Greyhound or Not? 23 English Greyhound Lookalikes

Classic lookalikes:
Lets start with the – lets say – classic Greyhound lookalikes. These breeds will share the sleek, athletic frame, deep chest, short coat, long legs and undeniable grace with the famous English Greyhound. And the first dog in this list is the Galgo Español — also known as the Spanish Greyhound. It’s slightly leaner, often a bit scruffier, and has been used for centuries in hare hunting. Unfortunatelly, it is also known as one of the most abused dog in Europe. When they are not good enough for hunting, due to their age or injuries, they are thrown away by hunters or kept in terrible conditions. And there are many rescue stations in Europe, specializing on Galgo dogs.
Next up is the Sloughi, also known as the Arabian Greyhound. This noble dog from North Africa is elegant, reserved, and incredibly fast, bred to chase game across harsh desert landscapes.
The Magyar Agár is the Hungarian Greyhound. It is sturdier than a Greyhound and known for endurance. It’s built to run — but also to keep going for long distances.
Then there's the Azawakh — a regal, ultra-lean sighthound from West Africa. This breed has a very unique, upright posture and is as much a guardian as it is a hunter. Very often, the Azawakh is so lean, that you can clearly see their ribs under the skin. But this is their natural healthy stature and it doesnt mean they are under-fed — they are just built that way.
The Hortaya Borzaya, often called the Eastern Greyhound, hails from eastern europe, specifically from Ukraine and Russia.
And let’s not forget the Polish Greyhound or Chart Polski. It’s more muscular than the English Greyhound, with a bit of a rougher edge — both in look and temperament.
And the last dog in the classic lookalike group is the elegant Saluki, sometimes called the Persian Greyhound. The Saluki can be either feathered or short-coated. The short coat variety is extremely similar to English Greyhound, while the feathered variety can be easily distinguished thanks to their fluffy ears, thighs, back of the legs and tail.


Indian dogs:
Maybe surprsingly, the India is home to a lot of different dog breeds – and many of them are sighthounds very similar to Greyhounds. The first Indian Greyhound lookalike is the Mudhol Hound. It’s a tough, no-nonsense hunter with a lean build and incredible stamina.
Then there’s the Kanni, a graceful and loyal sighthound from Tamil Nadu, traditionally used for coursing game. Closely related is the Chippiparai, another sleek and fast breed once favored by royalty for hunting.The Kanni and Chippiparai are almost identical dog breeds, with the main difference being the coloration, as you can see on the screen right now!
Than, we also have the Kaikadi, probably the least known breed in this list. Kaikadi dogs are much smaller than the rest of Indian sighthounds, with height only up to 50 cm. And last, but not least, let’s not forget the Rampur Greyhound — often considered the Indian cousin of the English Greyhound, which is actually quite correct, because the Rampur Greyhounds main descendant is early Afghan hound, but later in 19th century, they were extensively crossbred with the English Greyhound, so these two dogs are actually related.


Greyhound Miniatures:
Always dreamed of a Greyhound, but its just a little too big for your lifestyle? No worries — there are some amazing mini Greyhound lookalikes out there The first Greyhound miniature is the famous Whippet — known for its speed and agility, its often referred to as the 'poor mans Greyhound.' Despite its size, it shares the same sleek, athletic build and playful personality. And second we have the Italian Greyhound, which is even smaller version of the English Greyhound. It is a true mini-dog, which is very elegant and agile. This dog is perfect for those who want a Greyhound's charm in a tiny package.


Podenco dogs:
Now lets look at Podencos, the famous meditarranean hunters that share many similarities with the Greyhound, wheter it is their undeniable elegance, long legs or athletic body. First, let me introduce you to the Ibizan Hound, also known as Podenco Ibicenco a striking dog with tall, upright ears and a deer-like appearance. It’s fast, agile, and born to chase.
Another one is the Pharaoh Hound, which is a Malta’s national dog. Interesting fact about the Pharaoh Hound is, that they „blush“, when they are excited or happy, with their ears and noses becoming bright pink
Then we have the Podenco Andaluz and Podenco Canario — both Spanish podencos with incredible hunting instincts and a lean frame. They may not be widely known outside Spain, and they are definitelly lesser known than the Ibizan Hound, but they are quite popular in their homeland, especially among hunters.
And finally, the Cirneco dell’Etna — a small, refined sighthound from Sicily, built for speed and endurance on rough volcanic terrain.


Long-haired lookalikes:
Last but not least, we have the long-haired Greyhound lookalikes. These breeds combine the sleek, elegant body of a sighthound with beautiful flowing coats — making them some of the most striking dogs in the world.
Let’s start with the Borzoi, also known as the Russian Greyhound. With its aristocratic appearance and silky coat, this breed was favored by Russian nobility for centuries — both as a hunting companion and a symbol of elegance.
Next is the iconic Afghan Hound — probably the most glamorous dog on this list. With their long, fine coat and proud posture, Afghan Hounds are showstoppers. But underneath all that hair, they still have that lean, athletic sighthound build.
Then we have the Kazakh Tazy, a lesser-known but ancient breed from Central Asia. It shares a lot with the feathered Saluki in both look and temperament — elegant, fast, and with silky feathering that adds to its mystique.
And finally, the Taigan, a rare mountain sighthound from Kyrgyzstan. Compared to the others, it has a slightly more robust build and a thick, soft coat suited for colder climates — but make no mistake, this is still a true sighthound through and through.