Greyhounds, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, Irish Wolfhounds, Scottish Deerhounds, Ibizan and Pharoah Hounds, Russian Wolfhounds (Borzois), Salukis, Whippets, Afghans, to name some. All ancient breeds, bred for centuries to hunt with their eyes and speed.
Any other sighthound "owners" out there? Anyone active in lure coursing (perhaps the strangest looking AKC-sanctioned field competition [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] )?
We've just adopted a "discarded" racing Greyhound to join and play with our Ibizan. Our poor resident police K-9, a GSD, sort of just tolerates their antics.
For a breed-type that can explode with incredible bursts of speed, they (at least ours) seem to make some of the gentlest couch potatoes you'd ever find.
Here's a link to my wife's very modest web site. The site's main purpose is just to post dog pictures.
Love the pictures and I have learn a new breed. The Ibizan is so beautiful. I have had Shepherds all my life and love them dearly. The best dog I ever owned was a Shepherd and he was my constant companion. He would even ride the fire truck of my volunteer unit. That was many years ago but I still remember the love and dedication he gave me.
I have two Giant Schnauzers now. Freyja is two and we have had her since she was a puppy. Seigir is five and we adopted him just a few weeks ago. He is a love as is Freyja and they have become great friends. Their breed has some Russian Wolf Hound in it along with several herding breeds.
What usually happens to the K-9 dogs when they are retired from duty? The reason I ask is that on another site a reported K-9 dog in Fla. ended up in a shelter.
I have attached a picture of Freyja and Seigir. Freyja is in the yellow collar and Seigir has the military cut. He was matted and dirty when we got him and he will look much better when his coat grows out.
i have a japanese sight hound of sorts she is actually a spits breed but is as ancient as the get. it is called a shikoku kan. they are breed for hunting deer and boar by sight. she is as fast as the wind! unfortunately we cannot lure course since she is not an akc recognized breed! it is really stupid....they rec. a 400 year old breed (akita) but not a 3000 year old breed! silly americans
We adopted a retired Greyhound 2 years ago. Absolutely the best dog I ever owned. He is very freindly to everyone and is incredibly low maintainence. One good 5 minute run a day and it's the couch for the rest of the day. He's not a very good watch dog though. Oh well, you can't have it all.
I am not anti-racing, but in favor of more regulation to insure placement of dogs. The hounds love to run, so I say let 'em. As long as they are treated well and placed when they are retired from racing. These dogs are so wonderful I'm sure the breeders will have no problem finding them all homes, especially if they are required to to stay in business. There are certainly many orginizations out there to help them too.
I lived with a Giant many years ago. Just out of college, in a shared house with two other guys, one of whom had the Giant, and I have fond memories of that dog.
Though police K-9's are typically owned by the department, they are usually permitted to retire with their handler's family, since that has been home to them for so long anyway. I can conceive of certain circumstances where one might end up in a shelter, but there is a strong sense of support in that community. My wife found a Belgian Malinois while SAR training up in the country. She didn't think he was a K-9, but that breed makes very good ones. She took him to the local shelter, and then out of her own pocket paid to support him there until the rescue league could find a home (which they did).
I agree!! It is interesting to me to watch dog shows in other countries, just to see all of the other breeds out there, and how they are categorized sometimes very differently than how the AKC does.
A "Chart Polski" (may not have got that exactly right) is another sighthound (Polish sighthound) that is not recognized by AKC.
<font color="blue">She has nice teeth </font color>
That's mostly because she is still young, not quite three years old yet. She only raced one season (2002) a total of 15 races before they decided she wasn't fast enough, plus she got hit hard a couple of times.
It is interesting lots of things the racing greyhounds are just not used to, because they have not been a part of their racing environment; things like doors, windows, and esp stairs. They are a real spaz around those things until they get used to them.
They are very well crate-trained and dog-socialized.
I've heard you should not try to teach them to sit or down, either, because they use cattle prods on them while they are in the starting gate if they try to sit or down there.
<font color="red">things like doors, windows, and esp stairs. They are a real spaz around those things until they get used to them.
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[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Sounds like one of my dogs. Only he was not a racer. Must just be a spaz. [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
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