Greyhound

A running Greyhound is an elegant sight. With no wasted motion and a body uniquely suited to the effort, the Greyhound is the fastest dog on the planet. A well-conditioned racing Greyhound can run up to 45 miles per hour !

The Greyhound is the fastest dog.

The Greyhound is an ancient breed, with a documented history going back at least 5,000 years. Carvings of Greyhounds, looking then like they do today, can be found in Egyptian tombs dating back to 2900 B.C. The breed’s popularity was not limited to the Mideast; in England, hare coursing with Greyhounds was popular. In the late 1700s, when the U.S. was being explored and settled, many European immigrants brought their Greyhounds with them.

The Greyhound is first and foremost a dog made for running. He is lean, with a narrow body and a deep chest with room for the large lungs and big heart. He is well-muscled and gives the appearance of a well-conditioned athlete. The head is long and narrow, the eyes are dark and full of personality, and the ears are small and folded. The tail is long and fine.

The Greyhound’s coat is short and smooth and can be found in any color or color pattern. Grooming a Greyhound is very easy. The coat should be brushed twice a week with a soft bristle brush or comb. Although most Greyhounds enjoy snuggling on the sofa, they are athletes. They do need daily exercise, and a long walk morning and evening should be the absolute minimum. Designed for thousands of years to run, they should be allowed to run at least once every day. However, they should not be allowed to run outside of a fenced-in area; if a rabbit or squirrel is flushed during that run, the Greyhound will forget everything in the excitement of the chase. No amount of calling the dog to Come will break off that chase.

Racing Greyhounds are crate (or cage) trained and know how to walk on a leash. Greyhound puppies from a breeder (non-racing) should attend a puppy class for socialization and an introduction to training. Although the Greyhound is not normally a problem breed, just as with any puppy, he can get into trouble if not supervised. Greyhounds are very oriented to people and can be quite social but can also develop a strong attachment to one person.

Greyhounds are very gentle, loving, and silly. They are affectionate to everyone, but they are definitely an owner’s dog. Greyhounds are good with other dogs, especially large ones, but should be closely supervised and should be on leash when interacting with small dogs, cats, and other small pets. Greyhounds can be prone to sports injuries from running. Other health concerns include sensitivity to anesthesia, bloat, and torsion.

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