It is thought that the Greyhound breed originated in Greece. It is also thought that the name Greyhound was derived from the saxon word grech or greg which means “Greek”. Or it could have come from the word “Grazehound”, which is a word used to describe a dog that hunts by sight, (a sight hound). Grey is not a common color of the the greyhound breed. So it is unlikely that the name originated from their color. Back in Egyptian times greyhounds were treated almost god-like. As times passed they became hunters and sporting dogs. Coursing was a sport conducted by Royalty in Rome around the first century AD. Today’s greyhound can be attributed to England back in the late eighteenth century. The Earl of Orford opened the first public coursing club and was determined to produce the “perfect greyhound”. Greyhounds have been around in the United States since before the days of Christoper Columbus and were utilized in the Midwest and West to chase jackrabbits and hunt. Greyhounds are unbelievably fast runners They can reach speeds that exceed 50 mph and can go from 0-45 mph in about three steps. So it is no surprise that we like to watch them run. There are 47 greyhound race tracks in 16 states. Whether you are for or against greyhound racing, one thing is for sure, they LOVE to run. Make no mistake, once you own a greyhound you will realize that they want to run and they do it for the pure love of it, without any coaxing from you. All greyhound racers are registered with the Nation Greyhound Association (NGA). The NGA keep records of blood lines and ownership of each greyhound. Greyhounds are also showed and they still participate in coursing for lures. Coursing for lures is when two dogs usually race after a lure, ( usually a plastic bag).
English: Greyhound racing Français : Lévrier durant une course (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
adoptiongreyhound 