In following the “ Respect the Transition Time ” on Canine Corners, here are some general guidelines of the next six months. Following your Going Home Protocol, and reaching out when you feel something ‘hinky’ are great cornerstones to building a sturdy foundation for a successful relationship with your retired racing greyhound. We want your ‘honeymoon’ period to set everyone up for success. To start understanding more on what this transition is like for your newly retired r

Greyhounds should only be walked on a 4 to 6 foot leash. Do not ever use a retractable leash, a leash longer than 6 feet or tie your greyhound out. Just don’t do it! Retractable leashes or leashes longer than 6 feet are extremely dangerous for greyhounds. Likewise, tying your greyhound to an inanimate object either as a solution for a non-fenced yard, while camping or so you can run into a store and grab a coffee is also extremely dangerous. Greyhounds can reach top speed wit

IDEXX, Published in July 2022 Full text: https://assets.takeshape.io/4918e16d-f44f-4a49-8bc4-529d76484b94/dev/4d0ff897-96f7-4b7c-8a04-cfd6520b766c/IDEXX%20Greyhound%20Specific%20Reference%20Intervals.DxUpdate.PDF Greyhounds have been intensively bred over centuries for performance. As a result of adaptations for racing success, even basic bloodwork parameters have diverged markedly from other breeds of dogs making it difficult to apply general canine reference intervals to th

Stacey Jones is a small animal veterinarian in Colorado and was a principal investigator in the publication of a case series documenting hyperkalemia during general anesthesia in Greyhounds. https://www.mynavas.org/post/anesthesia-associated-hyperkalemia?fbclid=IwAR21k04X-RkLvx27EOLPd8m3hqUxu_9MIVRFOh5mpoE0WQVt8mGz3Hvn-yQ We reported clinically relevant anesthesia-induced hyperkalemia (including loss of P waves, bradycardia and decrease in blood pressure) in two Greyhounds un

One of the things we express to our adopters is to contact us with any questions or concerns - and especially for anything they get a hinky feeling about. Too often with our behavioural clients we find that the behaviour in question has been in play for quite some time. We are often only contacted when things have reached an explosion point - waaaaay beyond that hinky feeling stage. We look to dog trainer Sean O’Shea, The Good Dog Training and Rehabilitation ( https://www.the

Hookworms and other internal parasites are a common conversation when it comes to canines, even more so with our racing greyhounds. Greyhound puppy farms, track schools, race kennels and onsite adoption kennels all complete a normal worming procedure. However, hookworms are becoming resistant to some treatments. GGA turns to Dr Jennifer Ng, DVM, for her guidance on treatment. Dr. Ng has studied hookworms and racing greyhounds for many, many years.   As part of GGA-GPA's foste

When we hear that a greyhound has bitten ‘out of the blue’, we know there is more to the story. Greyhounds are pack animals. They have grown up in a pack where body language is used to express themselves and convey their emotions, intentions and comfort level to their packmates. The greyhound brood will stay with their pups longer than an all-breed. Their dam is one of the first teachers of inappropriate behaviour. In addition, greyhounds are kept with their littermates and a

At GGA-GPA, we will never judge anyone for having to rehome their greyhound. We know these decisions are not taken flippantly, and they are often fraught with emotion. Please know that if you are reading this and you need to rehome your greyhound, please feel comfortable knowing that you have come to a safe place. Sometimes a situation arises when you need to rehome your greyhound. That situation is a personal one - and every situation is different. Whatever your reason is, w

A retired racing greyhound is not a rescue and to call one a rescue is an insult to the industry and everyone that has loved that hound from breeding, to birth, to track school, to racing kennel, to retirement and finally to adoption. Never in a greyhounds life have they been mistreated or uncared for in anyway that would make them in need of rescuing. Greyhounds are athletes that have been purposefully bred to run. Unlike most other breeds, greyhounds grow up with their mom

Unfortunately, there may be times when your on-leash greyhound is rushed by an off-leash dog. Even the friendliest of greyhounds in such a socially unequal situation may not appreciate this forced interaction. Be observant - and avoid a potential situation. Stay calm. Walk with a contact leash as opposed to a long leash. If you get nervous and start shortening your leash, your greyhound may sense any tension or fear you may have. This may change their body language, which can

By Dennis McKeon copyright, 2024. The original post can be found here When the greyhound no longer exists within the security of the greyhound colony, and when he/she sets foot in an entirely new world as a recently adopted retiree, there certainly can be a degree of culture shock, and stress situations, which have to be managed properly to avoid sensory overload. It is the same for saplings, when they leave their human and canine familiars at the breeding/raising facilities,

Car First Aid Kit Your car first aid kit should have enough supplies to help you patch up any wounds well enough to get you home or if necessary to the vet. GGA-GPA recommends that you at minimum stock your car first aid kit with the following: Info Sheet - Dog(s) information (age, weights, tattoo numbers/microchip number, medications, allergies, vaccination and surgery history), vets phone number, phone number for 24hr emergency clinic Vet wrap Gauze roll Non stick gauze pa

Off leash dog parks are a no for greyhounds. A hard NO! We are not speaking from a soapbox without reason or even without firsthand experience. Yes, GGA staff have made the mistake of going to off leash dog parks and yes, we have the physical and emotional scars to prove it.  If you choose to ignore your adoption group's advice to avoid off leash dog parks, then we suggest that you fully understand the risks - financial, physical, and psychologically -  and then decide if it

On top of adoptions, GGA also does behavioural consults and rehabs. Recently there has been an influx of behavioural consults related to bites and “aggression”. This hasn't all been newly adopted hounds, either. Whether you’re a new adopter or an old hat, the following is worth heeding and remembering.   Your greyhound is a dog first and foremost, a Canis lupus familiaris. Some adopters forget this, and immediately want a snuggle buddy, or fail to provide what greyhounds have