The
is one of the fastest there in existence – proof of that would be Greyhounds participating in races everywhere, and organizations being put up which host races exclusive to this breed of pooch. What makes it so damn fast anyway? Let's take a glance at its anatomy: it stands anywhere from 26 to 30 inches, and weighs 60 to 70 pounds. With the given specs, many consider this to be a medium to large dog – but taking a look at its actual appearance, many people would probably think otherwise; why? Because it seems to be really skinny, so where on earth does the 60 to 70 pounds come from? The secret behind that lies within its super compact and well-developed muscles, which is capable of generating large amounts of force, like for propelling its body forward.
The build of the Greyhound happens to be “aerodynamic” - a slender build doesn't generate that much air resistance, which allows it to move even faster. That basic principle has been adopted by the cycler crowd, you'd notice how they like biking behind vehicles, which allows them to match their speed (no air resistance). Moving forward, this
is also extremely agile and has an abundance of stamina, traits which hasn't gone unnoticed by not only the racers, but the hunters as well. The Egyptian pooch (many believe it came from Egypt) was an excellent hunter. Back then (until now as well perhaps), they engaged into a sport known as coursing – they were made to chase after game on the run, using their eyes of course.
It had to run after all kinds of fast moving animals, which included wolves and hare. It's said that using hare as the choice of game is illegal in some parts of the world, but the activity is still carried on till now. This is because the hare usually got killed in the process, an act found to be inhumane by a certain organization of “hare lovers” or whatever animal rights group. Going back to the original topic, racing, the Greyhound loves routines – this made it more than willing to train and win the game. But nothing lasts forever, so what happens when the pooch is incapable of running? Racers respond to that by getting rid of them, or even having them killed.
A sad fact indeed, but nevertheless true. Greyhounds forced into retirement can actually make great house pets – they bond very well with the family taking care of it. It also has this sweet and friendly nature to it, which makes it even more lovable. They may be out of the racing game, but doesn't mean that they're not capable of participating in the physical activities that you may be doing. Be it walking, jogging, or running, expect that it'll be you trying to keep up – when they retire, it's because they're no longer capable of “winning”, which means they still got killer speed and fight inside.
Good thing that there are organizations being put up which “cater” for their safety. An unwanted Greyhound can be placed under their care. It'll be fed, cleaned, played with, etc – till the point that somebody comes along and adopts it.
would be a sound choice for anybody looking for a good pet.
The information contained in or made available through this website does not substitute the services of trained professionals in any field. Neither we nor our partners, or any of their affiliates, will be liable for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary or other damages.
Digg It!
It's Del.icio.us!
Furl It!
Stumble!