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Throughout history the Greyhound has been the darling dog breed of royalty and nobility. From the ancient Egyptians, who often mummified and buried favored dogs with their owners; to the English nobility who enacted a law banning so fine a beast from being owned by mere commoners. Even the Bedouin (who as devout Muslims shun dogs in general for supposedly being unclean) since time immemorial have so revered the Greyhound (or its derivative or ancestor) that not only was contact permitted, they even allowed the consumption of game caught by such dogs.

Fast forward to today and it is hard to believe that this dog breed once held such an esteemed position. Currently over 100,000 Greyhound dogs are destroyed each year worldwide, as a result of the cruel sport of dog racing!

In times long past a messenger carrying both good news and bad always supplied the good news first in order to lessen the effect of the bad news and thereby increase his chances of living to see another day (hence the expression: Don’t shoot the messenger!) So borrowing from that tactful approach, this article shall address the Greyhound’s glorious past first before covering its dismal present:

The Greyhound is a dog that stands apart from the other dog breeds not only for the fact that it happens to be the speed champion of the dog world but also because it holds an unparalleled array of records which include:

1. The fastest dog in the world across short distances: the Greyhound dog can attain speeds in excess of 40 mph (64km/h)

2. It has the longest stride of any dog breed whilst it is in full flight. One Greyhound dog is on record of having covered a distance of 30 feet (9.14m) in a single leap. The Greyhound’s sprint is described as a double flight gait which involves the dog at some point having all of its feet off the ground. When a Greyhound dog is sprinting it propels itself first with its hind legs and then momentarily lands on its front feet before cantilevering off those while reaching forward with its hind feet (at which point for an instant all four feet are off the ground).

This double-flight gait is extremely fast but also very unstable which explains the many injuries that befall racing Greyhounds. The Cheetah which is the fastest mammal on earth has a somewhat similar sprint pattern which also entails the Cheetah’s four limbs being fully off the ground at some point. The Greyhound however is no match for the Cheetah which can attain speeds of 70 mph (114 km/h) and maintain that speed for 3.5 miles!

Though the Greyhound cannot match the Cheetah’s speed, it obviously is no slow coach either and the reason why this dog breed can attain such speeds (other than its obvious aerodynamic-enhanced morphological structure and muscle mass) is because it packs so much hemoglobin in its blood. Those elevated levels of hemoglobin ensure the transfer of more oxygen to the tissues which also bestows the Greyhound dog’s blood with a sludge-like quality (thick blood). If the human heart were to attempt pumping such a thick mixture of blood it would most likely go into failure.

3. The Greyhound boasts the longest documented history of any dog breed. Ancient drawings and records place the Greyhound dog as a distinctive breed over 6000 years ago.

4. The Greyhound is the most expensive dog breed; it is not unusual for champion racing Greyhounds to command a price tag in excess of $70,000!

5. The Greyhound dog is the one breed that has been most favored by royalty and the aristocracy throughout all of dog history. In fact so much so was this dog breed viewed as the epitome of canine excellence that a law was passed in England in 1014—part of the Forest Laws—which categorically forbade commoners to own a Greyhound dog! Those persons other than nobility who were permitted to own a Greyhound, such as Freemen, could only do so, so long as the dog was deliberately maimed if they lived within 10 miles of a royal forest.

Interestingly enough, royal households used to employ select dog-mutilators whose job was to rove around the countryside ensuring that nobody not born of noble birth or titled by the king was in illegal possession of a greyhound dog that was not lamed! However, as the acreage of the great forests dwindled, and with the rising importance of agricultural and domestic livestock food sources, the function of the Greyhound dog declined correspondingly! Even so the Greyhound still remained the favorite dog of the landed gentry especially as the popularity of hare coursing grew. By the 1800s hare coursing had become a favored pastime of the upper classes in England.

Greyhound Dog: Origins & History

The Greyhound dog is evidently a breed of antiquity stretching back thousands of years. There are several references from many ancient cultures citing the Greyhound throughout history. Although many dog books note the Greyhound dog as having originated in Britain this is very unlikely. It would be more accurate to concede that the Greyhound in its modern form most closely resembles the dog that was selectively gene-trait refined according to English standards.

Historical data tends to suggest that the Greyhound evolved from early Sighthounds that existed in ancient Egypt. Paintings, decorations, and other artifacts from early Egyptian culture celebrate a dog very similar in appearance to the Greyhound. Indeed several pharaohs are known to have owned Greyhound-looking dogs. Some of the pharaohs included: Cleopatra (yes the seductive femme fatale), Tutankhamen, Queen Hatshepsut, to name but a few. The Greyhound also so happens to be the only dog breed to be mentioned by name in the Bible (Proverbs 30:29-31, King James Version). Ancient Greek and Roman mythology is rife with tales describing Greyhound-like dogs.

