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9 Questions on How to Groom Your Greyhound
February 15, 2022 09:20
1 - Do greyhounds shed fur?
Yes, they do.
All dogs shed their coats, to varying degrees. This is particularly noticeable in the change of seasons, where greyhounds have a summer and winter coat. There is quite a subtle difference between the two.
But generally, greyhounds are low-shedding dogs. They don’t have very long hair, nor do they have a double coat, so they don’t shed as much as say, Border collies or Labradors.
2 - Do I need to get my greyhound clipped?
No.
The greyhound coat is self-regulating. Length of hair is determined by genetics and the fur drops out before it can grow long.
3 - Do I need to wash my greyhound?
Yes.
While greyhounds are quite low maintenance, they certainly benefit from a wash every few weeks/months.
We recommend shampoos with primarily natural ingredients, such as oat and aloe vera shampoo. This is because greyhounds don’t produce too much natural oil, so milder products are fine.
4 - Do I need to brush my greyhound with a comb?
Yes.
Brushing helps to distribute the natural oils within the coat, in which a greyhound will look shiny and healthy afterwards. They tend to enjoy the stimulation of being brushed and massaged, who doesn’t love a bit of pampering?
5 - How often should I brush my greyhound?
There’s not necessarily a set amount you need to do, because greyhounds coats are generally healthy and have minimal tangles.
With that said, greyhounds do LOVE the experience, so a brush every other day will help you to form a lovely bond.
6 - What type of brush should I get for my greyhound?
We would suggest avoiding spikey brushes with thin metal points. This is because greyhounds have thin coats and skin and this can be painful and cause skin irritation.
Instead, we recommend brushes with soft bristles - similar to what humans often use for their hair.
7 - Do I need to get my greyhound's nails cut?
Yes.
Like with all dogs, it's important just to keep an eye on the length of the nails and make sure that they're trimmed regularly to keep them back and stop them from curling under. This is something that only needs to be done every few months.
Your local groomer or veterinarian should be able to cut their nails for you. Some places will have both traditional nail clippers and a Dremel tool that can file the nails down. Your greyhound may respond to one better than the other.
8 - Can I just walk my greyhound to cut their nails instead?
Most likely not, and it depends on how much walking you’re doing.
What we’ve found is that walking alone doesn't wear down the nails evenly - a clear example is that the dewclaw doesn’t come into contact with the ground.
In other words, walking alone is not a reliable way of having well-groomed nails!
9 - Do I need to clean my greyhound’s eyes?
Yes, you may, however, this is rare.
As with all dogs, if you notice sleep or buildup in their eyes, we’d suggest using a tissue or salted water to remove it. This is uncommon because greyhounds don’t have a lot of fur around their eyes, so they are usually quite easy to maintain.
If you notice red weepy eyes or anything that looks out of the ordinary, please contact your vet to get it checked out.
Conclusion
Hygiene is an imperative part of welfare and daily living for greyhounds.
Compared with other breeds, greyhounds are a breeze to take care of. Don’t forget, we’ll supply you with an information pack upon adopting and you can ask our team as many questions as you like.
If you’d like to get started, please browse our amazing greyhounds for adoption page here.
