HISTORY OF THE GREYHOUND

The derivation of the term 'Greyhound' is unknown, but has nothing to do with color. One possibility is that it is from old English gre-hundr, meaning dog hunter or high order of rank.

Greyhounds enjoy an impressive heritage dating back over 4,000 years to Ancient Egypt where they slept alongside the pharoahs. Explorers from Greece brought greyhounds back with them from Egypt and the dog's popularity caught on to such an extent that even the Greek hero Alexander the Great kept one. Greek and Roman mythological figures, such as Diana and Artemis, are also frequently portrayed with a greyhound companion.

The Dark Ages was a time of famine and disease, during which greyhounds were saved from extinction by monks who bred them for noblemen. During this period, ownership of a greyhound became the exclusive right of nobility. Greyhounds were so highly prized that traveling noblemen would often present a greyhound as a gift to their hosts.

During the Renaissance, greyhounds were a favorite of royalty from Britain to Italy; from the courts of the Danes to the halls of the Ottoman Empire. Queen Elizabeth I was known to have over a dozen greyhounds. These graceful animals have inspired artists and poets for thousands of years and were immortalized in Shakespeare and Chaucer's written works. They are also the only listed canine breed recorded in the Bible.

Unlike other modern breeds of dog, the greyhound has barely changed from its forebears. Throughout history, greyhounds have been bred to hunt by outrunning their prey. This breeding has given them athletic bodies, grace, and agility, and is what makes them attractive to racing trainers today. Greyhound racing did not begin until much later in this majestic breed's history.

With the advent of the Greyhound in America, coursing events soon followed. Greyhound track racing, as we know it today, began with Owen Patrick Smith's invention of a mechanical lure around 1912, which made racing around a circular track possible. The first circular track opened in 1919 in Emeryville, California. Although this track was not very successful, it unfortunately paved the way for the development of the Greyhound racing industry in America.

Today, greyhounds live their lives, alternately, on a track and in a crate - a life far removed from the luxurious lives of their ancestors. Though organized greyhound adoption dates back about twenty years, the racing greyhound is still being destroyed in numbers far greater than any other single breed of dog.