Daisy Mae's Greyhound Page: An Interview With Daisy Mae

An Interview With Daisy Mae

For your listening pleasure:
"WHEN I'M 64" - by The Beatles

In an exclusive interview, DAISY MAE, retired greyhound racer and champion couch potato,
answers your questions about Greyhounds, and greyhound adoptions . . .

WHAT IS A GREYHOUND?

Are you kidding? Where have you been for the last 6,000 years anyway? We're dogs - and that's how long we've been around. Well ok, not me personally, but my breed has been traced back to the Egyptians. We are even mentioned by name in the Bible (Proverbs 30:29-31, King James version). The most read book in the whole world, and we are the only dog breed named. Talk about greyt exposure. Now some of you, at one time in your life, may have tried to get your kicks on 'ol Route 66. Do you remember seeing a big blue, white, and silver metal box thingy on four wheels come barreling out of nowhere straight at your car as you tried to pass that slow milk truck near Barstow? And remember what you saw as your life flashed before your eyes, as you desperately tried to swerve you car back into your own lane? The silhouette image in your windshield of a fast, sleek dog with the letters GREYHOUND underneath it? Well, that wasn't us - we're the other greyhounds.

DO GREYHOUNDS MAKE GOOD PETS?

That's the most asked question I've heard at the track, during walks through the neighborhood, at "Meet The Greyhound" events, and while shopping at PetsMart. A better question would be, "Do Humans make good owners?" Well, that's for another subject. But the answer to the first question is absolutely, positively YES!! The reason is that we love people of all ages, from kids to senior citizens, although considering the way some of my friends have been treated by humans, it sometimes is amazing to me that we love folks as much as we do. We have been bred to be sociable and good tempered, not to mention healthy and intelligent. And we have been around people all of our lives - first at the breeding farm, then at the track. So we are used to human companionship - it is the thing we seem to crave most of all (other than running fast, and a bag of pigs ears).

SPEAKING OF TEMPERAMENT - WE HEARD THAT GREYHOUNDS ARE VERY HIGH STRUNG. IS THAT TRUE?

A Jack Russell Terrier is high strung. A Dalmatian is high strung. They run around all day barking at their neighbors, digging holes in their yard, chewing up their owners best pair of shoes, and generally being a pain in the you-know- what, if not given LOTS AND LOTS of attention. Does a greyhound act like that? Well, does a turtle act like that? I mean, when was the last time you heard about someone's turtle devouring the $20,000 oriental rug in the living room just because he couldn't go for a walk? Greyhounds are probably more like turtles than Jack Russells in the temperament department. Oh sure, one or two of us may get a little carried away from time to time and commit little boo boos now and then, but as a general rule, we would much rather be snooz'n on the couch than be barking like a yappy little Jack Russell.

YOU SEEM TO ENJOY TAKING A LOT OF NAPS, BUT SURELY YOU LIKE TO RUN ALSO?

Of course we love to run, or take walks, or go jogging. And we would love to do it everyday if possible. But unlike some breeds, we don't normally demand that level of activity. If the weather is miserable, or if you're working late one day and don't have time for the normal exercise routine, don't sweat it. We won't rip the house to shreds in protest. But we do ask that you spend some kind of quality time with us every day, even if it is just a tummy rub or a game of "grab the paws."

SEEING A GREYHOUND RUNNING FREE SEEMS SO MAGICAL . . . DO YOU EVER LIKE TO GET OFF YOUR LEASH AND JUST FLY WITH THE WIND?

I would love to do that. Running is what we do best, and to let loose and run to my hearts desire is something I always dream about. But the reality of life is that I am a sight hound . . . I can track prey by sight the way Davy Crocket can shooting wings off of flys at 100 yards. But I get very confused when it comes to tracking with my nose. Unlike most other dogs, my dumb smeller is almost useless when it comes to picking up a trail. If I take off running in one direction for, lets say a mile, and I can't see where I started from, I'm in big trouble. I mean really really big trouble. If I can't "see" my way home, I'll never find my way. That's why it is so important for me to be turned out only in a enclosed area, whether that area be a small back yard or a large park. Of course, I can go just about anywhere while on my leash. It's so cool to go cruse'n by all the studly male dogs in the neighborhood.

CAN GREYHOUNDS BE TAUGHT TO DO TRICKS?

Like what kind of tricks are you talking about anyway? Aerial stunt flying? Motorcycle jump contests? Downhill skiing? I would have to honestly say that most greyhounds I've met would not be very good at doing those things. But that doesn't mean we're complete duds when it comes to this tricky stuff. We are an intelligent breed that can learn to heal, sit, stay, come, and lay down (actually that one's not really a trick). We compete very successfully in agility tests, and some of my friends have become certified therapy dogs. I guess the only trick we're not real good at is guard duty. We would rather nap on the couch.

