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The English Greyhound, or simply the Greyhound, is a dog breed of dog and a sighthound. It is an ancient breed historically developed for hunting game by sight and speed, and has later been used in organised coursing and greyhound racing. Greyhounds are also kept as show dogs and companion animals.
Greyhounds are characterised by a tall, muscular, smooth-coated build, a long tail, tough feet, and a distinctive flexible, "S-shaped" outline typical of sighthounds. They are a distinct breed from other related sighthounds, such as the Italian greyhound.
The Greyhound's long legs, deep chest, flexible spine, and slim build enable high sprinting speeds. In racing contexts, greyhounds can reach peak speeds of at least , with typical winning speeds of approximately .
Occasionally, a Greyhound may bark; however, they are generally not barkers, which is beneficial in suburban environments, and they are usually as friendly to strangers as they are with their own families.Branigan, Cynthia A. (1998). Adopting the Racing Greyhound, pp. 17-18. Howell Book House, New York. . A 2008 University of Pennsylvania study found that Greyhounds are one of the least aggressive dog breeds towards strangers, owners, and other dogs. However, Greyhounds can be prone to sleep startle/sleep aggression if suddenly disturbed while napping. Owners can encounter this problem, as many greyhounds sleep with their eyes at least partially open, appearing awake.
A survey of those adopting rescue Greyhounds found that Greyhound adoptions have higher short term adoption success than shelters. The survey also found reported hyperactivity levels to be below that of shelter dogs."The Greyhound Adoption Program (GAP) in Australia and New Zealand: A survey of owners' experiences with their greyhounds one month after adoption" Applied Animal Behaviour Science Elliott, 2010 vol. 124, issue 3-4. pp. 121-135.
Greyhounds tend to be outgoing, happy and sociable with people and seem to relish human contact, even following owners from room to room at home (known colloquially as being a "Velcro dog"). Small animals including may be the subject of prey-driven behaviour by Greyhounds.
The speed of a Greyhound is due to its light but muscular build, large heart, highest percentage of oxidative–glycolytic fast twitch muscle fibers (Type IIa) of any breed,Snow, D.H. and Harris R.C. "Thoroughbreds and Greyhounds: Biochemical Adaptations in Creatures of Nature and of Man" Circulation, Respiration, and Metabolism Berlin: Springer Verlag 1985Snow, D.H. "The horse and dog, elite athletes – why and how?" Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 44 267 1985 double suspension gallop, and extreme flexibility of its Vertebral column. "Double suspension rotary gallop" describes the fastest running gait of the Greyhound in which all four feet are free from the ground in two phases, contracted and extended, during each full stride.Curtis M Brown. Dog Locomotion and Gait Analysis. Wheat Ridge, Colorado: Hoflin 1986
Compared to humans, the activity of the anaerobic enzyme lactate dehydrogenase in greyhound muscles is about three times higher, but even so, their lactate dehydrogenase activity is lower than that muscles of antelopes and Cheetah when these are also compared to humans. The activity of the aerobic enzyme citrate synthase is comparable to that of human endurance runners; this indicates muscles capable of both high speeds and high endurance.
The musculature of both hindlimbs constitutes more than 18% of their body mass. The proportion of both forelimbs muscle mass is very similar. The proportion of back musculature is 12% of their body mass.
Due to the Greyhound's unique physiology and anatomy, a veterinarian who understands the issues relevant to the breed is generally needed when the dogs need treatment, particularly when anesthesia is required. Greyhounds cannot metabolize barbiturate-based anesthesia in the same way that other breeds can because their have lower amounts of .Blythe, Linda, Gannon, James, Craig, A. Morrie, and Fegan, Desmond P. (2007). Care of the Racing and Retired Greyhound, p. 416. American Greyhound Council, Inc., Kansas. . Greyhounds demonstrate unusual blood chemistry, which can be misread by veterinarians not familiar with the breed and can result in an incorrect diagnosis. Veterinary Consultants Are Sighthounds Really Dogs?, 2017
Greyhounds are very sensitive to .Branigan, Cynthia A. (1998). Adopting the Racing Greyhound, p. 99-101. Howell Book House, New York. . Many vets do not recommend the use of or Dog flea on Greyhounds if the product is pyrethrin-based. Products like Imidacloprid, Fipronil, Lufenuron, and Amitraz are safe for use on Greyhounds, however, and are very effective in controlling fleas and .Branigan, Cynthia A. (1998). Adopting the Racing Greyhound, p. 101-103. Howell Book House, New York. .