It is not unreasonable to speculate that the ancient Greeks attained their first Greyhound specimens (or at least its progenitor) from Egyptian merchants. In Greek mythology their gods were often portrayed with Greyhounds. The Romans in turn probably first stumbled across the Greyhound via their interaction with the Greeks. However it is equally possible the Romans got their original hounds from the Celts, seeing as the well regarded Roman authors, Ovid and Arrian often referred to the Greyhound as a Celt Hound. However, whatever the Greyhound’s origins, what is known is that since its earliest affiliation with humans, this dog breed has wowed mankind the world over with its speed and agility, most notably through the sport of coursing. Hare coursing is an old sport practiced since the time of the Romans who probably exported it to Britain when they invaded.

Strangely enough it appears that the Romans were much more sporting than their modern dog-racing counterparts, with respect to the welfare of both the dogs and hares involved in the coursing event, as amply illustrated by the following excerpt written by Roman Flavius Arrianus (Arrian) in 124 AD: “The true sportsman does not take out his dogs to destroy the hares, but for the sake of the course and the contest between the dogs and the hares, and is glad if the hare escapes…whoever courses with greyhounds should neither slip them near the hare, nor more than a brace (two) at a time.” Simply put, no more than two dogs were to be used in the chase and they were not to be released too close to the hare!

The Many-Named Dog

Across the breadth of time the Greyhound dog has been designated almost as many names as the number of years for which the breed has existed (okay…I’ll admit that’s a bit of an exaggeration but you get the point). In the English language alone, the Greyhound has had at least 50 names. Unsurprisingly there has been considerable debate concerning the meaning of the various names:

1. Grewhound; the “Grew” portion of the word meaning “Greek.” A similar but variant school of thought postulates that the “Grew” was actually “Graius” which still means Greek; again these old English names tend to lend credence that the Greyhound originated elsewhere other than Britain.

2. Greyhounds are certainly anything but grey so it is highly unlikely that the word ever reflected the breed’s color. Some believe that the “grey” in Greyhound was once “grei” which meant beautiful.

3. Great Hound; another school of thought speculates that the Greyhound was once known as the Greathound (the name evidently reflecting the dog’s exalted status in gentrified society) but as time progressed the term somehow mutated into “greyhound.”

The few examples above are a minuscule sampling of the various names the Greyhound has been called at one time or another during history in some variation of the English language.

The Harsh Unforgiving World Of Greyhound Dog Racing

It truly is hard to imagine how so exalted a dog breed could end up where it is today—slaughtered in the thousands each year. This is all the more shocking when one considers that at some point in Greyhound dog history it was a crime punishable by death to kill one (during the reign of King Canute). However currently each year thousands upon thousands of Greyhounds are destroyed, a good number before they’ve even attained the tender age of 2 years!

The reason for this mass slaughter can be defined in 3 words: Greyhound Dog Racing! Every year the Greyhound dog racing industry breeds several thousand dogs, far more than the number that get to compete. The reason for this over breeding—ambitious Greyhound dog breeders looking for that elusive but ever so lucrative champion dog racer! The dogs that don’t make the cut are typically destroyed or in some cases actually subjected to a fate worse than death!

The Greyhound dog racing industry certainly pulls no punches with respect to the maltreatment of animals. Since the inception of modern dog racing around the 1920s, the Greyhound (and affiliated industry animals that act as live bait) has suffered unimaginable cruelty; in this industry there is no reprieve or second chance and the vast majority of dogs never get to live anywhere near their expected life expectancy! Instead most dogs are befallen by anyone of the following fates:

1. Killed;

2. Experimented upon as a laboratory animal; the Greyhound’s superb physiology makes it a prime lab candidate for cardiovascular research;

3. Shipped abroad to countries such as China where animal cruelty laws are extremely lax (to say the least); and let’s not forget that dogs often end up on the dinner table there; and

4. Used as food fodder in commercial dog feed (euthanized pets are commonly recycled as commercial dog chow).

A very small percentage of lucky dogs eventually make the transition from Shelters/Rescue Home, to permanent adoption! One need only conduct a cursory search through online Greyhound Adoption centers to see just how bad the problem really is. And perhaps the most tragic aspect of this tragedy is that the Greyhound dog truly is a sweet-tempered and loving dog that some have described as the “speediest couch potato!”

