The Greyhound is known as a racing dog. Here’s Zoomie to the mic, ready to tell you how to keep him happy:
Hey, I’m Zoom! My perfect day? A half spent sprinting in the park, the other half, on the couch. This is the perfect balance. A comfy bed is a must for my slender body. Despite my speed, I’m an indoor couch potato who enjoys warmth and quiet. Yaaaaaawn!
🐕 Zoom
Pay attention, because he’s barking away all his secrets!
Temperament & Personality
Many people consider the Greyhound rather a racing dog, than a pet. But few know it is a gentle four-legged, sweet-tempered, affectionate, and calm dog.
It doesn’t bark a lot, meaning it won’t get you in trouble with the neighbors. While it’s an athletic dog, it doesn’t require constant exercise and won’t mind spending an entire afternoon on the couch.
So it won’t mind if it doesn’t receive constant attention either. It’s also quite independent, though playful and eager to please.
Compatibility with Kids & Other Pets
The Greyhound has a gentle and docile temper, making it great for families.
Although sensitive to rough handling, the Greyhound will display patience toward children. We always recommend to teach your kids how to properly treat the dog. Younger kids require supervision when interacting with the Greyhound, to ensure no accidents occur.
Although this breed is generally recommended with kids, we did have a few dogs in our clinic that weren’t quite as sociable, becoming rather aggressive and, even with extensive training, could not get used to living in families with children. So, assessing a dog’s temper is the key to a smooth transition.
When it comes to babies, they may not understand their fragility and may not be able to adapt around them, so we recommend avoiding any interactions for a period.
The Greyhound is able to live well alongside other pets, but be careful especially when it comes to cats and small animals, like gerbils or rabbits. After all, the Greyhound is a sighthound, and it’s got a high prey drive, so it might want to chase them around.
Proper training will help you with this. As for dogs, the Greyhound prefers the company of dogs that match its size.
Physical Characteristics
The Greyhound has a sleek, aerodynamic build. Muscular yet elegant, its four long legs make it the perfect dog when it comes to high speed and agility.
The Greyhound has a thin, long head, with a long muzzle and sided ears, that fold against its neck at the middle. Its neck is slender and long, continuing to a deep torso, along with a slim abdomen.
It has a long tail with short hair, that exceeds its hock. When it runs, it uses its tail as a counterbalance for its swift movements.
Males typically stand between 28 to 30 inches (71 to 76 cm) tall, and females are slightly shorter, with an average height of 27 to 28 inches (69 to 71 cm). The average Greyhound weighs between 60 to 80 pounds (27 to 36 kg).
It has a short smooth coat, with a variety of colors and patterns, including fawn, black, red, white, and various shades of brindle or combinations.
Obedience, Trainability & Intelligence
The Greyhound is a fast learner and is responsive to training, but it requires consistency and patience. Its instinct to chase prey must be managed from an early age, otherwise it may be difficult to keep its attention undivided.
This breed has a particular type of leash training: it requires using a martingale collar and a nylon 6-foot leash. This type of collar is suitable for its slim long neck.
Obedience training is important as well because it builds a bond and a cooperative relationship between the dog and its owner. This type of training must be done calmly, using positive reinforcement. The Greyhound is receptive to the owner’s requests and will learn about expectations quickly.
The Greyhound has a unique intelligence. It has an independent nature that is often mistaken for a lack of intelligence. It may not follow commands instantly and it may require more repetitions to learn a trick than other breeds because of this.
Patience is the key. Research has shown the Greyhound’s intelligence ranks it 46th out of 130 breeds.
Energy Level & Exercise Needs
As a sighthound, the Greyhound has a specific need for exercise. Even if it has an athletic build, it’s not excessively energetic. On a scale from 1 to 10, where 10 signifies the most energetic, the Greyhound scores around 8. It often exhibits a sudden burst of energy that will end quickly and it’ll want to rest.
Adults typically require 30-45 minutes of exercise per day, divided into short walks and vigorous sprinting. Sprinting is essential to satisfy the dog’s innate chasing instinct and muscle maintenance.
Because of its specific muscle build, the Greyhound is built for speed, and not for endurance. It will surely enjoy a fetching session or a chasing encounter with another dog.
Variety of exercise is the key to maintaining a healthy muscle tone and preventing degradation.
Greyhound Puppies
If you decide to find a Greyhound puppy, it’s important to find the right provider. Look for renowned kennels, that allow visits to their enclosures to observe the conditions in which the puppies are raised.
This is a great time to assess the pup’s personality. Healthy puppies should be playful and vivacious, with no skin issues and no other health problems like limping, ear shaking, etc.
A reputed kennel will always provide certifications about genetic testing their litter, pedigrees and other documents that may help you find and assess the best Greyhound puppy.
Always make sure the puppies have received age-appropriate vaccinations, dewormings and other screenings.
Lifespan, Health Issues & Nutrition
The Greyhound has a lifespan of 10 to 14 years. It is generally a healthy dog, although it may suffer from certain breed-related health conditions, such as dental problems; gastric torsion and volvulus; eye defects; allergies, and, unfortunately, it is more prone than other breeds to develop osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer.
The Greyhound requires a special diet for high-energy dogs, that includes moderate fat.
It is predisposed to bloating and gastric torsion because it has a deep chest that ends with a trim and tucked waist. It is important never to walk or exercise the dog after it’s had its meals.
We don’t recommend feeding raw food to your Greyhound, because some fruits or vegetables could cause ferment and bloating.
Greyhound puppies require three meals a day, while adults only two, in the morning and evening.
