Greyhound
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 Description:
Greyhounds are sleek, muscular and extremely fast
and most often used for hunting and sport. There
is no question these dogs are one of the oldest
breeds, however, there are a few theories regarding
their origin. One theory suggests a type of dog
very similar to today's Greyhound breed was found
in drawings in ancient Egyptian tombs. Another
specifically disputes this theory and relates
the Greyhound to a type of herding dog owned by
the ancient Celts in Eastern Europe or Euroasia.
Greyhounds arrived in America most likely by Spanish
explorers as far back as the 1500s. They were
among the first dogs to be recorded in American
dog shows and Greyhounds can be found in the second
edition of the AKC Stud Book in 1885.
There are two types of Greyhound - the National
Greyhound Association (NGA) dogs and AKC standard.
NGA dogs are primarily used in racing and bred
for specifically for this. AKC Greyhounds are
for show and companionship.
Height:
The height of Greyhound dogs is between 28 to
30 inches (71 - 76 cm) and for females: 27 to
28 inches (68 - 71 cm)
Weight: The weight of Greyhound
dogs is between 65 to 70 lbs (29 -31kg) and for
females 60 to 65 lbs (27 - 29 kg)
Coat Type: The Greyhound's coat
is short in length, smooth, fine, thin, but firm
in texture. Care for the coat is minimal, weekly
brush is all that's necessary. The Greyhound breed
is an average shedder.
Color: There are many acceptable
colors for the Greyhound breed. Black, white,
red, blue, fawn, liver, brindle or any of these
colors mixed with white.
 Temperament:
Greyhounds are intelligent, gentle and even tempered.
They are affectionate with those they know and
bond well making them a great companion. These
dogs are also good with considerate children,
but do not like rough play. The Greyhound is sensitive,
quiet, loyal and docile. It is important to socialize
Greyhounds at an early age to prevent them from
being timid. Greyhounds are not high energy dogs
as one might think because they are incredibly
fast runners. They require basic exercise - running
outdoors or long, daily walks.
Health Problems: Greyhounds are
generally a healthy breed. Some health concerns
include: bloat, bone cancer and esophageal motility
disorder which causes difficulty in swallowing
and regurgitation of food. The average life span
of a Greyhound is between 10 - 13 years.
Special Interests:
• General George Custer was a Greyhound
enthusiast.
• Greyhound Bus Lines uses a sprinting Greyhound
as its logo.
• Greyhounds can run as fast as 40 mph making
them the fastest breed in the world. Greyhounds
have very little body fat.
• The fictional character "Santa's
Little Helper" in the animated series, The
Simpsons
is a brown Greyhound.
• Greyhound racing is known as the "Sport
of the Queens" - this is derived from Cleopatra
and Queen Elizabeth's fascination with this breed.
• The Greyhounds used for racing typically
were put down when their career was over, now
many of these gentle, loyal dogs are put up for
adoption and used as a companion making them a
wonderful family pet.
Classifications:
AKC: Hound Group
ANKC: Group 4 - Hounds
CKC: Group 2 - Hounds
FCI: Group 10 Section 3 Short-haired Sighthounds
KC: Hound
UKC: Sighthounds and Pariahs
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