledge. Much of it is just common sense dog ownership.

This is required reading for one of the rescue groups I'm considering working with, so I'm going to ask my fiancé to read it as well. Hopefully it will help give him a better understanding of their history which will make introducing one into our family much easier.

I've never had an ex-racer, but I have had basenjis and two greyhound mixes whose mother was an ex-racer, and they were wonderful. I remember seeing a greyhound for the first time as a child and being frightened of her size and pointed head at first, but once I became her friend she was the sweetest dog and I loved to pet her every time I saw her.

I think I'll purchase an up to date version of this book to hang onto for reference just in case.

[Evelyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

very basic book with information specific to retired racing greyhounds. There was a lot of very specific information about medical care that seemed superfluous given the "introductory" tone of the book - someone needing medical attention for their greyhound probably wouldn't use this book as a medical reference. Also a lot of information about how to keep the racing lifestyle through recreational coursing, which also seemed to have questionable value.
While the book was an interesting and relatively informative read, I still feel I could use more information.

[Me · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is required reading for most greyhound rescue adoptions. It's very informative and well presented covering everything from training a greyhound to be a house pet (they often do not know what stairs are) to medical issues such as a sensitivity to anesthesia. I loved the part where she describes their racing life and how that factors into the dog's adjustment at home. For example racing kennels have music pumped in 24/7 (drowns out outside noise) so a quiet house may at first unnerve the dog.

[Kattie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Required reading for most greyhound adoption groups. Some of the content is downright sad, but is necessary to understand the life a racing greyhound has led until the point they "retire". Some protection groups criticize the use of this book because they claim that Branigan is in bed with the racing industry, but the book is not written to support racing. It is a good, un-biased look at the lives of racing greyhounds.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do enjoy reading these books, especially since these are some differing opinions about whether it is helpful or healthy to crate a retired racing greyhound. It has a lot more discussion on health specific things, such as common diseases and problems, rather than just relying on the Greyhounds for Dummies book which is great and helpful but still a discussion of daily issues, not the more unusual. Absolutely worth my read.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very good primer book for adopting a greyhound and widely considered the bible for new greyhound owners. It combines fact-based research with personal anecdotes, so it's up to the reader whether that's what they are looking for. For me, the combination was helpful .

I've supplemented this book with "Greyhounds for Dummies," which is also a good source. But in general, I find Branigan's book to be the most reliable on this subject.

[wueasa · Rating 3 out of 5]

COUNTY STORE. Explains how to decide whether a Greyhound is the right dog. Covers everything from feeding and grooming to training to extending the dog’s life span. Helps prepare a Greyhound for the arrival of a new baby; decide whether or not to add a Greyhound to an existing pack of dogs; determine when to return an adopted dog. Information on medical conditions in Greyhounds.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

This isn't really pleasure reading - more of an instruction manual for greyhounds. The four stars was for clarity, simplicity and thoroughness, rather than deathless prose. Greyhounds have some particular needs because of their physiology and bred instincts (being sight hounds) and this book is a readable resource on what you need to know.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a first-time greyhound owner, I found this book extremely helpful and informative. We adopted our grey three weeks ago. We are bonding more each day, getting comfortable with each other more, and adjusting easily. Cynthia broke down ideas and how-tos that anyone (newby or old) can follow. I think it should be a must-read for any greyhound owner.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is recommended by many Greyhound rescue groups as it is considered "the bible of Greyhound adoption." And it is easy to see why, Branigan clearly knows and deeply cares about the breed. Great resource if you are considering Greyhound adoption. Definitely a book I will purchase if I do decide to adopt a Greyhound.