Greyhounds are typically healthy and resilient dogs, bred to be athletes—strong and lean. However, their nutritional needs make them unique. It is rare for a large dog that tends to be less active than most dogs to have such intense feeding requirements in the form of balanced meals that are properly portioned. Our nutrition team analyzed Greyhound specific dietary needs and in this article we will recommend the best dog food for Greyhounds.
| Dog Age: | Recommendation: | Rating: | Ingredients: |
|---|---|---|---|
| Puppy: | Blue Buffalo Red Meat Puppy Food | 4.8 / 5.0 | Beef, peas, pea protein, fish meal, eggs, flaxseed, tomatoes, fish oil. |
| Adult: | Wild Earth Clean Protein Dog Food | 4.9 / 5.0 | Yeast protein, chickpeas, oats, peas, potatoes, canola oil, sweet potato, flaxseeds, sunflower seeds, fish oil. |
| Senior: | Wild Earth Clean Protein Dog Food | 4.9 / 5.0 | Yeast protein, chickpeas, oats, peas, potatoes, canola oil, sweet potato, flaxseeds, sunflower seeds, fish oil. |
Average Healthy Weight of Greyhounds
Healthy Male Weight: 60-80 lbs
Healthy Female Weight: 50-75 lbs
Greyhound Breed Summary
While 40-mile-per-hour couch potatoes, greyhounds are known for their speed on the racetrack but their easy going personality at home. They are athletic dogs that are bred for racing but can also make amazing family dogs.
This large dog is usually easy going and can adapt to apartments with enough exercise every day. Surprisingly, 40 mile per hour couch potatoes need very little exercise and are happy with a long walk each
Many greyhounds have a docile temperament and will coexist happily with children as well as other pets if they are brought up together.
As Greyhounds grow older, they are more likely to develop osteoarthritis because of their large size. Similar to athletes who have pursued rigorous physical activity over a long period of time, racing greyhounds expend high levels of stress on their joints. This is why we recommend food that promotes joint health such as supplements for those individuals dealing with an aging Greyhound.
Greyhounds are prone to dental issues, such as excessive tartar buildup, gingivitis, and intestinal upsets and diarrhea. Some of these dogs might benefit from diet changes that combat dental disease or promote intestinal health. In the next section we will talk about potential health issues Greyhounds may struggle with as well as the best dog food to for the health of Greyhounds.
American Kennel Club Breed Classification: Racing Hound Dog
Recommended Daily Exercise Amount: 1-2 hours/day
Physical Traits of Greyhounds
Greyhounds are known for their tall, athletic builds that are designed for high-speed running. They have long legs, a small waist, and short fur.
Personality Traits
Affectionate, loyal, lazy, lovable
Potential Health Issues for Greyhounds
Greyhounds are generally thought to be healthy dog breeds but they are susceptible to a few different health issues in the longterm. If your dog isn’t fed healthy food then the health of your Greyhound could deteriorate. Below are a few of the health issues that some Greyhounds may develop over the span of their lifetime.
Potential Dental Issues For Greyhounds
Though it may be less important for a dog to have perfect and white teeth, oral health is notably more critical. If the mouth is not healthy, that certainly impacts other parts of the body: heart, liver or kidneys. Food or supplements with certain ingredients can help boost their dental health. Greyhounds will typically struggle with dental health as they age which is why it is vital to keep your dogs teeth healthy and clean.
Potential Gut Health Issues
Greyhound’s gut helps keep the body healthy and balanced. It should not receive food with things that disagree with them, as it can be very bad for their digestive system, mental health, and immune systems. Many Greyhounds will struggle with gut and digestive related issues if they are fed food that doesn’t provide them with the optimal levels of protein for their breed. Read our recommendations for the best nutrition and dietary needs for Greyhounds.
Joint & Bone Pain Issues
It’s common for breeds like the Greyhound to develop pain in their joints and bones, especially as they age. However, some of these issues are hereditary, while others come from wear-and-tear over time. Proper nutrition and ideal weight management will go a long way towards minimizing discomfort in our loving pets. We always make sure dog food for Greyhounds include some of the below anti-inflammatory ingredients:
- Glucosamine
- Methylsulfonymethane
- Chondroitin
- Omega-3 from Fish Oil
- Green Mussel
- Taurine
- Turmeric
- Vitamin E
- Antioxidants
Hip and elbow dysplasia is common for large dog breeds such as German Shepherds, Great Danes, Australian Shepherds, and other large breeds. For this reason you must pick a dog food that will be beneficial for their joints and muscle maintenance.
