When considering dogs for adoption, or more specifically greyhound adoption or whippet adoption, most people recognize whippets and greyhounds as being similar breeds.  Some even know that we are sighthounds. Actually, there are many sighthound breeds.  After you’ve read this article, check out my article on some of my sighthound cousins.

If you are researching dogs for adoption, greyhounds and whippets are the two fastest dog breeds in the world, but we also love to kick back and relax.  Because of this, some people call us “40 mile-per-hour couch potatoes,” a title we justly deserve.  To give you an idea of our size, greyhound boys run about 70 to 80 pounds and girls about 60 pounds.  We whippets are about half that size.  At 42 pounds, I’m considered a large male whippet.

So let’s consider three main reasons why you should consider greyhound adoption or whippet adoption:

• I want a dog to walk with – We love and need regular exercise, but don’t require a large yard to be happy. Frequent walks, and the occasional dash through the house, are all we really need.  Those of us whippets and greyhounds who still race, however, appreciate longer walks and the occasional run in an enclosed area.

• I want a loving companion – We whippets and our greyhound cousins are known to be sweet dogs.  We love to cuddle and spend time with our family.  As racers, however, we have almost no body fat and very little fur, which makes us very susceptible to extreme heat and cold.   We should never be left outdoors for prolonged periods.  Our thin fur has a big upside for your housekeeping since we shed minimally.

• I’m looking for a fun, competitive hobby – For over a thousand years, our canine ancestors chased game, a skill that has been honed today for dog racing.  If you’re looking for dogs for adoption, we come with a hobby for our masters! Organized by local clubs and national organizations, we compete today in dog racing by chasing a mechanical lure on straight, oval or zigzag courses.  Search the Internet for a local club or contact either the North American Whippet Racing Association or Large Gazehound Racing Association.

One word about our chasing.  Once outdoors, most of us will take off after small animals.  Because we don’t stop for traffic, you will need to keep us on lead or in a confined area whenever we are outdoors.

Greyhound Adoption – Greyhounds are Special!

Well, most of them think they are special. I must admit some do have special needs. If you’re considering greyhound adoption.  Many, if not most, greyhounds spent much of their early lives at the racetrack, often living in a crate.  Consequently, they didn’t have the same opportunities to learn about living in a human world. Greyhound adoption of a dog right off the track requires someone with the patience to build the human connection.

How Do I Adopt One?

Most greyhounds are what we call “rescue dogs.”  Some big-hearted person gave him or her a home once their track racing career was done.  If you’ve decided to make a greyhound part of your family, you might begin by looking up the National Greyhound Adoption Program on the Internet.  But don’t stop there; put “greyhound adoption” plus your zip code into your favorite Internet search engine and that should get you to a local nonprofit helping with greyhound adoption.

Adopting a whippet is also a great idea, though we are less likely to be turned out after our racing careers are done.  You can check out the national organization, Whippet Rescue, or look for local whippet clubs in your area for whippet adoption.

Purchasing a greyhound or whippet is another way to join the fun, but be very careful.  As with all breeds, puppy mills, breeders only interested in a fast buck, are not worth your time or money.  One great way to find a quality breeder is to attend a local dog show, visit a whippet or greyhound club in your area or come to a race meet.  Search the internet for the breed name and your state.

In your search for dogs for adoption, I hope you’ve decided to open your home to a whippet, a greyhound or any of our sighthound cousins.  We are wonderful additions to most any family and will give you many years of love, affection and fun.

Feeling the Need for Speed…

- Tristan the Whippet

Two extremely different opinions reign when it comes to stop dog digging. First, many believe that “dogs will be dogs” and dogs digging is natural even if it’s at the expense of the fresh sod you just installed or the new rose bushes you just planted. On the other end of the spectrum, “my flowerbed is my flowerbed” and it is not to be touched let alone destroyed by my dog.

It’s healthy to maintain a middle ground with your personal philosophies regarding the habits of dog digging by letting him indulge in the habit by digging a little, but not allowing him to run rampant in your yard. Believe it or not, dogs and flowers can coexist in harmony.

If you haven’t adopted a dog yet and one of your main concerns is of your garden, consider the breed of dog you would consider adopting. The type of dog breed tends to play a large role in the likelihood of digging habits. Terriers and Nordic breeds (such as huskies, malamutes, and certain members of the spitz family) seem to enjoy digging more than other types of breeds. However, just like the different personality traits of humans, dogs have individual personalities too and there isn’t a way to guarantee certain behavior traits solely based on dog breed.

Why Do Dogs Dig?

