Greyhounds are a graceful dog breed with a slim, aerodynamic build. These dogs were built for speed; they have narrow heads and slender legs which made them an ideal working-dog back in the day. But how big does the average greyhound get and how quickly do they reach full adult maturity? I spent some time researching greyhounds and the breed standard. I would like to share the information and data I pulled together here today.

So, how big do greyhounds get? The average greyhound will reach between 25-30 inches in height, reaching its full physical maturity in around 18 months from birth. Male greyhounds are slightly heavier, ranging from 55-85 pounds at full adult weight compared to females who typically range between 55-70 pounds.

Factors that can influence their final and overall size include a combination of genetics, health, nutrition, and sleep.

Greyhounds are not an energetic breed. In fact, they are quite lazy, and they like to spend most of their day napping. They are, after all, sprinters and not distance runners.

Despite their large size, greyhounds do not require much space. Greyhounds can live quite happily in an apartment as much as in a large house with a spacious garden.

Greyhounds may well be low-energy dogs, but they do like a daily walk. If these dogs don’t get sufficient exercise, they are likely to become bored, which can lead to destructive behavior.

Let us now take a closer look at a greyhounds general size so you can get a better understanding and set your expectations if you do decide to adopt one.

Average Greyhound Height, Weight, And Size

Greyhound are considered to be a large dog breed; reaching their full height and frame within 18 months following their birth.

They generally reach between 25-30 inches in height, regardless of the sex, although males are generally heavier at their final weight.

There are actually two different types of greyhounds, and they do vary by a fraction in size.

Racing greyhounds are generally slightly smaller (25-29 inches), whereas show greyhounds are slightly larger (26-30 inches) in height by the time they are adults. It is a marginal difference but one to be aware of nonetheless.

Of course these numbers are general averages, and there are always exceptions.

The height and frame of a dog is largely dependent on their genes and what they inherit from their parents. This assumes there is nothing wrong with their growth plates, or they are damaged before they fully formed at around 12 months (59 weeks) of age.

Weight on the other hand can be more easily influenced through lifestyle factors; most importantly diet and exercise.

Greyhounds can become overweight if fed an inappropriate diet and not provided with sufficient exercise.

Retired racing dogs tend to more susceptible as they reduce their former activity.

Excess weight can be an issue with this breed; even five pounds over the breeds standard is more than enough to lead to health problems.

It is therefore essential that you feed your greyhound a proper diet without too many treats and inappropriate foods. Its best to liaise with a vet to ascertain the right serving sizes and frequencies.

Owning a large dog breed, such as the greyhound, comes with more responsibility than dogs of other size categories.

Obedience training is more critical to a large-sized dog than a smaller breed, because of course, there is more potential for danger and they can be harder to control.

Large dogs will also eat more and may require more veterinary care than smaller breeds, which is costly.

One condition to be aware of which seems to affect the greyhound more than in other breeds is hypothyroidism.

This can cause lethargy, weight gain, and a general lack of thirst for life.

While it can be treated with medication; and usually resolves these symptoms, it is important to keep them at a healthy weight and to ensure they are able and willing to exercise as required.

The greyhound, despite their large size, is not an exuberant dog. But they are happiest when well trained and kept occupied.

When Is A Greyhound Fully Grown?

Greyhound puppies are adorable but can be a challenge to raise. They are not hyperactive, but they are full of energy, and they generally will not calm down until they reach 18 months old.

As your puppy grows, you’ll see them get stronger, faster, and larger – you will wonder where did all that time go? In the end, you’ll end up with a relatively large dog that is relatively calm and easy going.

Greyhounds may appear to go through an explosive growth phase in the early months of life, however, compared to other dogs they can be considered slower-growing.

Some dogs reach physical maturity in 12 months, but as a large dog, the greyhound will take up to 18-24 months to fully develop – both in height and in weight. Usually, height comes first and weight stabilizes thereafter.

Below we will take a look at the respective growth rates of both male and female greyhounds:

Growth of a Male Greyhound

The weight of a male greyhound at 3 months should be between 22 and 31 lbs (pounds).
At 6 months, they will likely weigh between 42 and 58 lbs (pounds).
At 1 year, a male greyhound should weigh between 55 and 80 lbs (pounds).

Age	Weight – Low Average (lbs)	Weight – High Average (lbs)
3 Months	22	31
4 Months	28	39
5 Months	35	50
6 Months	42	55
7 Months	46	59
8 Months	50	70
9 Months	52	74
10 Months	55	77
11 Months	55	79
12 Months	55	80
13 Months	55	82
14 Months	55	83
15 Months	55	84
16 Months	55	85

Growth of a Female Greyhound

The weight of a female greyhound at 3 months should be between 22 and 27 lbs (pounds).
At 6 months, they will likely weigh between 41 and 52 lbs (pounds).
At 1 year, a female greyhound should weigh between 55 and 70 lbs (pounds).

Age	Weight – Low Average (lbs)	Weight – High Average (lbs)
3 Months	22	27
4 Months	28	35
5 Months	37	44
6 Months	41	52
7 Months	44	55
8 Months	48	59
9 Months	50	63
10 Months	52	66
11 Months	54	68
12 Months	55	70
13 Months	55	71
14 Months	55	72
15 Months	55	73
16 Months	55	74

As you will see, the weight of a greyhound of the same age can vary by quite a bit but can still fall within the breed standards healthy range.

When Do Greyhounds Mentally Mature?

