Greyhound
The Greyhound is a very well known breed that has a highly distinctive look which means it is unlikely to be confused with any other breed. It was bred primarily as a sighthound for games such as coursing and racing. The reason for this dog being used for racing is its amazing top speed 63 kph, it achieves this by have a double suspension gallop and a flexible spine. The breed is thought to originate in ancient Egypt. From DNA evidence it has been suggested that the Greyhound is most related to herding dogs. In historical books the vertragus has been seen, and it is probably an antecedent of the Greyhound, if true this would suggest that the Greyhound comes from the Celts. The term Greyhound is though to have originated from the Old English word grughund. During medieval periods the Greyhound was popular with royalty. Interestingly the Greyhound is the only dog mentioned by name in some of the version of the Bible, it was one of the "four things stately" in Proverbs. It should be noted however that other version of the bible have translated into English as strutting rooster.
Appearance
It has long powerful legs, a deep chest with a bendy spine. This allows it to reach speed of over 63 kilometres per hour (39 miles per hour). Males are normally between 71 to 76 cm to the withers and about 27 to 40 kilos. They have very short hair. They vary in colour dramatically, and no particular colour is prevalent.
Temperament
The Greyhound is a gentle and highly intelligent breed. It is a very relaxed and kind. It does have a reputation as being an aggressive dog, but this is entirely erroneous. This mistaken belief that many have is due to the fact that they are muzzled during races. The muzzles are not their because the dog is aggressive but because it prevents injuries that otherwise could occur during a race, when the dog is very excited about catching the hare. Due to the nature of the Greyhound skin it can easily be nicked and torn. From experiences from actual owners of Greyhounds it has been found that this breed can make an excellent pet. They Greyhound thrives in a quiet environment and can coexist well with kids as long as the kids respect the dog. The Greyhound is a sensitive breed so it does well with kind training. The Greyhound does not bark much.
Grooming and care
Grooming is very easy with this dog due to its short hair. Unexpectedly due to what these dogs are famous for, they do not need more exercise than average. For a happy Greyhound it is important to provide soft bedding for the dog as otherwise they can get painful sores. Greyhounds can be very insensitive to pesticides. This means that it is best to about flea collars or flea spray unless it uses pyrethrin. Greyhounds do shed but due to no undercoat they tend to be less likely to trigger allergies. Due to the thin undercoat the Greyhound has it does not do well in extreme conditions and in that case should be housed inside.
Health
The lifespan of a Greyhound is between 10 and 13 years. Greyhounds are a relatively healthy and long lived breed of dog. They may develop oesophageal achalasia, osteosarcoma, astric torsion