8 Fun Facts About Greyhounds
Greyhounds make fantastic life companions. Many people assume because of their racing pasts that they’re energetic and high maintenance dogs but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Greyhounds will love nothing more than to spend their days by their owner’s side, getting a little exercise and then happily snoozing away. Greyhounds are one of the gentlest natured and calm breeds around and make the perfect companions for small families and older couples. Here are the top 8 facts that you may not have known about greyhounds.
1. Greyhounds are sensitive souls They have sensitive tummies too! Greyhounds have very specific dietary requirements due to their extremely sensitive digestive systems. During their racing careers they would have been fed on a diet that would have been specially formulated to suit their digestive system and this means that they will have built up intolerances to foods containing additives, so feeding the smallest amount of the wrong food can have a severe effect on their health. This will not only have an impact on your dog but could also have an impact on your family life too. After all, our dogs are our best friends and there would be nothing worse than watching them struggle. This is why there is specially formulated greyhound food available on the market that is ideal for those sensitive tummies.
2. Greyhounds are the only dogs that are mentioned in the Bible “A greyhound; a he goat also; and a king, against whom there is no rising up.” - Proverbs 30:29-31
3. Greyhounds are “45mph couch potatoes”
Greyhounds are actually the fastest breed of dog in existence. Some say that a greyhound can actually reach up to 40-45 miles during their short stints of exercise but then they will happily spend the rest of the day snoozing away. The reality is that your rescue greyhound will probably enjoy racing you to the sofa rather than pestering you for exercise. He’ll probably fall to sleep quicker than any other breed of dog too!
4. Greyhounds can’t sit Well...this is not entirely true. It’s not physically impossible but due their skeletal designs it can be very uncomfortable for your greyhound to sit. When/if they do you’ll probably find that they may not sit for a longer period of 1 or 2 minutes. Many people choose not to teach their greyhound to sit knowing that it could be potentially uncomfortable for them.
5. Greyhounds are dogs of Aristocracy Royalty such as Queen Victoria and King Henry VIII were proud owners of greyhounds. Have you ever heard the saying “You could tell a gentleman by his horses and his greyhounds"? During times of famine in the middle ages Greyhounds nearly became extinct. That was until the kind clergymen bred them. They soon became symbols of nobility and shortly after that they became dogs of aristocracy. In 1014 King Canute enforced the ‘Forest Laws’, one of the laws being that if any commoner that was caught owning a grey hound would be severely punished. The law progressed and the punishment for causing death to a greyhound was the equivalent to murder.
6. Greyhounds have stereoscopic vision
Historically, Greyhounds were used for hunting due to their amazing eyesight. Greyhounds are still used for running at an extremely fast pace and their eyesight has evolved to suit this. Greyhounds struggle to see stationary objects so when you’re calling your greyhound to return to you’ll be better off moving around so your greyhound will be able to see you better. You may look a little daft doing this in public but who cares?!
7. Greyhounds are perfect pets for people with allergies
Greyhounds have an extremely thin and odourless coat which means that they hardly moult; this means that they make the perfect dog for people who are affected by allergies. Because they have such a thin coat it may be a good idea to provide them with an extra layer whilst out walking during winter.
8. Greyhounds come in other colours than grey! The name grey hound originated from the Old English word “gighund”. ‘Hund’ was the old word for hound and the word ‘gig’ is unknown. The origin of the word ‘greyhound’ is completely unrelated to the colours as greyhounds are seen in variety of colours and shades. Greyhounds are such friendly and gentle dogs who love to be the centre of attention. They make the perfect companion and all they will ever require is love from their owners and the right diet. These little characters will be sure to tell you when they’ve had enough exercise and won’t have any problems resting their eyes at any given opportunity. If you’d like to find out a little more about greyhounds the please visit the Burgess Pet Care website - http://www.burgesspetcare.co.uk/