Should I be able to lift my dog?

I've had my heart set on adopting a greyhound from the nearby racetrack, but my parents are skeptical. They say that since I won't be able to lift him/her (in emergency situations, like illness/death), I should adopt a smaller dog elsewhere. I've looked into ways to make lifting easier and also believe I could probably ask for help from a neighbor in emergency situations to at least get him/her into my car. Any advice or thoughts?