Females weigh between 50 and 65 pounds and stand 23 to 26 inches at the shoulder, while males weigh between 65 and 85 pounds and stand 26 to 30 inches at the shoulder. Although Greyhounds are not small dogs, many adopters feel like they have a cat in their homes curling up in a quiet corner or sofa watching the world go by enjoy the company of their humans.

The average age range of ex-racing dogs is 3 to 4 years old. Some are “retired” as early as age 2, while others stop racing at the mandatory retirement age of 5. Some people enjoy older dogs, and there are many Greyhounds in the 8-to-10-year range.

13 to 15 years is the normal life expectancy of a Greyhound.

Greyhounds need to be primarily inside house pets. While Greyhounds love romping and frolicking outside, they have very little body fat and thin skin, and are very susceptible to extremes of cold and hot temperatures.

In the racing kennels, Greyhounds sleep and eat in large Kennels, and are trained not to soil their Kennels. In the pet home, housebreaking is usually easily accomplished it is simply a matter of training the Greyhound that your home is a large Kennel. If you follow a regular routine of outside visits.

It’s impossible to make a statement and say that all ex-racers are good with children. But it’s hard to say that they’re not because there are many families with children and Greyhounds doing just fine. It must be remembered that these are adult dogs that may never have been exposed to small children and their high-pitched voices and quick movements. While Greyhounds are, as a breed, very tolerant and sweet natured, and would usually rather walk away than snap, they do have their limits, just as does any breed. Children MUST be taught the proper respect for the dog, and not become overbearing in their actions toward the dog.

Greyhounds are often Docile and low key, Greyhounds are often described by their adopters as very laid-back. Aggressiveness has been bred out of racing Greyhounds because they can be disqualified from the track if they even turn their heads during a race.

While Greyhounds do love to run, they need no more exercise than any other dog. A nice long walk on the leash three or four times a week is recommended. You could try to find a fenced area to let your Greyhound really stretch out. While a fenced yard is ideal for both Greyhounds and their owners, it is by no means a requirement. Many, many former racers have found happy homes in apartments.

Only time will tell, it depends on the individual dog. We suggest that after a settling down period you use an enclosed area trying to train him/her to recall. See how dog reacts to other dogs when out on lead, remember he / she may react differently to big and small dogs. When you feel confident with yourself and your dog, try him / her of lead but we advise you to you muzzle at first It may take a while before you get satisfactory results.
Do not hesitate to get in touch with a member of our team for advice as we have all been through this.

It all depends on the individual dog about 30 to 40 percent of Greyhounds are “cat tolerant,” and do just fine with cats inside the home.

We recommend they should be introduced slowly and cautiously. Racing Greyhounds have lived all their lives with other Greyhounds, and generally enjoy the company of all breeds of dogs. Their easy-going nature extends to other dogs as well as people. Some Greyhounds will react with great interest to small, fluffy dogs, but will generally do fine with them once they realize the little guys are dogs too.

Greyhounds’ sizes may intimidate potential “bad guys,” but that’s about the extent of their protective abilities. Greyhounds bark very little, and usually are as friendly with strangers as they are with their own family.

We recommend 2 to 4 cups of a premium dry dog food per day for former racers. Ideal “pet weight” for Greyhounds is no more than 5 pounds over their registered racing weight, and we always urge adopters to resist the temptation to “fatten up that skinny Greyhound” by feeding him as much as he will eat. Greyhounds can hold the right weight very well if fed a moderate amount of a good dog food. (This can be bought from us or any good supplier.)

Greyhounds have little oil in their skin, they have no “doggy odor,” and stay sweet smelling for long periods between baths. Their coats are short and sleek, making Greyhounds very low maintenance dogs when it comes to grooming. While we wouldn’t go so far as to characterize Greyhounds as hypoallergenic, many Greyhound adopters who have previously had allergic reactions to other breeds of dogs report that they have no trouble with a Greyhound in their home.

Greyhounds have never encountered stairs, sliding glass doors, mirrors. They are very bright, and with gentle guidance from their new family, they will quickly master climbing stairs and will learn that those glass doors are solid. Watching a Greyhound delight in learning to play with toys (especially the furry, squeaky variety) is great fun!