Through 20 plus years of adopted greyhounds and foster greyhounds, I’ve developed some pretty solid opinions of these incredible dogs. I love them – fine I’m better labeled an adopted greyhound addict – and their many quirks and unique personality traits amuse me.
Adopted greyhounds are sight hounds, which is a rather obvious way of saying they are visual animals. They hunt, or race, when something catches their interest. The fake rabbit at the track, the squirrel or bird in the back yard, the cat across the street. Doesn’t matter what, doesn’t even matter if you see it, when an adopted greyhound sees it, they want to race off and explore.
Unlike scent hounds who explore their world primarily with their noses, sometimes our adopted greyhounds or foster greyhounds have to be shown where a bit of treat or food has fallen. That’s a moment when I’m sure the sight thing is only for curiosities in motion.
And while most dogs possess better hearing than people, we’ve had a few adopted greyhounds who’ve made me wonder which sense is stronger: sight or hearing.
Levi could hear my husband’s car about two blocks away and would wait patiently at the door for Daddy to walk in.
While Brody and Boo perk up at opening of the garage door (even after we replaced the openers with quieter versions); most recently it’s the puppy Bandit who shows serious ”ear’ hound promise.
Like Levi, Bandit is an adopted greyhound in our pack who perks up long before my husband’s car even appears on the street. What’s more impressive? He does the same thing regardless of which car my husband is driving. (not that we have so many, but still, I’ve never seen that before).
Plenty of mini-vans and sedans of similar color go by on our street every day and Bandit ignores them…until it’s his Daddy’s car.
Odd? Sure, but I promise you it’s absolutely true. I think his super-hearing is quite an accomplishment for an adopted greyhound who’s primary genetic strength is visual acuity.
Live the greyhound adventure!
