February 16
AKC Or NGA
You may wonder if retired racing greyhounds are purebred dogs. They are! However, they aren’t AKC greyhounds, they’re NGA greyhounds. What’s the difference? The simplest explanation…AKC greyhounds are bred for show; NGA greyhounds are bred for racing.
AKC stands for American Kennel Club and they set the “standards” for the breed. AKC greyhounds are bred to carry and accentuate all the attributes you tend to think of when you hear the word “greyhound.” They tend to be taller and more narrow with deeper chest and longer necks. Their backs tend to be more arched and their rear legs more angled. Also, their ears are more tightly folded and smaller.
NGA stands for National Greyhound Association and it is the registry for greyhounds that are bred for racing. These greyhounds tend to have longer and wider bodies. Their muscles are bunchier. Their coats tend to be thicker and less sleek and they often develop missing hair on their thighs. NGA greyhounds are bred to be much faster than AKC greyhounds and are also more keen to chase.
Both AKC and NGA greyhounds have sweet, gentle dispositions and make great pets. Freedom and Casper want me to put in a plug for the NGA greyhounds. Of course, they’re a litte biased…me too.
Our girls salute your plug, but I’ve met a handful of AKC greys who were sweethearts, too!
I can’t wait to meet my first AKC greyhound! Wonder if I’ll be able to tell the difference. Since becoming a greyhound slave, I find I’m oddly attracted to anything “hound.” The brainwashing process is complete.