GREYHOUNDS ARE THE FASTEST DOGS IN THE WORLD
It should come as no surprise that these racing dogs are in fact the fastest breed on Earth. Greyhounds have been around since ancient times, and they've always been built for speed. Their fleet feet have been known to carry the breed at speeds of up to 45 mph.
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THE GREYHOUND IS NICKNAMED "THE 40-MPH COUCH POTATO"
Despite their speed, greyhounds are surprisingly not full of boundless energy. The opposite is usually true. When not racing, greyhounds are almost catlike in their quiet relaxation. They're quite content to spend a lot of time lying around, earning themselves their dubious nickname.
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AT ONE TIME IN ENGLAND, KILLING A GREYHOUND WAS PUNISHABLE BY DEATH
Greyhounds almost died out during the Middle Ages, but clergymen preserved the breed. Subsequently, only nobles owned the breed, which England's King Canute codified in 1014, ruling that only nobles were allowed to have greyhounds. The dogs were considered more valuable than serfs, and anyone responsible for killing a greyhound faced execution.
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THE GODDESS DIANA IS OFTEN DEPICTED WITH GREYHOUNDS
In mythology, the goddess Diana (a Roman analogue to the Greek goddess Artemis) is the goddess of wildlife and the hunt. As such, Diana often is depicted accompanied by deer, hunting hounds or both. In many works of art, the dogs by Diana's side are greyhounds.
Pictured: Sculpture of Diana with hounds at Fitzroy Gardens, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
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GREYHOUNDS ARE THE ONLY DOG BREED NAMED IN THE BIBLE
Readers can find dozens of references to dogs in the King James Bible, but there's only one mention of a specific breed. Proverbs 30:29–31 describes four creatures that move in a "comely" manner: lions, greyhounds, male goats and kings. However, other translations replace greyhounds with roosters in the verse.
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GREYHOUNDS DON'T SIT VERY WELL
You may hear that greyhounds can't sit, but that's not quite true. Greyhounds are physically capable of sitting, but their musculature makes the position uncomfortable and unnatural for them. So you can train your greyhound to sit for a treat, but he won't like it. And you'll rarely see a greyhound sit down on its own volition.
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