Exercise and Enrichment
Greyhounds need both physical and mental stimulation to stay happy and well-adjusted. Learn how much exercise they actually need, where to walk them, and what enrichment activities work best.
The benefits of a walk
Slow down and give your greyhound time to use their amazing sense of smell to explore the environment. Although walks provide physical exercise, walks should also allow enough time for mental stimulation.
- Sniffing is calming: Studies show sniffing lowers the pulse rate and promotes calmness
- Reduce stress: Sniffing reduces stress and lowers cortisol levels - the stress hormone
- Promotes wellbeing: Important for mental and emotional wellbeing - provides an outlet for natural behaviour
- Choice, freedom and agency: The freedom to choose to stop and sniff helps dogs feel more in control of their environment and builds self confidence
- Reduces cognitive decline: Sniffing different things and interpreting that information requires mental effort which helps reduce cognitive decline.
How often should I walk my greyhound?
Although greyhounds are the fastest breed of dog, they achieve their incredible speed in one all out sprint and do not have a lot of endurance. For this reason, greyhounds require less exercise than breeds of dogs and are generally happy with one or two short walks per day of around 15-20 minutes. If you intend to walk your greyhound for longer periods, you will need to start at 20 minutes and gradually build up their stamina.
Where should I walk my greyhound?
Greyhounds have often not had recall training so ensure you walk your greyhound with a good quality lead under effective control. Due to your greyhound's speed, retractable leads are not recommended as they can cause injury to you, your dog, other people and animals.
Remember your greyhound must be kept on a leash at all times when in public. While there are off-leash dog parks in Victoria, it is illegal for greyhounds to be offleash in them.
There are also many greyhound walking groups around Victoria which is a great way to socialise for all involved. You can find groups listed in the Walks tab, found here: https://gap.grv.org.au/news-events/upcoming-events
What about other mental enrichment?
Soft toys, puzzle toys with food treats, daily exercise and training are essential in creating a mentally enriching environment for your greyhound.
Toys could include chew toys, rope toys or kongs (rubber dog toys in which food can be hidden). Other activities you may include are hiding small amounts of food around the outdoor area for the greyhound to find or freeze a treat in an ice block (water or stock) for the greyhound to lick and chew (also good for cooling in summer!).
Remember to avoid feeding immediately before or after exercise.
Meet our dogs ready for adoption
All greyhounds adopted from GAP are de-sexed, vaccinated, microchipped, wormed and health checked.

Tiger

Elzar

Maui

Audrea

Indy ARP
Indy is a pretty girl with a gentle, easy-going nature that makes her a pleasure to be around. Quiet, calm and polite, she is sweet, friendly and affectionate, with a lovely habit of seeking eye contact and looking to her people for guidance. Confident without being over-the-top, Indy is easy to handle, walks nicely on lead and is always eager to please.
While Indy enjoys canine company, she prefers polite and placid dogs who respect her space, particularly male dogs. She is not a fan of boisterous dogs rushing up to her and may also be perfectly happy as the only dog in the home. Indy may suit a family with children aged 10 years and older who can appreciate her gentle nature. With her kind heart, good manners and loving personality, Indy is sure to make a wonderful companion.
This greyhound is part of our Assisted Rehoming Program (ARP). Through this program, greyhounds stay with their current owners while they wait to find their perfect forever home.
If you're interested in adopting this dog, we'll arrange for them to come into GAP specifically for you to meet and complete the adoption process. Since the dog is being brought into the program based on your interest, we ask that applicants be reasonably confident this is the greyhound they'd like to welcome into their family. Unlike our standard adoption process, you won't be able to meet multiple dogs at the same time however our team will share lots of information about this greyhound to help you determine if they're the perfect match for your family.

Chief ARP
Chief is a handsome, solidly built boy with striking light-coloured eyes and a personality to match. Friendly, outgoing and full of confidence, he loves meeting new people and is always happy to make new friends, especially if treats are involved! Chief is a personable lad who enjoys being part of the action and brings plenty of charm wherever he goes. One of Chief's most entertaining quirks is his hilarious response to being patted down his back, his tail pops up momentarily, a talent that had staff in fits of laughter! With his affectionate nature and easy-going attitude, Chief may suit a home with or without a canine companion of a similar size and is likely to do well with children aged 10 years and older. This lovely boy is sure to bring plenty of fun, companionship and smiles to his future family.
This greyhound is part of our Assisted Rehoming Program (ARP). Through this program, greyhounds stay with their current owners while they wait to find their perfect forever home. If you're interested in adopting this dog, we'll arrange for them to come into GAP specifically for you to meet and complete the adoption process. Since the dog is being brought into the program based on your interest, we ask that applicants be reasonably confident this is the greyhound they'd like to welcome into their family. Unlike our standard adoption process, you won't be able to meet multiple dogs at the same time however our team will share lots of information about this greyhound to help you determine if they're the perfect match for your family.

Boysenberry ARP
Boysenberry is a beautiful girl with a lovely soft coat and an even lovelier personality. Sweet, friendly, affectionate and full of confidence, she adores people and is always ready to share her enthusiasm with those around her. An outgoing extrovert, Boysenberry loves attention and has a charming habit of jumping up for cuddles whenever the opportunity arises. She has some experience in a home, is toilet trained, can confidently manage stairs, and even knows how to shake hands on command before receiving her dinner.
Active and personable, Boysenberry would thrive in a home with a secure backyard where she can run, play and enjoy family life. She will likely suit a home with or without a canine companion of a similar size and is expected to do well with children aged 10 years and older. With her affectionate nature and fun-loving spirit, Boysenberry is ready to become a much-loved member of a lucky family.
This greyhound is part of our Assisted Rehoming Program (ARP). Through this program, greyhounds stay with their current owners while they wait to find their perfect forever home.
If you're interested in adopting this dog, we'll arrange for them to come into GAP specifically for you to meet and complete the adoption process. Since the dog is being brought into the program based on your interest, we ask that applicants be reasonably confident this is the greyhound they'd like to welcome into their family. Unlike our standard adoption process, you won't be able to meet multiple dogs at the same time however our team will share lots of information about this greyhound to help you determine if they're the perfect match for your family.

Ruffus ARP
Ruffus is a sweet, friendly boy with a happy waggy tail and a big personality to match. Outgoing, confident, and affectionate, he loves treats, seeks eye contact, and is always keen to please his people. With his puppyish enthusiasm, playful nature, and quirky charm, Ruffus is sure to keep you smiling. He's a good traveller and a wonderfully goofy boy who enjoys being part of the action. Ruffus may be suited to a home on his own or may be suitable to live with robust small, medium, or large dogs. He may also be suitable to live with children aged 10 years and older.
This greyhound is part of our Assisted Rehoming Program (ARP). Through this program, greyhounds stay with their current owners while they wait to find their perfect forever home. If you're interested in adopting this dog, we'll arrange for them to come into GAP specifically for you to meet and complete the adoption process. Since the dog is being brought into the program based on your interest, we ask that applicants be reasonably confident this is the greyhound they'd like to welcome into their family. Unlike our standard adoption process, you won't be able to meet multiple dogs at the same time however our team will share lots of information about this greyhound to help you determine if they're the perfect match for your family.

Little Man






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