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The greyhound -

The greyhound breed is noted for being very gentle and non-confrontational. Indeed, these intelligent dogs are affectionate and mild-natured and make ideal pets. And they've been around for millennia!

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Sighthound breed -

The greyhound evolved from the ancient keen-eyed sighthound, a dog breed that goes all the way back to the Egyptians and the Celts. They were used for hunting, and were kept as companions.

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Domesticated hunter -

The sighthound breed is very similar to that of the greyhound. These domesticated hunters with long, slender bodies appear in temple drawings from 6,000 BCE in the city of Catal-Huyuk, in present-day Turkey.

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Ancient Romans -

The Romans very likely obtained their greyhounds from the Greeks. This floor mosaic in Oderzo, Italy, details a hare hunting scene using greyhounds. Oderzo was a notable crossroad in the Roman Empire.

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Holy Bible -

The only breed of dog mentioned by name in the Bible is the greyhound (Proverbs 30:29-31, King James Version).

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Vertragus -

Greek historian Arrian of the Roman period elaborated on the theory that the greyhound evolved first from the vertragus breed (from the Latin vertragus, a word of Celtic origin), itself an early breed of sighthound.

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Introduction to Great Britain -

The Romans introduced the vertragus to Great Britain. Occupying troops from continental Europe either had with them in the North of England, or certainly knew of, the vertragus and its hunting prowess.

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Middle Ages -

Quick and agile, greyhounds were used throughout Europe in the Middle Ages for hunting. They were also bred for nobility. Pictured is a hunt held in honor of Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor at Torgau Castle in Germany.

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Greyhound currency -

Greyhounds were soon considered the dogs of the aristocracy. Here, the breed appears on a coin minted in 1456 and designed by noted Italian medalist Gianfrancesco Enzola (c.1430–c.1513).

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Art of the greyhound -

This pharmacy bottle dated back to circa 1460-80 is decorated with a greyhound chasing a hare. Such imagery reflected the fact that while canines in general were at times looked down upon in the medieval period, greyhounds were highly valued.

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The Greyhound Inn -

In England, many inns and taverns were being named after the noble and elegant dog breed. Pictured is the Greyhound Inn, a 16th-century coaching inn located at Corfe Castle in Dorset.

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The greyhound in literature -

Shakespeare mentioned greyhounds in a number of his plays. The breed also featured in some early publicity. This is the title page from the Bard's 1594 poem 'Lucrece.' The text reads: 'Lucrece. London. Printed by Richard Field, for John Harrison; and are to be sold at the signe of the white Greyhound in Paules Churchyard. 1594'. The White Greyhound was a London inn.

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The greyhound's decorative aspects -

Ceramic earthenware decoration was popular in the Middle Ages, especially in Spain and Portugal where the art form originated. This 1754 tile depicts a greyhound in blue and brown on white. 

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Frozen in time -

British-American stop-motion photography pioneer Edweard James Muybridge (1830–1904) is famous for his Horse in Motion sequence of images, made in 1878. But Muybridge also photographed a greyhound running at speed to create a similar moving image.

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Dog star -

Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky. As part of the constellation Canis Major the Greater Dog, Sirius also earns the nickname of the Dog Star. In this 1820 illustration, the canine is depicted as a greyhound, which is chasing Lepus, the Latin name for hare.

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HMS Greyhound -

Sixteen different ships of the British Royal Navy have been named HMS Greyhound. The first was launched in 1545. The last, HMS Greyhound (H05), was a G-class destroyer launched in 1935 and sunk by German dive bombers in 1941 during a sea battle.

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Mechanical lure -

Modern greyhound racing has its origins in coursing. In 1912, American Owen Patrick Smith invented the mechanical lure, used to motivate racing greyhounds. The press described it as the "automatic rabbit."

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US dog racing capital -

Using greyhounds for racing took off in 1919 with the inauguration of the first professional dog-racing track at Emeryville, in California. However, Florida became the US capital of the sport after dog racing was introduced there in 1922 (pictured).

