Greyhound

The Greyhound is a tall slender dog. The head is long and narrow, wide between the ears, with a long tapering muzzle. There is no stop. The small rose ears are held back and folded and are semi parked when they are excited. The eyes are dark in colour. The slightly arched neck is long. The legs are long with the front legs being perfectly straight. The chest is wide and deep. The long tail tapers with a slight upward curve. The short, fine coat comes in all colours.

This very ancient breed is the fastest dog in the world and can reach speeds of over 40 miles per hour (65 km/h). Carvings of the Greyhound were found in tombs in Egypt dating back to 2900 B.C. They are thought to have originally descended from the Arabian Sloughi and were brought to England by traders before 900 AD.

The Greyhound's natural quarry is the rabbit and hare, however, it has also been used to hunt stag, deer, fox, and wild boar. The dog's speed along with its keen eyesight helped it excel at its work.

The Greyhound is brave and devoted. Intelligent, laid back, charming, and loving.

Indoors, these dogs are calm and sociable to a point where they can even be considered lazy. They bond strongly with their own people, have tremendous stamina, and do not bark much. Show lines tend to be of a different body style than racing lines and are often more angulated. Racing lines are bred for performance, but often a good by-product are friendly, outgoing dogs, who make wonderful pets when their racing days are over.

Greyhounds that are kept as pets should have regular opportunities to run free on open ground in a safe area, as well as daily long, brisk walks.

The smooth, short-haired coat is very easy to groom. Simply comb and brush with a firm bristle brush, and dry shampoo only when necessary. This breed is an average shedder.