Guest driser Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 Ok, we thought we knew what Greyhound's low-energy meant, but then we got one. It's almost unnerving how much our guy sleeps. He excitedly plays with his stuffies in the morning after his initial trip to backyard to pee, but then after breakfast and going out to go poop he's content to sleep seemingly ALL DAY. I work from home so I'm home a lot and witness his laziness first hand. Then at night, when my husband gets home, after his initial bursts of energy from being happy that his pack is again complete he gets taken on a walk. He lounges around until dinner, but after dinner and his evening poop he literally grabs a stuffy and goes up to bed with or without us! Granted, we have a cat and he may be taking his cues from her, but are they all like this? Our cat who is hands down a lazy bum is SO sweet and now we have a dog who is also SO sweet, but equally a lazy bum! LOL We're curious to know how their energy levels vary from Grey to Grey. Also, should I wake him to take him out to pee mid-day or take him when he gets up himself?? Like right now, it's "time" but he's out cold on his bed in our bedroom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPDoggie Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 Ours sleep 18-20 hours a day... and my husband is home with them too. He will occasionally call me at 2pm to tell me the dogs have not moved from their beds yet (after being out at 6:30 and eaten at 8am) They have bursts of energy for 1.5min and then have to rest up for 6 hours! Quote Amy and Tim in Beverly, MA, with Chase and Always missing Kingsley (Drama King) and Ruby (KB's Bee Bopper). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheFullHouse Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 Just like people, you have some that are more active than others. Sometimes it's the age of the greyhound. A 2 year old has a lot more energy than a 6 or 7 year old. Sometimes it just depends on how much time the owner spends playing with the dogs. They're all different. I have 4 6 year old pups that love to play and they will run in the back yard until they get tired. I have others that play in short bursts and then some who don't go out and play at all. Those are my two senior girls and they just love to sleep. Quote Judy, mom to Darth Vader, Bandita, And Angel Forever in our hearts, DeeYoGee, Dani, Emmy, Andy, Heart, Saint, Valentino, Arrow, Gee, Bebe, Jilly Bean, Bullitt, Pistol, Junior, Sammie, Joey, Gizmo, Do Bee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yamaha_gurl Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 Your greyhound is 100% normal if that makes you feel any better Quote Greyhound Collars : www.collartown.ca Maggie (the human servant), with Miss Bella, racing name "A Star Blackieto" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieProf Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 (edited) Also, should I wake him to take him out to pee mid-day or take him when he gets up himself?? Like right now, it's "time" but he's out cold on his bed in our bedroom. I'm not an expert like some here, but I like to keep Beth more or less on a schedule (though the midday break may vary by an hour or so). I have to do it on leash, so I want to be the one deciding when to go out, and I don't want to skip it and then get interrupted at 3 p.m. or something by her finally deciding she needs to pee when we'd normally be going out again around 5:00. Or often I am going to be out for the afternoon and she has to have an outing before I leave. And generally to get her up I have to bribe her with yogurt or treats. It is amazing how fast that dog wakes up from a dead sleep when she hears the yogurt spoon clank on her metal bowl, or the rattle of dog biscuits in a bag. She is very lazy in the house most of the time (she tends to ramp up around 5:00), but often pretty rambunctious once she's on the walk and she runs hard most times we go to the dog park. Edited September 21, 2011 by PrairieProf Quote With Cocoa (DC Chocolatedrop), missing B for Beth (2006-2015)And kitties C.J., Klara, Bernadette, John-Boy, & Sinbad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krissy Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 Mine is willing to sleep 18 hours a day. But he's also equally happy to be awake 18 hours a day. It sort of depends on what is going on. Today I've been home all day and he's been asleep since after breakfast. Other days he's out and about with me for most of the day, then agility class, then a greyhound run, then a hike.... Greyhounds really are the best. If you don't have time to exercise them a lot they'll sleep all day. If you want to be active they'll be active with you. There is some individual variation of course. Some really just never get off the couch! Quote Kristie and the Apex Agility Greyhounds: Kili (ATChC AgMCh Lakilanni Where Eagles Fly RN IP MSCDC MTRDC ExS Bronze ExJ Bronze ) and Kenna (Lakilanni Kiss The Sky RN MADC MJDC AGDC AGEx AGExJ). Waiting at the Bridge: Retired racer Summit (Bbf Dropout) May 5, 2005-Jan 30, 2019 Like us on Facebook! