20 Welcome Gifts for New Greyhound Owners

Rule of thumb -- if it's cold enough that you need to wear gloves, a greyhound will need a coat. Raincoats are also much appreciated by a skinny dog. Greyhounds just don't have the fat and fur of other breeds to keep them warm and dry in all weather.

The best winter coat for an active greyhound is the Great White North model, made by a small Canadian company called Chilly Dogs. It's a nylon shell lined with a warm fleece fabric, in a Y-front style that protects the greyhound's belly and chest from the cold. They make the coat in an "all breed" style, but there's also a special "long and lean" style designed to fit the long and lean sighthound breeds, such as greyhounds, whippets, salukis, afghan hounds, etc. Superb quality -- all my greyhounds have a Chilly Dogs GWN "ski jacket" for winter time.

Alternatively, you can go with a blanket style of greyhound coat, the kind that looks like a horse blanket. These are easy to make, if you're interested in sewing, and there are a number of easy-to-follow free patterns for greyhound coats available online. Fleece is a good choice of fabric for a winter coat, and fleece-lined waterproof nylon makes a great coat for the windy, rainy weather in spring and fall.

If you are not keen on sewing, many greyhound groups have members who make and sell winter coats as a fundraising activity -- check with your local greyhound adoption organization to see if they have coats for sale, and support the cause!

Ask your local greyhound group if they sell fancy hound collars as a fundraiser for greyhound rescue. If not, there are plenty of dog-loving crafts people online who make martingale collars (often with matching leashes) and donate a portion of their proceeds to greyhound charities.

Also, check out Etsy.com for makers of good handmade martingales who support the greyhound adoption effort. A couple of "collar artists" on Etsy whose work I like very much are HuggableHound and stinkydogcollars. Both are very generous in their support of greyhound adoption groups, animal shelters, and other animal charities, too.

RC Hound Collar 14inches Jungle Boogie

One of my greyhounds, the little female, wears a different style of collar for dress-up occasions. It's a broad hound collar from RC Pets, and it looks gorgeous on her long neck. The extra width seems to be very comfortable for the dog, and the velvet-y lining keeps the collar firmly in place.

The only thing with this style of hound collar is that you must measure the dog to get the right size, as it is not adjustable like the regular adjustable martingale collars. (You want the hound collar to be just barely large enough to slip over the greyhound's ears, but not so large that it could slip back off by itself without human help.) In fact, the reason I own this kind of hound collar is that a friend bought it for her own dog, and it was too large -- so my greyhound got a nice gift!

Custom engraved
Dog ID tag

What if a greyhound gets lost?
Dog ID tags can help bring him home.

All racing greyhounds bred in the US have an earmark tattoo with their NGA (National Greyhound Association) registration number. But the ear tattoo is hard to read at the best of times, and it tends to get faded and blurred over time. Also, most people don't know what the number is (or even to look for it), much less where to look up the greyhound's tattoo, never mind the time it would take to track down where he's been placed for adoption... in other words, the ear tattoo is not going to help a Good Samaritan or animal control officer to identify a lost pet greyhound in a hurry.

Greyhound adoption groups will generally issue an identification tag for each greyhound they place in a family home, with at minimum the name and phone number of the adoption group and a record number for the dog. But when a greyhound goes missing, time is critical -- and unless the adoption group is very local, it's far better to have a way for someone who finds a lost greyhound to be able to contact the owner directly.

Thin Mountain Rope Dog ID Collar

That's why I am a big fan of dog tags.

The only problem with conventional dog tags is that they dangle from the collar -- and you'll know why this can be a problem, if you've ever been woken up in the night by jangling dog tags, or found a dog tag missing after a good romp in the park.

With greyhounds, too, there's another concern. Since retired racing greyhounds often like to keep on using their training crates for sleeping, even after they become pet dogs, there's a risk of a dangling dog tag getting caught on the crate.

