Greyhounds

greyhound

By: Gemma A.

If you’re looking for a loyal, loving, and elegant companion, let me introduce you to the retired racing
Greyhound. These long legged, ‘needle nosed’ dogs are well known for their gentle nature and soulful
eyes.

From the farm where they are born to the race tracks where they demonstrate their incredible speed,
Greyhounds have a unique upbringing that results in a well adjusted, well socialized dog. These
beautiful creatures are used to being handled by people and have lived with other Greyhounds from the
moment of their birth. This is credited with producing the sweet, friendly nature that Greyhound owners know and love. It also means that, by the time a Greyhound retires from their athletic career, they are
already well socialized companions.

Many people think that such athletic dogs are high energy. In fact, Greyhounds are known for being
quite the opposite! As sprinters, they are used to one short burst of activity, followed by long periods of
rest. In fact, Greyhounds are often called the ’45mph couch potatoes’ in reference to their top speed and
ability to sleep the day away! It’s also believed that, due to their natural prey drive (due to their original role as hunting dogs), Greyhounds are not good with cats or small dogs. To the contrary, many Greyhounds live happily with other animals and prove to be very gentle with the smaller creatures in their household.

Due to their speed and love of running, a Greyhound should never be allowed off leash in an un-fenced
area. If you have a fenced in yard or are committed to walking your new friend on a leash, you will
have no problems. Greyhounds make excellent walking and hiking companions, and are a delight to
take out and about due to their sweet and inquisitive nature. You’ll find yourself stopped by many
curious people who want to ask you about the elegant dog at your side!

For more information on Greyhounds, please consider the following links:

Adoption:

http://www.greyhoundadoption.org/
http://www.secondchancegreyhounds.org/
http://greyhounds2.org/
http://greyhoundcrossroads.com/

Racing and adoption facts:
http://www.greyhoundfacts.org/

The Labradoodle

The Labradoodle became a known crossbreed in 1988, when an Australian breeder by the name of Wally Conron crossed the Labrador and a Standard Poodle in Victoria, Australia for the Royal Guide Dogs Association of Australia. Conron combined these breeds due to the low-shedding coat of the Poodle and the gentleness and train-ability of the Lab so he could provide guide dogs to those with fur and dander allergies. Since then the Labradoodle has become a popular crossbreed for guide dogs, training purposes, and they make a wonderful family pet.

The Labradoodle is a crossbreed and not a breed, making it so the puppies do not have consistently predictable personalities or characteristics. Because of this, Labradoodles’ hair can be anywhere from wiry to soft, and may be straight, wavy, or curly. Those Labradoodles with straight coats are said to have “hair”, the wavy-coated dogs have “fleece” coats, and finally, the curly-coated pups have a “wool” coats. Labradoodles do shed, but the coat usually sheds less and doesn’t have the dog odor that is commonly found in Labs.

Grooming Labradoodles usually depends on what the owner prefers. Some are kept with short coats, others natural and curly. Although, it is recommended to take your pup to the groomers every 2-3 months for a bath and a trim to keep the coat fluffy and detangled.

Do you have a Labradoodle? What is their personalities like? Let us know!

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