Greyhounds are easily the fastest dogs on the planet, and can reach speeds of up to 40 miles per hour! They are an ancient breed, thought to be descended from the Arabian Sloughi and brought over to England at around 900 AD. Archaeologists have found drawings and carvings of Greyhounds however in Ancient Egyptian tombs dating back to 2900 BC, so they have been around for a long time indeed. They are often used as show dogs as well as racing dogs, and although tend to usually chase rabbits and hares, have been called upon to hunt larger animals like deer, stag and even wild boar in the past. There are 2 lines of Greyhound that are bred; show lines that conform to the written standard, and racing lines that are bred purely for speed and performance. In the past, retired greyhounds were often destroyed, however due to work of various charities across the world and the fact that greyhounds make delightful pets, more often today they are found loving homes.
Appearance
The Greyhound has a long and narrow head with a long, tapered muzzle. Their head sits on a long and slightly arched neck. The head is widest between the ears which are small, folded and held back. Their legs too are long and the front legs are absolutely straight. Their chest is wide and they have a very long tail which sits with a slightly upright curve. Greyhounds have dark eyes and a short, fine coat that is easy to groom. They come in all colors and the height for male Greyhounds is 28-30 inches (71-76cm), and females are around 27-28 inches (68-71cm). As for weight, male dogs are around 65-70 pounds (29-32kg) and females are 60-65 pounds (27-29kg).
Temperament
Greyhounds are brave, intelligent, charming and completely devoted to their masters. They are well known for being very shy and timid dogs, however this tends to be only with strangers, and once they know you their charming, loving and laid back character materializes. Socializing Greyhounds from a young age also helps to avoid over shy behavior. They are very sensitive dogs and do not respond well to overly harsh discipline. Nor will they listen if they feel they are above you in the pack. A gentle yet firm approach is key with training and looking after Greyhounds. They are very gentle animals, yet their ability and desire to chase small animals is very strong, so walking them on a leash is important when in public. They are good with children but only like gentle activity and very rarely bark. They are prone to inactivity in the house, although they do need good exercise every day. Retired racing Greyhounds make an excellent pet and would make a good choice for any family.
Working and Tasks
Greyhounds are usually bred for speed and used as racing dogs. They are very fast and have a strong instinct to chase rabbits and hares and sometimes cats! Around 20% of retired Greyhounds cannot be trusted to resist chasing a small animal. It is important for Greyhounds to know their place in the pack so a firm but fair approach is important. They can be house trained easily and quickly and require long daily walks where they must “heel”.