At it's ideal weight, a greyhound's last three ribs should be showing. That is normal. Some people unfamiliar with the breed think it is not, and will overfeed their dog "so it doesn't look so skinny". This is bad because a greyhound has a very long spine and being overweight will lead to back and hip problems. The weight will be in their chest and gut and the extra force of gravity on their back and hips is bad. Good rule of thumb is to add 10% to their racing weight.
At the track for the first several years of their lives, greyhounds are fed only raw beef. It is a perfectly fine diet for them except that their teeth get very dirty, something they are prone to regardless. There is an adaption period to dog food, usually accompanied with diaharrea, for a week or so. You MUST feed a higher-quality dog food with little or no filler such as Nutro, Nutro Ultra, or Purina Pro Plan. Basically if corn or corn meal (filler) is listed as any of the first three ingredients, you shouldn't feed it to a greyhound. Nutro Ultra minimizes "the runs", even in a dog fresh off the track. Our dogs get two cups in the morning and two cups at dinner, and often don't finish all of that.
Rule #1, you absolutely positively CANNOT put a greyhound on a chain or a run. If they see a rabbit, squirrel, cat, etc., their DNA tells them to go and they accelerate fast enough (0-45 mph in five strides) that when they hit the end of the chain or run they can break their neck and kill themself. An Invisible Fence will not work, they'll blow over it before they feel anything. Gotta either walk them or have a fenced yard.
That said, every one I've had will walk very well on a leash even if they see Mr. Bunny, they stop when they feel the end of the leash.
Most are cat safe. We have a cat. The dogs ignore her. My kids have a small white poodle who comes when they visit. The dogs are fine.
One walk a day is fine. Good for the dog and you too. I take mine to a ballfield near our house once a week or so for a run. Sometimes he runs, sometimes he just looks at me. :blink: As long as it is a completely fenced in area, it's fine. They are sprinters and do not run for long periods.
Because they are sight hounds, they rely more on sight than smell. If they get loose, they cannot find their way home. You DO NOT want a greyhound to get loose. This is a bad thing. Best way to catch them is to get within sight of the dog and then run the other way. The dog will chase you and you can catch him and then he's all happy at the fun. Other dogs are sight hounds too, like Afghan Hounds and Dalmations.
They have a thin coat and not much bodyfat, so heat and cold are not good. In the north you need a coat for winter when the dog goes out. They are strictly indoor dogs.
My own dog was a very good racer, 119 races, placed in 44 and won 8, and his great-grandfather is in the Greyhound Hall Of Fame. His whole bloodline on his father's side is scary fast.
Here are some pics of many dogs from our adoption group's reunion last weekend. My own dog is in pics 860 to 884 and 889 to 891.