Greyhounds have higher levels of red blood cells than other breeds. Since red blood cells carry oxygen to the muscles, this higher level allows the hound to move larger quantities of oxygen faster from the lungs to the muscles.Blythe, Linda, Gannon, James, Craig, A. Morrie, and Fegan, Desmond P. (2007). Care of the Racing and Retired Greyhound, p. 82. American Greyhound Council, Inc., Kansas. . Conversely, Greyhounds have lower levels of platelets than other breeds.
Delayed haemorrhage following trauma or routine surgery is more common in Greyhounds, with one study reporting significant haemorrhage in 26% of Greyhounds following routine Neutering, compared to 0-2% in other dog breeds. This is often termed greyhound fibrinolytic syndrome or breed-associated hyperfibrinolysis, wherein there is a disorder of the Fibrinolysis without derangement of the Coagulation, and is also not related to platelet count. In this syndrome there is initial adequate hemostasis following trauma or routine surgical procedures, however 36–48 hours later the site undergoes inappropriate Fibrinolysis. This results in delayed bleeding which can result in significant morbidity and mortality. Standard pre-operative blood work does not identify those at risk It is distinct from common bleeding disorders in other breeds such as von Willebrand's disease, which is uncommon in Greyhounds. Although high-quality research data are lacking, it is thought that this condition can be prevented and treated by administering antifibrinolytic medication such as tranexamic acid via the oral or parenteral route. Intensive care and blood product administration may also be required in severe cases.
Greyhounds do not have undercoats and thus are less likely to trigger dog allergies in humans (they are sometimes incorrectly referred to as "hypoallergenic"). The lack of an undercoat, coupled with a general lack of body fat, also makes Greyhounds more susceptible to extreme temperatures (both hot and cold); because of this, they must be housed inside.Blythe, Linda, Gannon, James, Craig, A. Morrie, and Fegan, Desmond P. (2007). Care of the Racing and Retired Greyhound, p. 394. American Greyhound Council, Kansas. . Some Greyhounds are susceptible to corns on their paw pads; a variety of methods are used to treat them.
Thyroxine levels in the Greyhound are below the normal reference range for dogs; thyroxine response to thyroid-stimulating hormone is also lowered. This can impact testing for thyroid disease but it is not a concern for health.
The ancient skeletal remains of a dog identified as being of the greyhound/saluki form were excavated at Tell Brak in modern Syria, and dated as being approximately 4,000 years old.Clutton-Brock, J., 1989. A dog and a donkey excavated at Tell Brak. Iraq, 51, pp.217-224.Structured Deposition of Animal Remains in the Fertile Crescent during the Bronze Age, José Luis Ramos Soldado, Archaeopress, 2016, p12, Dogs that look similar to Salukis and Greyhounds were increasingly depicted on Egyptian tombs from the Middle Kingdom (2134 BC–1785 BC) onward.
Historical literature by Arrian on the vertragus (from the Latin vertragus, a word of Celtic origin), the first recorded sighthound in Europe and possible antecedent of the Greyhound, suggested that its origin lies with the Celts from Eastern Europe or Eurasia. Systematic archaeozoology of Britain conducted in 1974Harcourt, R.A., 1974. The dog in prehistoric and early historic Britain. Journal of Archaeological Science, 1(2), pp.151-175. ruled out the existence of a true greyhound-type in Britain prior to the Roman occupation, which was further confirmed in 2000.Clark, K.M., 2000. Dogged persistence: the phenomenon of canine skeletal uniformity in British prehistory. BAR International Series, 889, pp.163-170. Written evidence from the early period of Roman occupation, the Vindolanda tablets (No. 594), demonstrate that the occupying troops from Continental Europe either had with them in the North of England, or certainly knew of, the vertragus and its hunting use.Bowman, Alan K; Thomas, J David (2003). The Vindolanda writing-tablets (Tabulae Vindolandenses III). British Museum Press. .
During the Middle Ages, greyhounds could only be owned by rulers and nobles, having long been associated with heraldic symbols of the ruling class in England, France, and the Czech Republic lands.
