Customer Reviews

Retired Racing Greyhounds For Dummies

5 star:		(56)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is the best greyhound book for owners/prospective adopters I've seen, and I've collected them all. Beautiful photos, easy-to-read information. Vast topics not seen elsewhere, and help for specific problems like separation anxiety. Great advice for families with young children. Add this to your greyhound library - a must!

I appreciate the time the author took to write the book, but I was disappointed with it. It's worth adding to your library, but Cynthia Branigan's "Adopting the Racing Greyhound" is a much better book - easier to read and organized better.

The content is strangely organized; it repeats and is sometimes contradictory. Maybe it was over-edited by the publisher or has been re-branded from books on other breeds.

Here's an example of a key inconsistency:
The book uses the word "click" extensively when talking about training - about 200 times on pages 89-120.
Page 90: "From now on, when I say *click*, I mean make this sound. When I say *treat*, I mean reward your dog."
Page 99: "When I use the word click, that means that you should use your verbal or mechanical reward marker, such as making a sound with a clicker, and then reward your dog. Never click without treating afterward."

For a Dummies book, I wish they'd have dumbed-it-down a bit more. Here is one quote from the book that illustrates my point: "When I say 'treat,' that's short-hand for reward. It doesn't have to be food. Remember a reward is anything a dog will work for." Remember that I'm a dog dummy. What else would you suggest besides food? I don't think it's petting, because you remind us not to make it something you'll do at times when the dog isn't showing a behavior we want to reward. I don't think it's a favorite toy, because the dog has to stop the training session to play with the toy. Honestly, I'm confused.

This book has some good advice that I didn't get elsewhere:
- To minimize anxiety, don't give the dog too much attention shortly before leaving or immediately after returning. (I believe the book suggests within 30 minutes.)
- To occupy your pup while you're out of the house, give him a kong with peanut butter that's been in the freezer (takes longer to get to it).
- Get your greyhound used to touching slowly. Before clipping the nails, practice just touching them. To prepare him for kids, lightly bump and pinch him.
- Make trips to walk your dog separate from trips to relieve himself - go to a different place, etc. Otherwise, he may wait to relieve himself in order to prolong the walk.
- If your dog gets away from you, run the opposite direction. The theory is that it's a game to him. Chasing makes him run faster, but running away makes you an attractive goal.
- To keep a dog from rushing the door, train him to stay sitting when it's opened. Have him sit. As you reach for the doorknob, stop if he breaks the sit, and start over.

This book disagrees with Brannigan's on a few points.
Crates: Branningan considers them a den and source of comfort. This book says "crates should be tools not prisons."
Radio: Brannigan suggests that a radio may ease your dog's separation anxiety. This book calls them a "waste of your time."

Things I wish these books would have told me:
- I would like a suggested training regimen. Teach sit, then release, then away, them off, then ......
- I'd like the books to discuss the dynamics of a multi-person household - do the two need to use the same commands, etc.?

Like most greyhound adopters, I had to read "THE BOOK": Cynthia Branigan's book on greyhound adoption as part of the screening/adoption process. This book is almost as essential for newbies to the greyhound world. Despite Lee Livingood's credentials in the greyhound adoption community, I didn't expect much from this book because it was, after all, for "dummies." I was happily surprised to find that it is a wonderful complement to Branigan. I bought two copies; one to keep at home right next to "THE BOOK" and one to give to the local humane society's library.

Anyone who wishes to learn more about these special dogs, or who wants to be owned by one, should have this book.

As an owner of a retired racing greyhound, I have read several books on the subject and spent endless hours surfing the web for information. This book contains everything you need to know to properly care for and train a greyhound. Although it seems to sugar coat the life of a racing hound, it does a wonderful job of describing the needs and idiosyncrasies of this gentle breed. I highly recommend it to any prospective adopter.

My wife and I read this book before we adopted our ex-racer. The book greatly helped us in preparing for our new best friend: it describes the Greyhound history, basic characteristics, how to prepare your home (and yourself), proper foods, and much more. Thanks to this book, we saved ourselves many hours (and dollars) in preparing ourselves and our house for our Greyhound.

But the book proved even more valuable after we adopted our hound. After a second reading, we understood much better what to do in addressing some minor problems and behaviors.

If you are thinking about adopting an ex-racer, first read Chapter 3: Determining Whether Adopting a Retired Racing Greyhound is Right for You. You'll be able to tell after this chapter if the Greyhound fits your lifestyle. If the answer is yes, buy the book immediately. It will become the most valuable source of information about your new best friend you'll have at your disposal. Then enjoy your new pal. You're in for loads of fun.

242 pages

Our adoption agency included Cynthia Branigan's "Adopting the Racing Greyhound" in the adoption package for our first greyhound. Do I wish they would have sold us the Dummies book instead.

In one reading, it's easy to see why "Retired Racing Greyhounds for Dummies" is superior to anything else out there. Here are some of the highlights that were valuable to us:

1. TRAINING
All throughout, there is much ink given to training. This book spends A LOT of time teaching you how to train your greyhound its name, behaviors, tricks, and commands. The training is very easy to understand, and it is oriented toward positive reinforcement and rewards.

2. HEADING PROBLEMS OFF AT THE PASS
There are a lot of potential problems addressed here, ranging from rivalries with other dogs, helping him get over fear, as well as a huge section on possible health issues and what to do about them.

3. FOOD
A big section on different things to look for while reading food labels.

4. HISTORY
It talks about what the dogs went through during their life at the track, so that you better understand where they are coming from when they enter your home.

Other books that we have read discuss these same things, but in a more general (and less-helpful) way. Here you find simple, practical advice.

If you want just one book on the subject of retired racing greyhounds, this is it!

The only thing I really have to say is this: if you're planning on adopting a retired racing greyhound, you really should have this book on hand. It covers just about everything you'd need to know, from helping your dog adjust to home life, to day-to-day care. You WILL have questions that need to be answered, and, outside of those that concern you to the point of contacting the adoption group, this book will answer most of them for you. I have read many books on greyhound adoption (yes, I'm a proud "parent" of one, myself), and I have found that, overall, this is the best. If nothing else, it's very good to have on hand.

I have two retired racers and have voraciously read many books and articles on the topic; this is definitely the best. It's comprehensive, informative, and very interesting. No Greyhound owner should be without it!

This book is, by far, the BEST on the market for greyhound owners. I have a number of greyhound and dog behavior books, and find myself referring to this one over and above all others. It is clear, concise, and wonderfully easy to read. Lee Livingood shows an excellent appreciation of the greyhound and is very honest and matter-of-fact about the problems that can be encountered when adopting a rescued racer. I have used it when dealing with my own greyhounds (even after they were in home for a few years), as well as newly-rescued greys I have fostered. In fact, my greyhound rescue group requires (not just recommends!) that all prospective owners read this when adopting a greyhound. If you are considering rescuing a greyhound, read this book!

Simple and easy to follow. This book provides not only greyhound specific information but also some basic dog training and behaviour knowledge. Wonderful photos and fun cartoons too! Adoption groups ought to give this book out to everyone who adopts a retired racing greyhound. Excellent!