Greybull Pit (American Pitbull Terrier & Greyhound Mix) : Info, Pictures, Characteristics & Facts

The Greybull Pit is a hybrid breed, a mix between a Greyhound and an American Pitbull Terrier. They are courageous and confident dogs that are usually loyal and loving toward their families. They can be stubborn at times, making them a challenge to train, but they will lay down their lives for their owners.

These sensitive animals are rarely aggressive, making them a great choice around children and small animals. They will inherit a mixture of traits from their parent breeds, so it helps to take a brief look at their parent breeds to get a better idea of what these dogs are all about.

Greyhounds were originally bred to hunt game and are the fastest canines on the planet, capable of reaching speeds up to 45 mph. This, of course, led to them being the top choice of breed for racing, and they dominate in dog racing competitions and other agility dog sports. Make no mistake, though, these sweet and gentle giants love to lounge around just as much as they love to run!

The American Pitbull Terrier is an infamous American icon. They have a reputation for being aggressive and are often used for fighting, but in reality, they are sweet, gentle, loving, and loyal companion animals. That said, they make great guard dogs, and while they usually won’t start a fight, it is highly unlikely that they’ll back down from one.

If this hybrid breed sounds like it may be the one for you, read on below for a more in-depth look at this loyal, courageous, and intelligent breed.

Greybull Pit Puppies

The Greybull Pit is a sweet and loving breed that is always eager to please. They love to be a part of whatever may be going on and will always be close to their owner’s side. This makes them a less-than-ideal choice for owners who are away frequently, as these dogs don’t like to be left at home for extended periods. This will swiftly result in bad behavior like barking, digging, and even aggression.

They are long and sleek dogs, with the stocky build of Pitbulls, which they usually most closely resemble. They do have the distinctive long nose of their Greyhound parent, with a thick neck and floppy ears. They come in a wide variety of colors and have short, wiry, and coarse coats.

These dogs are fairly high-energy and are not ideally suited for small households because they are medium-sized dogs with big personalities. They will need a great deal of exercise to stay happy and healthy, and when left alone frequently and not correctly trained, they can become aggressive.

While crossbred puppies have the advantage of hybrid vigor, which is the health advantage of breeding two purebred dogs and thus losing most of the breed-specific imperfections, there is a disadvantage too. Mixing two fairly different breeds means that you never quite know what size, temperament, and color the resulting puppies will inherit.

Both Greyhounds and Pitbulls have gentle demeanors, and that is mostly the case with Greybull Pits too. However, they can vary widely in size, depending on which genetics they primarily inherit. Visiting the parents will give you the best idea of size, but even then, there are still no certainties.

3 Little-Known Facts About the Greybull Pit

1. They are gentle and even-tempered animals

The Pitbull has a somewhat undeserved reputation as an aggressive and dangerous dog. They are commonly used in dogfighting, owing to their strong, stocky builds and high intellect. This has resulted in the breed being specifically bred for the purpose, with horrible consequences. Pitbulls were responsible for 68% of all dog attacks in the U.S. and 52% of dog-related deaths since 1982. This is largely due to irresponsible owners, though, and there is no real science to back up the idea that Pitbulls are more dangerous than any other breed. Their bad rap comes from irresponsible owners, media sensationalism, and of course, the Pitbull-equals-aggressive narrative in general.

On the contrary, any responsible Pitbull owner will tell you that these animals are kind and even-tempered dogs that make great family pets and are gentle and loving with children. They were once considered “nanny dogs” due to their loyal and gentle nature. When trained and raised properly, Pitbulls are actually less likely to be aggressive than several other dog breeds.

When combined with the well-known gentle nature of Greyhounds, you have a breed that is about as loyal and loving as it gets.

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2. They are fast!

While Greyhounds are well known for being the fastest dogs in the world, Pit Bull Terriers are no slouch either. Greyhounds can reach speeds of up to 45 mph at a full run, while a Pit can hold their own at up to 30 mph. The combination of the two may not have the long legs and slender body that make Greyhounds so capable of high speed, but they will certainly be fast and agile dogs.

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3. The “Pit Bull” is not actually a breed of dog

A large part of the Pit Bull Terrier’s bad rap for aggression is due to the mischaracterization of the breed. The term “Pit Bull” is a generically applied term to several different breeds of dog with a similar appearance. These include the American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, and Bulldogs, to name but a few.

So many people use the term “Pit Bull” to refer to a dog’s appearance, rather than any specific breed. This has fueled the fire for the ongoing misrepresentation of the American Pit Bull Terrier as an inherently aggressive dog.

Temperament & Intelligence of the Greybull Pit 🧠

Greybull Pits are gentle, loving, and sweet animals that love to be around their owners. They even have a reputation for getting upset and distressed when left alone outside, even when their owners are home! Their gentle nature comes from the parent breed’s inclination toward being so close to humans during their development, and they will often suffer from separation anxiety when left alone for extended periods.

This makes them not an ideal choice of a dog if you are away frequently, as this is when their penchant for misbehavior will show itself. They are athletic, agile, energetic dogs that love to play and exercise, so they need regular mental and physical exercise to stay happy. This is also why they are not suited to urban or apartment living unless they can be exercised for several hours a day.

The high energy and high intellect of these dogs make them a big responsibility, and as the owner, you will need to have a strong and firm hand, along with patience and calm leadership. If you have the time and devotion to dedicate to this powerful breed, they are wonderful companions to have.

