| Training | |
| Sensitivity to strangers | |
| Affection for family | |
| Suitable for first-time owners | |
| Ease of grooming | |
| Energy level |
Contents
The Spanish Greyhound is the perfect dog…and not only for hare hunting.
The Spanish Greyhound, also known as Spanish Sighthound, is a short-haired dog from Spain; it is recognized and classified by the FCI in the 10th group, which is the Sighthound’s Group.
It is a fast and agile dog; for a long time this dog breed was considered the favorite of the hunting dogs group to catch high-speed prey such as: hare, foxes and even wild boars. Nowadays, it is chosen as a companion or shepherd dog, or used for dog races.
Let’s discover together all the characteristics that differentiate the Spanish Greyhound from the Standard Greyhound, and also the precise details about its temperament and the price of puppies of this dog breed.
Spanish Greyhound: Origins
The most asserted hypothesis about this dog breed’s origin is related to some ancient tales that say the Spanish Greyhound comes from the Gallic Sighthound which arrived in Spain from the ancient region of Gaul (nowadays known as France).
The current selection classifies the Spanish Greyhound as the cross from the English Greyhound and the Sloughi. The Spanish Greyhound is medium-sized and with a body length slightly larger than its height, its main characteristic is its high speed.
It has very robust posterior extremities. Perfect proportions are one of the rules of the standard, as well as a functional harmony of the body and also the static position and flawless movements, these characteristics are essential in dog shows.
One curiosity we must bring up is that it is one of the few dog breeds that allow all kinds of coat colors; the hair is short, thin and soft.
Spanish Greyhound: Common Uses
The Spanish Greyhound is a short-haired dog originally used for hunting rabbits, foxes and hare.
Like every “classic” Sighthound it is very fast and resistant, it chases its prey from long distances, and it is also used for wild boar hunting, but nowadays it is often used as a guardian dog for cattle or as a race dog (Greyhound racing).
But none of these tasks excludes this dog breed from being an adorable companion dog and an excellent friend to have at home.
Spanish Greyhound: Temperament
The Spanish Greyhound is a serious and modest dog; it knows how to do its tasks with perseverance and liveliness at the same time, which makes it perfect for hunting, especially for chasing small animals.
Every movement it makes is graceful, this dog breed is certainly elegant; when you take it for walks is without questions sophisticated, docile, obedient and gentle, but it is also very brave if it is necessary. In general, the Spanish Greyhound is not very communicative, but it is easy to train; another characteristic to point out is that it is not very sociable with strangers, but with its family is extremely affectionate. Also it is the ideal playmate for children.
It is not a very suitable dog to have in an apartment, its hunting nature is very strong, but you can get your Spanish Greyhound to live anywhere if you take it on walks outdoors to unwind and run, so it can feel free, besides its muscles need a lot of exercise.
Once it gets used to living in a house, the Spanish Greyhound would not be an “earth wake”, on the contrary it will be quietly enjoying on the couch or on its little dog bed.
Are you surprised?
You do not have to be surprised; it is only resting a little bit before running, playing, being fast on races, jumping and other activities. In dog friendly areas, like the park, you can see it learning to socialize with other dogs. It also likes to socialize with cats, but only if the cat is willing to do so.
Spanish Greyhound: Physical Characteristics
This dog breed has a height of 24-28 inches (63-70 cm.), so we can say it is a quite large and slim dog, like every Greyhound. In general, its bone structure is solid, its head is long and narrow, and it has a long tail that ends in a thin point, and usually its tail rests between its legs.
A male Spanish Greyhound can weigh around 66 lb. (30 kg.), while females are smaller, weighing 50-55 lb. (23-25 kg.). It has a well-proportioned body with a rectangular long and robust back and its stomach is raised.
The extremities are very important to a Spanish Greyhound because it runs a lot; they are thin, straight, well-muscled and long.
The eyes are expressive, showing sweetness and a modest temperament, they are always small, almond-shaped and dark-colored. Its ears look like two rose petals with triangle shape and usually bend backwards.
Spanish Greyhound: Types
The coat is short, thin and soft; it is well-distributed along the Spanish Greyhound’s body surface, but it is longer on the thighs. There are two types of Spanish Greyhound:
- Short-haired Spanish Greyhound,
- Long-haired Spanish Greyhound.
The Long-haired Spanish Greyhound has a semi-long coat and often has a beard and a mustache on the muzzle; it can also have long locks of hair on the eyebrows and the head.
The most common colors of this dog breed are fawn and tabby with black stripes darker or lighter but well-defined. You can also find it in colors like: brown, sand, yellow, red or white; with spots of different size and colors.
Spanish Greyhound: Training and Health
As we mentioned before, it is not a proper dog to have in an apartment; the Spanish Greyhound would have to get used to domestic life and it can do it without problems if it takes its time, it is an obedient and good dog. The important thing is to never make your Spanish Greyhound feel abandoned or neglected, this could be very dramatic for this adorable dog.
When you take it on its walks it is recommended and also obligatory to use a leash; but be careful because although it is not an aggressive dog it is very impulsive and could run or try to catch everything that draws its attention.
As it is a dog that completely lacks body fat, during winter it could suffer due to cold temperatures, so you must keep it warm with dog clothes, it does not necessarily mean that you should have a stylish wardrobe for your pet, but it should have the proper protection to prevent Christmas Colds. Even in the summertime when the weather is humid and hot, the high temperatures can affect this dog breed; so if it makes activities under the sunlight, you must always leave a bowl of fresh water to your furry friend to enjoy and feel refreshed.
Spanish Greyhound: Price, and Puppies for Sale
The average price of a Spanish Greyhound puppy in the UK, Australia and the US is 800-1300 dollars, 700-1100 English pounds. In other countries like India or in South Africa, there are not a lot of specimens of this dog breed and it is very hard to find a certified breeding establishment, so it is difficult to establish a price.
You can ask for a pedigree certificate, which allows you to check your dog breed´s purity. An animal with pedigree has certain characteristics that distinguish it among the others.
Now that we have mentioned the most important aspects, you can go to your new four-legged friend, who is certainly waiting for you.
In addition to the Spanish Greyhound, there are other types of sighthounds recognized:
Long or wavy sighthounds:
- Borzoi (Russian Sighthound)
- Afghan Hound
- Saluki Hound
Wirehaired sighthounds:
- Irish wolfhound
- Scottish Greyhound (Deerhound)
Short-haired sighthounds:
- Azawakh (African Greyhound)
- Spanish Greyhound
- Greyhound
- Polish Greyhound
- Magyar agár (Hungarian Greyhound)
- Miniature Italian Greyhound
- Sloughi (Arabian Greyhound)
- Whippet