Here are 3 ideas for greyhound gifts that can solve the dog tags problem:

1. Collar Tags -- dog ID tags that mount flat on a collar;
2. Tag Collar Clips to easily put the ID tags on the collar and remove them again whenever you want; and
3. Tag Collars to put on the greyhound for going out, but leave off when he's just hanging out indoors at home.

Rubit Dog Tag Clip

If you're into beads and jewelry-making, by the way, a sturdy necklace that's been sized up or down to fit a greyhound is a popular alternative for a commercial tag collar.

Or you can use a narrow non-martingale collar, just a basic flat collar, to hold the tags -- the greyhound will still have his martingale to attach the leash to, and a matched set of tag collar and martingale can look very spiffy.

And, again, the online shops at Etsy.com will be a good place to look for custom-designed and handmade tag collars made by indie artisans who donate some of their earnings to greyhound charities.

If you want to try your hand at making a tag collar for a greyhound, have a look at the Two Color Tag Collar Instruction e-Book offered for $5.00 by Etsy seller HoundsCloset. The e-book has 8 pages of instructions and 16 photos, showing you step-by-step how to make a two-colour knotted tag collar from parachute cord and a standard collar clasp. Start to finish, the project will take about 30 to 45 minutes.

Extra Large 40"X35"X4" Orthopedic 100% Memory Foam Pad Pet Bed for Large Dog with long lasting denim cover + Waterproof case

When they live in the racing kennel, greyhounds are used to bedding down in their kennels in a nest of shredded paper. Once a greyhound retires to a "forever home," however, he soon learns to enjoy the comfort of soft seating!

The best beds for greyhounds are large and well padded, with sturdy covers you can take off for cleaning. And if the dog bed has a waterproof liner, all the better. I especially like faux suede because it doesn't seem to collect dog hairs as much as other fabrics, so I've got this big bad boy on my own wish list.

But it is what's INSIDE that counts, the dogs would say.

For stuffing materials, my greyhounds' absolute favourite is a bed stuffed with poly fibre made from recycled soda pop bottles. It's incredible soft to lie down on, doesn't get clumped up or packed down, and it is both hygienic and durable. That's first choice for a pillow-style bed. For a mattress-type bed, flatter and rectangular, you can't go wrong with a good-quality ortho memory foam.

Lounger Deep Dish Dog Bed / Large, Herringbone, Large

Many greyhound adoption groups will advise you to avoid any dog beds with cedar chips mixed into their stuffing, as cedar can irritate that delicate greyhound skin, even through the bed cover. "Your mileage may vary," as they say. I've found that really depends on the indiviidual dog, as some are more sensitive than others. It may also have something to do with the type and quantity of cedar chips used in the bed, and what material is used for the rest of the stuffing.

Shredded foam and the "bean bag" kind of little beads can work very well in a dog bed for greyhounds, as long as the insides of the bed stay inside. Do choose a bed that's got a tough inner liner as well as a tough cover fabric, if you go the beads or shredded foam route, to keep the stuffing safe inside-- greyhounds like to "fluff" their beds quite vigorously before they lie down!

That's worth repeating, actually:

Greyhound like to "fluff" their beds -- so don't count on a cheap bed with a thin fabric cover. It won't stand up long to the busy front feet of a bed-digging greyhound.

Baby gates, pet gates and exercise pens (also called x-pens) are sanity-saving management tools for a greyhound owner, especially for one who has small children and/or multiple pets. Or just to keep a newly adopted greyhound out of the living room until his owner is confident he's got the house-training bit down good and solid!



Crates or kennels may look like a "cage" to soft-hearted dog lovers...

... but, to a retired racing greyhound, his crate can be a welcome refuge, his very own safe place to chill out as he adjusts to the normal (hectic?) activity of a family home. Kind of like a teenager's bedroom. Not to mention, a crate is an essential house-training aid.

That's why greyhound adoption groups will, almost universally, recommend the use of a crate for a newly adopted greyhound to sleep in -- at least for that first critical period of adjustment to a new home.

Midwest Life Stages Double-Door Folding Metal Dog Crate, 48x30x33

Wire crates tend to work better than the plastic "clamshell" kennels, unless a travel kennel will be needed at some point -- airlines have quite stringent requirements about what kind of kennels a dog must be in to go on a flight.

