Greyhound Puppies: Adopt or Buy in Australia?

Should you adopt or buy a Greyhound puppy?

Start by asking whether it has to be a puppy. Greyhounds As Pets NSW says most of the greyhounds it rehomes spent their puppy years training to race, and that it has puppies for adoption only on occasion. If you want the Greyhound itself (the gentle nature, the long naps, the short bursts of speed), an adult from an adoption program or rescue arrives with a temperament you can already see.

If it must be a puppy, you have three honest routes: ask your state's adoption program whether it ever places puppies, watch the live rescue listings, or go to a breeder who is a member of a Dogs Australia state body. The route to avoid is an online ad you cannot trace to anyone.

Reference figures: the RSPCA NSW fee page, read 13 November 2026. They are not quotes. Rescues, programs and breeders set their own prices and change them, so check with them.

Where do Greyhound puppies come from in Australia?

Mostly from the racing industry. Greyhound Racing Victoria's breeding page (the page shows no date; its footer says copyright 2024; read 13 November 2026) says that on average there are approximately 700 Victorian-bred litters each year, resulting in around 4,000 to 4,500 pups, and that around 20% of these pups are transferred to other jurisdictions around Australia or New Zealand. These are GRV's own figures for Victoria, not a national count. It says GRV uses a population modelling tool to determine the appropriate number of pups to be bred each year, aiming to align breeding with racing population requirements, and that it believes the current rate of breeding is in line with the industry's future needs and the capacity to rehome retired greyhounds.

The other source is pedigree breeding for showing and companionship, through Dogs Australia and its state member bodies. That side is small: Dogs Australia's registration figures show 31 Greyhounds registered in 2025. These are registrations, not litters or dogs bred, but the difference in scale is clear. The two systems are run by different bodies: a state racing regulator or racing body for racing greyhounds, and Dogs Australia's state member bodies for pedigree show dogs.

The Dogs Australia breed page puts it simply: the Greyhound is a sighthound historically bred for coursing game, and now also for Greyhound racing.

How do the racing bodies regulate Greyhound breeding?

Each racing state sets its own rules. Here is what the NSW regulator and the Victorian racing body publish, read on 13 November 2026. Other racing states have their own controlling body and rules, so check that state's official page rather than assuming these apply.

Sources: GWIC, Greyhound breeding applications and exemptions (our paraphrase of GWIC's page, which summarises Greyhound Racing Rules R57 and R58) and Greyhound Racing Victoria, Breeding (undated page, copyright 2024 footer), both read 13 November 2026. Rules change; the regulator's or racing body's own page is the authority.

What this means for a pet buyer: a Greyhound puppy from racing lines comes out of a regulated industry system with its own registration, which is separate from the Dogs Australia pedigree system. If anyone offers you a Greyhound puppy, ask which body the litter is registered with, and check it with that body yourself.

Why do greyhound adoption programs mostly rehome adults?

Because the dogs come to them after racing. Greyhounds As Pets NSW, the program coordinated by Greyhound Racing NSW, says it is passionate about rehoming older dogs, but that on occasion it also has puppies available for adoption. It says most of the greyhounds it rehomes spent their puppy years training to be racing dogs and are now ready for a life of leisure, and that many are still under the age of five, with plenty of life ahead of them.

An adult retired racer has a real advantage for many homes: you can see its size, energy and manners before you commit, and the program has usually assessed it with people and other animals. The flip side, the program says, is that a dog moving from athlete to pet as an adult needs you to guide it through home life. Our greyhound adoption guide has each state's program, fees and rules, so we do not repeat them here.

How much is a Greyhound puppy from a registered breeder?

We quote no breeder price, because we found none published. In November 2026 we looked for Greyhound breeders who show membership of a Dogs Australia state body and publish a current puppy price on their own websites, leaving out listing and classified sites, and found none. We cannot speak for every breeder, so ask each one for the price in writing and what it includes.

Rescue fees are published. RSPCA NSW listed $620 for a puppy under 12 months and $500 for a dog over 12 months when we read its fee page on 13 November 2026, and says its fees ensure pets are desexed, microchipped, vaccinated and health checked. The state greyhound programs publish their own fees, listed in our adoption guide. The dog cost calculator covers the first year after the price tag.

