SIGHTHOUND DOGS (Coursing Hounds)
(texts translated in english by: Tsagaraki Athanasia
Greek Public School English teacher Graduate of the English Department of the Aristotle University -Thessaloniki)
Greyhound 
(An alteration of the Greek word ‘Greekhound’= Greek hunting dog, that is to say, the ancient Greek hound dog). 
The Cheetah with 120 kph. The Greyhound with 90 kph, and the Arabic Horse with 80 kph, all are the fastest animals on earth. It is the best hound dog with the astonishing speed and agility that accomplished to live through all those years, thanks to the British dog loving community that took care of it and made efforts to rescue it, but also bred it. Unfortunately, today in Greece there aren’t any organised kennels for this breed. Its use was absolutely for hunting, but today it is exclusively used for coursing and as a companion. Its height is from 68-76cm and its weight from 27-32 kilos. Read more
Afghan Hound 
It comes from Afghanistan and in order to somehow prove its ancient origin, they say, based on some fable, that a pair of such dogs existed and were rescued on Noah’s Ark. Archaeological reports claim that it has been in the region since 2000 B.C. They name the dog ‘Tazi’ , which in their language means ‘Arab’. It was an excellent hunting dog very powerful, resistant and bold. Unfortunately, through the years it has become a dog only for company and coursing. Of course, we must say that coursing and other athletic activities have played a great role in the survival and continuation of many dog breeds. Otherwise, they would have become extinct. Even though it needs large spaces in order to play and move freely, it easily adapts to its owner’s kind of living. Its height varies from 63-74cm. and its weight from 25-35 kilos. Read more
Azawakh 
An African dog from Mali. It is used in hunting and as a sheep dog by the nomads in North-Western Africa. It was discovered by the French in the valley of Azawakh in Nigeria, where it took its name from, that they took good care of it and bred it. Its height is 60-74 cm. and its weight 15-25 kilos. Read more 
Borzoi  - Russkaia Psoraia Borzaia  (Russian Wolfhound) The Russian noble with the ancient origin and is the progenitor of the Collie. The hunting dog that was used for hunting the wolf, the fox and the deer. Powerful and fearless but also of a calm character that has adapted to the life of its owner and today is used as a companion. Its height reaches 76-78cm, and its weight 35-45 kilos. Read more 
Chart Polski A hound dog from Poland. It is believed that it comes from the Saluki. It was used for hunting the hare, the wolf, the fox, the wild goat and a kind of wild partridge (a certain kind of bird that seldom flies and prefers to run with incredible speed while making sudden manoeuvres). Its height varies from 68-90 cm and its weight from 28-35 kilos. Read more 
Deerhound
Of English origin, a tough hound that is said to have originated from the dogs that the Phoenicians carried in their trips but also from the dogs that the Indo-European tribes carried with them when they settled in Europe. A dog with great strength and passion that was used by the English nobles for hunting the Dama-Dama deer but also the wolf. Today, it is struggling to survive, thanks to the help and the efforts by the fanatic friends of the breed. Its height is at least 71-76 cm for male individuals and its weight from 36,5-45,5 kilos.  Read more

Galgo A Spanish hound dog that is considered to have originated from French Hounds (‘Galgo’ from the French word ‘Galois’ = in Greek ‘Gallikos’, meaning ‘French’ ) but also from the dogs that the Arabs had brought with them when they conquered a great part of the Iberian Peninsula. It is bred in two varieties, smooth-coated and rough-coated and is used in dog race tracks but also in hunting in Spain where it is allowed for coursing hounds. Its height varies from 60-70 cm. Read more
Wolfhound  This ancient Irish hound dog is the most powerful and the tallest of all hounds. Its height is at least 80 cm and can even reach 95 cm; its weight varies from 40,5-54,5 kilos. It is considered as the exterminator of the wolf in Britain but also the exterminator of itself, as by the end of the wolf, its own disappearance began as well, so that in 1652, Cromwell was forced to prohibit its export in order to rescue it from extinction. It is considered as the descendant of the sight hounds that the Celts brought with them. Read more 
Magyar Agar - Hungarian Greyhound It is considered as the descendant of hounds that the Magyars brought with them and cross bred with Greyhounds. It is used in hare hunting but also in dog races, even though it is not as rapid as the Greyhound. Its height is 65-70 cm and its weight varies from 20-30 kilos. Read more 
Piccolo Levriero Italiano - Italian Greyhound  According to the Italians it comes from the Laconian dogs that the Romans brought in Italy but also from the Egyptian dogs that the Cretan people and the Phoenicians brought in Italy too. It is the smallest hound that weighs only 5 kilos and its height varies from 32-38 cm. It is used in dog races and as a companion. Read more 
Saluki The Persian Greyhound is one of the most popular and famous that is bred in two varieties: the feathered one with long hair on the ears, the tail and the back part of its legs, and the smooth one. All colourations are allowed except for the brindle. In its country of origin it is not sold but it is given away as a present and only to friends in order to express one’s love for somebody. It is an excellent hunter, very fast and flexible. Nowadays, it is used in dog races and as a companion. Its height reaches 58-71 cm and its weight reaches 30 kilos. Read more
Sloughi  -  Moroccan Greyhound The gift of Allah to its faithful believers. It is the sight hound of the desert; enduring and insistent it can pursue the Gazelle of the desert all day long without expressing any needs; it will keep on running until it tires the prey and captures it. Nomads of the desert indicatively say that the dog is capable when seeing a gazelle, at the time the prey cuts grass with its teeth to capture it before it starts to chew it. Its height varies from 61-72 cm and its weight does not exceed 30 kilos.  Read more 
Whippet 
It is the English Greyhound that in the past was referred to as ‘snap dog’. It was used in hunting the wild rabbit and the hare, as well as in races for showing off its speed and agility awarding the best that would accomplish to prevent the wild rabbit from escaping without catching it but by forcing it to continuously change course and direction by springing. Today it is used in dog races and as a companion. Its height is 44-51 cm. and its weight is 8-10 kilos.Read more 
LURCHER  - Irish Greyhound   Read more