Greyhound

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Breed Details

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Breed Rating

Breed Details

General

The Greyhound is a breed whose origin is somewhat unknown. There are theories stating that the Greyhound is from Egypt. Historians have found different relief's of a breed of dog with the same body shape as that of an early Greyhound.

Other theories state the Greyhound is from England as they believe the breed was introduced to this area in around the 5th century. It is thought that they were owned by the English nobility for entertainment purposes as sporting dogs.

The Greyhound has a slender and lean build. They have a strong neck and small floppy ears. Their legs are muscular and straight making them by far the fastest dog of all, topping out at a staggering 45 mph. They use their speed to their advantage when hunting as they can out run most if not all their prey. This breeds coat colors also aid in their hunting ability as they have a camouflage type coloring. Their main types of prey were boar, deer and geese. Today this dog is used mainly for racing.

Due to the Greyhounds intensity for their work, it is more difficult to own them as pets as they have a constant hunt instinct. Most commonly after a Greyhound reaches the age of 6 or 7, they are euthanized, but many organizations see to it that this routine is put to a stop. This dog will make an excellent hunter, watchdog and racer and pet.

Color

The Greyhound can come in any possible color, as there are 30 approved coat color combinations for this breed. Tan, gray, black, red, brindle, white, blue or fawn. Usually they will be a mixture of two or more of these colors with patches.

Coat

The Greyhound has a very short, hard coat. This can be perfect for racing but when it comes to the colder seasons, this dog will need to be inside at all times as they are wearing a very light coat!

Personality

The Greyhound is a determined, intense working dog that loves the sport of hunting. They are independent dogs that are sweet and loving but have a very high prey drive. They make great pets for a family with no other animals. This breed is a bit reserved around people they don't know but will become very close to their owners and will build a mutual trust with them. Outside of the race track these dogs can become very lazy. There are two blood lines of the Greyhound, the racing line and the show line. The show line tends to be heavier and a bit less active where the racing line is lighter with more energy. Show lines tend to be more targeted to families and racing lines targeted to work. As puppies, these dogs will need to be introduced to other people, dogs, smaller animals (cats) and to busy public areas as this will help them become stable adults.

Care

The Greyhound has a very short coat, making them a low maintenance breed to groom. They will need to be brushed about once every 2 weeks to remove dead fur and should be bathed when the owner feels it is necessary. The Greyhound is prone to esophageal achalasia, osteosarcoma, and bloat as they have a drastically deep chest. Also, drugs can easily affect this breed making them a bit more difficult to treat medically.

Training

The Greyhound will need to be trained as early as possible. They will need to be socialized around every situation because these dogs can become quite shy as adults. Firm training will be needed for basic obedience and this must be done in a positive manor as they will not respond well to negative methods. This breed will become very attached to their family and will demand a certain amount of respect for their breed purpose, which is to hunt.

Activity

This breed will need at least 2 hours of exercise per day. Their bodies were built to race and not allowing them to do so is unfair to the dog. Long walks will not be enough for this dog as they need exercise time spent off-leash, preferably in a dog park so they can play with other dogs as well. Racing as a sport would be a fun way for the Greyhound to exercise as it would keep them in shape as well as to serve their breed purpose. They will do well in an apartment as long as they get their daily exercise, but a house with a yard would be preferable so they can run around even at home.