Adopt a Greyhound Atlanta, Inc.

Leash/Fence
Greyhounds require no more exercise than any other breed. They do, however require a leash (lead) if you are not in an enclosed area. They would enjoy a romp in the yard or a walk on a lead. They usually walk obediently beside you on the lead and you may think that they will behave that way off lead. They might...many times, but there will come a time when they will see something far away and will want to investigate. If they start to run, you will not be able to catch them and they will probably not respond to your call. They do not ignore you because they don't love you. They are just adventurous souls...it is the nature of the breed. It only
takes one time of getting away from you for you to lose your pet. Please trust us on this. We have known of many dogs who were killed or lost because their owners did not take us seriously. We love these dogs and want them to be safe and happy. If you are expecting your dog to stay with you while off lead, then you might want to consider a different breed.

Housetraining
Greyhounds are former athletes and are used to a strict schedule that varies little from day to day, so it is best to allow them to
slowly adjust to your schedule. Although they are crate trained, they may need some help from you in becoming housetrained.
You can not expect them to come into a totally new situation and have no accidents at all. It's great when they have none (and that happens a lot), but you need to expect that there will be an adjustment period for both you and your new greyhound. We generally recommend that you plan to pick up your greyhound when you can be home a few days initially with him/her. When you first go home, let them in the area that they will be using to relieve themselves. Then put down a soft pillow wherever you will be spending most of your time in the house and sort of keep an eye on them. Some wandering and curiousity is natural, but if they suddenly
get up and look like they have a mission in mind, your job is to get them outside right away. With gentle guidance from you, they
will learn quickly.

Cat Testing
Because they have been around many dogs their entire lives, greyhounds usually accept and even welcome other dogs you may already have. Some of them are also very good with cats and we have placed many more greyhounds in cat homes than in other
dog homes. We do cat test to see how the dog reacts. While this is not an absolutely certain indication that they will do well with cats, it is generally a pretty good indicator. We also provide muzzles for the initial encounter just to make sure your cat is safe, but most people find that they are unnecessary.

Heartworm Preventative
Heartworm preventative is absolutely essential for any dog in this part of the country. Heartworms are carried and transmitted by mosquitos. Once a dog gets heartworms, there are only two alternatives. You must either treat him for the heartworms or put him
to sleep, because without treatment, your dog will die. The treatment itself is expensive and very hard on the dog. He is given an almost lethal dose of arsenic in order to kill the heartworm and recovery would be long and difficult. After treatment, he must be
kept quiet with activity at a minimum for about 6 weeks. Luckily, it is easy and inexpensive to prevent your dog from getting heartworms. There are two types of preventative, one that is given daily or one that is given monthly. You can get either of these at your vet's office. In the Atlanta area, this will cost you about $35.00-$40.00 for a six month's supply.

Our Fees
A former racing Greyhound can be a wonderful addition to your family, but as with all dogs (and people too!), each Greyhound
has its own unique personality. This affectionate animal can be very loving and kind in its adoptive new home. We suggest that you think about what kind of pet would best suit you, your family and your lifestyle and choose a dog according to that. They range
from very active to very lazy and from very outgoing to very shy. No matter what you are looking for, there is a greyhound that will suit your unique preferences. Your new friend will come to you already spayed or neutered and with current vaccinations and heartworm preventative. Due to these expenses and the cost of transportation to Atlanta as well as care and feeding here, we do require an adoption fee of $225.00. Our organization is supported by these fees and unlike many local shelters, we receive no assistance from the state or county. Because of this, once a greyhound enters our program, he/she either finds a new permanent home or lives with us for the duration of his/her life. If you would like additional information or would like to see Greyhounds who are awaiting a new home, please call Adopt a Greyhound Atlanta at (770)469-9533.