Cognitive Health Issues
Puppies and senior Greyhounds need a different diet for their brain health. Puppies brains are still developing in early years, which is why they need healthy doses of vitamins to grow strong. Once they hit senior age, the puppy’s brain can deteriorate, so we feed them nutrients that keep them sharp. Below are a few beneficial ingredients that can help to improve the brain health of your Greyhound:
- Omega-3 essential fatty acids
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin C
- L-carnitine
Eye Health
Greyhounds, like all other dogs, are susceptible to degenerative vision and eye function. Feeding them certain foods such as beta carotene, lutein, EPA, or DHA can help maintain their quality eyesight for longer periods of time. It is recommended that the dog food you feed to your Greyhound include some of the following vitamins below to help improve their eye health:
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
- Anthocyanins
- Astaxanthin
- Beta-carotene
- Carotenoids
- Glutathione
- Lutein
- Lycopene
- Omega-3 essential fatty acids
- Phytonutrients
Healthy Skin & Coat
Skin is the largest organ in a Greyhound’s body. It can protect your dog from irritants and infections, so it should be healthy. To keep the skin and coat of your Greyhound healthy it is important that your dog food includes some of the following ingredients:
- GLA
- ALA
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- Vitamin E
- Vitamins and choline
- Flaxseed/fish oil
- Antioxidants
- Probiotics
Potential Heart Health Issues
If you’re doing what is right for your Greyhound, you’re probably making them healthier from head to toe. One key area to focus on is their heart and it can be done with proper exercise, diets rich in omega 3 fatty acids and dog foods with taurine, can be beneficial for the heart function of your dogs heart. Some beneficial ingredients for heart health are:
- Taurine
- Carnitine
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- Antioxidants
- Complete protein
- Low sodium
Immune System Health
The immune system is an army of microscopic fighters inside our bodies that protect us from germs (bacteria, viruses, parasites, and toxins) as well as a wide range of other threats. Whenever you travel by plane or bus with your pet, it’s important to take care of this protection army by feeding them healthy food and making sure your Greyhound’s immune system is healthy. Below are a few ingredients that can be beneficial for the health of your dogs immune system.
- Antioxidants
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin K
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- Fish oil
- Coconut oil
Weight Management & Obesity Issues
About half of dogs in the United States are overweight, so it’s important that Greyhounds maintain a healthy weight. There is nothing more important than making sure your Greyhound maintains a healthy weight. Even gaining excess pounds can cause health problems, including pain from added strain on their joints. Unfortunately, getting your dog to lose additional weight can be difficult because many commercial dog foods aren’t as healthy as they should be. Below are a few dog foods that will keep your Greyhound puppy, adult, and seniors healthy.
Best Dog Food For Greyhound Puppies
Age of Greyhound Puppies:
10 weeks – 12 Months old
Young Greyhounds require more nutrients than adult dogs, including proteins, fats, carbohydrates, and vitamins. They need 10% of their calories to come from treats or they could get sick. Puppies often have specific food made for them which is a safe but also provides them the require nutrients for them to grow.
Below are our recommendations for the best dog food for Greyhound Puppies:
| Recommended Dog Food: | Key Benefits: | Shop Now! |
|---|---|---|
Blue Buffalo Red Meat Puppy Food | - High protein red meat recipe crafted with beef to help build lean muscle. - Grain-free blend specifically designed for puppies that contains healthy antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals selected by veterinarians. - 32% Protein Content. - 16% Healthy Fat Content. | Shop Now |
Purina Healthy Puppy Food | - U.S farm-raised chicken based puppy food with additional vitamins, nutrients, and minerals. - Contains 23 essential vitamins and minerals with included DHA to support brain and vision development. - 28% Protein Content. - 14% Healthy Fat Content. | Shop Now |
Best Dog Foods For Adult Greyhounds
Age Range of Adult Greyhounds:
1 year old – 7 years old
Once Greyhounds reach 90% of their expected weight, they move to adult stage. We want to balance their dietary habits for things like digestion and infection prevention as well as muscle strength.
