Let me start with a confession: When I brought home my Greyhound puppy, I thought I had adopted a delicate, doe-eyed elf. Within months, I was living with a long-legged adolescent who moved like a giraffe on roller skates and devoured socks like it was part of a balanced diet.
No one tells you just how fast Greyhounds grow. Or how weird. Or how in a single week, they’ll look like three different animals.
If you're bringing one home or already Googling “why does my Greyhound puppy look like a spider?”, welcome. Here's your brutally honest, down-to-earth guide to the Greyhound glow-up—month by awkward month.
Month 1–2: The Newborn Alien Potato Phase
You don’t usually bring your puppy home this early, but if you do—be ready for a living noodle with jellybean feet. They're floppy, sleepy, and honestly... kind of look like someone melted a baby deer.
What to expect:
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Sleeps 22 hours a day
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Wobbles like drunk Jell-O
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Already has those long alien toes
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Can cry like a banshee when left alone for 3 seconds
📌 Reality Check: They’re not fragile in spirit—just in bones. Everything’s new. Keep it quiet. Carry them like a Fabergé egg.
Month 3: The Cartoon Puppy Stage
Now they’re “cute”—like, proper puppy cute. Big eyes, soft fur, little bounces. Strangers melt. Your camera roll explodes.
But growth is already happening. Legs start stretching. The head? Still too small. The butt? Always ahead of the body.
What to expect:
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Gets "zoomies" but doesn't know how to brake
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Eats like it’s training for a triathlon
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Legs longer by the week
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Knocks over water bowls... and then acts shocked
📌 Tip: Start light leash training and gentle socializing. Confidence grows now—or not at all.
Month 4–5: The Stretch Armstrong Period
This is where it gets weird. One day they look sleek. The next day? Like a coat rack with eyes.
They go from “aww” to “uhh” pretty quick. Expect awkwardness, growing pains, and total rebellion against stairs.
What to expect:
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Explosive growth spurts (especially legs!)
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Tail starts knocking things off shelves
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Random limp that disappears in 5 minutes (normal!)
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Still naps like a champ
📌 Tip: Don’t freak if they suddenly look skinny or clumsy. It’s like a kid in a growth spurt—give it time.
Month 6–7: The Teenage Bone Machine
By now, they’ve doubled in size and halved in coordination. Their bodies are racing to adulthood but their brains? Still downloading updates.
What to expect:
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Jumps into bed like it’s a trampoline
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Separation anxiety peaks again
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Bones everywhere. Feet the size of mittens
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Voice may “crack” when barking (adorable and tragic)
📌 Tip: Gentle structured exercise. Avoid hard running until 12–18 months while growth plates are still developing.
Month 8–9: The “Is This a Dog or a Deer?” Phase
They’re lean. They’re leggy. They're fast. And they’re suddenly tall enough to steal food from counters without you noticing.
You’ll swear they grew overnight.
What to expect:
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Athletic bursts followed by epic naps
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Selective hearing develops (yay, adolescence)
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Suddenly way too big for the couch—still tries anyway
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Might start showing “guarding” or teenage defiance
📌 Tip: Reinforce structure. If not now, you’ll be living with a 70-pound toddler on stilts.
Month 10–12: Almost There… But Not Quite
They look grown. But mentally? Still baby.
Greyhounds mature a little later than some breeds, and they don’t fully settle until about 18 months—so keep expectations realistic.
What to expect:
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Finally fits their body
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Sleep schedule stabilizes
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Muscle starts to develop (gorgeous, but deceptive—still soft inside)
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Calmer… but still goofy
📌 Tip: If you’ve done socialization right, they become chill royalty now. If not… get a trainer. Yesterday.
Beyond 1 Year: The Silken Sofa Ghost Appears
You made it. You now live with a velvet ghost who floats silently through the house, steals warm laundry piles, and gives you disapproving glances when you get up from a nap.
Congratulations. You’re officially owned by a Greyhound.
🐾 Final Thought
Raising a Greyhound puppy is equal parts hilarious and confusing. They're sweet, spooky, and constantly growing into a body they seem baffled by. But if you ride the chaos wave month by month—patiently, gently, and with enough snacks—you’ll end up with one of the most magical companions on Earth.
You didn’t just get a dog. You got a noodle with feelings. Treat it accordingly.
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