How to feed a retired Greyhound

So you’ve decided to welcome a Greyhound into your home – congratulations! Despite their incredible speed on the track, once retired these lean racing machines are actually soppy couch potatoes, perfectly content with an hour’s walk each day followed up by lots of cuddles on the sofa.

Now it’s time to think about their diet. What’s the best food to feed a retired Greyhound? Their new lifestyle doesn’t require anywhere near the amount of calories they need to race, but there are some key nutrients that are still really important.

Protein power

It’s a common misconception that because their retirement brings such a change of pace, Greyhounds need a low protein diet to keep them healthy. During their career, Greyhounds are usually fed on very high protein diets (that’s anything over 30%) to maintain muscle mass and energy. 

Once they’re retired, you might think they need to cut all that protein out. Actually, all healthy dogs – including ex-racers of any breed – need a minimum amount of protein in their diet in order to maintain a healthy body.

Naturally, they won’t need as much protein once retired, but if protein levels are reduced too much (any less than 18%), it can have an impact on things such as skin and coat, and lead to nutritional deficiencies in the long term. This is true for any breed of dog, so it’s important to feed a balanced diet with a healthy mix of protein, fat, carbohydrate, vitamins and minerals.

Which food to choose?

Any nutritionally complete food will contain everything your Greyhound needs to stay happy and healthy – this could be dry food, wet food, or a mix of both. 

Your vet or vet nurse will be able to give you some more information on the right food for your Greyhound, and you can also speak to the Food and Health Team at tails.com if you want to find out how tailored food could support your dog.