Longdog Care

The Longdog, a sighthound crossbreed of a Greyhound and another breed like a Saluki, Whippet, or Scottish Deerhound, is an independent, athletic, tall hybrid that is at home both in the hunting fields and at home with active families. Overall Longdog care and maintenance will take a moderate amount of work, and will need to include some daily exercise.

Below you'll find plenty of details on caring for a Longdog, including info about puppy development, exercise needs, diet and nutrition, and more. For answers to your questions about raising these speedy crossbreeds, keep reading!

Though these dogs are extremely fast and athletic, Longdog exercise requirements aren't too extensive. These crossbreeds usually have strong hunting instincts, so they'll need exercise that both condition them physically (walking, jogging, fetch) and stimulate them mentally (canine sports). They make fantastic bicycling companions as well.

The typical adult Longdog, depending on its age and overall activity level, will need about an hour of proper exercise per day, which you can achieve with a couple of long walks, jogs, or bike rides and a moderate period of play. You can start exercising your Longdog puppy when it's three months old by taking it on short (5- to 10-minute) leashed walks, then you can increase the walks' length and frequency as the puppy grows.

A few precautions to consider when exercising your Longdog: first, puppies younger than 10 months old shouldn't participate in activities that include a lot of jumping, running on hard surfaces, or navigating of stairs, as doing so can injure their still-developing joints and bones. (Pups that are the offspring of taller parent dogs will grow at an even faster rate, so they need additional supervision when at play.) And regardless of age, all Longdogs must be leashed when in public. These crossbreeds can have exceptionally high prey drives, and will instinctively chase (and likely catch!) small animals--birds, squirrels, cats, even small dogs--if given the chance; a leash will help you control your Longdog when it spies an interesting-looking critter. When exercising in your own yard, the area will need to be secured by a tall fence to keep the dog from running off after potential prey. And an underground electric fence will do no good for a Longdog--these speedy crossbreeds will blow right over them without a second thought!

Safeguards aside, it's important to exercise your Longdog every single day. These dogs, while affectionate and "chill" around the house, are active and task-oriented when outdoors--and without regular physical activity they'll become bored, frustrated, disobedient, and destructive. Consistent exercise will be great for both the dog's and your own peace of mind! A few exercise ideas:

• Walking/Jogging/Bicycling: Two 20-minute walks (or 15-minute jogs or bike rides) per day is a good target
• Fetch/Frisbee: These dogs will chase a ball, stick, or Frisbee for hours
• Hide-and-Seek: Great indoor, rainy-day activity; give the dog a treat when it finds you
• Canine Sports: Longdogs can excel at agility trials, lure coursing, and other events
• Dog Park: If properly socialized, Longdogs enjoy the company of other dogs
• Hiking: Excellent bonding activity; bonus if you can find a remote area where the dog can be off-leash

When indoors, it's a good idea to give your Longdog access to balls or chew toys that will allow the dog to burn excess energy. It's also recommended that you establish a regular exercise schedule for the dog, such as walks, jogs, or bike rides in the morning and evening and a play period in the afternoon.

In terms of shedding and drooling, these dogs will need moderate care. Longdog shedding tendencies will depend on the coat of the parent breeds, but is usually fair and year-round; drooling is a minor issue.

Longdogs often have short, smooth coats, but the coat length and texture can vary (especially if one parent is a longer- and wiry-haired Scottish Deerhound). In most cases, Longdogs will shed moderately all year long, and will need to be brushed once or twice per week with a bristle brush or grooming glove. Hair cleanup--vacuuming the floors and lint rollers on clothes and furniture--will normally be needed from time to time for owners of these crossbreeds.

And a Longdog might drool a bit in anticipation of food, after drinking water, or when especially excited or nervous--but the drooling won't be profuse like that of a Saint Bernard or Bloodhound. If your Longdog is drooling excessively, it may be a sign of a medical issue, in which case a veterinarian's care is needed.

Longdogs, like all breeds, will need food that contains plenty of animal proteins and carbohydrates for energy, vitamins and minerals for digestive and immune health, and omega fatty acids for coat and skin wellness. This means the best food for Longdogs is the premium dry kind, because it contains balanced portions of the above-listed ingredients--which all dogs need to maintain their health in the long term. Cheap, generic dog food is not recommended for Longdogs, as in is usually made from empty "filler" ingredients that are unhealthy, are harder for the dog to digest, and can even shorten the dog's lifespan if consumed on a daily basis.

Royal Canin, Blue Buffalo, and Taste of the Wild are three recommended brands that carry excellent lines of premium dry food.

Though the amount of daily food portions can vary a good bit depending on the adult dog's size (and age and activity level as well), the typical 70-pound Longdog will need about 3½ cups of premium dry food per day, divided into two meals. Longdog puppies, again depending on size and age, will only need a bit less: about 2½ cups per day, divided into three meals (not two) until six months of age. For further details on feeding a Longdog from puppyhood through maturity, see the chart below; the info is for a 70-pound Longdog, but can vary a good bit depending on your dog's size.

(NOTE: Because Longdogs are quite tall, experts recommend elevating their bowls on a crate or block so they don't have to reach down so far to eat their food.)

*--Around this time, transition to adult food by first mixing in a bit of adult formula with the puppy formula. Over the course of a week, with each meal add a little more adult food to the mixture, until the dog is eating it entirely.

If possible, try to stick to the above-listed portions. Though this crossbreed doesn't have a high tendency for obesity, it certainly can become overweight if overfed (and under-exercised)--and a fat Longdog will have joint, breathing, and digestive problems, not to mention a possibly shortened lifespan. You can help control your Longdog's weight by establishing consistent feeding and exercise schedules, by not giving the dog table scraps, and by not leaving food in the dog's bowl all the time, thereby allowing it to eat anytime it wants. It's better to put your Longdog's bowl down only at mealtimes, then pick it up a few minutes after the dog begins eating.

If you're worried your Longdog is overweight, give the dog this simple test: run a hand along its side, and if you can't easily feel ribs, it's diet time. Decrease the dog's daily food portions by one-fourth, and add an extra walk, jog, bike ride, or play period to its daily exercise schedule.