Skip to content
ShareYourPets

Greyhound

The greyhound is one of the oldest recognisable dog types, with sighthounds of this shape appearing in art across the ancient world, and it has been bred for one purpose throughout: running down game by sight over open ground.

Everything follows from that. The deep chest houses an oversized heart and lungs, the flexible spine allows a double-suspension gallop, and a greyhound at full speed reaches around 70 km/h — faster than any dog and most horses. What surprises people is the temperament at rest. Greyhounds are sprinters, not distance runners, and spend most of the day asleep on the nearest soft surface.

Origin
Ancient; developed across Europe and the Middle East
Size
27–40 kg, 68–76 cm at the shoulder
Lifespan
10–14 years
Coat
Very short and fine, with almost no body fat beneath
Temperament
Quiet, gentle, undemanding indoors
Exercise
Two 20–30 minute walks with a chance to sprint

Related: Italian greyhound

3 greyhound photos, newest first

Greyhound feed
  • Mercury, a greyhound

    Mercury

    Mercury does one lap of the field at moonrise and is back before I have shut the gate.

    FrostyOtter · 5 days ago

  • Winston, a greyhound

    Winston

    Winston was promoted to gardener confronting a wheelbarrow full of one enormous vegetable; unfortunately, a paper fan unfolds across the floor.

    FrostyOtter · 1 week ago

  • Winston, a greyhound

    Winston

    This is Winston's chair now. It was mine on Tuesday.

    GentleFinch · 2 weeks ago

Living with a greyhound

The coat takes seconds. The lack of it matters more: greyhounds have very little body fat or insulation, feel the cold sharply, need a coat in winter, and should not lie on hard floors — they get pressure sores.

Recall is the real constraint. A sighthound in pursuit is running on instinct and will not hear you, so off-lead exercise belongs in secure fenced space.

They are sensitive to anaesthetics and to some flea treatments, and any vet treating one should know it. Bloat and osteosarcoma are the notable risks. Retired racers are widely available and generally adapt to homes very easily.

General guidance, not veterinary advice. Individual dogs vary, and anything about a specific animal is a question for a vet who has seen it.

Worth reading alongside this

More dogs by breed

Every dog breed somebody has posted a photo of.