fishdog's Home Page

Fisher is a retired racing Greyhound.Thousands of Greyhounds are killed each year when their racing careers end.Thanks to adoption groups across the country these wonderful animals are getting a second chance.Fisher was a really lousy racer and retired at 18 months.This is the age when they are generally just getting started.He lived in a home for a few years but his old parents got divorced and Fisher and his brother Jazz were returned to The Greyhound Welfare League.They hooked me up with this wonderful boy and the rest is history.

Fish lives with my two sweet little cats Mimi and Oliver.I,along with many others,assumed that a dog trained to chase small animals would not make a good match with cats.The truth is that most Greyhounds can live very happily with cats and other small animals.Fisher has no desire to chase my cats or to harm them in any way.As a matter of fact they often curl up together(especially when it gets a little chilly in here).You must always be very careful when introducing your new dog to small furries.Most adoption groups send the Greys home with a muzzle.When first introducing them you must keep the dog on a leash and with muzzle on.It is pretty easy to see which dogs are going to be ok and which are not.Fish looked at my cats,sniffed them and then went to investigate the rest of his new house.Dogs who will not accept cats as anything other than prey will get "radar lock" on the cat and you will not be able to distract them or break their stare.Sometimes they will chatter their teeth,whine,bark or even lunge at the cat.If you ever find yourself in this situation...take the dog back.Most groups will happily exchange the dog for one with lower prey-drive.It is always best to be cautios but most adoption groups very thoroughly cat-test and are very good at finding the right dog to fit into your situation.

Another misconception is that Greyhounds need TONS of exercise.Greyhounds are often referred to as "40mph couch potatoes".Greyhounds are sprinters and have less endurance than most breeds.The are perfectly happy asleep on the couch and will actually spend 23 hours a day "cat napping" if allowed.A few walks a day and sprint in a FULLY FENCED ballpark once or twice a week is plenty to keep a greyhound fit and happy.They do not take up nearly as much room in the house as one would assume.Many Greys live in apartments(as do Fish and I).They can curl up amazingly small and are not "in your face" dogs that are constantly active or wanting to play fetch in the living room.

Greyhounds have very thin skin,little or no undercoat and very little body fat.They must be kept as indoor dogs.Extreme temperatures can be very dangerous to Greys very quickly.They should wear coats when it gets really cold.Fisher starts wearing his coat when it dips below 20 degrees.All Greys are different though.I know dogs who shivver if it gets below 40 degrees and I also know dogs who have never needed coats.If you are not sure how your dog will react to the cold and you don't want to shell out hard earned bucks for a coat that will never be worn,you can always use a sweatshirt for the time being if your dog seems uncomfortable.Greys are also sensitive to extreme heat and caution should be taken when exercizing in the summer.If the dog is panting excessivley and seems lethargic get them to a nice cool spot and give them small amounts of water until they cool down.You can also hose them down,but do not over do it.Too much ice cold water can be a big shock to the system of an overheated dog.A good general rule of thumb is...if you are cold,your dog is cold...if you are hot,your dog is hot.