Greyhound

The greyhound is a breed which was bred for hunting purposes. But lately the popularity of the dog has risen and it’s being used as a show dog and a family pet. Being soft and intelligent they tend to get attached to the owner very fast. The males are usually 71 to 76 inches in height and they tend to weigh around 27 to 40 kilos. The females are relatively smaller being 68 to 71 inches in height and weighing 27 to 34 kilos. They come in 30 recognised colors with a lot of variations in white, black, fawn, brown, red or gray.

These deep chested animals have long legs with a lot of power which is used in running. They have a flexible spine and a slim build. They are quite fast in running and their speed can go up to 65 kilometers per hour. Though they are fast and are good at hunting, they are not very hyper and active. They tire easily though they are well reputed racing dogs. Since they are sprinters they don’t require much a lot of exercise.

They are mainly gentle and soft spoken animals with a lot of affection to people who are nice to them. Even though they are not very active they need to be kept healthy with a lot of mental and physical exercise. The dog must be taken on regular walks. Occasional trips to the dog park can be practised. They can be couch potatoes most of the time as they simply love to laze around and watch TV.

This is a very healthy breed of dogs and they are long lived. Thus hereditary diseases are quite rare. There are a few conditions these dogs face. Osteosarcoma and esophageal achalasia are two of them. They also experience bloat which is mainly gastric torsion if they aren’t fed properly. They shouldn’t sleep on hard surfaces as they have a lean body and it can lead to problems in the bones. The owners usually provide soft bedding for the dogs to sleep on. Otherwise they tend to get skin sores which are painful. They are expected to live for 10 to 13 years. The greyhounds have a unique body structure and anatomy. Thus a vet who is well aware of a greyhound’s problems is needed when the dog is to be given treatment. Greyhounds are also used as universal blood donor for other dogs as they have a high red blood cell count. During treatment they must be given anesthesia.

Greyhounds are known to be great pets. They need a leader and usually adopt a human quickly into their pack. They get along with children and love to play with them. They can also adjust to other pets and dogs of different breeds. After retirement from their racing career they tend to develop separation anxiety when they are put in a new house or when their owners leave them for a short period of time. But when another greyhound is introduced in the family their anxiety settles down and they get back to their original behavior.