The greyhound’s origins can be traced in ancient Egyptian tombs, walls and paintings. These date way back in 2200 BC. They treasured the
hounds and also recorded their birth and the death dates .The treated the hounds like members of their family. Some traces have also been found where they were mummied with their owners. The art work in old Egyptian coins clearly depicts that they had sold some of the
grey hounds to the Greeks.
From the Middle Ages onwards the rose ear greyhound was traced in Europe. The Romans enjoyed its racing and hunting abilities. However in the middle ages the breed went extinct due to disease and famine. The Spanish explorers brought the
greyhound to North America and they were used by American cavalry forces at times of war for guarding and hunting purposes.
The AKC(American Kennel Club) recognized the breed in 1885. The fit animal was then used for racing which became a popular and trendy sport and is still doing well in spite of bad publicity and negative press comments.
The greyhound has muscular and long back legs and a sleek body. Its front legs are comparatively straight. It has a well built back, throwing a very flexible and strong look.
Greyhound spine is domed. Its eyes are bright and dark and give a perception of being very intelligent and clever. It has folded ears which are small and triangular in form. Its neck blends gracefully with its domed back. The tail is long and slightly curved.
The greyhounds coat is smooth and short. They are found in numerous colors which include white, fawn, rusty red, grayish blue. Sometimes they are found with dark patches on white. The length of the coat varies. Some
greyhounds might have thicker coats which appear like the teddy bear coat variety. While some have short coats with a little feathering near the buttocks. One can easily say that they have no body fat. Greyhounds require little grooming as they are usually very clean.
Its standard height varies from 25 to 29 inches ( for dogs) and 24 to 27 inches (for bitches).
Varies from 65 to 70 pounds ( for dogs); 60 to 65 pounds (for bitches).
A healthy Greyhound lives for about 10 to13 years.
This particular breed of
dogs is friendly, faithful and loyal. They greyhound adds a lot of life to a quiet home. It makes a brilliant and a wonderful pet. It is very sensitive, easily diverted and somehow troubled with noise and commotion. It has a good reputation of being speedy but its still not counted among the “energetic” dogs. It gets lazy sometimes and when left indoors it will enjoy taking a nap. This
dog breeds is calm, serene and graceful.
It makes an exceptional companion. Other dogs need to be mingled with puppies to mellow down their dominance. On the contrary a
greyhound needs to be socialized early so that they can build up their self confidence. This variety cannot be left to run free as they will run and run till they reach the next state when they a halt. The yards of the house need to be fenced and leashes are a clear requirement.
Greyhound as a Pet
Greyhounds are well behaved with children. However the dog requires sound treatment and so rough conduct should be avoided.
Greyhound is companionable with other pets in the family which include cats. In some cases they may not get along with cats, especially if they have a strong prey instinct. They
greyhound is very sensitive and therefore obedience training becomes a lengthy procedure. But it is a necessity as it builds confidence and develops a strong bonding between the owner and the dog.
The greyhound needs to be treated with gentleness and patience. The grey hound is easy to bring under control and does not bark unnecessarily. Overall they are great
pets. They are exceedingly tidy and clean. They are very compatible and easy going even though they are categorized as large dogs.
