April is Adopt A Greyhound Month! Greyhounds are wonderful dogs! They’re also very unique and interesting. A local Roanoke, VA vet goes over some things you may not have known about Fido in this article.

A Pawsitive Verse

There are written descriptions of Greyhounds that date all the way back to 1486, where their ideal appearance is described as being “headed like a snake and necked like a drake, backed like a beam, sided like a bream, footed like a cat and tailed like a rat.”

Fastest Pup Ever

The Greyhound is actually the fastest of our canine companions. Fido has been clocked as speeds up to 44mph!
They Have Two Speeds: Slow and GO
This one surprises many people. Despite their speed, Greyhounds actually aren’t the most active pups around. In fact, they tend to be couch potatoes once they have burned off their zoomies.

An Ode To Fido

Greyhounds had some fans in ancient Rome: the poet Ovid wrote about them. They are also shown in tapestries from about the 9th century CE.

Leash Laws

Another ancient reference to the greyhound dates back to 1016. This one states that “no meane person may keepe any greihounds, but freemen may keepe greihounds.” Freemen with greyhounds had to live at least 10 miles from the forest or maim their dogs so they wouldn’t hunt the king’s game.

A Queen’s Dog

Greyhounds were beloved by both Cleopatra and Elizabeth I of England. This is why Greyhound racing is sometimes called the sport of queens!

They’re Very Smart

Although Greyhounds are known for speed, they are also very intelligent, and are highly trainable. In fact, they can make great therapy and service dogs.

They Need Special Collars

Fido can easily slip out of regular collars. He needs special ones, which are known as martingale collars.

They Have Unique Blood

Another interesting thing about the Greyhound? Their body chemistry is quite unique. For instance, they have low platelet counts. Their bloodwork will always read a little differently than that of other dogs. That’s why it’s important to have a vet that is experienced with them.

Low Tolerance

If you have a Greyhound, you’ll need to be very careful when using things like pesticides and rodenticides. Fido is very sensitive to chemicals!

Do you have questions about Greyhound care? Contact us, your Roanoke, VA animal clinic. We’re here to help!