Wire crates have better air circulation than the plastic kennels, and the greyhound will have a better view out through, to feel more a part of the family activity even while he's crated. Also, the wire grid makes the experience of being in the crate more like what the greyhound is used to from his time at the track.

I've had good luck with the Midwest brand -- there are three in my kitchen right now -- and can strongly recommend the style of crate that has a door on the side as well as one on the end. Two doors will give the greyhound owner much more flexibility in how to arrange furniture to fit it in.

Crates can be a bit pricey -- especially the XL size needed for a large male greyhound -- so what better gift for a cash-strapped new greyhound owner?

Greyhounds are bred for speed, not for looks, so retired racing greyhounds do tend to be very healthy, apart from whatever injuries they may have sustained in their racing career. Generations upon generations of careful breeding mean that greyhounds as a breed do not tend to have some of the health problems and conditions that are common in other large dog breeds.

But ... stuff happens.

Why not help out a new greyhound owner by getting them a pet health insurance policy?

It's a gift of "peace of mind," knowing that the bulk of veterinarian costs are covered, If the dog comes to need surgery or other expensive medical care.

UGroom Curry Brush

The short sleek hair of the greyhound and the non-oily skin are a good thing when it comes to grooming -- a bath just a couple of times a year will do fine. The rest of the time, all that's needed is just to slick down the greyhound with a hound glove -- I use a rubber-type gel curry comb that is actually made for horses, but they do make almost identical ones for dogs.

There are two areas of grooming where a greyhound will need to get regular care, however: nails and teeth.

follopwing are some gift ideas to help a new greyhound owner take care of those long doggie toe nails, not to mention the notoriously bad teeth of the ex-racing greyhound.

Toss a few items into a bag or basket, along with a hound glove and some healthy homemade dog treats, and you've got yourself a nice little gift on a "greyhound spa day" theme!

When I adopted my first Greyhound, after a lifetime of mostly Lab-inspired rescue dogs as pets, it never crossed my mind that he wouldn't know how to play with a ball. Until I tossed him a ball... and, instead of snatching the ball out of the air, as most dogs would do, my greyhound just stared at me in baffled confusion as it bounced gently off his forehead.

A retired greyhound who's new off the track will often take a while to "become a real dog" in some ways, and to gain confidence in this strange new outside world enough to let down his guard and really play.

But if there's one thing a greyhound can't resist, it's a "stuffie" to hunt, kill, and cuddle!

Greyhounds are a hunting breed, so their hunting instincts come into play when they get hold of a stuffed toy, so that's a good choice of gift for a newly adopted greyhound -- preferably a good sturdy stuffed toy with a squeaker inside!

Tough chewing toys you can stuff with peanut butter or dog treats inside are also a popular gift for greyhound owners.

Bonus, the treat-dispensing toys like the big Kong Wobbler (we call it the "King KONG" around here) can help to keep a bored greyhound busy and out of trouble while his owner is gone to work.

Pretty much anything made by the Kong company will be a good choice for most greyhounds.

Whether you're on vacation or on a road trip, or just out for a day in the park, life is much easier for the greyhound owner who travels with a few essential items of portable dog gear. Consider these practical gift ideas for travelling with a dog:

• Water bottle / drinking bottle


• Folding bowl for food / water


• Fanny pack / small backpack


• Poop bags / poop bag holder


• Portable dog bed / blanket

Many dog owners, especially those who enjoy camping and hiking, find it useful to have a dog backpack so the dog can carry a bit of his own gear. I hesitate to recommend a dog backpack for new greyhound owners, however, as the long greyhound spine is not anatomically made to carry much weight and too heavy a load can lead to a serious injury. A small backpack or collar pack, just big enough that he can carry his own (fresh or filled) poop bags on a walk? I could go for that idea!

Greyhounds love the company of other greyhounds... and greyhound owners soon learn how hard it can be to stop at "only" one!