New Greyhounds:
If your Greyhound has come straight from kennels you may not be sure what he's been fed on nor how often, so don't be surprised if he seems a little 'loose' for the first few days or is off his food whilst he is adjusting to his new home, routine and food.

Speed of eating:
If your new Greyhound bolts his food down it may be because he's had to in the kennels to stop other Greyhounds from taking it from him (the quick and the hungry!). If yours does, you will probably find that in time he will slow down when he realizes it's his food and no one will take it from him. If you are concerned then split his daily food allocation into say four and feed him a smaller amount four times a day to start with, then into three meals and finally to his normal two.

Food Additives:
Greyhounds have a unique physiology so you should feed them a good quality diet with as few chemical preservatives as possible. It is believed that over 50% of behavioural problems with dogs is attributed to the additives in their food, the same as is often said of children. Many dietary and behavioural problems with 'rescued' Greyhounds lie with their food so a good quality food with no artificial flavourings or preservatives, and no genetically modified ingredients is essential.

Feed less than 20% protein:
Retired Greyhounds should be fed a low protein complete dry mix food that is specially designed for retired and non-working Greyhounds. Working Greyhounds require high protein food that contains more than 20% protein so avoid anything higher than 20% protein as it is too much for pets and they may become hyperactive. Dry mix complete Greyhound food designed for retired, resting, overweight and injured greyhounds can be purchased from a variety of places including vets, pet shops, pet supplies or off the internet.

How often and quantity:
Feed twice a day with 'complete' food topped with some tinned meat, fish etc to give variety.
As a guide a Greyhound of about 70lbs (31 kilos) will want about 16 oz (454 grams) of dried complete food a day (please note this is an approximation because it very much depends upon the age of your Greyhound, how active he is and his general well being - but it is a good starting point).
If the food is served dry ensure he has plenty of fresh water to drink at all times.
If the food is served moist do NOT soak the food but add the warm water, gravy or weak tea and serve straight away so some is soft leaving the rest dry to give both a soft and crunchy meal.
If the food is served soaked a build-up of tartar will develop causing gum infections, bad teeth, smelly breath and possible long term liver and kidney problems - see Health & Physical Care for more information on oral hygiene.
Some Greyhounds prefer a smaller portion in the morning with a larger one late afternoon.
Food not eaten should be lifted and put in the fridge until the next meal time when it can be topped up and given again. Next day give slightly less until you find the right quantity your Greyhound needs to eat it all.
Never leave food down all day - grazing is a bad habit, attracts flies and allows the food to go sour.
If your Greyhound is leaving food ask why - is he being given too much? Are you giving him too many treats? Is he a fussy eater and doesn't like certain makes of food? Is he ill or anxious?

Unless your Greyhound is overweight it does no harm to feed him as much as he seems to wants to eat at first. If you do he will quickly become more relaxed about food and his environment. However, don't take this to the extreme because if he is slightly underweight when he arrives and you give him too much of a new diet it may upset his stomach. Likewise, it's easy to let him eat too much and in the case of a greedy dog he may start putting too much weight on.

Ideal weight and over weight:
The ideal weight for a Greyhound is when you can see his pin bones covered by muscle (the 'pin bones' are the little bones on top of the hips). If they stick up too high above the muscle then your Greyhound is underweight. If you can't see them or find it difficult to feel them your Greyhound is over weight.
Despite what many people think you should be able to see the outline of at least his last two ribs and the rest should be covered by muscle. If you can't see the ribs or only barely then your Greyhound is probably over weight.
If your Greyhound is over weight he will become more prone to illnesses, cancer and heart disease in addition to him feeling uncomfortable and awkward. Therefore reduce his weight. Greyhounds loose weight very quickly so if your Greyhound is overweight minimize his treats to say just one pig's ear a day and give him slightly less food each meal time and ensure he has his walks each day. You will be surprised how quick his weight falls off so be wary that his food level stays at the quantity he needs to maintain his optimum weight one he reaches it.

Fish Oils:
Fish oils are good for the brain, skin, hair and joints so it gives a nice glossy coat and will help his joints as he get older. This is important with ex-racing and working dogs who may have suffered injuries at some stage in their life before coming to you.
Cod Liver Oil:
A teaspoonful of cod liver oil with his food each morning is easy and cheap and they love it.
Tinned Pilchards, Sardines and Tuna:
Avoid the ones in brine but the others in oils and tomato sauce are ideal - just mix it in with his food two or three times a week.

Dried Pigs Ears:
Greyhounds love dried pigs ears to chew, although he may never have seen one in his previous environment. Dried pigs ears make a nice treat and helps reduce tartar thus assisting with dental health. One a day at lunch time settles him down for his afternoon siesta.

Feeding Bowls:
As Greyhounds have long legs its best to raise their dish off the floor slightly. This reduces pressure on the front legs as he leans down to feed and helps prevent digestive problems such as gastric torsion. If he had injuries to his front legs or shoulders before coming to live with you or if he's getting old his legs may shake with the strain if his dish isn't raised off the floor. Put his dish inside a deep dish or upturned bucket or you can use a step, block, low stool or chair instead. The ideal solution, however, are raised bowls that sits on a special stand. These can be adjusted to the height of your Greyhound and most come with two dishes, one for food and one for water. These stands and dishes can be purchased from pet shops or off the internet.

WARNING
*** NEVER feed your Greyhound at least an hour after strenuous exercise, nor let him run hard for at least an hour after feeding because it can be very dangerous. Greyhounds have deep chests and if fed too soon after running or ran too soon after feeding they could suffer from Bloat (twisting of the stomach), which can prove fatal, in some cases, within an hour and according to some research it is the second leading killer of Greyhounds, after cancer.