Greyhound Betting

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Greyhound History

Ancient Egypt and Greyhounds

In Egypt, the ancestors of modern greyhounds were used in hunting and kept as companions. Many Egyptians considered the birth of a greyhound second in importance only to the birth of a son. When the greyhound died, the entire family would go into grief.

The favorite greyhounds of the upper class were mummified and buried with their owners. The walls of Egyptian tombs often were decorated with images of their greyhounds. The Egyptian god Anubis, either a jackal or a hound-type dog, is frequently displayed on murals in the tombs of the Pharaohs. Some drawings of it look much like the modern Pharaoh Hound, a close relation of the greyhound.

Greyhounds throughout Ancient Greece and Rome

The Greeks probably bought some of these hounds from Egyptian merchants, some time before 1000 BC. The first breed of dog named in western literature was the ancestor of the greyhound. In The Odyssey written by Homer in 800 BC, the hero Odysseus is away from home for 20 years fighting the Trojans and trying to get home against the opposition of the god Poseidon. When he finally returns home, he disguises himself. The only one to recognize him was his hound Argus, who is described in terms that marks him clearly as a sight hound.

Art and coins from Greece depict short-haired hounds virtually identical to modern greyhounds, making it fairly certain that the greyhound breed has changed very little since 500 BC. A reason for the lack of change in 2,500 years is that, until very recently, the function of the greyhound has remained the same: to thrill humans with its agility, speed, and intelligence as it chased the wild hare.

The Romans used hounds for coursing. In coursing, the speed and agility of sight hounds are tested against their prey, the hare. Dogs apparently did not compete against one another, as in modern coursing.

Greyhounds and the Arab Tradition

The Arab peoples have kept greyhound-type dogs for several thousand years. The Saluki, which almost certainly shares with the greyhound a common ancestor, is still used as a hunting dog by some Arabs today.

Greyhounds in the Middle Ages

Greyhounds nearly became extinct during times of famine in the Middle Ages. The greyhounds were saved by clergymen who protected them and bred them for the nobility. From this point on, greyhounds came to be considered the dogs of the aristocracy. In the tenth century, King Howel of Wales made killing a greyhound punishable by death. King Canute of England established the Forest Laws in 1014, reserving large areas of the country for hunting by the nobility.

Only such persons could own greyhounds; any commoner caught owning a greyhound would be severely punished and the dog's toes mutilated to prevent it from hunting. The value of a Greyhound exceeded that of a serf, and the punishment for causing death of a Greyhound was equivalent to the punishment for murder.

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