Canis lupus familiaris
Greyhound
Featured photogreyhound.jpgThe Greyhound is a ancient British coursing sighthound — the fastest of all dog breeds. The Greyhound is one of the oldest documented dog breeds, with sighthound types resembling the modern Greyhound depicted in ancient Egyptian tomb paintings and described in Arrian's 2nd-century treatise Cynegeticus.
Quick facts
- AKC group
- Hound
- Origin country
- United Kingdom (Britain)
- Origin period
- Antiquity (modern type from 18th-19th century)
- Coat type
- Short
- Coat colors
- Black, White, Red, Blue, Fawn, Fallow, Brindle, with or without white
- Average lifespan
- 10-14 years
- Recognition
- AKC 1885 · FCI 1955 · UKC 1932 · Group 10 — Sighthounds (Section 3: Short-haired Sighthounds)
Origin
Sighthound types closely resembling the modern Greyhound are depicted in ancient Egyptian tomb paintings dating to roughly 2200 BCE and are described in detail in Arrian's 2nd-century AD treatise Cynegeticus. The modern Greyhound was fixed in 18th- and 19th-century Britain by selective breeding for coursing speed; the National Coursing Club of England was founded in 1858 and the modern oval-track racing form developed in the 1920s. The Kennel Club's stud-book has continuous Greyhound entries since the foundation of the registry.
Recognition
The American Kennel Club admitted the breed in 1885, the United Kennel Club followed in 1932, and the Federation Cynologique Internationale published the international standard (FCI No. 158) in 1955. The FCI assigns the breed to Group 10 — Sighthounds (Section 3: Short-haired Sighthounds).
Standard
The AKC and FCI standards describe a strongly-built, lithe sighthound with a long head, deep chest, narrow waist, and long muscular thighs. The smooth, fine, close-lying coat is recognized in any colour and any combination of colours, with or without white markings; the standard imposes no colour preference. Males stand 71-76 cm at the withers, females 68-71 cm. The Greyhound is the fastest dog breed, with racing speeds documented above 70 km/h.
Sources & further reading (3)
- kennel-club-registry — accessed 2026-05-04
- encyclopedia — accessed 2026-05-04
- fci-standard — accessed 2026-05-04
Frequently asked questions
What is the Greyhound's AKC group?
The American Kennel Club places the Greyhound in the Hound Group. The Hound Group gathers breeds developed for the hunt, broadly split into scent hounds (Bloodhound, Beagle, Coonhounds) and sight hounds (Greyhound, Whippet, Borzoi). The breed's foundation working role was as a ancient British coursing sighthound — the fastest of all dog breeds.
When was the Greyhound officially recognized?
The American Kennel Club admitted the breed in 1885; the United Kennel Club followed in 1932; the Federation Cynologique Internationale published the international standard (FCI No. 158) in 1955.
What is the average lifespan of a Greyhound?
Kennel-club longevity surveys place the Greyhound's average lifespan in the 10-14 years range. The figure here represents the spread reported by the major parent-club studies and the Kennel Club (UK) purebred-dog health surveys.
