One look at their eyes and you know these dogs are very special.

At the first Greyhound Conference at the Ohio State Veterinary School two years ago the moderator joked that these dogs are part domestic dog and part mythical beast. The program dedicated an entire day to one breed. Greyhounds are special and different from regular dogs.

Greyhounds are built for speed. With a narrow head and focused eyes they follow targets as a sight hound. They have a large heart and huge lung capacity with all the pulmonary function needed for racing. Their muscle structure is bulging with definition a weightlifter would covet.

One would think these dogs are hyper all the time. In fact, most of the time they are couch potatoes. They are more than comfortable lying around and are happy lying at your feet or sitting in your favorite chair. During their racing careers they are kept in crates, but they readily adapt to a home environment, making great pets. Many are available after retirement from the racing industry.

One could argue that dogs and horses in the racing industry are subject to unnecessary suffering for human enjoyment. It would counter that the animals are well cared for to run at peak performance.

Regardless of the issues, rescued greyhounds are available for adoption, some as young as age 2. I work with the rescue group, Steel City Greyhounds (www.steelcitygreyhounds.org).

It places available dogs into good homes after our office spays and neuters them. Surgery on greyhounds is a bit tricky as they are all muscle and have almost no fat. They have different physiology than your typical dog. In fact, a healthy greyhound's blood test results may cause an inexperienced veterinarian to think the dog is ill. The drugs used in anesthesia have to be carefully selected. If veterinarians use a protocol acceptable for other dogs, greyhounds might not recover quickly or face other complications.

Greyhounds also make perfect fitness companions. They will walk you into perfect shape, although people will stop you frequently on the street just to admire your greyhound.

Every breed has some health problems, and the greyhounds are no exception. An increased incidence of bone tumors are seen in the greyhound. Veterinarians at Ohio State are researching ways to deal with this problem at its Greyhound Health and Wellness Program. Dental disease is common in any dog but seems to be a bigger issue with greyhounds. We often have to clean their teeth and work on good dental hygiene with these dogs.

The temperament is almost always friendly, and I cannot remember a case of a greyhound that was aggressive with humans. They might not be the best dog for families with young children because kids can let a dog out of an open door. A greyhound running loose would require a NASA satellite to track and recover it.

Steel City Greyhounds volunteers test each greyhound that enters the adoption program to see if they are aggressive toward cats because cats resemble the prey they are trained to chase. Many owners have them in pairs, and they can keep each other company. They usually get along well if properly trained.

I have seen few breed groups that can match the enthusiasm for their breed as the greyhound rescues. Steel City Greyhounds volunteers work tirelessly to promote their breed and their mission. Volunteers are out at pet fairs, home shows and local street events showing their dogs and encouraging adoption.

We recommend looking at the breed for a loyal and stunning specimen of a dog.