If you adopted your greyhound as a puppy, you will notice your dog mentally maturing as they get older. This will coincide with a change in behaviors.

It takes time for greyhound puppies to mentally mature, even after they have reached their adult size.

So, you can expect a young greyhound to still behave somewhat until they are 2-3 years of age.

This is why training is essential for a greyhound puppy. Otherwise, they can continue unruly behaviors which will be harder to eradicate further down the line. Being big dogs, they could even knock you flat.

Some take this further, and you may even see recommendations for greyhound puppies to be taken on by experienced dog owners. For families with young children, adult greyhounds are sometimes a better option.

Nonetheless, in time your greyhound will naturally mature. Let’s discuss some of the signs to look out for that suggest a greyhound has left their puppy years behind:

Not As Destructive

A bored dog of any age well chew on things they should not. Thankfully, this destructive behavior tends to lessen as your puppy becomes an adult.

This usually happens when their adult teeth come in and they don’t feel the need to explore their environment as much as when they were young.

For this reason, you should puppy-proof your house and provide suitable chew toys during their early months. You should also teach them what objects are not appropriate to chew so that they can learn as they age.

Eating Less

Puppies often devour their food very quickly; however, as they reach adulthood, their appetite naturally decreases.

Puppies need all the calories they can get for growth. However, this requirement soon reduces as they reach their adult size. In this case, too many calories only make them overweight.

It’s best to consult your vet about when you should transition your puppy to adult food or change their diet. Generally, puppy and adult greyhounds require different food – and the serving sizes and frequencies should be adjusted accordingly.

Fewer Accidents

As your puppy ages, they will get better at holding their urine and feces for longer. They’ll also know when and where to go; if trained effectively.

You will notice less house spoiling. Very young puppies need to relieve themselves quite often, and this does reduce somewhat as they age.

Although dogs need frequent bathroom breaks throughout their entire life, and you should continue to let them out frequently even into adulthood. Its good for you, and its good for them.

Sexually Mature

Greyhounds reach sexual maturity between 18 to 24 months of age. Your dog will exhibit certain behaviors that reveal he is in this stage of life.

Male greyhounds tend to lift their leg to pee a lot and become more responsive to females in heat.

When females go into heat, they usually have bloody vaginal discharge, they appear more anxious than usual, and their appetite changes.

An owner should strongly consider spaying or neutering their dog during this time. However, its always best to talk openly with your vet and seek their opinions. They will also let you know an appropriate age of getting this prejudice done.

Acting Differently

As dog’s age, they begin to test boundaries with their owners.

Owners start to see aggression in their dogs between 18 and 36 months.

You must stay on top of any unwanted behavior. Encourage good habits from your greyhound from an early age using positive reinforcement techniques and using praise and healthy treats.

Less Playful

When a young greyhound reaches adulthood, they will start to lose interest in playtime.

While your adult dog might still enjoy a good chase now and again, they will be a lot calmer.

Some dogs seem to never grow out of the puppy phase, or do so very slowly. Sometimes this is just their personality and can sometimes be confused with a lack of mental maturity.

What Contributes To Greyhound Size?

Proper nutrition from an early age will help your greyhound puppy reach their full adult size.

Male adult greyhounds should get 2.5 to 4 cups of top-quality dry food a day, and it should be divided into two meals. Female adult greyhounds should get 1.5 to 3 cups.

How much your adult greyhound eats depends on their size, build, metabolism, activity level, and age.

Greyhounds are not that active as adults, generally speaking, but there will always be some that move more.

With this in mind, all dogs are different to some extent, and they don’t all need the exact same amount of dog food.

A more active dog needs more food than a layabout.

The quality of dog food also makes a difference. If you purchase good quality dog food, it will go a long way in nourishing your dog, and your dog won’t typically need as much to get the nutrition they need.

Measuring food, sticking to regular meal patterns and avoiding innapropriate treats are advised.

If you think your dog may be overweight, you can run a couple of tests to check. An eye-test, followed by a hands-on test is a good way to check.

To begin the eye-test, look down at your greyhound – you should see their waist.

Then, put your hands on their back, thumbs going along their spine, with your fingers downward.

If your dog is a healthy weight, you should be able to feel but not see their ribs without pressing too hard.

If you cannot feel their ribs, it is likely that they are overweight. In this instance, you will likely need to provide less food or consider changing their feed. It sometimes makes sense to exercise them more.

However, it is important that you exercise your greyhound appropriately respective of their age. A puppy requires less activity, especially rigorous, and you need to be careful not to damage their growth plates. This can lead to pain and even stunted growth.

Ultimately, its important to take the best care of your greyhound, monitor them closely, and get them regularly examined by a vet.

This will help to keep them in a healthy condition; while they are growing and as they enter adulthood.

Finally

Greyhounds are a large dog breed and are very docile, calm, and somewhat lazy as adults. Puppies, on the other hand, are very energetic and can be a challenge to live with at first. Many owners report that they can be quite destructive while young.

To bring a greyhound puppy into a home takes work, and it helps to have previous experience. With this breed you need to be careful especially if you have young children.

Greyhounds do not take many months to reach their expected height and weight, but they do take a little longer to reach complete mental maturity.

The importance of dog training for a large dog breed like the greyhound cannot be overstated.

Training helps these large dog breeds understand how to behave and what is and is not permitted. Always ensure that positive reinforcement techniques are used and never resort to punishment.

In the end, you should have a calm and gentle dog that thrives off the love and affection you provide.

How Big Do Greyhounds Get? [Average Height, Weight and Size]