It’s important to make sure each of our Greyhounds receive the nutrients that they need, and also to maintain a healthy weight. Underfed Greyhounds are prone to malnutrition, whereas overfed dogs might become obese – both which can lead to worse problems in the longterm. This is why it is important to feed your adult Greyhound high quality dog food.
Below are our recommendations for the best dog food for adult Greyhounds:
| Recommended Dog Food: | Key Benefits: | Shop Now! |
|---|---|---|
Wild Earth Clean Protein Dog Food | - Clean protein recipe designed with prebiotics and probiotics for optimal digestion and allergy health. - Crafted with recognizable superfoods such as spinach, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, pumpkin, oats, and no fillers or additives. - 31% Protein Content. - 10.5% Healthy Fat Content. | Shop Now |
Blue Buffalo Duck Blend | - High-protein formula with lean protein duck blend to help maintain healthy lean muscle mass. - Contains healthy carbohydrates such as green peas and sweet potatoes as well as additional omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids. - 34% Protein Content. - 15% Healthy Fat Content. | Shop Now |
Best Dog Food For Senior Greyhounds
Age range of senior Greyhounds:
7+ years old
As senior Greyhounds age, their metabolic rate slows down which means they need fewer calories than they did during their prime. Dog food companies have created a number of senior diets, which are supposed to be gentler for aging pets. However, like people, all dogs are different. Older dogs may need more or less calories depending on the aging process. This is why it’s important to examine their body condition and consider senior dog foods with the help of your veterinarian.
Below are our recommendations for the best dog food for senior Greyhounds:
| Recommended Dog Food: | Key Benefits: | Shop Now! |
|---|---|---|
| Wild Earth Clean Protein Dog Food | - Clean protein recipe designed with prebiotics and probiotics for optimal digestion and allergy health. - Crafted with recognizable superfoods such as spinach, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, pumpkin, oats, and no fillers or additives. - 31% Protein Content. - 10.5% Healthy Fat Content. | Shop Now |
Blue Buffalo Senior Dog Food | - A high-quality chicken protein blend with additional vitamins, minerals, and nutrients to help support your senior dog. - Contains additional omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids to improve the joint health and cognitive health of your dog. - 30% Protein Content. - 12% Healthy Fat Content. | Shop Now |
Frequently Asked Questions About The Best Dog Food For Greyhounds
Our team will occasionally receive questions about what dog food should be given to their greyhound or if a specific dog food is a good option. Our team attempts to answer all of these questions and post them below so all of our readers can receive the knowledge. If there are any questions you may have then we recommend you reach out to our team and we will answer them as quickly as possible.
Below are frequently asked questions about dog food for greyhounds:
What Type of Protein Is Best For Greyhounds?
Greyhounds are known to be racing dogs and for their lean and muscular body shape. This means picking the protein within your dog food for your greyhound is important. Some types of protein won’t adequately support their lean muscle profile. When it comes to greyhounds, each individual dog will have different preferences based on taste and texture but the most popular types of protein from the greyhounds we have tested are typically fish and chicken. Dog food that uses fish such as salmon for its protein source are typically lean protein that also provides additional essential fatty acids such as omega-3 and omega-6 that will help improve the health of your greyhounds joints and skin.
Other types of protein such as chicken, duck, or red meat can also be good for greyhounds. The type of protein isn’t as important as the quality of the protein and the overall quality of the ingredients as a whole. We only recommend high quality dog foods for your pup.
Is Blue Buffalo Dog Food Good For Greyhounds?
Blue Buffalo is one of the most well known and well respected dog food brands on the market this year and it is well recommended for greyhounds. The high quality protein and overall nutrient rich ingredients will help support the muscular system as well as the digestive system and immunity system of your greyhound. Blue buffalo typically contains a lean protein formula that is great for lean dogs and the essential fatty acids and additional vitamins and nutrients will provide them with the energy they desperately need.
How Often Should Greyhounds Eat?
Most adult greyhounds will eat twice a day, once in the morning and once at dinner time. This may vary depending on the age of your greyhound, their nutritional needs, as well as the type of food your are feeding to them. Younger greyhounds or those with a sensitive stomach may eat their dog food three times a day or maybe only once a day based on their specific needs. It is important to speak with your veterinarian about how often your greyhound should eat each day and how many cups of food they should eat per day.