The earliest archaeological discovery found conclusively to be a greyhound specifically was at the Chotěbuz fort in the Czech Republic. This comprised sighthound type "gracile" bones dating from the 8th to 9th century AD. These bones matched those of a high "greyhound", and were also genetically compared with the modern Greyhound and other sighthounds, and found to be almost completely identical with the modern Greyhound breed, with the exception of only four deletions and one substitution in the DNA sequences, which were interpreted as differences probably arising from 11 centuries of breeding of this type of dog.
All modern pedigree Greyhounds derive from the Greyhound stock recorded and registered first in private studbooks in the 18th century, then in public studbooks in the 19th century, which ultimately were registered with coursing, racing, and kennel club authorities of the United Kingdom. The Greyhound and the Hare: A history of the breed and the sport Charles Blanning, The National Coursing Club, 2018 Historically, these were used primarily for hunting in the open where their pursuit speed and keen eyesight were essential.
The Greyhound is the only dog mentioned by name in the Bible. Many versions, including the Jewish Publication Society and King James Version, name the Greyhound as one of the "three that are stately of stride". However, some newer biblical translations, including the New International Version, have changed this to 'strutting rooster'.
According to Julius Pokorny,Pokorny, Indogermanisches Woerterbuch, pp. 441–442. the English term 'Greyhound' does not mean "grey dog/hound", but simply "fair dog". Subsequent words have been derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *g'her- "shine, twinkle": English 'grey', Old High German gris "grey, old", Old Norse "piglet, pig", Old Icelandic "to dawn", "morning twilight", Old Irish grian "sun", Old Church Slavonic "morning twilight, brightness". The common sense of these words is "to shine; bright".
In 1928, the first winner of Best in Show at Crufts was breeder/owner Mr. H. Whitley's Greyhound Primley Sceptre. Greyhounds have won the award three times in total, the most recent being in 1956.
Historically, English Greyhounds were grouped: two for coursing, as a "Brace", three for hunting, as a "Leash", otherwise known as a "couple and a half". Turbervile's Booke of Hunting 1576 Clarendon Press 1908 p242
In the early 21st century, the scale and geographic distribution of commercial greyhound racing have changed in a number of jurisdictions. In Australia, regulatory approaches have diverged between states and territories. Several states have reduced the number of licensed tracks, including the planned closure of 11 of New South Wales’ 26 tracks by 30 June 2026, and in Tasmania, legislation passed in 2025 providing for a staged phase-out of racing to end by 2029.
By the mid-2020s, commercial greyhound racing in the United States had largely ceased, although greyhounds in the United States participate in non-commercial amateur racing. Organisations such as the Large Gazehound Racing Association (LGRA) and the National Oval Track Racing Association (NOTRA) provide opportunities for participation in these events. In Wales and Scotland, legislation to prohibit greyhound racing was introduced in 2025 and in New Zealand, the government confirmed plans to prohibit greyhound racing from 2026. Greyhound racing took place in several other countries but has since ceased.
Etymology
The name Greyhound is generally believed to come from the Old English grighund]]'. Hund is the antecedent of the modern "hound", but the meaning of grig is undetermined, other than in reference to dogs in Old English and Old Norse. The word "hund" is still used for dogs in general in Scandinavian languages today. Its origin does not appear to have any common root with the modern word grey for color, and indeed the Greyhound is seen with a wide variety of coat colors. The lighter colors, patch-like markings and white appeared in the breed that was once ordinarily grey in color.
Sport
Coursing
The Greyhound has long been used for hunting by sight in open country, including the coursing of game for meat and sport. In Britain, this later developed into organised competitive hare coursing. Some greyhounds continue to be used for coursing and related activities, including lure coursing. Modern racing greyhounds may descend from bloodlines developed for coursing competition, including Irish events such as the Irish Coursing Derby and the Irish Cup.Irish Greyhound Stud Book
Racing
Until the early 20th century, Greyhounds were primarily used for hunting and coursing. During the 1920s, modern greyhound racing was introduced in several countries, including the United States and parts of the United Kingdom and Ireland, beginning with England in 1926.Roy Genders (1990). 072071804X, Pelham Books Ltd. 072071804X Greyhound racing later became established in Australia and other regions.
See also
Further reading
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