Dog digging occurs for some of the following reasons:

• Lack of Exercise – Digging helps under-exercised dogs burn extra energy
• Boredom – Bored dogs feel they need a “job” to do to help time pass giving a sense of purpose
• Need for More – By nature, some dogs are escape artists no matter how much attention and exercise they get. It is exciting to know what lies beyond the fence.
• Separation Anxiety – When a dog is desperate for more attention, digging under the walls reflects the most direct path to you.

Separation anxiety is a very unpleasant psychological issue common among many dogs. Due to the complex nature of this topic, it won’t be covered in this article; CLICK HERE for more information and resources for preventing and coping with separation anxiety.

Preventing the Habit

Ironically enough, many of the reasons your dog digs creates their own solutions. If your dog isn’t receiving enough exercise, increase the amount of activity he gets (generally 45 minutes per day). Take him for more walks. Is he is bored, give some toys and chew toys to keep him occupied in your absence. Try to wear him out before you leave so he will sleep most of the day. The dog that is an escape artist may need to be crated or left in the home while you are at work.

Those dogs who enjoy digging as a past time, the following provides general tips to stop dog digging:

• Restrict Access – Restricting access is the most effective measure you can take. If your dog isn’t in the yard, he can’tdig…simple as that.
• Create a Natural Deterrent – Nearly all dogs will shy from the idea of digging where there is dog poop. Even the dogs who enjoy eating poop (condition known as coprophagia) in general will not dig anywhere near either, offending their basic dislike of soiling their paws and coat.
• Change Plants – If you are offended by the dog digging in your garden, plant heartier plants with deep roots and natural thorn defenses like roses.
• Install Artificial Grass – Installing artificial grass or synthetic turf in your back yard is becoming the norm in America and isn’t the Astroturf it once was. Your dog won’t be able to dig or disrupt it if a quality product is installed correctly.

Forcing a goal to stop dog digging completely is unrealistic and you will be setting yourself up for failure since your dog is a digger by nature and breed. Take the steps outlined in this article to help reduce the destructive behavior and you will be able to live more harmoniously with your pooch (and keep your flowers). For more information on recognizing and dealing with problematic behaviors like chewing, digging, barking, and aggression, see the Secrets to Dog Training Handbook. This is a detailed manual for the responsible dog owner and is packed with all the information you need to raise a happy and healthy dog, covering topics such as dog psychology, obedience, and correcting problem behaviors. CLICK HERE for more information.

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After a long winter of lying around and enjoying those holiday treats, it’s time to get back to dog racing and more specifically, whippet racing.  All we racing dog and sighthounds are very excited and looking forward to that first dash after the lure.  Here is what is happening out West.

Northern California – The Northern California Whippet Club and the River City Racing Association host their whippet racing meets in Sacramento, typically featuring sprint racing on Saturday and oval track on Sundays.  Here are the dates.

• March 6, 2010 – (sprint) in Sacramento, CA
• March 7, 2010 – (oval) in Sacramento, CA
• March 20, 2010 – (sprint) in Sacramento, CA
• March 21, 2010 – (oval) in Sacramento, CA
• April 10, 2010 – (sprint) in Sacramento, CA

Southern California – Racing in Orange and Brea, California, the Southern California Whippet Association and the Great Western Whippet Association also have both sprint and oval track whippet racing. Here are their dates.

• February 7, 2010 – (sprint) in Orange, CA
• February 27, 2010 – (sprint) in Orange, CA
• February 28, 2010 – (oval) in Brea, CA
• March 13, 2010 – (sprint) in Orange, CA
• March 14, 2010 – (oval) in Brea, CA

Southwest Region – Dog racing in the great Southwest kicks off in March with races sponsored by the Albuquerque Whippet Fanciers Association and the Reata Whippet Racing Group in Riverton, Utah.  The River City Racing Association is coming from Sacramento to host a very special sprint race in conjunction with the American Whippet Club event in Tucson.  Here are their dates for the dog races.

• March 6, 2010 – (oval) in Mountainair, NM
• March 7, 2010 – (oval) in Mountainair, NM
• April 17, 2010 – (sprint) in Tucson, AZ, with the American Whippet Club event
• April 25, 2010 – (oval) in Riverton, UT

With plenty of rain, the grass should be perfect for wonderful, fast whippet racing.  Hope to see you at a meet.

Feeling the Need for Speed,

- Tristan the Whippet

Retirement shouldn’t be about ending, it’s actually new beginnings.  When I retired over a year ago I wasn’t exactly sure what “new beginnings” lay ahead.  I could never have guessed what was to come.

