| Recognized By |
ACR
,
AKC
,
ANKC
,
APRI
,
CKC
,
CKC
,
FCI
,
KCGB
,
NKC
,
NZKC
,
UKC
|
| |
|
| AKA |
English Greyhound
|
| Misspellings |
Grayhound
|
| Category |
Southern, AKC Hound
|
| Appearance |
The Greyhound is a sleek, contoured dog with a body built for speed.
|
| Life Expectancy |
The average life expectancy of a Greyhound is about 10 to 12 years.
|
| Size |
Male Greyhounds are between 28 to 30 inches tall and have an average weight of 65 to 70 pounds. Females are between 27 to 28 inches tall with a weight between 60 to 65 pounds.
|
| Characteristics |
Greyhounds have a high prey instinct and love to chase anything that moves. They are the fastest breed in the world and can reach speeds of over 40 miles per hour. Besides racing, Greyhounds also excel in hunting, sighting, agility, lure coursing and make great watch dogs. The show lines are usually a bit heavier with better temperament than the racing lines. Greyhounds need to have a regular routine.
|
| Temperament |
The Greyhound has a sweet, gently, sensitive, even-tempered temperament. They are brave, loyal intelligent dogs.
|
| Family Dog |
Greyhounds are typically good with children but do not like rough play and are not recommended for young children. Most Greyhounds can be taught to tolerate cats and other household pets. Some especially ex-racing dogs have such a high prey drive that they are not able to live in a house with other animals.
|
| Companionship |
Greyhounds typically bond strongly with their owners.
|
| Head |
The Greyhound has a long, narrow head that is fairly broad between the ears. The stop is scarcely visible. There is little or no development of nasal sinuses.
|
| Eyes |
The Greyhound has bright eyes that are dark in color giving them an intelligent expression.
|
| Ears |
The Greyhound has small rose ears that are fine in texture. They are typically thrown back and folded except when the dog is excited where they are semi-pricked.
|
| Muzzle |
The Greyhound has a fairly long, powerful muzzle which should be free from coarseness.
|
| Teeth/Bite |
The Greyhound's teeth are very strong meeting in an even bite.
|
| Neck |
The Greyhound has a long, muscular, slightly arched that gradually becomes broader toward the shoulders.
|
| Body |
The Greyhound has a broad, deep chest with fairly well-sprung ribs. Their curved spine is extraordinarily flexible. The back is broad and muscular. The well arched loins have good muscle depth and are well cut up in the flanks.
|
| Forequarters |
The Greyhound's muscular shoulders are placed as obliquely as possible. The perfectly straight front legs are set well into the shoulders with strong pasterns.
|
| Hindquarters |
The hindquarters of the Greyhound are long, wide, powerful, muscular and well let down. The stifles are well-bent. The straight, wide, well bent hocks are rather close to the ground.
|
| Feet |
The Greyhound has hard, close hare like feet that are well knuckled with strong claws.
|
| Tail |
The tail of the Greyhound is long and fine, tapering to a point with a slight upward curve.
|
| Color |
The coat comes in many colors.
|
| Coat |
The coat of the Greyhound is short and smooth with a firm texture.
|
| Shedding |
The Greyhound is an average shedder.
|
| Grooming |
The smooth, short coat of the Greyhound is very easy to care for. The coat should be brushed occasionally with a firm bristle brush. Greyhounds should be cleaned with a dry shampoo only when necessary.
|
| Training |
Greyhounds should be socialized during puppyhood to prevent shyness. Retired racing dogs are typically easy to housebreak as they are crate trained from their track experience.
|
| Behavior |
The Greyhound typically has reserved behavior toward its owner and strangers.
|
| Barking |
Greyhounds are typically not barkers.
|
| Feeding |
Greyhounds should be fed 2 to 3 small meals a day rather than one large one because of their tendency to bloat.
|
| Weather |
Greyhounds are sensitive to the cold and should wear a coat outside during cold weather.
|
| Exercise |
Greyhounds need to have opportunities to run free in a large fenced in area often. They should be taken on long daily walks.
|
| Living Conditions |
Greyhounds can live in small houses or apartments as they are typically calm and inactive inside.
|
| Health |
Greyhounds are prone to bloat and are sensitive to drugs, including insecticides.
|
| History |
The Greyhound is a very ancient breed believed to be a descendent of the Arabian Sloughi and brought to England by traders prior to 900 AD. They were used centuries ago in deer and wild boar hunting. Today Greyhounds are primarily used as race dogs. At the end of their racing careers many are actually destroyed. Fortunately, there are many Greyhound Rescue groups that choose suitable dogs to be place up for adoption into families.
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