EN/DE: So You Are Going to Adopt an Irish Greyhound?/ Du willst also einen irischen Windhund adoptieren?
Verfasst: Do 26. Sep 2019, 10:20
Jutta Hochgräfer
So You Are Going to Adopt an Irish Greyhound?
You don't have to look too far back into most American greyhound pedigrees, to see the profound influence that the Irish greyhound has had upon our racing-bred domestics.
From the importation of the 1920 whelp, Meadows, who was to sire the dog that greyhound geneaologist Gary Guccione, correctly deemed the "Grandfather of the American Greyhound", Traffic Officer---to the prolific Irish-bred sires, Mad Tanist, Newdown Heather, Hi There, Prairie Flash, Monalee Champion and Share Profit, and all their descendants. The Irish influence is indelible.
Then, through the multiple branches of female family matriarchs, like Maythorn Pride, Burnpark Sally, Prairie Peg, and Evening Daisy---American greyhounds are steeped in the blood of some of the finest and most prolific Irish greyhounds in history.
Just as America's greyhound breeders have often looked to Ireland to increase the aptitude and acumen of their domestics, today we find the US adoption community reaching out to the Emerald Isle, for a slightly different purpose.
Due to the most recent cutbacks in US greyhound racing, and a corresponding reduction in breeding, the demand for retired greyhound pets in North America is not quite being met. Many adoption groups have long waiting lists for potential adopters, and some can scarcely access any retirees at all, the further away the group might be from racing locales.
This situation did not sit well with John Parker, a former vice-president of Greyhound Pets of America (GPA), and a very small-volume breeder (and sometime importer) of athletically functional---racing, coursing, lure coursing---greyhounds. As I understand it, he and the current president of GPA, Rory Goree (and notable others), began to brainstorm, some time ago, about importing retired Irish racers, to help fill that unmet demand, and to keep the Greyhound at forefront in the public mind, as it concerns its desire for unique and fascinating pets.
A few days ago, the first shipment of four, retired, Irish greyhounds arrived at Logan Airport, in Boston, Massachusetts. GPA National had spearheaded the networking process to accomplish this, along with corresponding, Irish-based concerns. The greyhounds are to be cared for and handled by GPA Massachusetts. Knowing the principals, they could not be in better or more trustworthy hands.
While there are probably not enough "kudos" to go around, for all who conceived and participated in what could be a paradigm-changing leap in the evolution of the retired Irish racing greyhound as a pet---the would-be adopters of these (and any future) imported, retired greyhound pets from Ireland, should be aware of a few things, as it may concern their upbringing, and their acclimation to life in these United States.
In my former incarnation, as a greyhound trainer, I had ample opportunity to handle many Irish greyhounds who were imported for racing, here in the US. The first thing one learns when handling these greyhounds, and helping them acclimate to a new country and environment, is that they are not used to the heat and humidity that normally accompanies the summer, throughout much of the US, and even parts of Canada. The climate in Ireland is generally much cooler and wetter.
It is very important that their exposure to heat and humidity be quite limited, at first, and that any exercise attempted be equally brief. Followed, naturally, by a thorough hosing-down, with a walking-off and cool-out period, and frequent, small drinks of tepid, not cold, water.
And while we are on the subject of water, it is best to provide them with filtered or fresh spring water for drinking, rather than the often poor quality tap water to which many of us are subjected.
Irish greyhounds are often characterized by having a slightly broader skull than their American cousins, and more often, by a denser, sometimes even "wooly" coat. It is to the dog's comfort and benefit, in the warm weather, to gradually thin out this fur.
One does not have to spend silly amounts of money on magical stripping tools to accomplish this. You will only need a hacksaw blade to gradually comb off any excess coat, and any dead hair. You simply comb the dog with the hacksaw blade, going always with the lay of the fur, every day. After combing, take a rough terrycloth towel, and "buff" the coat---again, going with the lay of the fur, until you begin to see a bit of a sheen. After a couple of weeks, your Irish greyhound will begin to slick-up as if he were born and raised in the deepest, darkest Everglades (well maybe not that much).
There are still some Irish greyhounds who are "home-raised", or raised by very small-string breeders. It was my experience, back in the day when there were even more of them, that these greyhounds adjusted quite well to adoptive life---sometimes quite a bit more easily than they adjusted to the hustle and bustle of the American racing kennel. At least that was my inference, after hearing from their adopters.
Irish racing greyhounds are fed a "breakfast". We would usually give them something like a bowl of corn flakes, or rough toast, with whole milk or buttermilk and a raw egg added. They seemed to expect and like that. They also like bones, usually use them well, and most Irish handlers are quite generous with raw bones for dental hygiene and pleasure.
In any event, if you adopt an Irish greyhound, you are in for a wonderful experience. They are every bit as engaging, as loving and as fascinating as their American counterparts. The only rub is, that you may have to learn to speak with an Irish brogue, before they listen to you.
Hopefully, we will see many more retired Irish greyhounds coming to the US, until Ireland, too, begins to experience a shortage of retired, adoptable pets.
Well done to all concerned.
copyright, 2019
(thanks to Rory Goree for the idea of writing on this subject)