Rescue greyhound can't finish a walk.

GreyhoundAdvocate

I fostered two AKC greyhounds, and although they are the same as the racers in many ways, in others, they are completely different. Such big chests and no muscle mass/defininition in comparison to ex-racers. The two I had (at seperate times) were both young as well, and completely wild as bucks... which takes a bit of getting used to - you just don't find many ex-racers who aren't polite... so THAT was interesting. My 12 year old female was NOT amused with them causing chaos in her well ordered home... she would just lay on the sofa and look at me (as they tore around the house knocking things over and shredding stuffies...  and with her eyes she would say "Really?... Really mom? What in the hell were you thinking??!!!" LOL... but it was fun. I had to walk them all by themselves though, I can walk 4 or 5 ex-racers at one time but they are so well mannered... but the AKC's? Well it took all my strength to hold on to them all by themselves. :))

 The track dogs you get in are already trained and are often walked in groups starting at a very young age. The "AKC" dogs (which if they are rescues there is no way of knowing if they are from show lines or where they came from, just that they aren't tattoo'd), so may or may not have had much training at all. The muscle mass/definition is partially genetic but is also largely due to exercise and conditioning. So many of the ex-racers I see in pet homes are chubby and squishy. Have you ever gone to AKC lure coursing trials? There are some very well muscled dogs of all sighthounds breeds competing at those.