The Coat
Greyhounds don't have a lot of hair, and this makes for a pet that is easy to care for. A quick brush with a rubber-grooming glove or a blunt hacksaw blade, and a rub of the coat with a dry towel makes for a great looking dog. "Scrubbing" the dog's coat with your fingers brings the oil up to the skin and will feel great to the dog.
Bathtime
How often a greyhound gets bathed very much depends on how soiled they get. They have very little oil in their skin, which means very little "doggy odour". Select a mild all natural, conditioning shampoo. Unless a greyhound gets particularly dirty it will not need bathing very often - certainly not weekly. Washing too often strips the coat of its natural oils and dries the coat and the skin.
Ears
It is advisable to check a greyhounds' ears once a week. Clean the outer ear gently with a cotton wool ball and a little baby or olive oil. When bathing a dog it is also a good idea to plug the ears with a cotton wool ball to avoid shampoo dripping down into the ear.
Teeth
It is not uncommon for ex-racers to have bad teeth, partly due to the soft diet they are fed when racing. Any deep cleaning is done before adoption, but like humans it is possible for plaque build up to occur after this. Brushing with a specially designed toothbrush or a gauze pad can help stop tartar from occurring. Brisket bones are also good for keeping teeth clean. It is advisable to have your dog's teeth cleaned by your vet on a regular basis.
Nails
All the weight of a dog is placed on its feet. Therefore it is vital to
regularly attend to trimming a greyhound's toenails. Most greyhounds are used to having this done while they stand. Using good quality clippers, lean over and bend the foot backwards to find the underside of the nail. A vet or a groomer will be only too happy to show the inexperienced or nervous owner how to cut them.
The Diet
All dog food contains a combination of protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. Each of these plays a specific role in keeping a dog at optimum health, and must be fed in the correct proportion. Protein allows for the growth and maintenance of bones and muscle and fat contributes a concentrated form of energy to the dog, keeping the coat shiny as well. Carbohydrates provide a sustained form of energy to the dog. Energy is needed for respiration, muscular work and temperature control. A greyhound in full training for the track is fed a high protein, high-energy performance diet. As a pet, the greyhound no longer needs such a volume of food and as much protein and fat.
There are many different types of food available for dogs, and many people enjoy preparing their own food for their greyhound. A good quality complete dry food is perhaps one of the most convenient ways of making sure a dog's nutritional needs are met. Feeding
guides on the side of complete food packs are to be used as a general idea of how much the average dog may need. This will vary from greyhound to greyhound, depending on such factors as age, activity level, temperament and environment.
Start by following the food guide, monitoring the dog's condition and adjusting the amount fed to suit. It is recommended for variety that a dry food diet consist of 50% prescription dry food either fed wet or dry and the remaining 50% can be made up of varied foods such as meat, vegetables, rice or pasta (see below).
Whilst a dog can happily survive on a complete dry food, it isenjoyable for a pet to receive variety in the diet, plus the advantage of providing a further source of valuable nutrients. The following is a list of other items most dogs relish. They can be fed along with a complete dry food to give further enjoyment.
 Chicken, fish with the bones removed, beef and roo meat - cooked or raw are both suitable. Hi fat meats such as pork and ham should be restricted and only fed in small amounts occasionally.
Healthy "scraps" eg. pumpkin, sweet potato, green leafy vegetables such as spinach,
celery and parsley, potato and a little gravy.
Fruits such as apples and bananas are all fine in moderation.
Rice and pasta.
Eggs and cheese (cottage, ricotta or hard cheeses).
Yoghurt.
Wholemeal bread.
Wholegrain cereal products. Many dogs enjoy a light breakfast of Wheatbix/Vitabrits or porridge in the colder weather.
Raw chicken frames and brisket bones make nutritional "toothbrushes" for a dog.
Raw chicken frames are tough to chew but the bones are soft. They contain high quality protein and essential fatty acids and can be fed at any stage of a dog's life.
The occasional can of sardines in oil, or a tablespoon of oil on the greyhound's food once weekly will help keep the coat supple and shiny.
The occasional can of tinned pet food is okay as a standby, but because of its high moisture content and the greyhound's very efficient metabolism, loose stools tends to be the result. Some dogs cannot tolerate canned food at all and will develop diarrhoea and rapidly lose
weight.
It is also important to remember that a fat hound is not a healthy hound!
Excess weight carried on a dog puts a strain on the heart and the skeletal system. Whilst many dogs can afford to carry an extra couple of kilos after their retirement into a pet, you should still be able to see a shadow of the last three ribs showing.
If you have any further questions on how to feed the ex - racer, the folks at the Greyhound Adoption Program of Queensland are more than happy to provide advice.
At the Vet
When you adopt your Greyhound, he/she has been vaccinated, wormed, sterilized and heartwormed checked. Like any other dog he/she will have to be wormed regularly and have a check up and be vaccinated annually. Also make your vet aware (if they don't
already know) that a Greyhound does have special needs as far as anaesthetics are concerned, if he/she ever has to have surgery.
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