As some of you may know, I’m partial to the “skinny” dogs. I adopted a retired racing greyhound while I was still in vet school and last year added a whippet to my fur-family. I’ll try not to be too biased in this week’s spotlight on Greyhounds. 
Sighthounds are one of the oldest types of dogs we know of. Carvings of greyhound-type dogs have been found in ancient Egyptian tombs dating back to 2000 BC. These thin, short coated dogs spread throughout Europe as a valuable hunting dog – known for their keen eyesight and speed.
Lure coursing competition began with these sighthounds in the 16th Century in Britain and the dogs were brought to North America with incoming settlers. Greyhound racing as we know it today became popular in the 1920s in the U.S., England, and Ireland. A greyhound in peak physical shape can reach sprinting speeds of up to 70km/hr!!
