Wow! Thanks for all the resources everybody!. I need to change my profile actually, as we moved to Washington state last month.
I... don't know if you WANT a Greyhound puppy, Romy. They're not (nor do they grow up to be) the sweet, calm, docile individuals that their retired racing counterparts are.
I dunno about the AKC vs NGA but I'm pretty sure that the AKC Greys are bred for the show ring and the NGA Greys are bred for racing/coursing.
I don't really understand what you are saying. The retired racing greys were puppies at one point no? What do they grow up to be if not sweet calm greyhounds? Are you saying AKC greyhounds have a different temperament than NGA dogs?
Everybody tells us that sighthound puppies are horrible monsters. Maybe we were just lucky with Strider, but compared to all of our adult fosters except one (a staghound puppy actually), he has been 99% angel. He's mellow, listens, chews on appropriate things, etc. We were preparing for a chainsaw when we got him, and we ended up with a butterknife....or maybe rubber spatula. Compared to our DDR shepherd, she was like chainsaw x50 as an adult, much less a puppy.
I love whippets. My husband however requires a dog to be one of two things.
1. Muscular
2. Tall
Greyhounds have tall, and I think as big as Strider is getting it would be nice for him to play with someone his size anyway. Robert told me he wouldn't consider a whippet, but he likes basenjis. He's afraid to play with the smaller frail looking dogs like whippets, iggies, chihuahuas etc.
I met a lady who works with sighthounds and she has the connections to "just buy" a young track dog, so we are investigating that route. We probably won't add anything for a few months, just kind of investigating our options and laying groundwork for whatever is going to end up happening. There is a greyhound breeder who has a retired champion female who is going to be ready for a retirement home, and also a yearling male. Those are AKC and lurecoursing lines.
I would really really like to course with our next dog also. We can't with Strider because he is training for service work, and I don't think he will be able to turn off that chase drive while he's working if we go ahead and develop it.