Greyhound - Top 10 Interesting Facts

Greyhounds were originally bred as hunting dogs to chase hare, foxes, and deer.
There are TOP 10 interesting facts about Greyhound.

1) Egyptian Origin

There aren't many dogs whose breed can be traced back to 3,000 B.C, but the greyhound can be. Stone relief sculptures, statues and paintings often depicted the slender canines with exaggeratedly pointed faces and ears. Greyhounds were closely linked with the jackal god, Anubis. When domesticated, they were often buried with solemn pageantry and were said to pass into an afterlife known as the Field of Reeds and thereby live forever.

2) Dog Racing

A sport that began in Ancient Greece (and eventually moved to England), hunters and their greyhounds participated in “coursing” events, in which dogs would rely on sight, rather than scent, to chase down prey such as rabbits. Coursing eventually led to dog racing and, in 1912, the invention of the mechanical rabbit. 

3) Fastest Breed

Thanks to their lean bodies and long, powerful legs, greyhounds can reach speeds up to 45 mph, and it only takes three strides for them to reach 30 mph. Because greyhounds are so thin, it takes less energy for them to rocket themselves forward. If you watch them in action, you’ll notice that the dogs pick up all four feet at two points when they run: Once when their legs are fully extended and a second time when their legs are tucked under their bodies. As a result, the dogs appear to almost glide through the air. This four-time gait is called a double suspension gallop. 

4) Greyhound in White House

A greyhound named Grim lived in the White House with the president when he took office in 1876. This presidential pet, known as a crooner, is famous for being the first dog adopted by President Hayes when he was in office, when Grim was 2 years old. The president once wrote, "He is good-natured and neat in his habits … and took all our hearts at once." But sadly, this beloved dog was hit and killed by a train soon after his master left office.

5) Weight

Despite standing at 27 to 30 inches tall, these lanky dogs usually only weigh about 60 to 70 pounds on average. In comparison, the stocky Bernese mountain dog generally grows to be just 28 inches tall but easily breaks 100 pounds on average.

6) Eye Placement

Greyhounds, like other sighthounds, have thin heads with widely spread eyes. This unusual eye placement gives the dog 270 degree vision, meaning they can see some of the back of their head. In comparison, humans can only see 180 degrees, with very little peripheral vision. 

7) Coach Potatoes

You may think of greyhounds as energetic and athletic, but they have a lazy side as well. Animal Planet lovingly refers to this breed as "the world's fastest couch potato” thanks to their calm and quiet indoor personas. That being said, dogs take their cues from their owners, so whatever lifestyle you lead, your dog is sure to mirror.

8) They do not Sit

Greyhounds can sit, but they don’t enjoy it. Thanks to their very tight muscles, the dogs have trouble sitting like other breeds—it’s rare for their rumps to actually touch the floor when they hunker down. Most greyhounds opt for standing or lying on something comfortable instead. 

9) Royalty

Greyhounds were beloved for their elegance and made frequent appearances in the royal courts. King Henry VIII was a huge fan of coursing and had a collection of greyhounds on hand; the dog is still a symbol of the House of York to this day.  Queen Elizabeth I was also fond of coursing and greyhounds, and even enacted “The Law of the Lease,” meaning that the prey had a head start, in order to make the game more interesting.

10) Bible

References in the Bible, especially the Old Testament, offer clues to how old things are. Such is the case with the greyhound reference in Proverbs 30:29-31, depending on the scripture version, which sometimes substitutes a "strutting rooster." In the King James Version, the text reads: "There be three things which go well, yea, four are comely in going: a lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any; a greyhound; and the goat also; and a king, against whom there is no rising up."

Source:
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2016/06/16/greyhound-facts.aspx
http://mentalfloss.com/article/69004/13-fast-facts-about-greyhounds