Greyhounds are gentle, affectionate dogs that thrive on human companionship and their friendly, loyal nature and wonderful temperament make them an ideal family pet.

• A patient and tolerant dog, the Greyhound is usually very good with children and due to their calm, sensitive and friendly nature Greyhounds are very suitable as Therapy Pets for Aged Care facilities and special needs homes.

• Most greyhounds are very sociable and mix readily with other dogs when introduced correctly. Some Greyhounds will get along well with cats, but others have too much 'prey drive' to live successfully with cats or other small furry pets.

• A large dog, the Greyhound stands approximately 62 to 72cm tall and weighs between 24 to 35 kilograms and has a life span of approximately 12-14 years.

• They have a very fine, soft coat and because of this, and their low body fat, they tend to feel extremes in temperature more than most dogs.

• Their short, sleek coat, the absence of doggy odour, their placid, sedentary nature and love of comfort combine to make them an excellent indoor pet.

• They come in a vast array of coat colours: black, white, red, blue (grey), fawn and brindle, or any of these colours broken with white.

• The Greyhound is a strong, muscular dog, built for sprinting over short distances. The breed are Sight hounds which hunt their quarry primarily by sight rather than scent and their natural quarry is the hare.

• Greyhounds can reach speeds of nearly 70km/hour. Despite the image people have of them, they do not require a lot of exercise or space. A good walk each day is more than enough to keep them healthy and happy.  A small yard is fine, particularly if they are getting regular short walks.

• They tend to be "couch potatoes" and are content to laze around on their cosy bed or on the lounge beside their owners. They rarely bark, usually only when something is wrong or when they get really excited. They are not generally suitable as a guard dog (however the size is generally a good deterrant).

• Due to being quiet, easy-going, predominantly lazyand placid, low-maintenance, and undemanding, Greyhounds make excellent pets for suburban homes and busy families.

• The NSW Companion Animals Act 1998 requires Greyhounds to wear a muzzle unless it is on the owner's premises, in a vehicle or at an Obedience Trial or Dog Show. In Queensland, there is now a muzzling exemption in place for those dogs that have been assessed as per the current regulation requirement.

     Greyhounds (c.1500) Gaston Phoebus,

Book of the Hunt © The Bibliothèque Nationale de France FR 616, fol. 46v

The muzzling law is one of the main reasons misconceptions about the breed arise. Pet greyhound enthusiasts and welfare organisations are looking at lobbying the State Government and various Local Governments to have this archaic law amended.

Greyhounds are rather at the mercy of a betting industry that views the dog only in terms of financial gain  For greyhounds... it is the quick, or the dead.

~  Facts ~

There are over 20,000 greyhounds bred in Australia each year.

Only half the number bred actually make it to the track.

Most racing greyhounds are destroyed by the age of 3-4 years when their racing careers are finished or after suffering an injury that prevents them from continuing to race.

Thousands upon thousands of greyhounds are destroyed each year when they become surplus to racing industry requirements.  Please ask yourself...

Why is it that in today's society, in which there is a huge focus on animal welfare issues around the world, a breed of one of the most favoured companion animals is bred and destroyed in such vast numbers, in the name of sport and entertainment, and incredibly, for the sake of gambling?

Greyhounds make great pets

Become a Friend of the Hound - adopt a Greyhound!

For more information, or to express your interest in supporting the Greyhound cause or in adopting a Greyhound, pleaseus.