Recommended Reading Materials
Adopting The Racing Greyhound by Cynthia A. Branigan
Although copyrighted in 1992, this book remains a favorite of ours because it covers so many aspects of greyhound adoption so well. This book is an excellent resource for the first time adopter who is not yet educated about ex-racers.
Childproofing Your Dog by Brian Kilcommons
An outstanding resource for anyone who has young (teens or younger) children and either has or is considering adopting/purchasing a dog of ANY breed. This book will help you to understand the pack behavior of your dog as it pertains to your children and also provides you with an excellent understanding of the "dos and don'ts" of mixing children with any dog. This is MUST reading for anyone with children and a dog!
Leader Of The Pack by Nancy Baer & Steve Duno
An outstanding book for anyone who has a dog with pack behavior issues or anyone who wishes to understand their dog to avoid pack behavior issues. Please make no mistake about it: all dogs, including yours, are pack animals whose pack instincts lie just beneath the surface. They are not as far from the wild as we would like to believe. Highly recommended reading as an educational tool and a MUST read book for anyone with a dog with behavioral issues.
Greyhounds by D. Caroline Coile, Ph.D. and The Greyhound by Danial Braun Stern
Two very good additional resources for adopters and potential adopters alike. Both (in our opinion) run almost neck and neck with Cynthia Branigan's book. Which is the better resource? That is very much a matter of opinion and taste. You won't go wrong with any of the three, and reading ALL of them will give you different viewpoints on some issues.
Care Of The Racing Greyhound by Linda L. Blythe, James R. Gannon, & A. Morrie Craig
A large book containing valuable greyhound medical information. This book is tailored to the greyhound athlete and is subtitled as A Guide For Trainers, Breeders, And Veterinarians. Those of you who have become potato chip collectors and/or those who have dogs who lure course may find this book to be a wise investment (it is NOT inexpensive). It is probably not something for the average greyhound owner. Your adoption group may already have a copy of their own (or something equivalent) for emergency use.
Wolves At Our Door by Jim & Jamie Dutcher
OK, so it is not about greyhounds. It IS about learning more about your dog's ancestry as well as those instincts that it still possesses just beneath the surface. Our dogs are not as far from the wild as we might like to believe. This extraordinary book will help you to understand why your dog may act as it does and why pack issues can become a problem with multiple dogs. Very worthwhile reading!
One final thought - Please remember that many of these books may be available at your local library. You may not need to go out and purchase them to gain the knowledge that they contain. Some adoption groups may also have them for sale (some groups may require that certain books be read before the adoption is approved).
