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Appearance: Dogs (males) are usually 71 to 76 cm (28 to 30 inches ) tall at the withers and weigh around 29 to 40 kg (65 to 90 pounds ). Bitches (females) tend to be smaller with shoulder heights ranging from 68 to 71 cm (27 to 28 inches) and weights from 27 to 34 kg (50 to 75 pounds). Greyhounds have very short hair, which is easy to maintain. There are approximately thirty recognized color forms, of which variations of white, brindle, fawn, black, red and blue (grey) can appear uniquely or in combination. An additional peculiarity of greyhounds is that they have a hinged spine, which is unique in the animal world. As a result, greyhounds have a small "divot" in their back, set just behind their shoulder blades

History: Popularly, the breed's origin is believed to be traced to ancient Egypt, where a bas-relief depicting a smooth-coated Saluki (Persian Greyhound) or Sloughi was found in a tomb built in 4000 BC . Analyses of DNA reported in 2004 , however, suggest that the greyhound is not closely related to these breeds, but is a close relative to herding dogs. Historically, these sight hounds were used primarily for hunting in the open where their keen eyesight is valuable. It is believed that they (or at least similarly-named dogs) were introduced to England in the 5th and 6th centuries BC from Celtic mainland Europe. The name "greyhound" is generally believed to come from the Old English grighund . "Hund" is the antecedent of the modern "hound", but the meaning of "grig" is undetermined, other than in reference to dogs in Old English and Norse. Its origin does not appear to have any common root with the modern word " grey " for colour, and indeed the greyhound is seen with a wide variety of coats. According to Pokorny's Indogermanisches Woerterbuch (p. 441-442) the English name "greyhound" does not mean "gray dog/hound", but simply "fair dog". Subsequent words have been derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *g'her- 'shine, twinkle': English gray , Old High German gris 'grey, old', Old Icelandic griss 'piglet, pig', Old Icelandic gryja 'to dawn', gryjandi 'morning twilight', Old Irish grian 'sun', Old Church Slavonic zorja 'morning twilight, brightness'. The common sense of these words is 'to shine; bright'. Until the early twentieth century, greyhounds were principally bred and trained for coursing . During the early 1920s , modern greyhound racing was introduced into the United States and introduced into United Kingdom and Ireland in 1926.

Temperament: Although greyhounds are extremely fast, they are not high-energy dogs. They are sprinters, and although they love running, they do not require extensive exercise once they leave the track. Most are quiet, gentle animals. Greyhounds are often referred to as "Forty-five mile per hour couch potatoes." Greyhounds can make good pets because of their mild and affectionate character. They can get along well with children, dogs and other family pets (though are sometimes not safe with smaller pet animals). Greyhounds are generally loyal, tractable dogs with developed intellects, although their territorial instinct is weak and they make poor guard dogs . Their talents include sighting and coursing. They do not have undercoats and therefore are less likely to trigger people's dog allergies (greyhounds are sometimes incorrectly referred to as "hypoallergenic"). Most greyhounds that live as pets are adopted after they retire from racing. Most companion greyhounds are kept on a leash because their hunting background has instilled a strong desire to chase things (prey drive). Greyhounds can live in an urban setting but require moderate exercise on a regular basis. They enjoy walking and running outside. An adult greyhound will stay healthy and happy with a daily walk of as little as 20 to 30 minutes. With their excellent temprements and gentle natures greyhounds, including retired racing greyhounds, make wonderful pets. Generally even tempered and gentle, they are pack-orientated dogs which means that they will quickly adopt human "masters" into their pack. They are most affectionate dogs towards those that they know and trust. To allow different greyhounds to hunt and race together, aggressiveness towards other dogs and people has been nearly eliminated from the breed. Greyhounds bark very little, which makes them excellent suburban pets, and are usually as friendly to strangers as they are with their own family. The most common misconception concerning greyhounds is that they are hyperactive. It is usually the opposite. The greyhound is basically a quiet dog and will spend most of its time sleeping in a favourite spot.

Health issues: Due to the unique physiology and anatomy of greyhounds, a veterinarian who understands the issues relevant to the breed is generally needed when the dogs need treatment, particularly when anaesthesia is required. Greyhounds demonstrate unusual blood chemistry, which can be misread by veterinarians not familiar with the breed; this can result in an incorrect diagnosis. Also, greyhounds have much less fat than other dogs, and therefore cannot metabolize anesthesia as quickly. Female greyhounds are sometimes administered hormone supplements during their racing career; these can lead to an elevated risk of cancer. As well, greyhounds have higher levels of red blood cells than do other breeds: since red blood cells carry oxygen to the muscles, this helps the breed's speed. Veterinary blood services often use greyhounds as many are universal blood donors. The Greyhound breed is remarkably healthy and not subject to many of the genetic problems found in other breeds. However, like all members of the Sighthound family, the Greyhound is sensitive to a number of anesthetics. It is very important to discuss this with your veterinarian in advance of any required surgery. For additional information, see: Anesthesia in Sighthounds from the Saluki Club of America, as well as A Safe Method of Sighthound Anesthesia by Rodger I. Barr, DVM. One other issue that can be of concern in the Greyhound breed is Bloat — As with any deep-chested dog, the occurrence of Bloat or Gastric Torsion is a real possibility in the Greyhound. If you are not familiar with this condition, it is absolutely necessary to learn about it and know the symptoms — This is a real emergency and a life threatening condition that requires immediate Veterinary attention. See Gastric Dilatation Volvulus (GDV) — Bloat in the Health and Nutrition section of Canada's Guide to Dogs for more information and First Aid for Bloat for an article describing some of the things you can do if you are faced with this situation.