What Do Greyhounds Eat?

Greyhounds are beautiful and peculiar dogs. Gentle, shy, and swift, they were bred to be racers and so it’s only natural to wonder… what do Greyhounds eat?

Greyhounds do best on a mix of kibble and fresh meat – especially with a dash of vegetable oil to help keep their coat nice and shiny. Though they are thin dogs, they are also tall, and they need about 1500 calories per day to stay happy, healthy, and full.

Since you’ve asked, we’re happy today to tell you a little more about what your Grey can eat, as well as what they can’t eat, and we’ll even share some ‘Greycipes’ that you can feed to your own dog. Let’s tal about Greyhounds and their diets!

To start off, it’s good to have a general idea of your Greyhounds nutritional requirements. The fast dogs are still big dogs and aside from swift feet, they also have swift metabolisms. So, how does this look from a nutritional profile?

Well, basically it breaks to your average 60-pound Greyhound requiring approximately 1500 calories per day. The ideal protein and fat ratio is around 28 to 30% protein, along with 15% fat, and a 5% dash of fiber thrown in for good measure and regular potty health.

An easy diet would be to take 500 grams of human-grade meat and 4 cups of kibble, and then twice a day feeding your Grey 2 cups of kibble and 250 grams of meat. Easy-peasy. This will help to ensure that they are getting enough nutrition and it helps to reduce the headache of dragging math ad percentages into it.

In regards to snacks, a good general rule is that they should only make up about 10% of your Greyhounds daily caloric intake. Stick to that and the simple meal plan and you should have a happy, healthy Grey.

Can greyhounds eat raw chicken?

Dogs of all shapes and sizes love raw meat, but is it really safe for them? Well, provided that they are well within their ‘consume by’ dates or preferably fresh from the butcher if you have one close, then raw meats are not only fine but especially recommended with Greyhounds.

Chicken is certainly a favorite and perfectly fine, and cattle, lamb, and turkey are good too, and your Grey will appreciate parts like hearts, livers, kidneys, and in the case of chickens, even feet (although the sound is a little unsettling).

Opinions differ on the amount per day, with some sources stating 300 grams, while others say that 500 grams a day is better. We tend to agree with the 500-gram recommendation, separated into 2 portions a day to go with 2 cups of dry kibble, and this will make for a properly fed and bouncy Grey.

Buying meat bulk is one option, but you can also get ‘throwaway’ portions of meat at a discount if you make friends with your local butcher, and this is also a great way to get massive, fresh bones for chewing as well – just a little something to think about!

What human food can greyhounds eat?

This part of our article needs a quick little preface in the form of a reminder – snacks should only be 10% of your Greyhounds daily caloric intake – no matter what your Grey has to say about this matter. A thin Greyhound is completely normal – they’re supposed to look that way – so don’t let your Grey beg their way to obesity.

That said, the best foods are primarily cooked meats, with the bones removed if they are small, pointy, or hollow (as with chickens). Small bones can break and get caught in the trachea and while it doesn’t happen often, sometimes when it does then ONCE is enough, if you get our meaning.

Most vegetables are going to be okay as well, and you’ll be surprised how much your Grey will like them. Things like broccoli, carrots, and even sweet potatoes are known favorites, and some Greys even love a little raw cucumber with vinaigrette – which they’ll chew, make a face, and then dive down for more!

Try to avoid fatty and overly spicy foods, however, as Greys have fairly weak stomachs, and if you aren’t careful then your dog could quickly get nausea, diarrhea, or a plan, old stomach. Use your best judgement and Google anything you aren’t sure about – just to be on the safe side.

The Greyhound breakfast of champions (with bonus lunch recommendations)

Greyhounds LOVE to run, but with great power comes great brunch requirements. Just in case you were wondering what the racing Greys like to eat, we’ve got a sample breakfast to share with you that you can do whatever you like with.

This is included for fun, but it is also helpful for concocting your own special Grey meals when you feel like making sure your buddy is eating the best. Here’s a good sample ‘breakfast of champions’ for that special dog in your life. Let’s look at the ‘DDT’:

Dry oatmeal – One handful of dry oatmeal (or porridge, depending on where you’re at) will add some useful niacin and thiamine into your dog’s diet.
Dry kibble – Pick 2 cups of kibble, with a protein content just under 20% — no more.
Toast – Add 1 piece of toast, ripped up into 4 or 5 pieces

Put these together into a bowl and add a splash of freshly boiled water, a dash of vegetable oil, and stir it a bit and let i2 sit for 2 to 3 minutes. Serve warm and your dog will love it!

For lunch, Racing Greys love themselves a little spice-free doggy goulash. Mix approximately 250 to 300 grams of their favorite meat with some cooked pasta and a little of their favorite veggies. Leave out the onions, however, as these are toxic to dogs (more on this shortly). It takes a little extra time, but Grey Goulash is the good stuff!

What can Greyhounds not eat?

We’ve mentioned that onions are off the menu, but there are a number of other foods that range from ‘stomachache’ to ‘potentially lethal’ that you need to know about to avoid unintentionally harming your furry best friend. Let’s take a look at some known no-nos when it comes to your dog’s diet:

Grapes – Grapes are toxic, as weird as it sounds. We didn’t know why until recently, but they contain tartaric acid in them, and while we can eat it dogs, cats, and many other animals can actually DIE from eating them. This includes raisins and the fancier-named ‘currants’ – If your dog eats grapes, raisins, or currants, get them to the vet NOW.
Alliums – Alliums include a lot of plants, but for today we’ll focus on common members of this family such as garlic, leeks, and onions. These are toxic for your dog and 100 grams might kill a 45 pound Greyhound!
Rhubarb – Rhubarb is suspicious to begin with, provided what it does to humans if we don’t cook it. As such, don’t let your dog have any, even the cooked variety, as it’s quite toxic for canines.
Wild mushrooms – Unless you REALLY know what you are doing, wild mushrooms are too much of a wildcard to feed to your dog. Store bought mushrooms, however, are perfectly safe if your dog just has to have some truffles. Just keep the amounts small with said truffles, because too many can cause skin irritation.

Will the wrong food make my Greyhound poop a lot?

Greys don’t exactly have what you would call a ‘cast iron stomach’. A bit too much grease, some pilfered cat food, or a little too much cheese can lead to stomach discomfort, vomiting, diarrhea, and more. This means that you will need to be a little picky for your dog and learn to say ‘no’ from time to time.

While that’s hard to do when they give you ‘that look’, until you get a good idea of their stomach sensitivity, it’s best to err on the safe side. That said, normally your dog should poop 1 to 5 times per day, and they usually produce around the same amount each day unless their diet is basically ‘chaos’.

This means if your dog is pooping excessively, then you need to consider if you’ve recently changed their food, if they might be pilfering snacks from the kitty’s bowl, or if someone in the house is feeding them on the sly.

If this is not the case then check in with your vet just to rule out any health conditions, but don’t worry overmuch – Greys have sensitive tummies and lightning-fast digestion, so every now and again a ‘poopfest’ is bound to occur. It just shouldn’t be a regular thing. Watch for a day and get the vet involved if it continues.

Some closing words

A Greyhound’s diet isn’t all that different from most other breeds, they just need a little bit of tweaking to make their food a ‘higher octane’ form of nourishment that is a better fit for maintaining their speed and sleek physiques.

An easy way to do it is two feedings daily, with 2 cups of kibble and 250 grams of meat per serving, and also to keep an eye on grapes and onions – as these can actually be lethal. Beyond this, just keep snacks down to 10% of their daily calories and don’t let them have spicy food.

They might love the spice, but their stomachs will have something very different to say!