Greyhound Dog Breed

The history of the Shih Tzu dog breed spans more than hundreds of years and finds it very beginnings in China. Today, the dogs are still trusted companions of millions of families with young children because of the same reasons they were once the favored canine choice of imperial ladies-in-waiting and royalty.

It is believed that the origins of Shih Tzus go back nearly 3,000 years when the country of Tibet gifted the dogs to the Imperial palace of China. There are many historical reports that talk about “under table” dogs who ate up the scraps and kept their keepers (usually eunuchs who oversaw many of the Imperial household functions) of anything or anyone approaching the castle.

The appearance of Shih Tzus resembles that of a lion, which also suggests they hailed from further west. Today, the breed of Shih Tzus is also known largely due to the efforts of the last Imperial Empress of China. For some 50 years, until the early part of the 20th century, she ruled the vast empire which was comparable to the modern China of today.

During this time, the Empress also enacted a breeding program to create the perfect lineage of Shih Tzus, Pugs and Pekinese as well. Detailed accounts that been maintained for many years, contain vivid descriptions and breeding notations. Though it is believed that some of the eunuchs who actually physically cared for the dogs cross bred them, the results were a surprisingly varied line of Shih Tzus. It was in this process that three distinctive sub-breeds within the larger Shih Tzu breed, would eventually emerge.

When the pressures of Europe and modernization took effect, the results eventually forced out what had been an unpopular regime, the Shih Tzus were taken from the palaces by the overthrown Imperial family and recently ousted eunuchs. During this time period, many of the dogs were exported out of China.

With the dawning of the early 20th century, the breed suffered hard times and was nearly wiped out, they are believed to have become extinct in China. It is believed that only around 11 dogs were able to escape to the west. In locations throughout western Europe, breeding began in the 1930’s through the 1950’s, this resulted in millions of dogs being produced and replenishing of the breed. Because of this significant rise in population, the Shih Tzu breed is somewhat likely to have congenital health issues.

It is interesting to note that Shih Tzus in the United Kingdom are mostly descended from a single cross breed with a straight-legged Pekinese during the 1930’s. As a result of this, most of the Shih Tzus in the UK are a little bit taller than others found all over the world. Other than this fact, it is a living tribute to the Empress as to how much variation is still in existence today, in the various coat color combinations still witnessed in the breed.

Though somewhat noisy, Shih Tzus are still great at keeping a household alerted to anyone approaching. Furthermore, Shih Tzus were selected to be docile and easy to handle. Because they were bred exclusively to form close bonds with human beings, Shih Tzus are extremely loving and happy to follow you around all day long.

The Friesian Horse, one of Europe’s oldest domesticated breeds, originated in Friesland, a province of The Netherlands. It is considered to be a Warmblood because of its easy-going temperament with a companionable nature. The Friesian horse is also a talented show horse when it comes to dressage. This is due to its intelligence, willingness to learn and to please, and readiness to perform.

It is difficult to date the precise origin of the Friesian but it is believed to be descended from the ancient Equus robustus (big horse). Frisian horsemen served in the Roman Legions, e.g. the Equites Singulares of Emperor Nero (54-68), and in Great Britain near Hadrian’s Wall which was built in 120 AD. There is certainty that the horse was well-known in the Middle Ages since it is found in art work of that era. Breeding horses was very important for the Frisians and before the reformation, the monks in Friesland monasteries did a lot of horse breeding.

In the 1600’s it was adopted to carry heavy weight under saddle. During the 16th and 17th centuries, and maybe earlier, Arabian blood was introduced through the Spanish Andalusian horses. This gave them the high knee-action, the small head and the craning neck. The Friesian horse has had no influence from the English Thoroughbred and during the last two centuries it has been bred pure.

Through the centuries, the Friesian Government has made many regulations in order to safeguard breeding and now the Dutch Horselaw of 1939 (modified) gives rules for studbook and breeding. Systematic breeding has restored the breed’s quality and its numbers are now increasing. The horse is now being exported to other countries and its popularity is growing.

The Friesian horse was originally imported to North America in the 17th century but the purity of the breed was totally lost in North America due to crossbreeding because due to its splendid action at the trot, the Friesian was bred to be lighter in weight. This, unfortunately, limited its use in agriculture and led to its decline in the early 1900’s. It nearly died out before World War I, when the number of Friesian stallions was reputedly reduced to only three. The breed was rejuvenated by introducing the Oldenburg horse.

Thanks to a few Dutch Friesian admirers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, purebred Friesians are now seen and enjoyed around the world, with the majority being in the Netherlands and Germany, followed by North America where it was reintroduced in 1974. The result has been the establishment of “daughter” societies of FPS around the world.

