Greyhound Care
Keeping Your Hound Happy and Healthy
Greyhound care is not difficult as they don't have any major grooming needs and, once you know their little quirks, they're fairly easy to please.
Did I actually type that? Well, some of them are easy to please.
Let's take a look at the basics of keeping your houndie happy.
Happy Healthy Hounds
Greyhound Grooming
Fortunately Greyhounds tend to be fairly clean in their habits and having really short coats grooming is rarely hard work. We do have a friend whose hound likes the occasional roll in fox poo but I promise he's the exception to the rule.
Hmm, having said that, our Peter tried to roll on a dead mole when we first got him. He hasn't tried it again so, fingers crossed, he won't.
Greyhound Coat Care
As I said, they have really sort coats and they don't have the under layer that many other breeds have. This means they don't shed as much. A quick whizz over with a soft brush a couple of times a week is really all they need.
Nail Care
It's important to keep your hound's nails short and free from any rough edges. Groomers and vets are happy to trim nails and don't charge a fortune so, unless you're confident you know what you're doing, it may be better to leave nail care to the professionals.
I personally din't use clippers on Sunny as he's a bit of a wriggler. I used a sanding attachment on my Dremel to keep his nails short. It worked well but I had to do it in stages as he'd only tolerate me fiddling with him in small doses.
Peter absolutely hates the Dremel so I do use clippers on him. I took him to a groomer initially to see how he reacted. He was absolutely fine so I carefully do it at home now.
Teeth
Greyhounds are notorious for having issues with their teeth. This is one of the reasons many pet insurance companies refuse to cover them for dental work. Pet Plan is the only one I know of in the UK that covers dentals.
Brushing your hound's teeth with a soft brush will help, as will allowing them to chew on something that helps to remove tartar. All my boys had a raw meaty bone once a week. Peter makes short work of his.
I also use an Emmi-Pet ultrasonic toothbrush a couple of times a week.
Feeding Your Greyhound
Good nutrition is an important part of Greyhound care. It can also be a pretty controversial subject. Our advice is to feed the very best quality diet you can afford and that your hound enjoys.
Greyhound Care Is About Having Fun Too
Greyhound care isn't just about keeping them clean and well fed, it's about enjoying time together too.
Having a paddle with Yogi
Exercise
Many people assume that because Greyhounds are used as racers that they need a lot of exercise. This is not true.
As we said on our Myth Busters page, Greys are built for speed and not stamina. Two twenty minute walks a day will keep most hounds happy and healthy.
If you have a secure place where they can have the occasional run, even better.
Play Time
Many Greys love their toys. Play time keeps their mind stimulated and prevents boredom. It's always a good idea to have hound-safe toys available as boredom can lead to behavioural issues.
Many a TV remote has been lost to a frustrated Greyhound.
Comfort
Greyhounds really do like their little luxuries and their comfort is the one area where they require a bit more work than most breeds.
Sleeping Arrangements
Nesting is serious business
It won't have escaped your notice that Greyhounds are rather bony creatures. Because of this they do need a soft place to rest. They also like to nest, so a comfy bed with layers is best for your Grey.
Yogi had a little bit more padding on him so wasn't as fussy about where he laid down for a rest. Peter can best be described as a bag of elbows (Radley and Sunny were the same) and definitely needs something soft to lie on.
Whenever we go walking anywhere I look like a pack horse with all the kit I carry for him. We always have his soft wool blanket with a waterproof backing, his water, snacks and waterproof coat.
Greyhound Clothing
No, we're not mad and we don't dress our hounds for fun or fashion. Greyhounds have very thin coats and very little body fat so regulating their temperature is quite an art.
They can struggle to stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
Coats in the winter are a must. House coats and pyjamas are recommended if you have a cooler home and/or a very sensitive hound.
Pyjamas for your grey will help you sleep better too. My first winter with Sunny I was just covering him with blankets but every time he moved he was losing them. This meant he tried to dig me out of my bed and snuggle up for warmth. Luckily getting him a couple of pairs of PJs solved the problem. Peter has pyjamas too so we both sleep well.
Cooling coats and mats are greyt for the summer months too.
Peter also has a waterproof shower coat which can be worn over his warm coat in the winter or on its own when it's warm in the summer.