Greyhound racing is the sixth most popular spec- tator sport in the United States. Over the last decade, a growing number of racers have been adopted to spend their retirement as household pets, once their racing careers are over.Many people hesitate to adopt a retired rac- ing greyhound because they think only very old dogs are available. Actually, even champion rac- ers only work until they are about three-and-a- half years old. Because greyhounds usually live to be 12 to 15 years old, their retirement is much longer than their racing careers.People worry that a greyhound will be more nervous and active than other breeds and will need a large space to run. These are false impres- sions. Greyhounds have naturally sweet, mild dis- positions, and while they love to run, they are sprinters rather than distance runners and are sufficiently exercised with a few daily laps around a fenced-in backyard.Greyhounds do not make good watchdogs, but they are very good with children, get along well with other dogs (and usually cats as well), and are affectionate and loyal. They are intelli- gent, well-behaved dogs, usually housebroken in only a few days. A retired racing greyhound is a wonderful pet for almost anyone One drawback of adopting a greyhound is that