Derping, roaching, zoomies - you best get used to a whole new vocabulary if you have a Greyhound. These elegant dogs are the superstar sprinters of the dog world. Sighthounds, they were bred to rely on their sight skills (check out those large, soulful eyes) and not their human hunting companion. This means they’re got an independent streak which requires gentle but firm training.
However, when they’re not zooming around (in a safe, fully-fenced area), these friendly pups are super laidback and love nothing more than lazing around at home with their fam. More like giant cats than dogs (surprisingly, their exercise needs are not that high), these noble, sweet-tempered companions make fantastic family pets.
Greyhound Facts
Long and lean, Greyhounds are large, elegant dogs with a distinctive ‘inverted S’ shape. Females grow up to 71cm and weigh up to 22kg, while males grow up to 76cm and weigh up to 27kg. Their short, smooth coats add to their sleek appearance and come in a huge range of colours and patterns.
- Breed Group: Hound
- Height: Female: 68-71cm, Male: 71-76cm
- Weight: Female: 15-22kg, Male: 20-27kg
- Life Span: 10-13 years
- Coat: Smooth, short
- Colour: Various, including black, blue and brindle
What Does a Greyhound Look Like?
There’s no mistaking a greyhound. Bred for speed and the chase, these lean, beautiful dogs have narrow, aerodynamic heads, with large, dark soulful eyes and a long snout. Large ears sit at the top of their heads and are wonderfully expressive, capable of pointing upright (including 1 up, 1 down!) when they’ve spotted their prey or hanging loosely down when they’re relaxed.
Their famous ‘inverted S’ shape is created by their deep chest that curves gently into their narrow waist. This iconic silhouette has fascinated royalty, artists and poets for centuries and has become the breeding template for all other coursing hounds.
Follow down their long legs (aka speed sticks) and you’ll find shock-absorbing pads, confirming that they’ve been built for high-speed chase. Their short smooth coat and long, lean tail adds to their sleek look. Greyhounds’ coats come in a wide range of colours and patterns, including black, white, blue (grey) and brindle (subtle tiger stripes).
Greyhound
Greyhound Temperament: Speedy Sweetheart
Friendly, gentle Greyhounds make fantastic family pets. Although you might think they need a lot of exercise, in fact Greyhounds were bred for sprints, not marathons. Which means they’re prone to short bursts of intense energy - think zooming around the local (fully fenced) dog park or zooming in circles around a room. Once they’ve got this out of their system, they’re more than happy to snooze away the rest of the day. Think of them as giant cats, capable of sleeping around 18+ hours a day.
Greyhounds love their people and wherever you are, they want to be. Absolute snuggle bugs, they love to be petted and stroked and will rest their head on your knee or lean against you to make sure you never stop. They might be bigger than your usual lapdog but that won’t stop a Greyhound trying to cuddle up next to you on the sofa or in bed. Otherwise they’ll chill happily in the same room as you, usually on the softest, comfiest thing they can find. They absolutely love soft toys and the sight of a large, elegant Greyhound gently dragging around their favourite teddy will melt even the coldest of hearts.
Although they love people, once they’ve had their exercise fix they’re content to snooze the day away, barely opening an eyelid if you decide to leave your home. Although they won’t tolerate being left alone for long periods of time (6 hours+), they can be trusted to entertain themselves for a few hours.
Not known for being barkers, the Greyhound still has plenty of sneaky ways to let you know when it’s playtime. Expect them to sit at your feet, turn their large eyes on you, prick their ears and whine until you give them the attention they deserve. They love a good play session, especially pull toys - just don’t expect it to last more than a few minutes.
Sighthounds, Greyhounds were bred to seek their prey independently of their humans, making them quite independent dogs. Early socialisation and proper training will help them learn their manners and to play nicely with other dogs. Cat-training a Greyhound isn’t impossible but their instinct to chase is very high.
Keeping Greyhounds Healthy: 7 Issues to Watch Out For
As a large dog breed, you can expect a Greyhound to live between 10 and 13 years. Here are a few breed-specific health issues to keep an eye out for.
Bloat
Like all dogs with deep chests, Greyhounds are at risk of bloat (or Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus - GDV). Bloat causes their stomach to fill with gas and become twisted. It can happen without warning and is life-threatening - if you think they're experiencing bloat, get them to your vet ASAP. You can help keep your Greyhound safe from bloat by using a slow feeding bowl and not exercising them for at least 1 hour before or after mealtime.
Teeth Problems
Greyhounds are notorious for not chewing their food. Watch them eat and they look like ducks - it goes straight down the hatch. Without the abrasion of dried dog food on their teeth, they can quickly develop plaque and tartar which, untreated, can lead to dental disease. To keep their teeth sparkling, brush their teeth every day. If you start when they’re a puppy, they’ll get used to it in no time. Dental toys and dental treats will also aid in keeping their teeth clean.
