excerpt from our review: Running with the Big Dogs fills a gap that has existed in available literature about greyhound adoption. In it Lee Livingood discusses greyhound behavior and the reasons behind that behavior, and gives good suggestions on how to make the transition from a working racing dog to family life in the community. She accomplishes this without playing on the pity theme that results in adoptions that don't work out once the adopter's altruistic feelings have subsided.
Running with the Big Dogs
Running with the Big Dogs fills a gap that has existed in available literature about greyhound adoption. In it Lee Livingood discusses greyhound behavior and the reasons behind that behavior, and gives good suggestions on how to make the transition from a working racing dog to family life in the community. She accomplishes this without playing on the pity theme that results in adoptions that don't work out once the adopter's altruistic feelings have subsided.
What the racing greyhound may not be familiar with is the need to share daily life, night and day, with humans, both adults and children. They may never have seen another breed of dog than other greyhounds. They have probably never lived in a house with a family. They have never in their lives been totally alone -- they've always been surrounded by other greyhounds and, in the daytime at least, many people who are experienced in handling dogs.
They move into a life where they are expected to be alone for periods of time, where they have more actual freedom to move about all day, and where they are expected to know some words they've never had to understand before, like "Sit!" and "Stay!" Their new owners don't usually have anything near the experience with dogs that racing trainers and breeders have. Livingood shows us how to introduce our hounds to their new life, with many training suggestions that are all based on kindness, positive motivation and no punishment.
In addition to the training, she discusses supplies the new adopter may need, what problems to look out for and what behaviors may be different from those of dogs bred and raised as pets. There is an excellent resource list at the end of the book.
She also touches on the special needs of the aging greyhound and how they can be managed.
All in all, Running with the Big Dogs is a must-have for anyone new to greyhounds and a very useful source for all of us who care for these wonderful hounds. It is illustrated with good photographs of greyhounds learning and playing, and it is well written with humor and understanding.
The book is currently published in a loose-leaf notebook form, but I understand a spiral-bound edition is in the works.
Reprinted with permission from Celebrating Greyhounds: The Magazine, Fall 1998. © Terrill Schulcraft; Northcountry Kennels, Near Hershey, PA, USA terrills@ezonline.com
Running With the Big Dogs
excerpt from our review: Running with the Big Dogs fills a gap that has existed in available literature about greyhound adoption. In it Lee Livingood discusses greyhound behavior and the reasons behind that behavior, and gives good suggestions on how to make the transition from a working racing dog to family life in the community. She accomplishes this without playing on the pity theme that results in adoptions that don't work out once the adopter's altruistic feelings have subsided.