🦮 Large · Spain

Spanish Greyhound (Galgo Español): Size, Weight & Temperament

A slender Spanish sighthound with a calm everyday temperament, brief bursts of sprinting, and often a difficult rescue background that calls for gentle acclimation.

~ Some experience
Spanish Greyhound (Galgo Español) dog breed portrait
Photo: Brindis320 · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
Weight male23–29 kg
Weight female20–25 kg
Shoulder height60–70 cm
Size classLarge (25–45 kg)
Fully grownat approx. 16 months
Life expectancy12–14 years
Activity levelModerate
OriginSpain
ClassificationFCI Group 10 (Sighthounds)
Temperament & character

The Galgo Español is gentle, reserved, and rarely aggressive; many dogs come from Spanish rescue organizations and need sensitive acclimation. Trust in its owner tends to build slowly but securely.

Exercise & stimulation

After short, intense sprints in secure off-leash areas, the Galgo is mostly calm and sleeps a great deal in everyday life. Because of its strong prey drive, it should be leashed outside fenced areas.

Grooming

The short, smooth coat is low-maintenance and needs only occasional brushing. Due to its low body fat percentage, the breed is sensitive to cold and often needs a coat in winter.

Suitable for beginners?

Its calm temperament generally suits beginners, but the pronounced prey drive and often traumatic history of many rescue dogs require patience and experience handling anxious dogs.

Health & common problems

As with other sighthounds, visible ribs are typical of the breed and not a sign of malnutrition. Worth noting is an increased sensitivity to certain anesthetics due to low body fat, as well as an elevated risk of gastric torsion because of its deep chest.

Good with: Calm households and experienced sighthound or rescue-dog owners

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This information is for general guidance and does not replace veterinary or breeder advice. Temperament and health vary individually within every breed.