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First track race in England -

The first purpose-built track race in England opened in 1926. Pictured are racing greyhounds with their bowler-hatted handlers at the Belle Vie racetrack in Manchester, England, in 1927.

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White City Stadium -

The most famous dog racing venue in the United Kingdom was White City Stadium in Shepherd's Bush, London, seen here in 1935. The stadium was built for the 1908 Olympic Games and then became a venue for various sports during its history, particularly greyhound racing and speedway after the Second World War. It was demolished in 1985.

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Working class leisure time -

Spectators cheer on a race at Clapton Stadium in London in 1937. Greyhound racing became very popular with the working classes in both Britain and the United States.

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Valuable asset -

The greyhound like the horse, its fellow four-legged racing animal, was fêted as a valuable asset and much pampered by owners. Here, a dog is protected from the elements as it waits for the next race.

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Racing today -

While not as popular as it once was, greyhound racing still has its fans. In the US, it's the the sixth largest spectator sport in the nation. It's also a favorite sport in Australia. Today, racing is undertaken under strict veterinary supervision.

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"Greyhound" Ford V8 -

The greyhound's graceful, slender, and powerful characteristics was not lost on automobile manufactures. Ford named one of their vehicles the "Greyhound," a two-door V8 model that sported a chrome greyhound mascot on the hood.

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Greyhound Lines -

Without doubt the most famous branding of the greyhound name is that adopted by Greyhound Lines. Founded in Minnesota in 1914, the bus company serves more than 3,800 destinations across North America. Pictured is the first Streamliner bus leaving the Greyhound coach depot in St. Louis, in 1932.

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Greyhound bus -

The most iconic Greyhound bus ever built is the 1950s-era Scenicruiser, designed by Raymond Loewy and manufactured exclusively for Greyhound by General Motors.

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Evel Knievel and the Greyhound -

On October 25, 1975, Evel Knievel successfully jumped 14 Greyhound buses at Kings Island near Cincinnati, Ohio. The stuntman held the record for jumping the most buses on a Harley-Davidson for 24 years.

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Association with celebrity -

The greyhound has long enjoyed an association with celebrity. In this 1931 photograph taken in London, Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw pets a greyhound while Charlie Chaplin stands to his right. Also in the picture is English aviation pioneer Amy Johnson, and Lord and Lady Astor.

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Royal approval -

On April 20, 1988, Diana, Princess of Wales (1961–1997) attended a charity greyhound racing event at Wembley Stadium in London. She arrived wearing a green Hackett waistcoat and a Catherine Walker suit, rounded off with a bow tie.

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'Eos' -

This 1841 painting by Sir Edwin Landseer of Prince Albert's pet greyhound Eos is one of several paintings and sculptures in the Royal Collection to feature the faithful hound. Prince Albert brought Eos with him from Germany when he married Queen Victoria in 1840.

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White Greyhound of Richmond -

In 1953, the White Greyhound of Richmond was commissioned for display at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Bearing a shield of Tudor livery, white and green, with a Tudor Rose ensigned by a Royal Crown, the greyhound depicted is known as one of the "Queen's Beasts." The ancestral "beast" also appears on coins made by the royal mint.

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'Greyhound' (2020) -

The Tom Hanks movie 'Greyhound' offers a dramatized account of the Battle of the Atlantic, though Greyhound is a nod to the nickname of the U.S.S. Keeling.

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Adopting a greyhound -

What happens to all those racing greyhounds after they've retired? In the UK, the Greyhound Trust finds homes for dogs whose career has ended and are in need of some tender loving care. In the US, Greyhound Pets of America undertakes a similar responsibility. 

Sources: (DogTime) (FastFriends) (EarthSky) (Motor Sport Magazine) (The Royal Mint) (Smithsonian Magazine) (Greyhound Trust) (Greyhound Pets of America)

See also: These breeds make the best family dogs

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