What type of dogs are greyhounds

Greyhounds are one of the oldest breeds of dogs, tracing back over 8, years to early cave drawings and ancient Egyptian artifacts. Many different explanations are found for the origin of the name greyhound. One suggestion is that the original greyhound was mostly gray in color. Another explanation is that the name comes from the Old English "grei," meaning dog and "hundr," meaning hunter.

The name also may have come from the term Greekhound, because the dog first reached England through the Greeks. Whatever the origin of the name, the greyhound today continues to be the same noble dog depicted in art and literature throughout history. This breed has long been associated with royalty. In fact, from the 11th to the 14th century, English law decreed that no "mean person" be allowed to keep a greyhound.

For thousands of years, greyhounds were bred to hunt by outrunning their prey. The fastest breed of dog, a greyhound can reach a speed of over 40 miles per hour. The dog is also very graceful and athletic, with the ability to maneuver easily and anticipate every move of his prey. Continued careful breeding and handling over the years have made the greyhound a most intelligent, affectionate companion.

With the advent of greyhound track racing, as well as dog showing, the breed diverged into show and racing types, with the racing type by far the more populous. In recent years a concerted effort to find homes for retired racers has raised the public's appreciation of the breed's great pet potential.

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Costa Rica. Croatia - Hrvatska. Denmark - Danmark. Finland - Suomi. France - France. Germany - Deutschland. Greater China - Taiwan. Italy - Italia. These noble dogs have been traced back over 4, years to early cave drawings and are the only breed mentioned in the Bible. Greyhounds make great pets for all kinds of individuals and families.

They are low-maintenance, gentle and laid-back dogs that don't need lots of exercise. Greyhounds will gladly spend the rest of their time dozing quietly next to you often on their backs, with all four legs in the air! The majority of greyhounds retire from racing between three and five years of age, so they are still relatively young dogs with a long life ahead of them.

At any one time, we have around greyhounds of all ages and temperaments available for adoption, so we may have one that's perfect for you.

Greyhounds are as good with children as any dog breed and better than most, because of their characteristic gentleness. They have been around people all of their lives and are usually very people-oriented. Greyhounds do not need to be muzzled at all times, but we do recommend that you keep your greyhound muzzled when out and about, at least until you are confident of their behaviour around other breeds.

They are quite used to it and associate it with pleasurable walks. Although a small number of Greyhounds are bred for the show ring, the majority of pets in America are former racing dogs.

In fact, there are currently more ex-racers in homes than there are dogs still racing approximately , Greyhounds live in homes, compared to 55, Greyhounds on the track. Most families interested in a Greyhound will adopt a retired racetrack dog. There are very few non-racing Greyhounds bred in the United States and a very large supply of ex-racers in need of homes. Greyhounds are thought to be among the most ancient of breeds and DNA seems to support that assertion.

Greyhound-like dogs have been known in many countries over the centuries and have changed little with the passage of time. The 16 th -century Spanish explorers brought Greyhounds with them to the New World. Baron Friedrich von Steuben who you may remember as the Prussian military officer who helped George Washington whip the Continental Army into shape was always accompanied by a large Greyhound named Azor.

Greyhounds were among the earliest breeds to be exhibited in dog shows in both Britain and the United States.

At the first Westminster Kennel Club show in , 18 Greyhounds were entered. The American Kennel Club recognized the breed in Today the Greyhound ranks th among the breeds registered by the AKC. Greyhounds are incredibly loving dogs, as well as graceful and quiet ones. Their favorite activity is no activity at all. They love to drape themselves over the nearest soft surface — such as the living room sofa — and give adoring looks from their dark eyes. At that point, your natural reaction will be to sit down next to your dog, rub his tummy, and whisper sweet encouragement into his ear.

That's exactly what he had in mind. Greyhounds are, by nature, good housemates. They're quiet, clean, and, while not great at formal or competitive obedience, very tractable dogs with natural good manners. Puppies need the same training all young dogs need, but adult dogs usually only need to understand what's expected of them, and be given the time and gentle guidance to get used to it. The single trait that surprises people most about Greyhounds is their low level of activity.

Adult Greyhounds -- including dogs with racing backgrounds -- are very happy with leash walks, and might even have to be prodded into getting enough exercise in older age. They enjoy the outdoors and some of them become their new owners' best jogging buddies, but don't let concerns about not being able to give an ex-racer enough exercise dissuade you from adopting.

Young Greyhounds and puppies need a lot of exercise, but they need it in safe places. The urge to chase is strong, and that impulse will likely to override any amount of training a young dog has had. This is true of dogs from both show and race lines. If some toy dogs are said to be "big dogs in little dog bodies," the Greyhound is, in some ways, the opposite. He's a tall but slender dog and weighs anywhere from 50 to 80 pounds if he's from racing lines; show-bred dogs are often much larger.

