History
Murals and paintings of dogs similar to today’s Greyhound existed over 4,000 years ago. In Egypt pharaohs considered the Greyhound above all animals and the birth of a Greyhound was second only in importance to the birth of a son! In Persia, Rome and Greece the Greyhound enjoyed similar stature. In 1918 Greyhound racing started in America and moved on to England, Ireland and Australia in the early 1920’s.
Description
Powerful muscles with short, fine and dense coat. Long head with arched body and ample chest.
Grooming and Physical Needs
- Grooming Needs: Minimal, bath every 2 to 3 months and brush weekly.
- Coat Type: Short, fine and dense.
- Moulting: No shedding.
- Exercise Needs: Daily running reccommended and requires room to move.
- Average Life Span: 10 to 15 years.
Behaviour
- Family: Gentle nature and more likely to remove themselves from a child if annoyed rather than to snap. Suitable for families, single people, retirees as they love companionship therefore suit people who are at home or can spend plenty of time with them.
- Temperament: Affectionate, gentle, calm, intelligent and good natured.
- Trainability: Requires firm training.
- Sociability (Other Pets): Most Greyhounds are sociable with other dog breeds, but prefer the company of their own type (Greyhound or Whippet). Only 5-10% of the breed is cat tolerant and they are not very suitable around smaller pets or birds (unless caged).
- Barking: Low tendency.
Talents
Ideal hunting dog, racing dog and companion dog.
Notes
Prone to injury, also known to be sensitive to drugs, especially sedatives. Extra teeth are common in some Greyhounds.