Greyhound
The fastest dog there is, at around forty five miles an hour, and then it sleeps the rest of the day. Retired racers are famously easy to live with.
Overview
The Greyhound is the fastest dog in the world, capable of around forty five miles an hour, and it is built entirely around that: a deep chest for lung capacity, a flexible spine that allows a double suspension gallop, and very low body fat.
It is also, contrary to every expectation, one of the laziest dogs to live with. A Greyhound sprints for a minute and sleeps for eighteen hours, which is why retired racers adapt so well to flats.
Temperament
Quiet, gentle and remarkably undemanding. Greyhounds are affectionate without being clingy, calm indoors, and good with people including children.
Retired racers often need help learning about stairs, glass doors and being alone, since kennel life prepared them for none of it. The prey drive varies enormously between individuals: some live happily with cats and some cannot, and a rescue that assesses this properly is worth using.
Care and grooming
A short smooth coat, a weekly rub down, minimal shedding.
The low body fat has real consequences. Greyhounds are sensitive to anaesthesia and to some insecticides, they feel cold badly and need a coat, and they need soft bedding because there is no padding over the bony points. Bloat and osteosarcoma occur. Their normal bloodwork also differs from other breeds, which vets should know.
Living and exercise
Two twenty minute walks a day plus a sprint in a secure space once or twice a week. That genuinely covers it.
Off lead in open country is not advisable, because a sighthound at forty five miles an hour is out of sight in seconds. They are among the easiest large dogs to live with in a flat.
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