A pet seemed like a good idea for a new beginning, specifically a dog…maybe a whippet.  What was not in the plan was for this couch potato to turn my life upside down.  But I’m getting ahead of myself.

We decided to get a whippet, ideally a whippet in need of some sort of rescue.  While visiting family near San Bernardino, California, about 500 miles from home, a trip to “just look” not surprisingly ended with the adoption of the sweetest, most loving 42 pound boy you have ever met.  Tristan is his name.

While we were told he “really loves to race,” this was not evident since he slept most of the eight-hour drive home and pretty much took over the couch, one overstuffed chair and the entire middle half or our bed.  All indications were toward sloth, not speed burner.  Boy were we wrong about this whippet.

Sometimes called “35 mile-per-hour couch potatoes,” whippets know only two speeds: full out and dead stop.  Having seen the couch potato part, we discovered Tristan’s love of speed when we attended a race practice.  Upon seeing the lure, this quiet, docile dog became a maniac, seeming ready to rip my arm from the shoulder.  The first time we saw him dart from the boxes and chase that lure for real, we were hooked.  This is a very fun sport, for dog and for owner.  And yes, whippets are the second fastest dog being able to achieve 35 miles per hour within a few steps.

Since that first heart-pounding experience we have joined the local race club, traveled to Seattle for the National race meet and learned how much a vet charges for a whole list of ailments.  Keeping this race champion in shape has been a plus for me as I am now getting a 3 mile daily walk most sunny days.

We are very proud of our little whippet.  At the North America Whippet Racing Association (NAWRA) national meet he place 17^th out of over 75 entries.  He tied for 12^th place in the 2009 NAWRA race point standings.  These sorts of bragging rights don’t come often to retired guys who thought he was getting a pet.

At four and a half years old, Tristan still has a couple of more good racing years.  Then he and I will just have to find other interests to keep us active, young and healthy.

Dog chewing is a natural tendency for Jack Russell Terriers, and shouldn’t be curtailed or discouraged, but rather channeled appropriately. Dogs do not intentionally destroy your stuff in anger or spite, but rather as means to move or transport things (similar to how we use our hands) and to entertain themselves. They also use their mouths for communicating, which is especially important for training a Jack Russell Terrier. Dog chewing therefore is a natural behavior and you cannot train them to completely stop chewing. The following steps will help both you and your little puppy live together in harmony:

1.) Keep Your Stuff Out of Reach - It is best to train your jack russell terrier what they can and cannot chew. That being said, be sure to move your belongings out of your dog’s reach, including clothes, shoes, books, and anything else you don’t want destroyed (except maybe your homework….then you can really say your dog ate your homework).

2. Give Your Dog Proper Chew Toys - Don’t give your dog old shoes, clothes, or even plastic bottles or other rubbish to chew. They can’t tell the difference between old and new stuff, so unless you want them rummaging through your closet or garbage for a chew toy, stick to regular dog toys, which can also include items from a sporting goods store (tennis ball, other kinds of balls, etc.) or even small stuffed animals. The best deals are at your local Salvation Army, where you can usually find an entire bag of stuffed animals for a few bucks, vs. $7 for a single toy at your local pet store. Just be sure to remove any small plastic features on such toys (plastic eyes, nose, etc.)

3. Dogs Like Variety - Just like we don’t like playing the same game every day or eating the same meal day in and day out, it is important to give your Jack Russell Terrier variety so they don’t get bored and look for other “more interesting” things to chew like your sofa or new slippers. If your dog is fond of your scent, leave a toy in your dirty hamper for a day to get your scent, or fill a chew toy (like a Kong) with peanut butter to keep them interested for hours. This will help keep his attention diverted from chewing things he shouldn’t.

4.) Proper Daily Exercise - Similar to other behavior problems, the desire to chew can be reduced with regular exercise. Dogs which are mentally and physically stimulated are not as likely to get bored and go looking for your new silk shirt lying on your bed.

5.) Obedience & Reinforcement Training - There are certain programs on the market which help with dog obedience issues like dog chewing. Having a Jack Russell Terrier myself, I know they can have their own agenda and sometimes be “too smart for their own good.” Don’t be afraid to try proven and affordable programs like Clicker Training, which is a harmless correctional method to let your dog know he is in the right or wrong, and has an issue like dog chewing which needs correcting. This is a much more loving approach than yelling, hitting, or “time out” and your dog will appreciate understanding the rules so you both can live harmoniously under the same roof.

For More Information on curbing issues such as dog chewing using Clicker Training and the Proven Methodologies, CLICK HERE.