Greyhound: Is This the Right Dog for Your Lifestyle?

Yes, Greyhounds are active — but they can also be kind of chill, sensitive, and independent.

by Jackie Brown, | March 28, 2025

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Greyhound: Is This the Right Dog for Your Lifestyle?

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The Greyhound is famous for being the fastest dog, capable of reaching astonishing speeds of 45 miles per hour. Greyhounds were originally bred to hunt using their excellent eyesight and quick running skills. But there’s much more to love about a Greyhound than the breed’s swift athleticism. Read on for a deep dive into a Greyhound’s personality, exercise needs, and grooming to find out if a Greyhound is a good match for your lifestyle.

Is a Greyhound a good fit for your lifestyle?

Understanding Greyhound personality traits, activity levels, and suitability to being left alone can help you decide if a Greyhound will mesh well with your lifestyle, family dynamics, and work schedule. Here’s what to know about getting a Greyhound.

Greyhounds and kids: Most Greyhounds get along well with kids who are respectful and gentle with them. However, Greyhounds are rather mellow dogs and aren’t usually interested in rambunctious play.
Pet friendliness: Greyhounds are not aggressive but they do have a high prey drive, which can lead them to chase and capture smaller, quick-moving animals. Most Greyhounds can learn to live peacefully with cats and small dogs. But if they see a cat or small dog (or squirrel) running outside, all bets are off. Small pets, such as rabbits, rats, and hamsters, should be safely caged away from Greyhounds.
Activity level: Greyhounds do need exercise, but they can expend their energy with short — but fast — bursts of free running. Greyhounds tend to be calm indoors as long as they get daily opportunities to stretch their legs.
Work considerations: Greyhounds are an independent breed, so they can be left alone for periods of time. If you exercise them before you leave and when you return, most Greyhounds are content to lounge and nap while you’re gone.

Things to consider before you adopt a Greyhound

The Greyhound personality

Greyhounds are an adaptable breed that can fit well into many different families and lifestyles. Getting to know a little more about a Greyhound’s personality can help you decide if adopting a Greyhound might be right for you and your family.

Affectionate yet reserved: Greyhounds tend to form close bonds with their human families, but the breed is somewhat independent and might be standoffish with strangers. Greyhounds typically warm up to new people when properly introduced, but they will save most of their affection for their favorite people.
Sensitive and attentive: Greyhounds are exceptionally attuned to your feelings. They seem to know just when you need them to lay their head in your lap. They are also rather sensitive as a breed. Avoid harsh training methods or punishments, or they might shut down.
Goofy and endearing: It might be hard to believe, but these elegant race horses of the dog kingdom have quite a silly side. Greyhounds provide endless amusement to their families with random zoomies, unique vocalizations, and goofy sleeping positions.
Smart, but challenging to train: Extremely intelligent, Greyhounds have good problem-solving skills and can learn quickly. However, that doesn’t mean they are easy to train. Greyhounds are independent thinkers, so they might not always do what you ask, especially if they don’t see the point. Many Greyhounds are not super motivated by treats, which adds training challenges.

Trinette Reed / Stocksy/

Greyhound energy and exercise needs

When choosing a dog, one of the biggest considerations is how much exercise the dog will need, and how those needs mesh with your activity levels and lifestyle. Greyhounds are less active than you might think, but they still have specific daily exercise needs that must be met for them to be happy and well-behaved at home.

Exercise needs: Greyhounds are sprinters, not long-distance runners. They don’t need hours of exercise every day, but they do best when allowed to run off-leash a few times a day, just five or 10 minutes will do. Try tossing a toy or using a flirt pole (a toy on a string attached to a stick, such as an oversized cat toy) to trigger their prey drive and get them going.
Keep them leashed: Just remember, Greyhounds are prone to running off, so they can only be off-leash in a safe, fully enclosed space such as your backyard or a secure dog park. Add in one or two 20-minute walks a day and your Greyhound will be a happy camper.
Energy indoors: When Greyhounds get enough daily exercise, they are content and calm in the house — some might even call them couch potatoes. This stereotype might be more based on the fact that Greyhounds prefer lying on soft surfaces such as couches and beds, because it’s more comfortable for them. Greyhounds tend to be skinny or even bony, with thin skin, scant coats, and very little body fat to cushion them.
Mental stimulation: All dogs benefit from lots of mental stimulation, and they can get some of this by spending time with you. But there are other ways to exercise your Greyhound’s mind, including playing with toys and training sessions, whether obedience or trick training. You might also consider lure coursing, a competitive dog sport that engages the Greyhound’s natural skills.

Greyhound grooming

Grooming a Greyhound is a simple job. Their short, smooth coat needs minimal brushing. Many people wonder, “Is a Greyhound hypoallergenic?” The answer is no, but most Greyhound pet parents say their Greyhounds shed only a little. You’ll spend more time caring for a Greyhound’s teeth and nails, but these tasks are not very time-consuming. Here is what to know about Greyhound grooming.

