Greyhounds – Everything You Need To Know!

Let’s check out our ultimate guide to find out everything about greyhounds! To really understand what your new greyhound is thinking and feeling is like learning a new language – greyhound ‘language’! You are giving your new pet an amazing opportunity to transition to the next chapter of its life. 

Quick Greyhound Facts

• Dog Breed Group: Sighthounds
• Height: 2’’1 to 2’’6
• Weight: between 25 and 35 kilograms
• Life Span: 12 to 15 years

Characteristics of Greyhounds

• Sensitive
• Easy to groom
• Generally very healthy
• Minimal shedding
• Playful

Do Greyhounds Make Good Pets? Things You Need To Know Before Adopting

1. Greyhounds still shed lightly even though they don’t have a lot of fur Although they shed lightly, greyhounds are very easy to groom.
2. Greyhounds need time and patience Your new greyhound will look to you for care and guidance. Make sure you spend time training your dog using positive reinforcement (food/attention/toys) to encourage the right behaviour. Take time to find a good local training class and you will both benefit.
3. Greyhounds are known as “70 kph couch potatoes” Even though the dogs are used in racing and the might have their sudden bursts of energy, greyhounds do not need large amounts of exercise. Remember that in the beginning many have never seen a couch before so it might take some time and encouragement before they turn into a ‘couch potato’ .
4. Greyhounds have to be protected from intense/extreme environments & temperatures Greyhounds are very easy to foster and live with, however because they have sensitive skin and long thin bones, greyhounds will need to be carefully looked after as opposed to other dog breeds. Ex-racing greyhounds are nearly all muscle with very small amounts body fat so they do not have a lot to protect them against changes in temperatures.
5. Greyhounds must be taught about common household fixtures At the race track, greyhounds are seldom (or sometimes never) exposed to these physical structures like hardwood floors, full-length mirrors, steps and glass doors. Once they are adopted and brought into a home, you must teach your greyhound about them. To prevent run-ins with glass doors, make sure that the bottom half of the door is frosted. If your pooch has difficulty with steps, make sure you practice with them until they learn it is a simple part of their new environment.

Getting Acquainted With Your Greyhound

• Electrical Cords
• Phone Chargers
• Poisonous Plants
• Books/Magazines
• TV Remote Control
• DVD’s
• Shoes

Fun facts about greyhounds

If you’re interested in adopting a greyhound, please visit our adoption page to find out more or view our current greyhounds ready for adoption here!