Greyhound | Dog, Appearance, Racing, History, & Facts (2024)

FAQs

Greyhound | Dog, Appearance, Racing, History, & Facts? ›

Its likeness appears on an Egyptian tomb dating from about 3000 bce. Streamlined, slender, and strong, the Greyhound can attain a speed of about 45 miles (72 km) per hour. It has a narrow head, a long neck, a deep chest, long muscular hindquarters, and a long slim tail.

dog Breed Profile

The greyhound is built for speed with a streamlined, muscular body. The neck and head are long. Their characteristic rose ears are usually folded flat against the neck when the dog is relaxed, but prick forward and may even stand somewhat erect when the greyhound is at attention.

Greyhound track racing, as we know it today, began in 1919 in California with the invention of a mechanical lure. For the next 65 years the status of the greyhound declined as people saw these dogs race and concluded that they were high strung, aggressive and unloving. Racing is regulated by state or local laws.

Greyhounds come in 18 primary colors and over 55 different color combinations. Greyhounds wear muzzles while racing to protect themselves from injury during the excitement of the race and to make it easier to determine the winner in a photo finish. At one time only noblemen were allowed to own a greyhound.

After you have located their track name, go to Greyhound-Data and use the “Dog-Search” feature. If all goes well, you can find their pedigree and race record. You may also be able to figure out what state your greyhound came from by researching the tracks that they raced.

Sight: These dogs have a unique field of vision, allowing them to see up to 270 degrees around them while running — this outperforms other breeds, who typically only have a range of 180 degrees. Skin and Coat: Their thin skin and short coat help to reduce wind resistance, further optimizing them for speed.

Race dogs should be well muscled and display 3-4 ribs with just a hint of spine and pin bones showing. Breeding animals usually carry slightly more condition than race dogs. Muscle definition should be evident (varies from puppyhood through to rac-ing age) and be even on both sides of the greyhound.

Beginning in roughly 1990, and continuing over the next three decades, the vast majority of greyhound tracks have closed due to declining betting revenue, encroachment by Native American gaming and commercial casino gambling into states with greyhound racing, the legalization of sports betting and concerns over the ...

Racing greyhounds are bred for speed, coursing greys for a combination of speed, endurance, and courage, and show greys for appearance. An AKC (show) greyhound typically stands 26-30 inches at the shoulder and weighs 60-80 pounds. Females average around 10 to 15 pounds less than males.

Despite its somewhat misleading name, the Greyhound breed is not named for its grey fur, as the dogs come in a variety of colors. The name likely originates from the Old English term “grighund.”

What are some sad facts about greyhounds? ›

Most greyhounds, a breed that can live 10 to 15 years, don't make it past three or four. Animals Australia believes around 18,000 dogs – including young, injured and retired greyhounds – are killed each year in Australia. "Out of 20,000 dogs born each year, only 2000 will go on to live a full life.

The film is based on the 1955 novel The Good Shepherd by C. S. Forester, and follows a US Navy commander on his first assignment commanding a multi-national escort destroyer group of four, defending an Allied convoy from U-boats during the Battle of the Atlantic.

The modern racing greyhound has roots in hunting dogs, as early British noblemen used these agile, swift dogs for hunting hare and deer. This practice, more commonly known as coursing, was a popular sport among the aristocracy and was the predecessor to modern greyhound racing.

Off the track their lives may not be much better — oftentimes being kept in tiny barren pens or kennels for the majority of their lives, only released to train or race. Racing greyhounds are not commonly kept as companion animals.

The tattoo in a Greyhound's left ear is his litter registration number, which is assigned by the NGA. The tattoo in his right ear identifies a specific puppy in that litter. The tattoo in your retired racer's right ear identifies the month and year of his birth and the order in his litter in which he was tattooed.

Greyhounds are a separate breed from other related sighthounds, such as the Italian greyhound. The Greyhound's combination of long, powerful legs, deep chest, flexible spine, and slim build allows it to reach average race speeds exceeding 64 kilometres per hour (40 mph).

Friendly and non-aggressive, Greyhounds have a wonderful temperament but their sensitive side makes them best suited to quieter, calmer homes. More independent than other breeds, Greyhounds are happy to be left alone sometimes.

The lean beauty of the Greyhound 'inverted S' shape, created by the deep chest curving gently into a tightly tucked waist, has been an object of fascination for artists, poets, and kings for as long as human beings have called themselves civilized.

The Italian greyhound is truly a greyhound in miniature, with supreme elegance and grace. The height at the withers is 13 to 15 inches, and the weight is 7-14 pounds. The slender, muscular body, accentuated by the curved back, deep chest, and lean, well-muscled legs, produces a sinewy outline.