Blood Clotting Issues
Some Greyhounds have blood that doesn’t clot correctly, meaning they can bleed uncontrollably. It can happen up to 5 days after an injury, surgery or dental work. There’s no way of knowing if your Greyhound has blood clotting problems until intense bruising appears or they have a cut which doesn’t stop bleeding. Medications can help with clotting and your vet should have them available before every Greyhound surgery.
Sensitivity to Anaesthesia
There are a few reasons why Greyhounds react differently to anaesthesia than other dogs, including their low fat to muscle ratio and the way their liver processes drugs. If your Greyhound is undergoing surgery, ensure your vet and their team is aware of this. To lessen the chances of your Greyhound having a bad reaction to anaesthesia, they can increase monitoring and avoid certain drugs, such as barbiturates.
Bone Cancer
Osteosarcoma (or bone cancer) is common in Greyhounds. Symptoms include weakness, lameness, limping, swellings and weight loss, even if they seem hungry. Bone cancer can be treated with pain medication, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery.
Back and Joint Problems
If you’ve adopted an ex-racer, your Greyhound might suffer with back and joint problems, including arthritis. A well-balanced, healthy diet, an orthopedic dog bed and regular exercise can help or ask your vet for any supplement recommendations.
Greyhound Neuropathy
A hereditary condition, Greyhound Neuropathy affects a Greyhound’s nervous system. Symptoms appear around 8 to 12 weeks and include muscle weakness, no desire to exercise or a gallop with turned-out knees. Unfortunately, there’s no treatment currently available. But responsible breeders should screen for this issue. If you’re buying a puppy, make sure you request a copy of this test for your puppy’s parents.
Caring for Your Greyhound Dog
With their short, sleek coats, Greyhounds don’t need much grooming - especially as they don’t shed much or smell. Expect their need for speed to be satisfied at least once a day but after that’s done, this laidback pup is the ultimate couch potato.
Grooming
A Greyhound lacks that doggy smell and their coat is super low-maintenance. You only need to brush them once a week or so (or a few minutes every day). A bath only needs to happen once every 2 months or so, although they might need a bath more often in the hot summer months when outdoor zoomies make them sweaty.
Their strong nails grow quickly and will need to be regularly trimmed to keep them comfortable. Every week you’ll need to check and clean their ears which can be magnets for dirt. A quick clean out will help ward off infection.
Every day, you’ll need to brush their teeth - they’re notoriously poor chewers which means plaque and tartar isn’t scrubbed off by their dog biscuits. They’ll need professional teeth cleaning by your vet every year too.
Nutrition
With their speedy tendencies, Greyhounds have a higher metabolic rate and less body fat than other breeds. This means their diet is normally higher in calories and protein than other dogs. This is especially true if they’re very active. High quality commercial working dog food that matches their life stage (puppy, adult or senior) will meet all their nutritional needs.
With their lean waists, it can be easy to think you’re underfeeding a greyhound. But in fact in a Greyhound at a healthy weight, you should be able to see 2 or 3 pairs of ribs, although they shouldn’t stick out. A lot of Greyhounds are highly food motivated so keep an eye on how many treats you’re giving them each day - try using a low calorie treat like the Royal Canin Educ Treat.
Exercise
Greyhounds do well on about 30 - 60 minutes of exercise a day. This involves a daily walk and some off-lead sprint time in a fully fenced, safe space. With their high prey drive, a Greyhound will be off once they’ve spotted something they want to chase - and there’s no way you’ll be able to catch up with them (they have a top speed of around 70km/h). However, they do love a good run or chase with you, especially on a wide open beach.
Be sure you use martingale collars only with Greyhounds. These wide collars help prevent your Greyhound’s neck slipping out. Harnesses are also a good idea as they reduce the stress on your dog’s back if they pull on their lead (or go to run off when they spot something worth chasing).
Other exercise opportunities include at home or garden playtime. Although they don’t understand the concept of fetch (you threw it, you go get it), they love chasing things, jumping and tug of war. Puzzle toys are an excellent way to entertain a Greyhound - as a sighthound, once that treat is out of sight they’ll spend quite a while trying to figure out where it’s gone.
Training Your Greyhound
Friendly they might be, but Greyhounds are independent and somewhat stubborn. Not surprising given that they were bred to hunt independently of humans, relying on their sight and not instructions from people. Focus on teaching them the basics that will keep them safe like sit and stay. With their long noodle legs, Greyhounds don’t really sit in the same way as other dog breeds, but they can be taught to either sit or downstay.
Food and love motivated, these sensitive sweethearts respond well to positive reinforcement and need a gentle, never harsh, touch. They don’t respond well to long training sessions as they get bored easily. Aim for 5-10 minute sessions throughout the day and remember a Greyhound is all about doing things with you, not for you.
Start training classes with them when they’re young to help them meet a range of new people and dogs. Well bonded and affectionate with their humans, they can be a little standoffish with strangers and other dogs.