DOG BEDS 

Greyhounds have very little body fat so they need something soft to lie on.  Greyhounds who continually lie on hard surfaces wear the hair off their rear ends and bellies.  Greyhounds love to “nest.”  They love a towel, blanket or piece of cloth on top of their beds to scratch at, bunch up, and fashion into the “perfect” nest before they fall asleep.  Dog beds can be made out of just about anything, as long as it provides a well insulated, soft surface.  Fabric covered foam, old comforters, blankets, or foam-and-cedar stuffed dog beds all work well.  

DOG FOOD 

You may feed your Greyhound any high quality dry dog food.  It does not have to be expensive.  We recommend the dry dog food over soft or canned for health reasons.  Greyhounds are fed a very soft diet throughout their racing career.  Their diet, though high in protein and necessary nutrients, is very hard on their teeth.  Switching a retired racer to dry dog food helps to keep their teeth in healthy condition.  A tip: a dog who has a sensitive digestive system may do well with a diet food, Fit & Trim, Cycle, etc. These foods are high in fiber with lower fat content and are more easily tolerated. "Senior" foods are the same, lower in calories and fat, higher in fiber. 

Greyhounds LOVE rice, pasta, veggies, bread, all kinds of people food.  A cheap "treat" for meal time is boiled pasta in beef or chicken broth added to their food.  Leftover vegetable soup?  The greyhounds would love it!  The trick is not to give them too much of the "special" stuff.

QUANTITY 

A dog straight out of the race kennel will probably need to put on some weight, but usually not more than 3 to 5 pounds. Plan on feeding the dog the equivalent of 8 cups of dry food a day for the first few weeks or months. Some may not want to eat straight dry food to begin with. Try mixing part of a can of dog food with water and pouring it over the dry food. You can also use rice and broth, pasta and broth, or soups. Plan on feeding this amount until no hip bones can be seen, then reduce the food to 4-6 cups, or however much it takes to maintain the proper weight. You don't want your dog overweight (their bodies are not built to carry excess weight), but you definitely want to take the dog from "race weight" to "pet weight." Generally speaking, ideal pet weight is just 5 pounds over race weight.  What is a good weight for a greyhound? You should be able to see just a hint of the last rib or two and the hip bones, those pointy things on top of their rear ends, should just be covered nicely.

DOG TREATS 

Greyhounds love a variety of dog treats.  They come in every shape, size, flavor, and texture.  Be careful how generous you are with the treats to avoid upset tummies and noxious gas.  Milk Bone type treats tend to be one of their favorites, and seem to be easier on their systems.  They LOVE pig’s ears (dried and smoked), but the noxious gas produced can be prohibitive!  Greyhounds love treats and are used to getting them.  The race kennel rewards all jobs well done with a treat.

DENTAL CARE 

A diet of dry dog food helps to prevent tartar and promotes good dental hygiene for your dog. Raw-hides, Milk Bones and biscuit style treats, and other hard things to chew on will help your Greyhound's teeth improve quickly. If the build up of tartar is severe, you may want to have your veterinarian scale the teeth. You also help to maintain your dog's teeth by periodic brushing.  Dog toothbrush kits are available at Petsmart or through mail order pet suppliers. A regular "people" toothbrush is usually not recommended because they are too hard on the dogs' teeth.  Make a paste of baking soda and brush softly. Or a clean piece of hosiery wrapped around your finger with baking soda works well too; this also helps to stimulate the gums. Do not use toothpaste unless it is specially formulated for dogs. People toothpaste has ingredients the dog should not ingest.

Just like humans, Greyhounds can suffer terrible consequences from the bacteria that enters their bloodstream from infected, abscessed teeth or gingivitis. The infection can find its way to the heart, liver, kidneys, any of the large organs, and threaten your pet's life!

NAILS 

Greyhound nails grow just like all dog nails.  When the dog leaves the kennel, its nails are trimmed.  To keep your dog’s nails in good condition, they should be trimmed every 4 to 6 weeks.  This can be easily done on your own using dog nail clippers. If you plan on trimming your Greyhounds nails, keep a bottle of Quik-Stop or similar styptic powder close by in case you cut into the quick.  Plain old flour can also be used to stop bleeding from a nipped quick. If you are the squeamish type, your veterinary clinic or a groomer can quickly and easily do this for you.

Some people have good luck with a Dremel nail grinder.  If you try one of these, grind each nail for a few seconds at a time to prevent the nail from becoming hot from the grinder.

GROOMING 

Grooming your Greyhound is fairly easy. Their coat is short and shedding isn't usually severe. An occasional bath and routine brushing will keep your Greyhound's coat in great shape. He may have a dandruff problem when first leaving the kennel, but this will improve quickly. When you first take your dog home, give him a bath. We have had good results with Adam's Flea & Tick Shampoo. This shampoo is safe to use on a Greyhound, will kill any little critter on the dog's coat, and best of all, leave the coat nice and shiny with a clean, fresh scent. Other shampoos recommended are any listed as safe for use on puppies. 

Please note: Some humans are allergic to Adams products! We had one greyhound who almost ended up being returned because one of the family members thought they were allergic to the dog. Turned out, it was the Adams shampoo!

MEDICATIONS 

If it becomes necessary to give your Greyhound medications, the “peanut butter trick” works wonders with pills.  Put the pill in a little lump of peanut butter, and watch how fast your Greyhound will gladly gulp down his medicine!  This is a great way to get Imodium AD down the dog when first taking them home (for diarrhea).  You can also use cream cheese, Velveeta, soft lunch meats and anything else that is kind of soft and can be molded around the pill that will get your Greyhound’s attention.

PEST CONTROL 

Flea and tick control may be necessary.  PLEASE, don’t ever use a flea collar on your Greyhound.  It could make the dog very ill.  Greyhounds are sensitive to many types of chemicals used in these collars.  Don’t take a chance -- DON’T USE THEM!  Use only flea and tick preparations that contain Pyrethrin as the active ingredient.  The entire line of Adam’s products is recommended.  These are available at PetsMart.  You may also make a home remedy, which is supposed to repel most insects.  To make, mix 1 cup Avon Skin So Soft (bath oil, no substitutes) with 2 cups of white distilled vinegar, 1-3 cups of water (more water, less potency) and 1 teaspoon of one of the following: herbal repellent, citronella oil or eucalyptus oil.  Mix all ingredients together and put into spray bottle.  Spray on pet.

We know of one race kennel and many adopters who have had good luck with Frontline TopSpot for flea and tick control.  If you live in a highly infested area, check with your vet for this product.

YEARLY INOCULATIONS 

Each dog is current on rabies and “5 in 1” shots (the five diseases every dog should be inoculated against: canine distemper, adenovirus, type 2 parainfluenze, parvovirus and bordetella).  You must plan to provide these shots each year for your dog after adoption.

HEART WORM PREVENTION 

Heartworm disease has come to Colorado.  Mosquitoes spread canine heartworm disease.  The disease is spread from dog to dog with the mosquito being the carrier.  It can spread quickly, and almost every dog is a potential victim.  Left untreated, heartworm disease can result in death.  Simple preventative care is all that is necessary to keep your dog safe from this disease.