Greyhound: description and content of the breed

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

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

Greyhounds gained fame in 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, the aristocrats exclusively bred dogs.

Closer to the 18th century, the Greyhounds lost their wide distribution, their numbers decreased significantly, but the well-known Lord breeder Alford did not allow the disappearance of the breed. He opened and officially registered a hunting club in 1776, in which many greyhounds, including Greyhounds, underwent “severe” field trials.Alford personally began updating this breed and added the blood of an English bulldog to its genotype.

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

After the collapse of the USSR, purebred pets from Czechoslovakia, Germany, Hungary and the USA began to be imported to Russia.

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

Greyhound is characterized by certain external differences.

• Height. Its maximum rate in females is in the range from 68.5 to 71 cm, in males it reaches 77 cm.
• Weight. The body weight of pets 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. The Greyhounds have a strong lower back and a wide back. The most powerful part of the body in dogs is considered to be legs, which are distinguished by remarkable pushing force and allow the animal to move quickly.
• Tail. Narrowed at the tip, long and low set.

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

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

Dogs of this breed respect all family members, the only thing is they may not like children because they do not tolerate excessive obsession and excessive attention; therefore, it is not recommended to purchase such dogs as toys for babies. Greyhound will not show aggression towards children, but will look for a reason to avoid meeting with them, hiding in a secluded place.

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

As for the negative aspects 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. Heavy hunters can even pursue vehicles. For many, such actions may seem silly and ridiculous, but this has nothing to do with the intellect of the animal, but is only a sign of a natural craving for fishing.

Despite this drawback, dogs are absolutely non-capricious and do not require constant attention from their owners. If you leave your favorite one in the house, he will not howl and gnaw with grief. The pet will calmly wait for the owner to arrive.

So that the pet always remains calm, it 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 you get 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 work out in the pet over time, then it will no longer be possible to simply "throw" it into the street. The choice of a puppy should be treated with special responsibility and ask the breeder in details about the baby’s origin.

If the owner wants to save money and goes simply to the market for the puppy, then he should be prepared for the fact that in the future, an unclean baby can manifest many shortcomings, from hereditary diseases to an unforeseen nature.

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

When choosing a puppy that will be designed for running, it is important to consider the working qualities of the dog. Since they do not appear at a young age, experts recommend paying attention to other general indicators.

• The baby should be strong, not have signs of rickets. You can not choose too thin and too well-fed puppies, it is best to give preference to individuals of medium build. It is not recommended to buy too small puppies, as a light dog will grow out of them, which in the future will not be adapted for hunting.
• Since pets aged 1.5-2 months are active and violent, you need to opt for mischievous kids: they will certainly become excellent runners and hunters. In addition, you should carefully look at how the puppy reacts to the environment and its changes. Buying a curious and active baby, there is more chance of raising a good working dog in the future.
• An important role in the choice is played by the general forms of the puppy: they should be clear and slightly exaggerated. In healthy individuals, as a rule, a deep chest with backward directed ribs. Hock joints have well-developed angles from an early age of the dog. It is also important to look at the baby’s tail: it should be low set, heavy and long (it can hang almost to the ground). It is good if the baby has a long and slightly inclined croup. If he is beveled or has defects, then it is better to refuse to buy a puppy.
• It is not recommended to select individuals with an oversized head, round skull, short muzzle and fleshy ears. As for eye color, the darker it is, the better. Often, in greyhound babies, the eyes have a blue and even dark blue hue, but over time they darken (sometimes there are exceptions). Moreover, dark eyes never brighten.
• When examining a 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 lasts only up to 1.5 months. If over time pink spots still remain on the nose, then this indicates a metabolic disorder or the presence of a disease such as helminthic invasion.
• The bite in the baby should be with a small bite (up to 2 mm) and have the correct shape.
• In two-month-old dogs, the paws are usually large in size, they have thick pads with tightly pressed fingers. If the legs are weak, it is unlikely that they will improve over time, so it is advisable not to buy such kids.
• 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 fall into the scrotum. In the presence of pathology, this issue must be discussed with the breeder.

Usually Greyhound babies are sold after 45 days from birth. Until this time, they go through actiating and branding. If the seller is trying to “shove” the monthly baby, then you need to think about whether then you need a puppy 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 a severe psychological trauma and adapt for a long time to a new place of residence.

They should consist of vaccination passport and puppy card, which contains information about the baby’s date of birth, nicknames of his parents, surname and name of the breeder and address. In addition, they also include deviations from the norm and standards of the breed.

After the puppy successfully passes the exhibition and receives a description of a qualified expert, this card should be replaced by a pedigree that allows you to take part not only in official events, but also in breeding.

Despite the fact that the 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 a short coat several times a week with a special rubberized brush or glove. This will allow you to timely cleanse the skin of dead particles and hairs.

Bathing individuals of this breed should be as pollution, but not more than 2 times a year. The only thing - after each walk, 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 cut them several times a month, using a special clipper. Accustom your pet to such mandatory procedures as brushing ears, eyes, teeth and clipping, preferably from an early age, then in the future you can avoid panic.

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

Well, if the owner of the four-legged friend has the ability to often go outdoors, because there the dog will be able to fool enough and splash out the accumulated energy. If you like to run or ride a bike, then take your pet with you. After walking, the animal should rest comfortably, for this he needs to equip a convenient corner in the house.

One of the main points in the content of greyhounds is the correct preparation of the menu, during which it is important to remember that these aristocratic dogs are too picky in food.

Since representatives of this breed are averse to overeating, then they can be fed 1-2 times a day (morning and evening). Servings should be small and only fresh food. Despite the fact that it is recommended to feed dogs with dry food, from time to time the dog’s diet should 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 complexincluding buckwheat, rice, oatmeal and chopped vegetables in the diet. For good behavior, pets can be encouraged 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 a puppy's life, six meals a day are recommended, starting from 3 to 4 months - five meals a day, after 10 months you can give food 1-2 times.

Before starting training English Borzois, their owners must establish close contact with the dog. The Greyhounds are characterized by a calm character, but, despite this, they are trying 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 line of what is permitted.

If the owner has acquired a Greyhound in order to make him a reliable friend and a good companion (if he will not take part in catching wild animals), his You can train in a general course, including basic teams. After such training, the dog will become more obedient and will, at the first request, obey his master.

You can train animals yourself, or you can entrust this matter to an experienced specialist. The most important thing is to get a confidence from the dog. As for diligence, because of the disobedient nature and innate high intelligence, it is psychologically difficult to “break” a dog.

In addition to the main activities, the pet needs to be additionally taught the rules of behavior in the house. The pet must clearly know the space allocated for him and not allow himself to play or sleep in prohibited areas.

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