The history of the Greyhound dates to ancient times in the Middle East.
Carvings of the breed have been discovered on Egyptian tombs from as early
as 2900 B.C. and he was described in the writings of the Roman poet, Ovid,
at about 20 B.C. A manuscript from the ninth century A.D. in Britain includes
an illustration of the breed . The origin of the name for the breed is in
dispute. Theories include that it comes from the Greek word, Graius, from
the Latin "gradus" meaning degree because he was the swiftest
of dogs, from the old British word "grech" meaning dog, and from
the fact that grey was once the prevailing color of the breed. Throughout
history, he has been a dog reserved for the aristocracy. He is a natural
hunter whose excellent sight and speed enable him to be used to hunt deer,
fox, hare and other game. He is the fastest dog on earth and only toped
in speed in the animal world by the cheetah. The Greyhound was introduced
into the Americas possibly by Spanish explorers in the early 1500s. The
Greyhound was shown in the first American Kennel Club show in 1877. The
invention of the mechanical lure led to the sport of Greyhound racing in
the 1920s.
Although known for his speed, the Greyhound makes for a gentle, well-behaved,
graceful pet. He is affectionate with family and aloof with strangers. Willing
to be a couch potato, he needs exercise to keep him from becoming lazy and
overweight.
The entire body of the Greyhound is built for speed. The head is long and
narrow. There is very little drop off (stop) between skull and muzzle. The
ears are small and fine, thrown back and folded. The eyes are dark, bright
and show intelligence. As a sighthound, his eyesight is excellent. The neck
is strong, muscular and well arched. The chest is deep and wide. The back
is broad and muscular. The legs are straight and strong. The feet are hare-shaped.
The tail is long, fine and tapered. The coat is short, smooth and firm.
Any coat color is acceptable. Average weight is between 60 and 70 pounds.
Average height is between 27 and 30 inches.
zingg@mc.net of Chicago, IL writes:
The sweetest dog.
We got our Greyhound from a local track after she had retired. Since
that time she has become a great member of our family. She is very affectionate.
Although she is still young and quite large she is very laid-back. She
will come over and lay at your feet so that you will pet her. She is always
willing to give you a kiss. She is, though, sensitive to being reprimanded.
But saying the word "no" is usually enough. She is always trying
to please. She does not bark often but instead will cry when she is wanting
something. She is a great dog. When you first bring one home there is a
time of getting her acclimated to living with a family instead of at the
track. Many things that we take for granted she has never seen and sometimes
is apprehensive to go close to. But with time she has worked through these
challenges.
skiedancr@aol.com of Arkansas writes on 1/9/01:
A very special breed that will capture your heart.
I've been owned by 3 retired racing Greyhounds for nearly 4 years now. I
have 2 grandchildren who grace their presence often and the dogs adore the
kids. They share residence with the cat, who is their boss and reminds them
often. I know of many greys who cohabitate with small animals and do very
well, however, I would not recommend having the small animal outside with
the grey as they may become "something fuzzy running around" and
not "my cat from the house." A word that is frequently used to
describe the Greyhound is "greatful." They have very deep, soulful
eyes that have a lot of expression, and they seem to appreciate kindness.
They are not "lick in the face" type dogs, love to play with stuffed
animals, shed very little, and have impecable manners. Our vet comments
frequently how easy they are to care for because they just stand there and
let him do what he needs to do. We go to gatherings where there have been
as many as 2,000 greyhounds, not one fight, yelp, anything. They are use
to being in large groups of people and hounds, so it is old hat to them.
One of the things that makes them so much fun to travel with. They will
really become a part of your life in a very positive way.
Tigodog@aol.com of Suffolk, England writes on 4/24/00:
Calm, crazy, lazy, energatic enigmas of the canine world.
Greyhounds are the (almost) ideal housepet, with easygoing natures who unlike
most large dogs do not require vast amounts of excercise just a fast gallop
then a leisurely stroll home, they can be fed extremely cheaply and thrive
on a diet of tripe and plain biccies. On the whole they are quiet home loving
beasts who rarely bark without good cause who enjoy the company of dogs
and humans, although young children are too noisy and boisterous for them
to cope with. They may be beaten up by larger (or smaller) dogs, as seem
to be lacking an aggression gene. Excellent pets for city or country, very
loyal very easy to care for as have short coats very easy to train and keep
disciplined. Ex-racers, contrary to popular opinion, can make very good
pets as long as you have time to chase after them if they see a rabbit but
surprisingly very little effort is needed to train to return. The added
bonus is, of course, their oversized, melting chocolate eyes and charming
grace. The rewards for rescueing an abused greyhound are infinite. They
are extremely loyal home loving beautiful dogs, although you will find they
need their routines or can become unhappy and unsettled as most home lovers
do.
jnewman1@uscom.com of Philadelphia, PA writes on 10/25/99:
They make the best pets.
Greyhounds (especially retired racers) are the gentlest, peaceful animals.
They are courteous, quiet and respectful of others and their properties.
I haven't met anyone yet who hasn't fallen in love with my Greyhound Izzy.
He is a retired racer and I'm sure that he knows the meaning of retired.
He's a total couch potato and loves long, leisurely strolls without the
need to run. If you are deciding on a pet, make yourself happy with a Greyhound
and give the gift of life to a truly wonderful animal.