Here are 8 fun facts that you may not have known about greyhounds.

1. 8 Fun Facts About Greyhounds
By Stephanie Naylor

2. Greyhounds make fantastic life companions.
Many people assume because of their racing pasts that
they‟re energetic and high maintenance dogs but this
couldn‟t be further from the truth. Greyhounds will love
nothing more than to spend their days by their owner‟s
side, getting a little exercise and then happily snoozing
away.
Greyhounds are one of the gentlest natured and calm
breeds around and make the perfect companions for
small families and older couples. Here are the top 8
facts that you may not have known about greyhounds.

3. 1. Greyhounds are sensitive souls
They have sensitive tummies too! Greyhounds have
very specific dietary requirements due to their
extremely sensitive digestive systems. During their
racing careers they would have been fed on a diet that
would have been specially formulated to suit their
digestive system and this means that they will have
built up intolerances to foods containing additives, so
feeding the smallest amount of the wrong food can
have a severe effect on their health. This will not only
have an impact on your dog but could also have an
impact on your family life too. After all, our dogs are
our best friends and there would be nothing worse
than watching them struggle. This is why there is
specially formulated greyhound food available on the
market that is ideal for those sensitive tummies.

4. 2. Greyhounds are the only dogs that are mentioned
in the Bible
“A greyhound; a he goat also; and a king, against
whom there is no rising up.” - Proverbs 30:29-31

5. 3.Greyhounds are “45mph couch potatoes”
Greyhounds are actually the fastest breed of
dog in existence. Some say that a greyhound
can actually reach up to 40-45 miles during
their short stints of exercise but then they will
happily spend the rest of the day snoozing
away. The reality is that your rescue
greyhound will probably enjoy racing you to
the sofa rather than pestering you for
exercise. He‟ll probably fall to sleep quicker
than any other breed of dog too!

6. 4.Greyhounds can’t sit
Well...this is not entirely true. It‟s not
physically impossible but due their skeletal
designs it can be very uncomfortable for
your greyhound to sit. When/if they do
you‟ll probably find that they may not sit for
a longer period of 1 or 2 minutes. Many
people choose not to teach their
greyhound to sit knowing that it could be
potentially uncomfortable for them.

7. Greyhounds are dogs of Aristocracy
Royalty such as Queen Victoria and King Henry
VIII were proud owners of greyhounds. Have you
ever heard the saying “You could tell a gentleman
by his horses and his greyhounds"? During times of
famine in the middle ages Greyhounds nearly
became extinct. That was until the kind clergymen
bred them. They soon became symbols of nobility
and shortly after that they became dogs of
aristocracy. In 1014 King Canute enforced the
„Forest Laws‟, one of the laws being that if any
commoner that was caught owning a grey hound
would be severely punished. The law progressed
and the punishment for causing death to a
greyhound was the equivalent to murder.

8. Greyhounds are perfect pets for people
with allergies
Greyhounds have an extremely thin and
odourless coat which means that they
hardly moult; this means that they make
the perfect dog for people who are
affected by allergies. Because they have
such a thin coat it may be a good idea to
provide them with an extra layer whilst out
walking during winter.

9. Greyhounds come in other colours
than grey!
The name grey hound originated from the
Old English word “gighund”. „Hund‟ was
the old word for hound and the word „gig‟
is unknown. The origin of the word
„greyhound‟ is completely unrelated to the
colours as greyhounds are seen in variety
of colours and shades.

10. Greyhounds are such friendly and gentle
dogs who love to be the centre of
attention. They make the perfect
companion and all they will ever require is
love from their owners and the right diet.
These little characters will be sure to tell
you when they‟ve had enough exercise
and won‟t have any problems resting their
eyes at any given opportunity.

11. If you‟d like to find out a little more about
greyhounds the please visit the Burgess
Pet Care website -
http://www.burgesspetcare.co.uk/