Greyhounds are large dogs but they have the ability to curl up in a corner and take up surprisingly little room. They need to be let out in a fenced yard or walked on a lead 3-4 times per day, and will generally quickly adapt to your household’s schedule.

These intelligent dogs do well in small houses or apartments and require only a soft place to sleep or rest and plenty of love. You will find your greyhound to be a loyal and devoted companion, filling your home with love.

Centuries of selective breeding have created an incredible athlete and companion in the Greyhound. Once they are retired they make wonderful house pets with few of the health issues that larger breed dogs can have.

Greyhounds are typically calm, relaxed animals that will enjoy the atmosphere in your home and human companionship. Their short coat with little to no undercoat produces less oils than the typical dog so there is no “doggy odor”. This makes a Greyhound a wonderful option for someone with allergies.

Greyhounds are intelligent, affectionate, and friendly dogs who thrive on attention and human companionship and make terrific pets. Racing Greyhounds have been bred to be fast, healthy, intelligent, sociable, and good tempered. Working(racing) Greyhounds spend most of their lives, before retirement, in the company of other dogs, their trainers, and handlers and are well socialized.

They have all the advantages of breeding,  training and sociability which makes them great with other pets (including cats and other small animals), older children and friends. Their intelligence and breeding make them clean, quiet, and loving companions, in other words, the perfect house pet!

Before you adopt, it is important for you to become familiar with the breed and consider whether a greyhound is the right pet for you. Please read our FAQ section below and browse our website to learn more about these wonderful dogs.

Can I let my Greyhound off leash?

NO! Greyhounds run up to 45 MPH (70 KPH) and can hit top speed in three strides. They can ignore your recall if they are in the middle of a chase so they must be kept on a leash unless they are in a fenced area, and must NEVER be placed on a tie out

Why are GPA-C Greyhounds Fostered?

GPA-C Greyhounds are fostered before being adopted into their new forever homes. Our foster families provide a very important service by teaching newly retired greyhounds how to settle into a home and life as a beloved companion

Are Greyhounds good guard dogs?

Greyhounds seldom bark and want to be everyone’s friend so generally do not make a good guard dog. That said, many are very observant and will alert you to visitors both wanted and unwanted.

Don’t Greyhounds need a lot of exercise? Aren’t they high energy dogs?

They are trained to walk very well on a leash but don’t require a lot of exercise. They don’t call them 45MPH Couch Potatoes for nothing! They enjoy walks as any other dog does but they do not require more than a 20 minute walk once or twice a day if possible.  Greyhounds are basically a quiet dog and will spend much of the time sleeping on their beds. They will quickly learn that the sofa is the best seat in the house if they are allowed on the furniture.

How old are they typically when ready for adoption and long do they live?

Greyhounds are typically retired between 2-5 years old and their life expectancy is normally between 12 and 14 years.

How big are they? Are males a lot larger than females?

Male Greyhounds generally stand 26 to 30 inches tall at the shoulders and weigh between 65 and 85 pounds. Female Greyhounds generally stand 23 to 26 inches tall at the shoulders and weigh 50 to 65 pounds.

Big dogs usually are predisposed to hip dysplasia. Is this true for Greyhounds?

Greyhounds are a healthy breed since they are bred for athleticism. Hip dysplasia is very rare for greyhounds

How much do they eat?

That depends on the size of the greyhound but anywhere from 3 to 4.5 cups of good quality kibble per day

I hear Greyhounds are a good choice for people with allergies. Is that true?

Yes! They have short fur, little to no undercoat and very little oil in their skin. Along with a thin subcutaneous fat layer this makes them almost Hypoallergenic. You rarely find a greyhound with the typical “doggy odor” that you can expect with most breeds. This makes them an idea pet for people with allergies or dander sensitivities.

I have other animals and kids. Will a Greyhound be right for our family?

The Greyhound sociability generally makes them great with other pets (including cats!). Their temperament makes them wonderful around adults, children and visiting friends. Their intelligence and breed along with being clean, quiet and loving companions make them perfect house pets. Please keep in mind that small children should always be supervised around ANY dog.

Are Greyhounds easy to train?

Yes, but like anyone, they need patience and understanding. Greyhounds love to please and are sensitive by nature. They do very well with positive reinforcement training.

Is it true that Greyhounds cannot “sit”?

With patience, most greyhounds can be taught to “sit” very easily and well, especially for a delicious treat!

..And God Created the Greyhound

On the first day, God created the Greyhound.
On the second day, God created man to serve the Greyhound.
On the third day, God created the animals of the Earth to serve as potential food for the Greyhound.
On the fourth day, God created honest toil so that man could labor for the good of the Greyhound.
On the fifth day, God created the tennis ball so that the Greyhound could or could not retrieve it.
On the sixth day, God created veterinary science to keep the Greyhound healthy and the man broke. (AMEN!!!)
On the seventh day, God tried to rest, but he had to walk the Greyhound……
(Unknown author)
On the eighth day, God believeth that He was done, but Lo! The Garden of Eden was full of Greyhound poop and craters. Adam & Eve, having been banished from the garden, no longer dwelleth therein to serve the Greyhound, so it came to pass that He had to clean the mess up Himself. And God was displeased.
On the ninth day, God sayeth unto the Heavens, “Who hath dominion here, me or the Greyhound?
On the tenth day, God came upon the Greyhound cockroached on His throne and abideth there unmoving, despite all His beseeching.

And so it came to pass that God had his answer. He then sayeth unto Moses, “Fine! You’re in charge now. Here’s my ten commandments. You deal with the Greyhound! I’m retiring to Miami Beach!

And Moses convinced the Pharaoh to let the Israelites go out of bondage in Egypt and journey to the Promised Land. God sayeth unto Moses, “The Promised Land shall be yours, but you must take the Greyhound with you.

And so it came to pass that the Israelites wandered for 40 years in the wilderness, waiting for the Greyhound to go potty, mark every bush and sniff every blade of grass in its domain.

And the Greyhound was fruitful and multiplied.

The people were taken by the comliness and manner of the Greyhound, but they were sorely distressed. “Lord” they cried out, “The Greyhound is an attractive and sweet creature, but there are so many, what shall we do?”

And God sayeth unto the people, “Ye are a cursed people and shall be known as adopters! Thy yards shall be barren of grass. Thy dwellings shall overflow with dog beds, squeaky toys and Greyhound kitsch. Thy carpets shall be forever stained. Thy vet bills shalt be large and thy lives forever ordered around by the Greyhound. And thy minds shall be muddled, as thou shalt treat thy Greyhounds as thy do your human offspring.”

And Adopters begat Chippers. And Chippers begat Fosters. And Fosters begat Adoption Groups. And Adoption Groups begat Discussion Lists. And Discussion Lists begat Gatherings. And Gatherings begat Vendors. And Vendors begat a wardrobe for the Greyhound. And the Greyhound was spoiled.

God looked down on this and was pleased.
(Brett Weeks.)