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Sighthound Lovers Trivia/Fun Facts:

- Sighthounds are known for their keen sight; they were once used to chase down and hunt prey.  But did you know that when they run, they often see better far away than up close?!

- The Greyhound is the fastest of the sighthound family.  Greyhounds, can run at speeds up to 40+ mph (64 km/h).  They are often lovingly referred to as "40mph couch potatoes" as they are often found lounging around the house.

- Greyhounds are thought to be the oldest of all the sighthound breeds; though the Afghan Hound and Saluki are not far behind.

- The Whippet gets its name from an old expression "whip it" meaning to move quickly.  Whippets are very similar to Greyhounds only smaller; the breed is thought to have come from cross breeding the Greyhound, Italian greyhound and Terrier.  They were once referred to as "The Poor Mans Greyhound".

- The Italian Greyhound is the smallest of the sighthound family.  This toy breed is often found in the lap of their owners or sleeping burrowed under the covers.  They are lovingly known as an iggy or an IG for short.  IG's love to run just as much as their Greyhound and Whippet cousins, and they are quite fast despite their small size.

- Most sighthounds are expert sprinters, but usually do not do well as long distance endurance runners.  Lure coursing is a popular sporting event among sighthound owners and allows the dog to let loose their "need for speed".

- Irish Wolfhounds are the largest sighthound breed.  Their average height is about 28-35 inches (71-90 cm) tall at the withers and they normally weigh in at about 90-150 pounds (40-69 kg).  This breed is considered one of the "giant dog" breeds and is one of the biggest and strongest of all in this category.  But they are defiantly "gentle giants".

- Scottish Deerhounds are also considered giant; they are quite similar to the Irish Wolfhound and both breeds are often confused for one another.  But when together the Irish wolfhound will be noticeably larger.  Irish wolfhounds weigh 90 - 150 pounds, and the Scottish deerhound is 75-110 pounds and should be a bit shorter as well.  The Irish wolfhound is thought to be the older of the two breeds.

- The sighthound breed with the longest coat is this Afghan Hound.  Because of their long silky coat, the Afghan is a popular show dog.  But as a companion/pet the coat is not normally kept as long, but they can still be a little high maintenance.   Afghans are thought to have come from Afghanistan, which would be where it gets its name.

- Greyhounds, Whippets and Italian Greyhounds are great for people with allergies.  Due to their short coat and skin type (which has more oils, thus producing less dandruff) they do not usually affect people with common dog allergies.  Furthermore, they do not pant heavily like most dogs and do not drool or have the typical doggie odor.

Famous Sighthound Owners/Sighthounds In History

- Actor John Barrymore, (father of Drew Barrymore) is said to have always kept a few greyhounds as pets.

- Todd Trainer (drummer for the band Shellac) has an Italian Greyhound named Uffizi; the dog is featured on the album with the name "Excellent Italian Greyhound"

- Jane Wiedlin (of Go-Go's fame) has had Italian Greyhounds and retired racing Greyhounds.

- Sigourney Weaver has two Italian Greyhound's named Petals and Bacci.

- Queen Elizabeth is said to have owned a Greyhounds.

- Bo Derek, (known for her role in the 1981 film Tarzan The Ape Man) has owned greyhounds and is an advocate of adopting retired racing greyhounds as pets.

- The cartoon series The Simpson's have a mischievous retired racing Greyhound called "Santa's Little Helper"

- Greyhounds are the only canine mentioned in the Bible (Proverbs 30:29-31 KJV)

- Images found in ancient Egyptian tombs have depicted what appear to be greyhounds.

- The mythical Roman Goddess Diana is often pictured with a sighthound at her side.  *Probably a Borzoi/Russian Wolfhound; see art print "Diana" by Alberto Vargas*

- In the 1930's some models of Lincoln automobiles had a greyhound hood ornament.

- Zeppo Marx, of The Marx Brothers, had two Afghan Hounds; these became the beginning of Pride's Hill Kennel, located in Massachusetts.

- Charlie Chaplin is said to have owned a Borzoi.

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*Have some fun or interesting tidbits about your sighthound breed to share?
Know of other celebrity sighthound owners?    Let us know!


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- Puppy/Dog Training The Natural Way - Training Manuel eBook

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- 1000 Puppy Names - ebook full of name ideas

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