Greyhounds have, for thousands of years, been able to do two things: run like the wind and work together with other dogs. They were not bred to be solitary hunters, and the transition from hunting to racing has kept the spirit of cooperation intact. For this reason, greyhounds tend to get along with other dogs.

The earliest purebred dogs were the greyhound types. The first traces of the long, lean greyhound type were seen in the ancient city of Catal-Hayuk, located in what is now Turkey. Temple drawings, dating to 6000 B.C., show a hunter pursuing a stag with the help of two greyhound types. It was in Egypt, however, that the greyhound really came into his own. Not only were the dogs kept as companions and hunting partners, they were worshipped by many.

For centuries, greyhounds have been bred to hunt by outrunning their prey. They have, for just as long, been the fastest breeds of dog and their speed is breathtaking. Years of breeding for speed have given them the athletes’ bodies and dancers grace. The need to think fast to avoid accidents while running at top speed has given them a high degree of intelligence.

Greyhounds placed for adoption are usually 2-5 years old, stand between 26 and 30 inches at the shoulder and weigh an average of 50 to 85 pounds. The males tend to be bigger than the females. Greyhounds come in many colors: black, red, white, blue (gray), fawn, brindle or any of these colors with white.

One difference between greyhounds and the average pet breed is that greyhounds (adults when adopted) have spent every waking moment in the company of other creatures. They have experienced lots of handling and frequent contact with humans and other dogs. This background makes the greyhound suited for life with other dogs. Greyhounds demand a certain amount of contact and bond with their adoptive families quickly and pine when alone. Many owners maintain that greyhounds are like potato chips – you can’t just have one!