In conformation, the Friesian horse resembles the ancient western European horse and the knights’ horse called destrier. Most memorable is their impressive stature. Friesian stallions must be at least 15.3 hands by age four with mares and geldings reaching at least 14.3 hands in order to be registered in the adult studbooks. Many are 16.0 hands or more, and weigh 1300 + pounds.

The fine head of the Friesian is carried quite high on an elegantly curved neck with outstanding crest, but compared to the body, the head seems relatively small and either straight or slightly concave. The face is expressive with big eyes, and small ears are typical. The breed has a broad chest with lightly accentuated croup. Tough legs with good bone structure, and hind quarters that are muscular yet smooth, result in an enduring and surefooted horse.

The modern Friesian has long, heavy, luxuriant mane and the extra-long tail; these are never cut and often reach the ground. The breed also has abundant feather and long Shire-like leg hair reaching from the middle of the leg. When performing, these features combine with the feathers and the low set of the tail to emphasize the breed’s powerful and elastic gait.

Up until the turn of the century about twenty percent were chestnut or bay, and gray also occurred in the breed, but black is now the only recognized color, but this may range from very dark brown or black-bay to true black. Many Friesians appear to be black bay when their coats are shedding or when they have become sun or sweat bleached. White markings have been minimized by selective breeding and the only white marking that is allowed on a studbook-registered horse is a small white spot or star between the eyes.

The Friesian has a powerful, high-stepping gait, but aside from its high knee action and elegant performance, the Friesian horse was also used as a trotting race horse for the short distance of 80 rods (325 m). In the 18th and 19th centuries these horse races were very popular in Friesland. For important races the prize was a silver or a gold whip. The Friesian Museum at Leeuwarden has a fine collection of them. The races at Leeuwarden ended in 1891 when H.M. Queen Regent Emma awarded the golden whip for the last time.

The Friesian horse influenced the breeding of the Russian Orloff, along with English and American race horses. Since these horses were bred and used for racing only and were faster, this brought Friesian horseracing to an end.

The modern Friesian is slightly taller and lighter on its feet than its coach-bred ancestors, which has allowed the Friesian to re-emerge as both a champion dressage and driving performance horse.

Driving one or more Friesian horses has become increasingly popular in the past few years. Harness events in shows are usually driven with a high-wheeled gig called the “sjees”, for singles, pairs, and tandems. The oldest original sjees were built in the late 18th century. The sjees derives its elegant form from the two slender, high wheels and the small seat suspended between them on leather straps. The two-person seat has ornately molded, carved, and painted panels, back, front, and sides, with a bit of a Rubenesque look to it. An especially impressive show is the Friesian quadrille which is comprised of 8 sjees, drawn by Friesians, driven by gentlemen accompanied by a lady, both dressed in traditional 1850’s costumes. Complex patterns are driven, showing the drivers’ trust in the obedience of their horses. Driving with four-wheeled show carts is also becoming popular.

The Friesian Horse Association of North America (FHANA) was founded in 1983 and is the North American representative of the original Friesian horse association, Friese Paarden Stamboek (FPS). The FPS is recognized as the world-wide authority on the Friesian Horse. This studbook is the oldest in the Netherlands. It was founded May 1, 1879. There are more than 45,000 Friesians registered worldwide in the FPS with approximately 4,000 of those horses in North America. Tongue-tattooing, once voluntary, became mandatory in 1989.

The rules of FHANA strictly forbid the breeding of FPS registered Friesian horses with other breeds and only Approved Studbook Stallions can sire horses that are eligible for entry in the main studbook registers. There are approximately 75 Approved Stallions in the world today and about a quarter of those are in North America. The selection and testing requirements are so rigorous that only a handful is approved each year. Four years after approval, the stallion’s offspring must demonstrate to the studbook inspectors that the Approved stallion is making a positive impact on the breed or his approval will be withdrawn. This insures that only the very best stallions will influence the future of the Friesian horse.

The naming conventions for the Friesian Horses are quite involved and often require a foal to be renamed with a Friesian word when it becomes an approved breeding stallion. Names of fillies cannot be duplicated in the same calendar year, but its ok for colts to have the same name as other colts. Each calendar year a foal’s name must begin with specific letters of the alphabet as designated by the FPS. For example, names for foals born in 2008 must begin with the letters A, B, or C, and should be relatively simple, consisting of a single word. Explicit details for all naming rules can be found on the FPS website.

The Friesian horse is equally skilled at multi-level dressage, trotting, and driving, singly or combined. The same blood lines that run through the Lipizzaner are present in the Friesian, but unlike some other European warmbloods, Friesians have not been bred as jumpers.