The younger dogs may not have qualified for racing. Most of the older dogs were retired from racing because they were no longer competitive. GPA also places dogs from local animal shelters, or from families who can no longer keep their dog. Retired greyhounds enjoy many years of good health. With proper care, they have a life expectancy of twelve years or more.
Greyhounds are the fastest breed of dog.
But they are sprinters without a lot of endurance. Greyhounds can never be trusted off leash out of a fenced area. Raised in such a sheltered life at the track, a greyhound has no street smarts. Exercising your greyhound with walks and occasional chances to run around in a fenced area is all that's required. At the track, greyhounds are used to running every three to four days, so you may see a pattern to your dog's energy peaks.