What are greyhound dogs?
- Greyhounds known as “the world’s fastest 40 mph couch potato” and sometimes called “Sloughi” are gentle, slim dog breed with a classic look who can fit into almost any home.
- They were bred for speed, they are so fast (up to 70km per hour), the thing that makes them perfect for coursing, racing and hunting. Since the Greyhound racing sport, the breed has seen a big increase in popularity as dog pets.
- As Greyhounds are gentle and friendly, they gained many people’s hearts all around the world, and became one of the best choices for families who want to bring a new hound home.
How did Greyhound dogs get their name?
- The English word Greyhound is derived from an old word Grighund. Hund is simply derived from hound which means dog, but the word Grig doesn’t really have an official meaning yet and still a little mysterious, Grig may be some kind of the breed’s characteristics or nature in old English or old Norse (a language that was spoken by the residents of Scandinavia, a region in Northern Europe). Anyways, the word Grey/ Grig has nothing to do with the color grey (and that’s for sure because Greyhounds come in a variety of coat colors).
- Also according to an Austrian-Czech linguist and scholar of the Celtic languages, the English word Greyhound doesn’t mean grey dog, but clearly fair dog.
Where did Greyhounds originate from?
- According to some archaeologists, carvings of the Greyhound were discovered in some places in Egypt dating back to 3000 B.C.
- They are believed to have generally come from the Sloughi dog breed (A Berber Greyhound) and transported to England by some dealers before 1000 A.D.
- Also some other scientists believe that the Greyhounds is a dog breed that originated in northwestern Europe, and exactly in United Kingdom.
Are Greyhounds a popular breed?
- Yes absolutely, they are very popular dogs! and that’s for multiple reasons. They are lean beautiful dogs with a classic royal look, they are Intelligent, Gentle and friendly.
- But the most important thing, they are Affectionate and kind! Moreover, Greyhound racing also made them a popular breed. After a long time of racing, when Greyhounds become old and retire, they can be adopted by anyone who is interested in knowing this unique sweet breed.
What colors come in the Greyhounds?
- A question that many people ask! Greyhounds actually come in many colors brindle, black, red, fawn, also all of these colors can be found mixed with the white color.
But only 18 colors that are official colors:
Blue Brindle, Fawn Brindle, Brindle, Fawn, Black and white, white and black, Red Brindle, Black Brindle, Light Red Fawn, Red and white, Light Brindle, Blue, Dark Brindle, Red Fawn, Dark Red, White and Brindle, White and Brindle Tick.
So even if their name contain only the grey color, but there is a big variety of colors to choose from!
You can see the Color Chart below.
What eye colors have the Greyhounds?
Nearly all Greyhounds have dark eyes (dark brown eyes or black eyes), but it’s very common in little puppies to have cute green, grey or blue eyes like the eyes of a Siberian Husky. But these are just few exceptions and it does not mean that anything is wrong with the dog’s eyes. They are also as adorable as their dark colored eyes brothers.
What do Greyhounds look like?
Even if Greyhounds come in a variety of sizes and colors, but they have the same body structure.
- They have long and slim bodies with long legs and a flexible back that help them to contract and stretch easily while running.
- They have strong muscles and very low body fat (you can easily spot their rib cages through their skin).
- Their feet are long and slim, afford them maximum speed. Their long tail is like a rudder for them when running at high speed.
- Their heads are also long as their bodies. Their coat is short and smooth which is easy to maintain.
How big are Greyhounds?
Like any other dogs, Greyhounds come in different sizes. In addition, females are almost always smaller than males. A female’s height can reach about 68- 71 cm, and they weigh something between 27- 31 kg. Males like we said, they are bigger and taller than females, a male weigh between 29- 36 kg and it’s height can reach about 71- 76 cm.
Also, many people think that the Greyhounds are big and considered like a large dog breed, but this is not true, when they are compared to other large dogs, they look really much smaller! So we can call them something between medium and large.
Are Greyhounds easy to train?
- Yes, The Greyhounds are quite easy to train, they are smart and able to learn a variety of different tricks and activities! ( they love to be challenged by a variety of tricks and training exercises).
