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Sighthounds

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Sighthounds are sporting dogs that have keen eyesight and can easily spot prey by sight. These dogs have flexible backs and long legs so they can capture fast prey. They also have unusually large hearts and lean wiry bodies.

There is proof that sighthounds were in use in ancient times. The earliest presumed sighthound remains appear in the excavations of Sumer dated approximately 7000–6000 BC. In the second century,
Arrian’s Cynegeticus contains a description of a sighthound.

As pets, sighthounds thrive on physical activity and instinctively chase after running animals. The fastest of the sighthounds can reach speeds of over 40 mph (60 km/h). They may be watchful and hostile to strangers. Some sighthound owners enroll their dogs in races called lure coursing, which allow the dogs to satisfy their need for speed and their chase drive.

List of sighthounds:

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