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christinepi Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 We're on our first grey, too. We've had him for 1.5 years. He's almost 5. It still amazes me how much he just lies around. He doesn't play with toys; he rarely does zoomies in the (big) back yard; he never goes to the dog park (we tried a number of times--just not his thing); he never plays with other greys (hardly any around, and the few times we've tried, he barely looked at them); he gets 2 40-50 minute walks a day, and the rest of the day he's horizontal and if anything on him moves, it it's the eyeballs only. We're home most of the day, so we have some entertainment value, but other than that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest driser Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 Your greyhound is 100% normal if that makes you feel any better Yes, yes it does! Thank you!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racindog Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 (edited) Most of mine are/have been like that too. I chalk it up to being a HOUND dog. I love it. They sleep all day for the most part while I'm gone and then are ready to go to bed a few hours after I get home. Many do just like yours and if I'm up past the usual "bedtime" they just go back to my bed/bedroom where they sleep and get in their "spot" and go to bed without me. It is so cute. The other evening I found alll 3 of them in their spot in the bedroom where they had gone to bed for the night. What really tickles me is that some of them even "fuss" with me to give them their nightly bedtime snack at the usual time so they're not late getting to bed! Edited September 21, 2011 by racindog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wonder Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 Sounds normal Quote Kari and the pups.Run free sweet Hana 9/21/08-9/12/10. Missing Sparks with every breath.Passion 10/16/02-5/25/17 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeofNE Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 Sounds like the dog I WISH I had asked for... If he doesn't even wake up when you come home for lunch, he clearly doesn't have to go, and if he's making it for the work day, why bother him? No reason you SHOULDN'T wake him up, if you want to, and take him out, but if he doesn't need to go, I see no reason. My former neighbor had a Bulldog they had to shake awake every morning 'cause that dog could sleep longer and deeper than any animal I've ever met! Not having slept past 6 AM in the years since I got my own dog (vs. family pet), I can only dream of the days of sleeping in! My dog jumps up almost every time I move--it gets very annoying. I requested "high energy." Oh yeah, and he's NINE and his behavior is no different now than it was when he was 5. Quote Susan, Hamish, Mister Bigglesworth and Nikita Stanislav. Missing Ming, George, and Buck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest driser Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 We don't have a fenced yard so he doesn't have the luxury of running free often. We went to the dog park 1x but between the rough and tumble Great Dane and unneutered Pit we decided against going in. How long should his walk(s) be? To be honest, he acts like he ran a marathon after just a 20 min walk. Do their exercise needs vary as well?? Also, should I wake him to take him out to pee mid-day or take him when he gets up himself?? Like right now, it's "time" but he's out cold on his bed in our bedroom. I'm not an expert like some here, but I like to keep Beth more or less on a schedule (though the midday break may vary by an hour or so). I have to do it on leash, so I want to be the one deciding when to go out, and I don't want to skip it and then get interrupted at 3 p.m. or something by her finally deciding she needs to pee when we'd normally be going out again around 5:00. Or often I am going to be out for the afternoon and she has to have an outing before I leave. And generally to get her up I have to bribe her with yogurt or treats. It is amazing how fast that dog wakes up from a dead sleep when she hears the yogurt spoon clank on her metal bowl, or the rattle of dog biscuits in a bag. She is very lazy in the house most of the time (she tends to ramp up around 5:00), but often pretty rambunctious once she's on the walk and she runs hard most times we go to the dog park. I heard him rustling upstairs so I clicked his leash to see if he would come down to go out. Yep, he needed to pee. But where is he now? Back upstairs on his bedtime bed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieProf Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 (edited) We don't have a fenced yard so he doesn't have the luxury of running free often. We went to the dog park 1x but between the rough and tumble Great Dane and unneutered Pit we decided against going in. How long should his walk(s) be? To be honest, he acts like he ran a marathon after just a 20 min walk. Do their exercise needs vary as well?? Also, should I wake him to take him out to pee mid-day or take him when he gets up himself?? Like right now, it's "time" but he's out cold on his bed in our bedroom. I'm not an expert like some here, but I like to keep Beth more or less on a schedule (though the midday break may vary by an hour or so). I have to do it on leash, so I want to be the one deciding when to go out, and I don't want to skip it and then get interrupted at 3 p.m. or something by her finally deciding she needs to pee when we'd normally be going out again around 5:00. Or often I am going to be out for the afternoon and she has to have an outing before I leave. And generally to get her up I have to bribe her with yogurt or treats. It is amazing how fast that dog wakes up from a dead sleep when she hears the yogurt spoon clank on her metal bowl, or the rattle of dog biscuits in a bag. She is very lazy in the house most of the time (she tends to ramp up around 5:00), but often pretty rambunctious once