Greyhound

Also known as: Persian Greyhound, English Greyhound

Bred in Britain for centuries to chase game by sight rather than scent, the Greyhound remains the fastest dog breed recorded, capable of short bursts near 70 kilometers per hour from a standing start. That speed comes from an unusually efficient double-suspension gallop, where all four feet leave the ground twice per stride, once fully extended and once fully bunched. An adult male can reach 32 kilograms, but the build carries almost no body fat, so the ribs and spine are visible even on a healthy dog, which often worries new owners unfamiliar with the breed. Despite the racing reputation, Greyhounds are famously low-energy at home and commonly nicknamed "45mph couch potatoes" for how much of the day they spend asleep. Thin skin and a low body-fat percentage mean they feel cold quickly and often need a coat in winter weather that other breeds shrug off. Thousands of retired racing Greyhounds are rehomed each year once their track careers end around age four or five, and most adapt to a sofa within days. Many retain a strong prey drive toward small, fast-moving animals, a legacy of their original job, so recall around cats or rabbits needs real caution. Life expectancy runs 10 to 13 years, reasonable for a dog this size.

Browse dog food sized right for this breed

Greyhound: how old in human years?

68–76 cmHeight
27–32 kgWeight
10–13 yrsLife expectancy

Irish Wolfhound

FCI group: Sighthounds
FCI section: Section 3: Short-haired Sighthounds
FCI: 158
Country of origin: United Kingdom

Energy level

4/5
Trainability

3/5
Family friendly

4/5
Grooming need

1/5

At a glance

Height

Males 71–76 cm

Females 68–71 cm

Weight

Males 29–32 kg

Females 27–29 kg

Life expectancy

10–13 yrs

Coat

short, fine, close (short)

Temperament & Family Life

Greyhound's average temperament and family-life score for this breed is moderate.

Family friendly 4/5
Good with children 3/5
Good with other dogs 3/5
Friendly with strangers 3/5
Intelligence 3/5
Trainability 3/5

Exercise, Energy & Space

Greyhound's energy and exercise needs are high.

Energy level 4/5
Exercise need 3/5
Apartment friendly 3/5
Prey drive 5/5
Hunting instinct 4/5

Guarding & Alertness

Greyhound's guarding and alertness traits are low.

Guarding instinct 1/5
Watchfulness 1/5
Barking level 1/5

Grooming & Care

Greyhound's grooming needs are low.

Shedding 2/5
Drooling 1/5
Grooming need 1/5

Living with the Greyhound

In an open field he is an arrow: a few strides and your Greyhound is already at the far end. Twenty minutes later, back home, the same dog is lying upside down on the sofa, watching you lazily through half-closed eyes. That is his day in a nutshell: two or three calm walks, a chance to run flat out somewhere safely fenced whenever you can manage it, and a great deal of sleep in between. Life in a flat works perfectly well, as long as there is room to stretch out those long legs.

The thing to understand is his eyes, not his legs. A sighthound hunts by sight, and when a hare, a cat or even a plastic bag flickers across the park, he can be gone before you finish saying his name. So near roads and anywhere unfenced the lead is the rule, and sharing a home with cats or small pets needs careful thought beforehand. He can learn, and does, but short, quiet sessions with a treat work far better than a stern voice; a sensitive Greyhound answers harshness by shutting down.

Indoors he is a gentle, quiet, well-mannered companion. He rarely barks, will never make a guard dog, and greets visitors politely if without much fuss. He gets on with children who understand he is not a toy and that his bed is where he rests. He is generally easygoing with other dogs, especially ones his own size, while small dogs are best introduced carefully and on a lead.

Grooming and coat

A Greyhound's coat is so short and sleek that a comb barely has anything to do: a rubber brush or grooming mitt once a week and he gleams like polished wood. There will be some hair on the sofa, but far less than you would expect from a dog this size, and he has very little of that doggy smell. Baths can be rare. The real grooming concern is something else entirely: there is almost no fat under that thin coat, so in November rain or January frost he gets cold fast, and a warm, well-fitted coat is not a fashion statement for him but a necessity.

His skin is thin and nicks easily on brambles or in rough play with other dogs. After a walk, run a hand along his sides and legs and check for small scrapes, and give him a thick, soft bed so he isn't lying on hard floors with those bony elbows. Look inside the small, folded-back ears once a week to check they are clean and don't smell, and the eyes should be clear, without discharge. Keep the nails short, because long nails on those fine feet soon get in the way of walking and running.

How to do it:

By age:

Health and possible conditions

Hardly an ounce of spare fat, long legs and a chest roomy enough for a big heart and big lungs: the Greyhound is built for short, blinding bursts of speed. That same build brings a few quirks worth knowing in advance, around the stomach, the nerves, his sensitivity at the vet's and how the blood clots after a procedure. Much of this is simply information your vet should have on file before you ever need it.

This is general information, not veterinary advice. For your own dog's health, tests and treatment, see a vet.

Bloat (gastric dilatation-volvulus)

The stomach fills with gas and can twist on itself, cutting off its own blood supply, and that makes it a genuine emergency. The dog can't settle, paces, retches without bringing anything up, and the belly just behind the ribs swells and turns hard. With his deep, narrow chest the Greyhound is one of the dogs known to be at risk, so if you see these signs, get him to a vet immediately.
Polyneuropathy

A disease of the peripheral nerves: signals from the brain to the leg muscles start getting through less well, and the dog gradually grows weaker. You might notice a young Greyhound moving a little clumsily, stumbling, tiring quickly, or a bark that has gone hoarse. An inherited form of the condition is known in the breed, so ask the breeder about the parents' health testing, and leave working out the cause of any change in gait to your vet.
MDR1 gene mutation (multidrug sensitivity)

Some medicines can affect these dogs much more strongly than they affect other dogs. There is nothing to see from the outside until a dog has been given one, so what matters is that your vet knows a Greyhound is on the table before any medicine is used. Mention it to every new vet too, especially before an anaesthetic.
Delayed bleeding after a procedure

A tendency for a wound to look neatly closed after a procedure at the clinic, such as a tooth extraction, then start bleeding again or spread into a large bruise a day or two later. At home you might find spots of blood on the bed, or swelling and bluish skin around the incision. The tendency is known in Greyhounds, so remind your vet of the breed before any planned procedure, and call the clinic the same day if you see bleeding afterwards.

Food for large breeds — cheapest per kg

This list is chosen by the breed's weight (32 kg) rather than the breed itself: shops label food by dog size, so every breed of the same size gets the same list. Prices are updated daily.

≈ 370 g of dry food a day, from €20,36 a month For a neutered, normally active 29,3 kg dog. Calculate for your dog