Are These Dogs Good for Families? 🏡

Greybull Pits love to be around people and thus make great family dogs. They become highly attached to their owners, though, and cannot be left alone for long periods. Despite their reputation, they are great with kids and are loyal guard dogs that will lay down their lives for the protection of their families.

Of course, this has the caveat that these dogs need gentle but assertive training from early on. If they get the required training and socialization, their only downside is that they can be over-excited at times and may be a bit too boisterous for small children.

Does This Breed Get Along with Other Pets? 🐶 😽

The Greybull Pit will usually get along well with other pets, but they do have a strong prey drive that your cats may not appreciate! Other dogs are not usually an issue, especially if your Greybull has been spayed or neutered. The most important aspect is early socialization.

Letting your Greybull get to know the other animals in your home and surroundings from an early age as possible will usually stop any issues with other pets.

Things to Know When Owning a Greybull Pit

Food & Diet Requirements 🦴

Greybull Pits are active and energetic dogs, with large and stocky frames. They will need a diet that can match their energy and build. We recommend around three cups of good quality dry kibble per day, ideally divided into two smaller meals. But quality is far more important than quantity with these powerful pooches.

Cheap commercial foods are often filled with “filler” ingredients like wheat, soy, and corn, and consequently, they do not provide the adequate nutrition your dog needs and if anything, may end up harming them. Try and purchase the best quality kibble you afford to provide them with the essential nutrients they need and supplement this with canned food and lean meats occasionally.

These dogs will need higher amounts of protein than most other breeds, and lean meats, organ meats, bone broth, and fish are great sources in addition to their regular diet.

Exercise 🐕

These high-energy animals require a great deal of intensive exercise. Greybull Pits will need a minimum of two 1-hour intensive exercise sessions per day. This should include brisk walking, jogging, running, and mentally stimulating play with games like fetch and frisbee.

A large yard is highly recommended, and if you don’t have one, we recommend even more daily exercise. These are dogs that need to be kept busy, as they can quickly start to misbehave if they become bored.

Training 🦮

Greybull Pits are extremely intelligent and eager to learn, and with some time and patience, they are fairly easy dogs to train. That said, the Pit Bull Terrier heritage will require extra effort, a gentle hand, and calm-assertive training techniques.

The most important step is early socialization. It should be a top priority that your Greybull learns to be comfortable around other dogs, people, and pets to keep them calm and obedient in new situations. Any training using punishment as a form of obedience is not going to work with these powerful dogs, and positive reinforcement training is the way to go.

Grooming ✂️

The Greybull Pit has a short, coarse, and wiry coat that is easy to look after. All that is needed is an occasional brush to remove any dead hair and a rinse with clean water if they get muddy. Other than that, regular teeth brushing is recommended to avoid bad breath and dental issues, along with an occasional toenail clipping.

They will usually wear their nails down on their own through regular outdoor activity, but nails that are too long can cause pain and discomfort for your dog.

Health Conditions ❤️

Greybull Pits are mostly a healthy and robust breed that enjoys few hereditary health conditions. However, the breed does have certain conditions to be aware of. These include:

Hypothyroidism. This is a condition of underactive thyroid in dogs and includes symptoms of hair loss, flaky skin, weight gain, and lethargy. Thankfully, the condition is not life-threatening and can be easily treated with medication.

Gastric Torsion. Also known as gastric dilation, this condition is when the dog’s stomach becomes twisted or overstretched due to excessive gas content. This is a dangerous condition that needs to be addressed immediately, usually with surgery.

Hip and Elbow Dysplasia. This is a genetic joint condition caused by abnormal formation of the hip and elbow joints, usually eventually resulting in arthritis. It can usually be managed with regular exercise and a good diet.

Patella Luxation. This is a fairly common condition in medium-sized dogs like Pit Bulls. The condition is characterized by the persistent dislocation of the knee joint. Most dogs can live with this condition happily and lead fairly normal lives, but surgery is required in more severe cases.

Diabetes. This condition is almost exclusively diet-related and can be easily prevented and managed with a good diet.

Male vs Female

On average, male Greybull Pits are larger than females, by around 10–15 pounds, but females are usually longer. The male’s head is usually wider, and they will have a thicker neck and stockier build compared to females. Males will wander and mark territory if they are not neutered, and unspayed females can be moodier and more independent than males.

Most breeders will recommend spaying females and neutering males. This simple and inexpensive procedure has numerous health benefits and will make for a calmer, less aggressive, and more even-tempered dog. Your choice of male or female comes down to personal preference, as there is no real good reason to choose one over the other. Your dog’s temperament has more to do with their environment and upbringing than their gender.

Final Thoughts:

Greybull Pits are active, powerful, yet gentle dogs that despite their indomitable reputation, are great family pets that are perfect around kids. They can be a handful at times and require a firm and assertive hand when training. Due to their powerful build and dominant character, leash training and firm obedience are essential; otherwise, they can become problematic around other animals.

These dogs need a great deal of exercise, and ideally, a large yard to run around in—they are not suited to apartment living. With all this in mind, they are a big responsibility to take on, and you should put careful thought in before purchasing one of these dogs.

If you have the patience, time, and experience, the Greybull Pit is a loyal and loving breed that your whole family is sure to fall quickly in love with. Plus, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more protective family dog.

See also:

• Golden Saint Dog (Golden Retriever & Saint Bernard Mix): Info, Pictures, Characteristics & Facts
• Alaskan Pit Bull (Alaskan Malamute & Pit Bull Mix): Info, Pictures

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Featured Image: holmezieman, Shutterstock