Reference figures only, not quotes. Fees change, so check with the rescue or breeder.

What should you ask about a Greyhound puppy's health?

Ask what testing the breeder does, and why. Dogs Victoria calls the Greyhound generally a healthy breed, says health conditions will occur occasionally, and recommends asking breeders about breed health and the testing they do. We found no Australian club page that sets a testing list for the breed, so this is a conversation, not a checklist.

Two breed points to know before you bring a puppy home, both from the Dogs Australia breed page. Greyhounds have very little body fat, so make sure your vet knows it is a Greyhound before any anaesthetic. And because of that low body fat and very thin skin, they do not cope well with very hot or very cold weather and should never be kept outside for long periods.

Sources: Dogs Australia breed standard, Dogs Australia breed page and Dogs Victoria, read 13 November 2026. This is a buying guide, not veterinary advice.

For life with a Greyhound once it is home, read our Greyhound health guide and our guide to Greyhounds, off-lead areas and recall.

How do Greyhound puppy scams work?

Scamwatch warns that scammers set up fake websites, and fake profiles on social media and online marketplaces, for pets that do not exist. Its advice: view the pet in person, ask for a video call if you cannot visit, check the breeder is legitimate and accredited, and compare prices, because a very cheap pet is likely a scam. Dogs Victoria's puppy scam fact sheet adds that fake ads may display microchip, source or membership numbers lifted from legitimate breeders, and that scam sites often use photos downloaded from other websites.

• Ask which body the litter is registered with. A racing litter and a Dogs Australia pedigree litter are registered with different bodies. Check the number with that body yourself, not through a link the seller sends.
• Borrowed numbers. Dogs Victoria says to contact the organisation a seller claims membership of and check the number matches the breeder's name, location and breed.
• Copied photos. Dogs Victoria passes on the ACCC's advice to use a reverse image search to check whether the photos appear elsewhere.
• No breeder number. Some states require an identifying number in puppy ads. Our puppies for sale guide has the state-by-state table and what to do if you have already paid.

When is a registered breeder the better choice?

Rescue is not right for everyone. A registered breeder makes sense if you want to show or compete with a pedigree Greyhound, if you want to raise a puppy alongside a cat or small pets from a young age, or if you have waited and no puppy has come up through a program or rescue near you. The Dogs Australia breed page suggests contacting the breed club or your state controlling body, who can tell you about available puppies and dog shows where you can meet breeders.

1. Registration. Ask for the breeder's membership number and check it through Dogs Australia's breeder search or your state body.
2. The parents, in person if you can, and where the puppies are raised, before any deposit.
3. Health. What testing the breeder does on the parents, and what the puppy's vet check found.
4. A written contract covering register type, desexing, health problems and whether the breeder will take the dog back.

Is a Greyhound the right dog for you?

For many homes, yes. Dogs Victoria says Greyhounds make excellent house dogs and are basically couch potatoes except when their well-developed instinct to chase is aroused. The Dogs Australia breed page says Greyhounds tend to take on the activity level of the household, and that when properly introduced and managed most can live in harmony with other pets. Be honest about three things first: the chase instinct, a large dog's space on the couch and in the car, and a thin coat that needs shelter from heat and cold.

Not sure? The what dog breed is right for me quiz and the adoption readiness check each take a few minutes. If you like the look but want a smaller dog, compare the Greyhound, Whippet and Italian Greyhound.

Find a Greyhound near you

Greyhounds and Greyhound crosses listed by rescues, by city:

• Greyhounds for adoption in Sydney
• Greyhounds for adoption in Melbourne
• Greyhounds for adoption in Brisbane
• Greyhounds for adoption in Perth
• Greyhounds for adoption in Adelaide

Open to another breed? Puppies listed by rescues: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide.

Local guides to adopting a Greyhound, with the programs and rescues that serve each city: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast.

More guides: Whippet, Italian Greyhound, Greyhound vs Whippet vs Italian Greyhound, Puppies for sale: adopt or buy?.