Brushing: Brush once or twice a week with a grooming glove or soft cloth. Don’t use slicker brushes or brushes with stiff bristles because these can scratch their thin skin.
Bathing: Greyhounds are clean dogs who don’t have much doggie odor. Bathe every month or two, or whenever they get dirty.
Dental care: Greyhounds are prone to dental issues, so brush their teeth daily with a dog toothbrush and toothpaste to ward off problems.
Nail care: Greyhound nails tend to grow fast. Trimming them each week will keep them in good shape.

Greyhound health considerations

Greyhounds have some special health considerations. Like all breeds, Greyhounds are prone to genetically linked diseases, and they also need some special care based on their unique build. Here are some conditions to look out for.

Bloat: Gastric dilatation-volvulus, also known as bloat, is a life-threatening condition where the stomach fills with air and twists. It affects large, deep-chested breeds like the Greyhound. To help prevent it, feed them smaller meals two or three times a day instead of one big meal, and avoid exercise one hour before and after meals.
Bone cancer: Osteosarcoma is seen in the breed. Signs include limping, swelling, or pain in the legs.
Thin skin: The Greyhound’s thin skin can be delicate. They have little body fat and their coat is so short, it doesn’t offer much protection either. Provide lots of soft places for your dog to be comfortable and rest, so they don’t have to lie on the hard floor. If your Greyhound gets a cut on their skin, contact your veterinarian for advice.

Living space and environment

Greyhounds can live comfortably in many types of homes and environments, provided their needs can be met. The biggest consideration is the availability of large, enclosed spaces for free running since Greyhounds cannot be off-leash unless they are in a fenced-in place. Any size house with a yard and fence can work for Greyhounds, and they can even live in apartments if you have access to an appropriate space for outdoor exercise. Older Greyhounds might be better suited to apartment living as they tend to have less energy.

Lucas Ottone / Stocksy/

Ex-racing Greyhounds have special considerations

Although Greyhound racing is on the decline, with only two tracks remaining in the United States, racing continues in other countries. Ex-racing Greyhounds are taken in by rescue groups and adopted out to forever homes. Greyhounds who come from a racing background often have never lived inside homes and need to learn new skills, including:

Housetraining/learning to potty outside
Walking on a leash
Going up and down stairs
Walking on carpet or hardwood
Getting used to normal household sounds such as the TV and washing machine
Not bumping into windows and glass doors
Playing with toys

When a Greyhound might not be the right fit

Greyhounds make wonderful pets for many different individuals and families. They are calm, easy to groom, and adaptable to various living situations. That said, in some cases, a Greyhound might not be a good match. Some things that might make it harder to successfully live with a Greyhound include:

Limited time to provide the Greyhound with enough attention and exercise
Lack of enclosed space, such as a fenced-in yard for off-leash running
Families with young children who are rough with the dog or prone to letting the dog out unintentionally
Homes with cats, small dogs, or other small pets such as rabbits or pocket pets who an especially prey-driven Greyhound might chase and accidentally harm

Ready to adopt?

The easiest way to find your future canine soulmate is to search on Adopt a Pet and sign up for their New Pet Alerts, which will help you find all the available Greyhounds near you.

Commonly asked questions

How much exercise does a Greyhound need?

A Greyhound needs a minimum of 60 minutes of exercise every day. They need to have a safe, fenced-in off-leash area where they can get their zoomies out and do some quick sprinting games (such as chasing a flirt pole). Also, you need to make sure they get a few 20-minute (or more) leashed walks per day.

How big do Greyhounds get?

Greyhounds get to be about 50 to 80 pounds when full grown. Some might be smaller and others might be a little larger than this average, depending on their sex and lineage.

Are Greyhounds healthy dogs?

Yes, Greyhounds are healthy dogs in general. However, as with all purebred dogs, there are some health conditions common to the breed, such as bloat and bone cancer. Any health concerns can be managed with attentive care and regular veterinary exams.

Are Greyhounds a good fit for apartment living?

Yes, Greyhounds can be a good fit for apartment living due to their laid-back attitude. But they need a secure place where they can get their off-leash opportunities for playtime outdoors.

Do Greyhounds get along with other pets?

Yes, some Greyhounds can get along with other pets, but this varies. Some might chase smaller pets, and they are generally not suitable in homes with pet rodents or rabbits.

References

“FAQ - Greyhound Club of America.” Greyhound Club of America, 7 Jan. 2021, www.greyhoundclubofamericainc.org/faq.

‌Paulenoff, Simon. “American Kennel Club.” American Kennel Club, 6 Nov. 2017, www.akc.org/dog-breeds/greyhound.

Jackie Brown

Jackie Brown lives in sunny Orange County, CA, where she works as a freelance writer and editor. When she’s not on deadline, you can find her paddling her outrigger canoe in the Pacific Ocean or hiking in the foothills with her miniature poodle and two young boys.