	Policies and Requirements Indoor Dogs Greyhounds are indoor dogs. Despite their large size, they do not need much space. They would rather be in the house with you. A run in the yard is fine, but they should never be left alone in the yard all day while you are gone. Since they want to be wherever you are, they may feel abandoned and may be tempted to jump the fence to find you. We know of one case where a greyhound who had shown no desire to jump fences was put in a yard for a short period of time while his owner ran errands. He was so desperate to find his owner that he scaled a 7 foot fence. They are also sensitive to hot and cold weather. Due to their low body fat, they have little insulation against extremes in temperature. Leash/Fence Greyhounds require no more exercise than any other breed. They do, however require a leash (lead) if you are not in an enclosed area. They would enjoy a romp in the yard or a walk on a lead. They usually walk obediently beside you on the lead and you may think that they will behave that way off lead. They might...many times, but there will come a time when they will see something far away and will want to investigate. If they start to run, you will not be able to catch them and they will probably not respond to your call. They do not ignore you because they don't love you. They are just adventurous souls...it is the nature of the breed. It only takes one time of getting away from you for you to lose your pet. Please trust us on this. We have known of many dogs who were killed or lost because their owners did not take us seriously. We love these dogs and want them to be safe and happy. If you are expecting your dog to stay with you while off lead, then you might want to consider a different breed. Housetraining Greyhounds are former athletes and are used to a strict schedule that varies little from day to day, so it is best to allow them to slowly adjust to your schedule. Although they are crate trained, they may need some help from you in becoming housetrained. You can not expect them to come into a totally new situation and have no accidents at all. It's great when they have none (and that happens a lot), but you need to expect that there will be an adjustment period for both you and your new greyhound. We generally recommend that you plan to pick up your greyhound when you can be home a few days initially with him/her. When you first go home, let them in the area that they will be using to relieve themselves. Then put down a soft pillow wherever you will be spending most of your time in the house and sort of keep an eye on them. Some wandering and curiousity is natural, but if they suddenly get up and look like they have a mission in mind, your job is to get them outside right away. With gentle guidance from you, they will learn quickly. Cat Testing Because they have been around many dogs their entire lives, greyhounds usually accept and even welcome other dogs you may already have. Some of them are also very good with cats and we have placed many more greyhounds in cat homes than in other dog homes. We do cat test to see how the dog reacts. While this is not an absolutely certain indication that they will do well with cats, it is generally a pretty good indicator. We also provide muzzles for the initial encounter just to make sure your cat is safe, but most people find that they are unnecessary. Heartworm Preventative Heartworm preventative is absolutely essential for any dog in this part of the country. Heartworms are carried and transmitted by mosquitos. Once a dog gets heartworms, there are only two alternatives. You must either treat him for the heartworms or put him to sleep, because without treatment, your dog will die. The treatment itself is expensive and very hard on the dog. He is given an almost lethal dose of arsenic in order to kill the heartworm and recovery would be long and difficult. After treatment, he must be kept quiet with activity at a minimum for about 6 weeks. Luckily, it is easy and inexpensive to prevent your dog from getting heartworms. There are two types of preventative, one that is given daily or one that is given monthly. You can get either of these at your vet's office. In the Atlanta area, this will cost you about $35.00-$40.00 for a six month's supply. Our Fees A former racing Greyhound can be a wonderful addition to your family, but as with all dogs (and people too!), each Greyhound has its own unique personality. This affectionate animal can be very loving and kind in its adoptive new home. We suggest that you think about what kind of pet would best suit you, your family and your lifestyle and choose a dog according to that. They range from very active to very lazy and from very outgoing to very shy. No matter what you are looking for, there is a greyhound that will suit your unique preferences. Your new friend will come to you already spayed or neutered and with current vaccinations and heartworm preventative. Due to these expenses and the cost of transportation to Atlanta as well as care and feeding here, we do require an adoption fee of $225.00. Our organization is supported by these fees and unlike many local shelters, we receive no assistance from the state or county. Because of this, once a greyhound enters our program, he/she either finds a new permanent home or lives with us for the duration of his/her life. If you would like additional information or would like to see Greyhounds who are awaiting a new home, please call Adopt a Greyhound Atlanta at (770)469-9533.
	Contact : Carl Viener...770-469-9533...adopt@greyhounds2.org Copyright (c)1997-2001 Adopt a Greyhound Altanta, Inc. All rights reserved. Images on this page are copyrighted. You may use them if proper credit is given. Greyhound Paintings must be credited to Stephanie Miller. All other greyhound graphics with the exception of Link Buttons and Award Buttons must be credited to Adopt a Greyhound Atlanta unless otherwise noted. Comic Strips are the property of the cartoonist and may not be used without permission.