When you choose dog food for your Greyhound, be sure meat is the primary ingredient. Avoid artificial fillers and additives, because it is quite sensitive to these substances.
Grooming Needs
When it comes to grooming, the Greyhound’s teeth are more troublesome. It is predisposed to some dental issues, and regular cleaning will help.
The Greyhound’s short and fine coat requires minimal grooming. It isn’t a big shedder, so brushing once a week to remove dead hair and spread the skin’s natural oils is enough. Use a soft bristle brush or a glove, so you don’t hurt its skin.
Avoid overwashing, because it has sensitive skin. Always use dog shampoo especially formulated for short-haired dogs. Also, skin sensitivity is the reason ear cleaning should be done at least monthly. It may develop ear infections due to allergies.
The Greyhound usually doesn’t require nail trimming, because it dulls its nails when sprinting, but you might want to check it out sometimes.
Adoption & Rescue Options
Adopting a Greyhound from a shelter is both a challenge and a great chance to provide a home to a retired racing dog. After they retire, many Greyhounds find their home in shelters or foster homes.
Many organizations rescue and rehabilitate Greyhounds before placing them in loving homes. Here’s a small collection (but always do your own research for your local area):
- https://www.grey2kusa.org/action/adopt.php (Arlington, MA)
- https://houndsavers.org/ (California)
- https://www.bluethegrey.org/usa-and-canada (huge list of community-researched groups and websites where you can adopt, all over the US; most states at least)
- https://www.americangreyhound.org/ (Ohio, Indiana and possibly other states)
- https://www.fastfriends.org/ (California)
- https://www.petfinder.com/search/dogs-for-adoption/ca/newfoundland-and-labrador/?breed%5B0%5D=Greyhound&distance=Anywhere (~500 Greyhounds available for adoption as of the writing of this article)
- https://greyhoundangelsadoption.com/ (New Jersey)
To prepare them, the dogs are neutered, vaccinated and microchipped.
Before you adopt a Greyhound, think of the space you can provide for the dog and if you own other pets. It might be challenging to keep them all under the same roof because, although rescue organizations train the dogs they put up for adoption, the dog’s temper may be difficult.
We encourage you to try and find out if it’s a match made in Heaven.
Cost of Ownership
When it comes to costs, many people would think twice, because this dog is quite sensitive. The initial costs involve the purchase price, which ranges from $800 to $4,000, based on the kennel you choose and the dog’s lineage. Puppies that have champion parents will be more expensive.
A specially formulated diet for the Greyhound might cost you $60-$100 monthly.
Your dog will also need monthly tick and flea control, especially in the summertime. Don’t forget the annual vaccine shots and routine veterinary care.
Interesting Facts & Quirks
The Greyhound has some special traits that set it apart from other dogs.
It is known for being one of the fastest dog breeds, due to its slim body, long, powerful legs, deep chest that aids breathing, and aerodynamic body structure. Despite this, it loves being a couch potato and will always appreciate a good nap.
The Greyhound has a narrow head, with a long muzzle. This feature is also known as dolichocephaly. It belongs to the sighthound group, which also includes the Whippet, the Italian Greyhound, the Spanish Greyhound, the Saluki, the Afghan Hound, the Borzoi and the Scottish Deerhound.
The sighthounds have great vision and can spot and track moving objects or animals from great distances. They use their vision rather than their sense of smell when hunting.
A female Greyhound named Feather holds the world record for the highest jump, at 6.29 feet (1.91m). The previous record holder is Cinderella May, another female Greyhound, at over 5.5 feet.
Many historical figures, such as Christopher Columbus and Queen Elizabeth I owned hounds, and Shakespeare himself wrote about them in Henry V.
Every purebred Greyhound alive today can trace its lineage back to just one dog – King Cob – whelped in England in 1839.
Greyhound Names
When you plan on picking a name for your Greyhound, think of short names. It makes it easy for the dog to recognize. If you have a female, you may opt for Bella, to underline the beauty of the breed, Yola, Bea, Luna, highlighting a serene allure or Stella, shining like a star.
Names for male Greyhounds frequently mirror their strong, athletic nature, such as Ace, signifying top speed and energy, and Chase, underlining the prey pursuit instinct. If you want a classic name, Eddie, Charlie or Jinx provide a friendly feel.
No matter what name you choose for your dog, make sure to think about how it’s going to grow into it.
Breed History & Origin
No one knows for sure what is the origin of the name “Greyhound”, but it doesn’t refer to the dog’s color.
The Greyhound was the Pharaoh’s dog. It is considered one of the oldest domesticated dog breeds. Evidence has shown that Pharaohs, around 8000 years ago, had Greyhounds at their palaces.
All sighthounds we know today descend from the ancient Greyhounds. They were not simply a pet, but were worshiped as gods and only royalty could own such a dog.
The 4000-year-old remains of a dog identified as a Greyhound or Saluki were excavated at Tell Brak in modern Syria.
Many Egyptian tombs from the Middle Kingdom (2134 BC–1785 BC) had images of Greyhounds painted on their walls.
It appears in both Greek and Roman mythology and is even mentioned in the Bible – Proverbs 30:31 of the King James Version:
[29] There be three things which go well, yea, four are comely in going: [30] A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any; [31] A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom there is no rising up.
During the Dark Ages, Greyhounds were saved from extinction by priests who bred them for noblemen; until around 1700, to own a Greyhound was an exclusive right of the nobility.
All of today’s pedigree Greyhounds derive from stocks registered in private studbooks in the 18th century, and then in public studbooks in the 19th century. These were eventually registered for racing in the United Kingdom.