Greyhound Dog Breed

Information About Old Greyhounds

One day you look up at your Greyhound and realize that it's been over 10 years or more since you brought your cherished family member home. By the look of the silvered colors of the coat, the ever so slow movements he walks in, and the non-stop sleeping, you feel a sudden sadness in realizing that your once lightning fast and young Greyhound pup is now a very old dog whom needs extra care.

Their physical activity will have decreased so much that you will need to feed the dog fewer calories into his old age than previously. There are some breed of dog that need a special diet when they reach a certain age but most Greyhounds do not require any particular diet unless there is a medical need for it.

Feeding amounts during the day should differ slightly for the older Greyhound. For the most part in his early years, you probably fed the dog one heaping meal per day. Now that he is old, your Greyhound should be fed several smaller meals spaced out. If he has dental problems, as most older dogs do, then you can help him enjoy his meal easier by moistening up the dry food or feed him soft canned food all-together.

Keeping your Greyhound active in its old age is important, for both his mind and body. But you will have to adjust these activities to his age. For example, swimming and walking should take the place of running. And to keep him mind active, perhaps try to teach your dog new tricks periodically.

Do not be alarmed at the slight haziness that appears in an older dog's pupils. This is perfectly normal and does not have much negative affect on his vision as you might think. However, it is wise to have it checked by our vet because some dogs develop cataracts if they have diabetes. These cataracts can be safely removed by an operation from an experienced veterinarian.

One last word of caution: Older dogs may be experiencing hearing or vision loss so it is vital not to startle them by accident. Because its senses are impaired then it may snap at you in self defense when startled. Be gently, act gentle, and move gently.

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