- They are Athletic dogs and they need daily exercise to burn their calories.
- Puppy Greyhounds can be a little hard to train when they are between 3 to 5 months “their teething period time”. But once they reach their adulthood, they will be much easier to train (See how to get your dog to do as it’s told).
- Greyhounds also are sensitive, so a trainer with a plenty of experiences is recommended.
What is a Greyhound racing?
Greyhound racing is an arranged sport in which Greyhound dogs are raced around a circular path. Greyhound racing is also kind of gambling activities very much like the horse betting, where people can stake money on a Greyhound dog and hope for the win!
Greyhound dogs are also known for being very fast and hard working racing dogs that they can lose up to 2.5 kg in a single race!
Like we said before, their flexible back and their long legs help them to stretch and contract easily while running and give them maximum speed, the fact that they are in the air more than they are on their feet, by up to 80%, which means that their paws touch the floor only 20% of the time of the race!
Even if Greyhound racing became a less popular sport in many countries, it’s still popular in other parts in the world like the United States, United Kingdom, South Africa, New Zealand, Ireland, Australia and more..
Why do Greyhounds wear muzzles when racing?
Nearly all dogs don’t love muzzles, and you should not force them to wear muzzles in any case, only if they have some health problems or if they are very aggressive. But for Greyhounds, they only wear muzzles while racing for two reasons, the first one is protection, we all know that Greyhounds are very thin with insufficient fur, they are prone to some serious injuries, a small scratch which is nothing for other dogs, it can be harmful for Greyhounds, so the muzzles protect them.
The second reason is to make identifying the winner dog easily.
In addition, wearing muzzles at the race is necessary.
How fast are the Greyhounds?
As we said, Greyhounds are the fastest dogs ever, and the second fast mammal animal after the cheetah. Their average speed when they race is about 65 km per hour (or 18 meters per second) and while the race is going on, they can run even faster up to 70 km per hour (20 meters per second) and they can reach it within the first 100 feet.
During the race, their feet rarely when they touch the floor!
Do Greyhounds need a lot of exercise?
Greyhounds are like any other dogs, they need physical activities, whether they are old or young! It keeps them healthy, active and refreshed!
Greyhounds are known as racers and running dogs, so it’s better they have a regular free run outdoor in a safe area! But if you can’t or you don’t have much time, a simple walk or a jog (something about 30 min to 1 hour) is enough for them, where the dog is behind you leading the way with a leash. The type of activity doesn’t really matter, the essential thing is to give them a regular exercise routine.
Also some lazy Greyhounds dogs prefer taking long naps instead of doing a physical activity.
Do Greyhounds have any health issues?
Another question that many Sloughis owners ask! Greyhounds, like many other breeds, are sensitive to anesthesia “a medical drug used especially in surgery and dentistry”, a regular dose that another dog can find it normal, it can actually kill the Greyhound. And that’s probably because of their thin skin and the lack of body fat as some scientists said. So make sure when visiting a veterinarian, that he is informed about your dog’s sensitivity to anesthesia before starting any type of treatment.
Greyhounds also suffer from Hypothyroidism “in which the thyroid gland doesn’t produce sufficient thyroid hormones that help to control a dog’s metabolism and health”, when the thyroid gland is not producing enough hormones, the metabolism will be slower, and your doggy could gain weight. Hypothyroidism also can cause other symptoms including: lethargy, low hormone levels, random heat cycles and sometimes can also cause them infertility.
One of the most serious health issues for Greyhounds is Osteosarcoma “a cancerous tumor that starts in the bones” and they have a high rate of developing it, the early caught the better and easier for them to survive it. So don’t hesitate to take your doggy to the veterinarian if you see him walking with a limp.
What can I name my Greyhound?
Here is the best 10 female and male dog names!
Male names :
- Roscoe
- Jasper
- Harley
- Cooper
- Jack
- Gus
- JAx
- Dexter
- Sam
- Beau
Female names :
- Minnie
- Sandy
- Macy
- Molly
- Athena
- Willa
- Coco
- Angel
- Maya
- Callie
This was the best questions about Greyhounds, if you have any other question feel free to ask us in the comments section!