DO YOU GET ALONG WITH CATS?

Every greyhound I’ve ever met absolutely, positively loves cats. Some of us love cats for companionship, while others love cats for breakfast - with a little hot sauce. Since we use to chase fake rabbits around and around for a living, cats can sometimes remind us of days gone by. Ahh, the feel of the wind blasting into your face and the sensation of the squishy mud flying up from beneath your feet - these can be powerful instincts for a greyhound. Some of us see a cat and automatically think "LURE." And away we go. Many greyhounds however, have "lost that loving feeling" for cat chasing. A good friend of mine sees a cat, and says "Hey, what's the use. I'll never catch the darn thing anyway. And besides, I might loose this comfy spot on the couch." So you see, many of us do co-exist quite well with cats. In fact, most adoption groups test retiring greyhounds for cat arousal. You would be surprised how many of my fellow retired racers can live safely and comfortably with these furry lures that people call cats.

WHAT DO YOU EAT?

Well, for most of my adult life, I've eaten dog food. At the track, we were fed a mixture of raw meat and a high protein dry food with some vegetables added for a reason known only to the trainers. We ate a LOT of food, about 2 pounds of it a day, because we burned up so many calories during a race. Since retiring, I've cut way back on my daily intake. I am currently eating about 5 cups of premium dry kibble a day - half for breakfast, and the rest for dinner. At breakfast, I also get some raw carrots or spinach leafs, and a couple of spoon fulls of yogurt or cottage cheese. At dinner time, my kibble is mixed with 6-8 oz of premium canned food. Then of course, there is the daily ration of dog cookies and other treats. Believe me, I don't go hungry.

WE'VE HEARD THAT GREYHOUND HAVE NOTORIOUS BAD BREATH. IS THIS TRUE?

I wouldn't call it bad breath exactly, it's more unique and exotic. I call it "Greyhound Breath" because there's no other breed of dog in the world that has it. Now, folks that have never had the privilege of allowing a greyhound to lick the nose off their faces, may find the first encounter with greyhound breath, shall we say, "memorable." Why some people have even fainted from the experience. But after you have been adopted by a greyhound, you come to realize that you have been missing one of life's great sensory pleasures. A true greyhound connoisseur's day is just not complete without whiffing the wonderful aroma emanating from the schnozzle of his beautiful friend, who has just eaten a "Pigs Ear."

CAN YOU GIVE US A GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF YOURSELF - YOUR BREED?

I want to make one thing perfectly clear, the greyhounds I have just been talking about do not have round rubber feet, or a name tag that says "Destination Peoria." We are the other kind of greyhounds, the ones with a heart as big as all outdoors, and who want nothing more than to find a wonderful, loving family to share the rest of our lives with. Ok? Understand? Cool! Retiring greyhounds will normally be between 2 and 5 years old, depending on how successful they were at their first job. On the-job-injuries and job burn-out takes its toll on many of us, leading to early retirement. A male greyhound just off the track, will normally stand between 26 and 30 inches at the shoulder, and weigh between 65 and 85 pounds. Females will normally stand between 23 and 28 inches at the shoulders, and weigh between 50 and 65 pounds. In order to make us look better, and not have our ribs showing, we usually try to gain about 5 pounds when we move into our adopted homes. We come in a multitude of colors - black, white, brown, fawn, brindle or a combination of these colors. All colors look good on a greyhound, but coloring has no relationship on how we act, or how we will love our new adopted family. Our hearts are inside of us.

HOW LONG DO GREYHOUNDS LIVE? I KNOW MANY PEOPLE WILL SHY AWAY FROM ADOPTING OLDER DOGS BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO LOOSE THEM AFTER ONLY A FEW YEARS. IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT?

With proper medical care, we have a life expectancy of between 12 and 15 years. If we retire at the age of four, then we can expect to be with our adopted families for 8 to 11 years. I wish it was longer, but on the other paw, I'm so thankful that I was given the opportunity to live out my full natural life, however long that may be. So many of my friends never had that chance.

DAISY MAE, IT HAS BEEN A GREYT PLEASURE AND A REAL HONOR TO BE ABLE TO BARK WITH YOU TODAY. DO YOU HAVE A COMMENT YOU WISH TO MAKE TO EVERYONE?

Thanks for your kind words. And an even bigger thanks for the bag of "Pigs Ears." I guess there's only one thing left for me to say . . . .

Graphics and Background by Jim Tejada

Bone and Heart Horizontal Rule Bar courtesy of