she's on the walk and she runs hard most times we go to the dog park. I heard him rustling upstairs so I clicked his leash to see if he would come down to go out. Yep, he needed to pee. But where is he now? Back upstairs on his bedtime bed! I don't have a yard either (well a tiny, rocky one -- Beth will dash around when the ground is covered by snow but not otherwise) and I do personally believe greyhounds need to run for their fullest physical and emotional health -- though I'll confess Beth was fine on restriction almost all summer as she recovered after a toe amputation caused by an unfortunate running injury. We go the park about 3x a week early in the mornings when there's a small compatible group -- I wouldn't go with a large number of random dogs. Or you can often find other unofficial fenced areas if you look. Or arrange a greyhound playdate with others in the area. I think people will tell you their walking needs vary. And what they can take varies with the weather, too -- in hot weather Beth would be exhausted after twenty minutes. But when it's cool she can do 45 mins. or an hour easily. In non-hot weather conditions we do at LEAST half an hour twice a day, not counting shorter potty walks. But she's in shape, not overweight, etc. Edited September 21, 2011 by PrairieProf Quote With Cocoa (DC Chocolatedrop), missing B for Beth (2006-2015)And kitties C.J., Klara, Bernadette, John-Boy, & Sinbad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OwnedBySummer Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 (edited) I run with a greyhound friend during the week and with a greyhound playgroup on weekends. I'm not a dog park person. Well, luckily I don't need to be with all the greyhounds around here. We have portable "gates" that we use to block of the two entrances to the diamond(s) and then let 'er rip. Perhaps you could also make some gates and let your pup run in a diamond? If you don't have other greys to play with, I find they are often very willing to chase a ball launched from a Chuck-It -- the company makes a tennis-ball sized ball which WHISTLES in the air. Of course, don't expect the ball to be brought back! Edited September 21, 2011 by OwnedBySummer Quote Lisa B. My beautiful Summer - to her forever home May 1, 2010 Summer Certified therapy dog team with St. John Ambulance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndyandHollyluv Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 (edited) Wow. Seriously? Perhaps my greyhounds are not really greyhounds? Of the four I have adopted, none have been "sleepyheads." Two total velcro dogs; two relatively independent -- but none sleep the day away. Perhaps because they do not have furniture privileges? Funny thing is that my oldest hound (who will be 13 in December) follows me EVERYWHERE. Whenever I get up and go into another room even for a quick second he cannot "stay" where he is. Poor old soul can't seem to rest until I settle in for the night. Literally runs into me on a daily basis because he is usually right behind me. Edited September 21, 2011 by IndyandHollyluv Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerlinsMum Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 Sounds like the dog I WISH I had asked for... My dog jumps up almost every time I move--it gets very annoying. I requested "high energy." Oh yeah, and he's NINE and his behavior is no different now than it was when he was 5. Yup - that's my Sagan - jumps up the minute I even LOOK like I'm getting up Rarely falls into a deep sleep during the day, even after meals. And paces. But I love him to bits He's just Merlin's polar opposite. Merlin would sleep all day if he could. Getting him up from his bed in the morning (or the couch in the evening, to get him to go out for a last pee) takes us about 10 full minutes. That's 10 minutes of calling, and calling, and calling, until we finally give up and have to literally PUSH him off the bed/couch How long have you had him? It could well be his personality, in fact it's highly likely, but keep in mind that sleeping a lot may also be part of his response to finding himself in a new environment. Change is tiring. Quote Kerry with Lupin in beautiful coastal Maine. Missing Pippin, my best friend and sweet little heart-healer 2013-2023 Also missing the best wizard in the world, Merlin, and my sweet 80lb limpet, Sagan, every single day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lukasmom Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 I think greyhound puppies are born tired! Mine sleep almost all day except for trips outside to go potty and to give my Mom kisses. I have a 11 1/2 year old Fox Terrier who does not sleep at all during the day unless he is crated. He will not lay down and take naps. He is on duty until he is crated in the evening when I have my parrots out. I have two extremes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest FijiHound Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 I don't usually see Nugget 'sleep' but she stays on her bed practically ALL day and ALL night. Her eyes just follow you around. If the other dogs are barking outside she'll leap up to go have a look She also lets you know when she doesn't want to go for a walk. As soon as we slide off her house collar she knows her walking collar is going to be put on she will then either do a zoomie around the house because she's excited to go OR climb into bed and press her head into the pillow you literally have to pick her head up as she's pushing it down against you to slide her walking collar