The Greyhound is said to be the oldest pure breed in existence today. Records dating back from 4000 to 7000 years depict the Greyhound much as it is today. The breed originated in the Middle East and travelling nobles brought the dogs with them as gifts of esteem. In this way, the breed spread throughout the European continent and the Orient long before Christianity. The breed's main function was as a sporting and hunting dog. It was used to hunt stag, fox, gazelle, and hare. In Britain, in 1858, the National Coursing Club was formed, and the Greyhound was one of the main contenders in the sport. Shortly after, Greyhound racing became popular in England, the States and Australia and was seen as a more humane sport, as the dogs chased a mechanical lure as opposed to a live hare. While the breed is not suited to confined living conditions, it makes an excellent family member. It still maintains its original instincts to run and hunt, therefore regular, supervised outdoor runs are required.

Appearance
The general appearance of the typical Greyhound is that of a strongly built, upstanding dog of generous proportions, muscular power and symmetrical formation, with a long head and neck, clean well- laid shoulders, deep chest, capacious body, arched loin, powerful quarters, sound legs and feet, and a suppleness of limb, which emphasize in a marked degree its distinctive type and quality.

Character
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. Most are quiet, gentle animals. An adult greyhound will stay healthy and happy with a daily walk of as little as 20 to 30 minutes. Greyhounds are often referred to as "Forty-five mile per hour couch potatoes." The dogs often lie on their backs with all four feet in the air while sleeping, an apparently comfortable (if undignified) position. Such a greyhound is said to be "cockroaching." The Greyhound is not generally amenable to living outdoors. Greyhounds relish creature comforts and must have soft bedding and warmth. The Greyhounds can get along well with children, dogs and other family pets (though are sometimes not safe with smaller pet animals).
 

Temperament
Sweet and loving, Greyhounds make excellent companions. With their excellent temperaments and gentle natures, Greyhounds, including retired racing Greyhounds, make wonderful pets. Generally even tempered and gentle, they are pack-oriented dogs which means that they will quickly adopt human "masters" into their pack. Greyhounds are generally loyal, tractable dogs with developed intellects. They are most affectionate towards those that they know and trust. To allow different Greyhounds to hunt and race together, aggression 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 favorite spot.

Their talents include sighting and coursing. The Greyhounds do not have undercoats and therefore are less likely to trigger people's dog allergies (Greyhounds are sometimes incorrectly referred to as "hypoallergenic"). Not having an undercoat coupled with their lack of body fat also means they are more susceptible to extreme temperature (heat and cold).

Greyhounds are very sensitive to insecticides. Many Vets don't recommend the use of flea collars or flea spray on Greyhounds unless it is a pyrethrin-based product. Products like Advantage, Frontline and Advantix are safe for use on Greyhounds and are very effective in controlling fleas and ticks.
Most companion Greyhounds are kept on a leash because their hunting instinct has instilled a strong desire to chase things (prey drive).

Exercise/Training
The Greyhound needs daily exercise, but it is a sprinter, not an endurance runner. Its needs can thus be met with a chance to run, or by a longer walk on leash. The Greyhound loves to run and chase outdoors, and can easily run into danger at great speed unless exercised in a safe area. Playing and obedience are very good types of mental exercise. 20 minutes obedience and playing with your Greyhound will be more useful for the dogs exercise then an hour walk on the leash can provide.

Color
There are approximately thirty recognized color forms for the Greyhounds, of which variations of white, brindle, fawn, black, red and blue (gray) can appear uniquely or in combination.

Grooming
The coat of the Greyhound needs only a very little grooming and coat maintenance. A good nutrition and regular brushing keeps the proper coat shine and the skin healthy. Bathing doesn’t harm the coat of the Greyhound as long as you use a good quality shampoo that doesn't dry the skin and coat and is formulated for a canine coat. The ears of the Greyhound should be kept clean and regularly inspected as well.

Any breed described as "good with children", the dog must be accustomed to children. Any dog that is not well socialized with children will not behave predictably around them. As with all dogs, they should never be left alone with young children.