He will appreciate his own space and time; and he will enjoy interactions with you and other fond human and canine friends on his own terms. One of his few requests is that he not be exposed to high levels of stressful activity or excitement; which, for some of us, means he is not well matched to our home environment in the first place. A half-dozen kids or pets running around, or simply one really intense personality in the home, can push his sensitive nature over the edge pretty quickly. A critical condition for making a happy home with your sight hound is the provision of a quiet nest that reflects and honors his generally reserved personality.

As long as he is not overwhelmed, he is likely to be hospitable to visitors. He can, like any good gentleman, occasionally take offense to forward behavior or cursory gestures. In these times, he can be quick to speak his mind. He does not intend to be the brute or bouncer; he simply has his standards. As long as your company is good-natured and well-mannered, you should have little trouble.

A fenced yard, or any yard at all, is not a requirement given his low demand for exercise. Just use a leash at all times when you go out if there is nothing to keep him in. As a matter of fact, you need to be mindful of his relative intolerance to the elements, as he is not an outside kind of dog. He is a far cry from the ideal candidate for the “farm in the country” scenario so many people imagine as the perfect home for every dog to “run free.” But you should identify a local place and time in which you can release your hound in a secure area (such as a well-managed dog park) so that he can let his hair down and sprint on a regular basis. In between such runs, he will likely be content with the short daily walks you provide.

PUBLIC LIFE—When you are out in the world with your sight hound, you may be astonished by how elegant and poised he is in different circumstances. As long as he is socialized enough to not be undone by its excitement, he will usually handle the modern world with the same calm demeanor he has at home. He will be naturally steady—until some movement catches his sharp eye at a distance and momentarily absorbs his attention.