on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sheila Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 I can't believe nobody has posted this famous video yet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest driser Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 I can't believe nobody has posted this famous video yet! We love that video and watched in many many times before we adopted a Grey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christinepi Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 We don't have a fenced yard so he doesn't have the luxury of running free often. We went to the dog park 1x but between the rough and tumble Great Dane and unneutered Pit we decided against going in. How long should his walk(s) be? To be honest, he acts like he ran a marathon after just a 20 min walk. Do their exercise needs vary as well?? Also, should I wake him to take him out to pee mid-day or take him when he gets up himself?? Like right now, it's "time" but he's out cold on his bed in our bedroom. I'm not an expert like some here, but I like to keep Beth more or less on a schedule (though the midday break may vary by an hour or so). I have to do it on leash, so I want to be the one deciding when to go out, and I don't want to skip it and then get interrupted at 3 p.m. or something by her finally deciding she needs to pee when we'd normally be going out again around 5:00. Or often I am going to be out for the afternoon and she has to have an outing before I leave. And generally to get her up I have to bribe her with yogurt or treats. It is amazing how fast that dog wakes up from a dead sleep when she hears the yogurt spoon clank on her metal bowl, or the rattle of dog biscuits in a bag. She is very lazy in the house most of the time (she tends to ramp up around 5:00), but often pretty rambunctious once she's on the walk and she runs hard most times we go to the dog park. I heard him rustling upstairs so I clicked his leash to see if he would come down to go out. Yep, he needed to pee. But where is he now? Back upstairs on his bedtime bed! Tracker's like that, too. We live on the Ca coast where it's rarely above 64 degrees in "summer". So heat's not an issue. Still, Tracker will enjoy trotting like a madman for pretty much exactly 20 minutes only and then behave just like you described. But every dog's different, as posters have said. We have the luxury of a fenced in 2 acre field to our name. The few times we took Tracker there, unhooked his leash and expected a spectacle to unfold, we were sorely disappointed. He would stand by the gate and not leave there. So we walked down the field figuring he might follow and gather momentum. No such luck. He BEGRUDGINGLY started walking in our direction once we were a good 60 yards away ("why are you making me do this??"). And he walked as slowly as he could, too. It was hilarious. By now we figure that's how he wants it, and that's fine. Even adding a visiting greyhound made no difference. They just walked off in different directions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest driser Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 Sounds like the dog I WISH I had asked for... My dog jumps up almost every time I move--it gets very annoying. I requested "high energy." Oh yeah, and he's NINE and his behavior is no different now than it was when he was 5. Yup - that's my Sagan - jumps up the minute I even LOOK like I'm getting up Rarely falls into a deep sleep during the day, even after meals. And paces. But I love him to bits He's just Merlin's polar opposite. Merlin would sleep all day if he could. Getting him up from his bed in the morning (or the couch in the evening, to get him to go out for a last pee) takes us about 10 full minutes. That's 10 minutes of calling, and calling, and calling, until we finally give up and have to literally PUSH him off the bed/couch How long have you had him? It could well be his personality, in fact it's highly likely, but keep in mind that sleeping a lot may also be part of his response to finding himself in a new environment. Change is tiring. We got him in late June. And his first 2.5 months were ROUGH; hookworm and on/off diarrhea. We dosed 3 times for hookworm and have found a food that gives us good poops so he's really just started his healthy life with us (poor guy had a rough start here). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest greytgrandma Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 Hot Rod is an extreme napper too.He can nap anywhere, in the car, at a meet & greet,at the reunion picnic. When he is here he will get up and follow me to whatever room I go to. But when he gets to that room he will plop down and just follow me with his eyes untill he cant keep them open any longer. You can even throw him a treat and if he can reach it without lifting his head he will lay there out flat and eat it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robinw Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 I can't believe nobody has posted this famous video yet! i just got the link for that Quote Xavi the galgo and Peter the cat. Missing Iker the galgo ?-Feb.9/19, Treasure (USS Treasure) April 12/01-May 6/13, Phoenix (Hallo Top Son) Dec.14/99-June 4/11 and Loca (Reko Swahili) Oct.9/95 - June 1/09, Allen the boss cat, died late November, 2021, age 19. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Iceman41 Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 Post it again it won't load is it a utube video? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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