Greyhound: description and content of the breed

Greyhound dogs are the most consummate hunters and terrific runners. They belong to the greyhound family and are valued for their high performance. The representatives of this breed, just like other types of pets, require careful care, therefore, before introducing them in the house, the owner should master the minimum skills of a dog breeder.

Until the beginning of the 21st century, many historians considered Ancient Egypt to be the birthplace of the Greyhound, since it was there that their first images appeared on the rocks. Other specialists have different opinions about the origin of the breed. So, scientists who conducted genetic analysis, on the contrary, argue that the Greyhound has nothing to do with Egyptian dogs and originated from shepherd dogs. This forced the "luminaries of science" to put forward a new hypothesis about the emergence of the breed, according to which the English greyhound owes its origin to the ancient Celts.

Greyhounds gained fame in Great Britain and Europe towards the end of the 10th century. At that time, they were actively bred for unarmed hunting, since dogs were distinguished by their ability to get anything, from bird eggs to roe deer. Since in the 11th century only European nobility began to allow hunting, dogs were exclusively bred by aristocrats.

Closer to the 18th century, Greyhounds lost their wide distribution, their number decreased significantly, but the famous Lord Breeder Olford did not allow the breed to disappear. In 1776, he opened and officially registered a hunting club, in which many greyhounds, including Greyhounds, underwent "severe" field trials.Olford was personally involved in updating this breed and added the blood of the English Bulldog to its genotype.

The debut at international dog shows took place at the end of the 19th century. They were singled out for dog racing due to their high speed of movement and dexterity. At that time, Greyhounds were conventionally divided into hunting, running and exhibition. On the territory of Russia, the first such beauties appeared only at the end of the 19th century, while their cost was insignificant.

After the collapse of the USSR, purebred pets were imported to Russia from Czechoslovakia, Germany, Hungary and the United States.

The Greyhound is an aristocratic and truly graceful dog that is characterized by high agility, endurance and the ability to run quickly over short distances. The representatives of this breed restrained and calm nature.

The Greyhound is characterized by certain external differences.

• Height. Its maximum value in bitches is in the range from 68.5 to 71 cm, in males it reaches 77 cm.
• The weight. The body weight of pets largely depends on hereditary factors and conditions of detention. An adult can weigh from 16 to 25 kg.
• Head and physique. The skull in dogs is flat, long, with powerful jaws. Animals of this breed have a classic physique and have a deep chest, well-developed muscles and shoulders. Greyhounds have a strong loin and a wide back. The most powerful part of the body in dogs is considered to be the legs, which are distinguished by remarkable pushing power and allow the animal to move quickly.
• Tail. Tapered at the tip, long and set low.

Most often in nature, individuals are found in which the fur is painted in white, black, brindle and red shades. In addition, it is allowed to place all of the above colors on a pure white background.

Despite their aristocratic blood, Greyhounds are quite calm and restrained. With such a temperament, they never bark for no reason. In addition, dogs include to the most agreeable animals.

Dogs of this breed are respectful of all family members, the only thing is they may dislike children, because they do not tolerate excessive obsession and excessive attention, so these dogs are not recommended to be purchased as toys for toddlers. Greyhound will not show aggression towards children, but will look for an excuse to avoid meeting with them, hiding in a secluded place.

Since the representatives of this breed are true aristocrats, they have the ability to instantly recognize the intonation in the owner's voice, capturing his mood. If the owner of the dog is upset, then the pet will not impose its presence on him.

As for the negative sides in the character of the dog, the most important of them is the presence of strong hunting instincts. Any moving animal on the street can turn into a “target” for hunting. Avid hunters may even chase vehicles. For many, such actions may seem stupid and ridiculous, but this has nothing to do with the intelligence of the animal, but is only a sign of a natural craving for fishing.

Despite this disadvantage, dogs are absolutely not capricious and do not require constant attention from the owner to their person... If you leave your pet alone in the house, he will not howl and gnaw everything out of grief. The pet will calmly wait for the arrival of the owner.

To keep your pet calm at all times, he cannot be "teased" and "turned on" by small animals. This will become a provocation for him, and during active games with pets, the dog can strangle them. Greyhounds are especially "dangerous" for cats and rabbits.

Before purchasing a Greyhound puppy, you need to weigh all the pros and cons of this breed and be prepared for certain difficulties. If something does not suit the pet over time, then it will no longer be possible to simply "throw" it out into the street. The choice of a puppy must be taken with special responsibility and asked the breeder in detail about the origin of the baby.

If the owner wants to save money and just goes to the market for the puppy, then he should be prepared for the fact that in the future the unclean baby may show many shortcomings, ranging from hereditary diseases to an unforeseen character.

Besides, it is necessary to decide in advance on the sex of the future pet. If you plan to buy a bitch, then you need to pay attention to the pedigree characteristics of her father, and when buying a dog, on the contrary, you should carefully study the mother's pedigree.

When choosing a puppy to be used for the race, it is important to consider the dog's working qualities. Since they do not appear at a young age, experts recommend paying attention to other general indicators.