But his gentle manners and somewhat lazy nature make him a quiet presence in the house. In some ways, living with a Greyhound is like living with a giant cat. He is, nonetheless, a big dog, both strong and fast, so make sure you're able to hold and restrain him if he sees something that triggers his instinct to chase.

Track Greyhounds are sometimes unpredictable with dogs that look very different, which is understandable, since they've often never seen a different type of dog. If you have dogs of other breeds or cats , discuss your situation carefully with the Greyhound adoption group and make sure to choose a suitable dog.

Track-bred Greyhounds have many experiences that serve them well as companions after their racing careers are over. They are used to being crated, transported, and spending time around strangers.

They're rarely nervous or unstable. And the best Greyhound adoption groups help their dogs overcome any initial fearfulness about new experiences before making them available to a new home. Some Greyhounds from a track background have never been alone.

They're usually fine if there are other dogs at home, but they can suffer from separation anxiety while their owners are away. Discuss this carefully with the adoption group, and make sure the hound you adopt will fit your lifestyle Start training your puppy the day you bring him home. Even at eight weeks old, he is capable of soaking up everything you can teach him. If possible, get him into puppy kindergarten class by the time he is 10 to 12 weeks old, and socialize, socialize, socialize.

However, be aware that many puppy training classes require certain vaccines like kennel cough to be up to date, and many veterinarians recommend limited exposure to other dogs and public places until puppy vaccines including rabies, distemper and parvovirus have been completed. In lieu of formal training, you can begin training your puppy at home and socializing him among family and friends until puppy vaccines are completed. They see the puppies and dogs daily and can make uncannily accurate recommendations once they know your lifestyle and personality.

Whatever you want from a Greyhound, look for one whose parents have nice personalities and who has been well socialized from early puppyhood. All dogs have the potential to develop genetic health problems, just as all people have the potential to inherit disease. Run from any breeder who does not offer a health guarantee on puppies, who tells you that the breed has no known problems, or who keeps puppies isolated from the main part of the household for health reasons.

A reputable breeder will be honest and open about health problems in the breed and the incidence with which they occur. The good news is that Greyhounds are generally healthy. That said, there are a number of conditions that can affect them. Some Greyhounds may have an abnormal response to certain anesthetic drugs, or to the stress of hospitalization.

If you are concerned about an upcoming procedure involving anesthesia, discuss it with your veterinarian. Greyhounds are more likely than many breeds to bloat, a condition in which the stomach expands with air. This can become the more serious condition, gastric torsion, if the stomach twists on itself, cutting off blood flow.

Gastric torsion strikes suddenly, and a dog who was fine one minute can be dead a few hours later. Watch for symptoms like restlessness and pacing, drooling, pale gums, lip licking, inability to purge, and signs of pain. Gastric torsion requires immediate veterinary surgery, and most dogs that have bloated once will bloat again. This procedure can also be done as a preventive measure.

Greyhounds suffer from a high rate of bone cancer osteosarcoma , usually in one of their legs. It's not known exactly why this is, but there may be some genetic component. While bone cancer is almost always fatal, Greyhounds often do very well for some time after the affected leg has been amputated, so don't let human prejudices close your mind to the possibility.

Greyhounds have big hearts and often have minor murmurs. They can also have elevated blood pressure. Some general practitioners are unfamiliar with what is normal for a Greyhound and will suspect heart disease when none is present. If a heart problem is suspected, consider seeing a board-certified veterinary cardiologist for a cardiac ultrasound.

Hip dysplasia is virtually unheard of in Greyhounds, so if your dog is limping, stiff, or reluctant to get up and move around, look for another cause. There are a number of neck and spinal problems that can cause those symptoms, and a good place to get a diagnosis for any persistent muscoloskeletal problem in a Greyhound is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon.

Many Greyhounds are treated for diseases they don't have, such as hypothyroidism , due to a lack of familiarity with the breed's normal values on common lab tests. This happens less frequently than in the past because Greyhounds are growing in popularity, but it's still important that Greyhound owners are aware of the issue. Normal, healthy Greyhounds can have low platelets, low thyroid readings, and lower or higher than normal values on a number of common blood chemistry levels.

Make sure your veterinarian is familiar with these anomalies of the Greyhound, and if she isn't, ask her to speak to the pathologist at the veterinary lab the practice uses, or ask her to read " Why is my dog's labwork different from yours?

Racing Greyhounds have some health risks not shared with dogs from show breeders, and these risks are not genetic. They often come off the track with very bad dental problems, so if the adoption organization hasn't had the dog's teeth cleaned by a veterinarian the kind of cleaning done without anesthesia is cosmetic only and will not address the types of dental health problems commonly found in Greyhounds , have this done immediately.

Greyhounds sometimes have bloody, crumbling toenails caused by symmetrical lupoid onychodystrophy SLO , a rare disease suspected to be autoimmune in nature.