• The kid should be strong, not show signs of rickets. You can not choose too thin and too well-fed puppies, it is best to give preference to individuals of average build. It is not recommended to buy puppies that are too small, as a light dog will grow out of them, which in the future will not be adapted for hunting.
• Since pets at the age of 1.5-2 months are active and violent, you need to stop the choice on mischievous babies: they will definitely become excellent runners and hunters. In addition, you should carefully look at how the puppy reacts to the environment and its changes. Buying an inquisitive and active baby, there are more chances to raise a good working dog in the future.
• The general forms of the puppy also play an important role in the choice: they should be clear and slightly exaggerated. Healthy individuals usually have a deep chest with backward-facing ribs. The hocks are well angulated from an early age. It is also important to look at the baby's tail: it should be set low, heavy and long (it can hang down almost to the ground). It is good if the baby has a long and slightly sloping croup. If it is beveled or has defects, then it is better to refuse to buy a puppy.
• It is not recommended to choose individuals with a too large head, round skull, short muzzle and fleshy ears. As for eye color, the darker it is, the better. Often, Greyhound babies have blue and even dark blue eyes, but over time they darken (sometimes there are exceptions). At the same time, dark eyes never brighten.
• Examining the baby, you should pay attention to the nose: in healthy crumbs, it is black and wet. Puppies are often born with spotted noses, but this pigmentation only lasts up to 1.5 months. If, over time, pink spots remain on the nose, then this indicates a metabolic disorder or the presence of such a disease as helminthic invasion.
• The baby's bite should have a small dock (up to 2 mm) and have the correct shape.
• In two-month-old dogs, paws are usually large, they have thick pads with tightly clenched toes. If the paws are weak, then they are unlikely to improve over time, so it is advisable not to buy such babies.
• When purchasing a male puppy at the age of 1 month, you need to additionally examine the testes: by 1.5-2 months, they usually descend into the scrotum. In the presence of pathology, this issue must be discussed with the breeder.

Greyhound babies are usually sold after 45 days of birth. Until that time, they undergo activation and branding. If the seller is trying to "shove" a month old baby, then you need to think about whether you will need a puppy later with a lot of problems. According to experts, babies who are sold at the age of 8-10 weeks, after a quick separation from their mother, they suffer severe psychological trauma and take a long time to adapt to their new place of residence.

They should consist of vaccination passport and puppy card, which contains information about the date of birth of the baby, the nicknames of his parents, the surname and name of the breeder and the address. In addition, those who have deviations from the norms and standards of the breed are also included in it.

After the puppy has successfully passed the show and received a description from a qualified expert, this card should be replaced with a pedigree, allowing you to take part not only in official events, but also in breeding.

Despite the fact that Greyhounds are not whimsical in the care and maintenance of dogs, this does not mean that they do not need mandatory hygiene procedures. So, a pet needs to comb out short hair with a special rubberized brush or glove several times a week. This will promptly cleanse the skin of dead particles and hairs.

Individuals of this breed should be bathed as they become dirty, but not more often than 2 times a year. The only thing - after each walks, the owner will have to wash the dog's paws.

In addition, attention should be paid to the length of the claws; it is recommended to trim them several times a month using a special nail clipper. Train your pet to such mandatory procedures as cleaning ears, eyes, teeth and clipping, preferably from an early age, then panic can be avoided in the future.

Greyhounds can be kept both in apartments and in country houses, but with the first option of keeping, the owner is obliged to provide the pet with long daily walks in such quiet places as groves and parks.

It's good if the owner of a four-legged friend has the opportunity to often go out into nature, because there the dog will be able to misbehave and throw out the accumulated energy in full. If you like to run or ride a bike, then take your pet with you. After walking, the animal should rest comfortably; for this, it needs to equip a comfortable corner in the house.

One of the main points in the maintenance of Greyhounds is the correct composition of the menu, during which it is important to remember that these aristocratic dogs are too picky about food.

Since the representatives of this breed are not inclined to overeating, then they can be fed 1-2 times a day (morning and evening). The portions should be small and only from fresh products. Despite the fact that it is recommended to feed the dogs with dry food, from time to time the dog's diet must be diluted with natural products containing a lot of protein (cottage cheese, kefir, boiled meat and fish, soft-boiled eggs).

Additionally, the pet should be provided vitamin complex, including buckwheat, rice, oatmeal and finely chopped vegetables in the diet. Pet good behavior can be rewarded with special treats (raisins, prunes and dried apricots).

As for the nutrition of puppies, it is significantly different from what is intended for adults. In the first two months of the puppy's life, six meals are recommended, starting from 3 to 4 months - five meals a day, after 10 months you can give the feed 1-2 times.

Before training English greyhounds, owners should establish close contact with the dog. Greyhounds are distinguished by their calm nature, but, despite this, they try in every possible way to take a leadership position not only among animals, but also among people. Since puppies of this breed are distinguished by increased sociability and activity, they should not be given the opportunity to cross the border of what is permissible.

If the owner acquired a Greyhound in order to make him a reliable friend and a good companion (if he does not take part in catching wild animals), his can be trained in a general course that includes basic commands... After such training, the dog will become more obedient and will obey its owner on demand.

You can train animals on your own, or you can entrust this matter to an experienced specialist. The most important thing is to get a trusting attitude from the dog. As for the diligence, it is difficult to psychologically “break” the dog because of the recalcitrant character and innate high intelligence.

In addition to the main activities, the pet needs to be additionally taught the rules of conduct in the house. The pet must clearly know the place allocated for it and not allow itself to play or sleep in prohibited areas.

In the next video you will get acquainted with the order of keeping Greyhounds, education and treatment, as well as learn about the history of this wonderful breed.