Spectacular Sighthounds Trivia Quiz

Answer:

As their name implies, sighthounds rely on their keen vision to detect and pursue prey. These basic characteristics are reflected in their streamlined appearance. Sighthounds have long, lean bodies with long, narrow heads, long legs, flexible backs, and deep chests to allow for larger hearts and powerful lungs. These features enable them to pursue and overpower animals as fast and agile as themselves, such as deer and hares.

Probably the best-known of sighthounds, the greyhound is capable of reaching over 65 km/h (40 mph), and is thus most often used in races. Though it is the dog world's most important speed merchant, it is also a calm, relaxed, and affable companion. The greyhound's origins are unknown, but various archaeological findings point to its being one of the oldest dog breeds. The cover photo depicts a female blue greyhound named Tillee.

As in 19th-century the working class could not afford a greyhound, they had to make do with the whippet, a smaller though closely related breed, occasionally described as the poor man's greyhound. Because they also did not have a fancy oval track, they would race the dogs in the back alleys and empty lots, where the whippet became a straight-away sprinter. Their acceleration ability gives them fast starts, in which they can cover over 180 m (200 yds) in 12 seconds.

Bred in Russia to hunt wolves, the borzoi could easily outrun its wild adversaries - not surprisingly, its name means "swift" in Russian. The dogs would work in pairs, grabbing the wolf behind the ears and pinning it to the ground. But for almost a century, the borzoi has been bred for companionship. It is a handsome dog with a silky, wavy topcoat and soft undercoat that is shed in hot weather. Its temperament is calm and affectionate, though this dog breed needs regular exercise.

With its thick, silky coat and aristocratic appearance, the Afghan hound is one of the most beautiful of dog breeds. A dog of ancient origin, resembling other sighthound breeds from Central Asia, it is native to the mountains of Afghanistan, where it was protected from the harsh climate by its heavy coat. Introduced into the West in the 1920s, the breed became extremely popular as a show dog. Unlike other hounds, the Afghan hound is no longer used for hunting; if kept as a pet, it requires a lot of care and grooming.

Exceptionally fast, reaching speeds of up to 65 km/h (40 mph) over short distances, the Azawakh originated in the Sahel region of West Africa. These hounds are often seen sleeping on the low, straw roofs of their owners' homes, as they are used as guard dogs as well as hunters. If a night-time predator were to approach, the first Azawakh to see it would jump down from the roof, and then would be joined by others to chase away or kill the intruder.

Originally from the Arabian Peninsula, the saluki is one of the oldest sighthound breeds. It is a very graceful dog with silky fur and drop ears, which is thought to be even faster than the greyhound. The Bedouins of the Arabian Desert traditionally used it for hunting gazelles, hares, foxes and jackals. Its name, like that of the closely related sloughi, is likely derived from the ancient Mesopotamian city of Seleucia.

Also known as Spanish greyhound, the galgo Espaņol resembles the greyhound both in appearance and temperament. It does, however, have longer hind legs, a longer tail, and a longer head, and is somewhat smaller in build. Its name probably means "dog from Gaul", as the breed is believed to be of Celtic origin. A calm, even-tempered dog, the galgo is still used for hunting and sports in its native Spain, and is also very popular as a pet.

By the mid-19th century, the iconic Irish wolfhound - a dog identified with warriors and royalty in ancient Ireland - had almost completely vanished from the island. Thankfully, before the end of the century the breed was revitalized by Captain George A. Graham, a British army officer. Today, this rough-coated giant is one of the tallest breeds of dogs, and one of the most loyal in the world. Like many large breeds, however, it has a short lifespan, rarely reaching 10 years of age.

The Scottish deerhound looks like a larger, heavier greyhound with a rough coat. It was bred to hunt red deer in the Highlands of Scotland, and was kept by both the nobility and the common folk. A famous deerhound (though not purebred) was Maida, Walter Scott's beloved dog, whose likeness appears on the Scott Monument in Edinburgh, as well as in a number of other statues and paintings.

When the American West was first being opened to settlers, wolves and coyotes were a great threat to both livestock and people. The settlers used coursing hounds which were big enough to catch and kill those dangerous predators (such as the borzoi or the Irish wolfhound) to create this increasingly popular breed, the American staghound - also known as American lurcher or longdog of the Prairie. It is a large, powerfully built dog with a rough coat, which - as its name suggests - is mainly used to hunt deer.

Of the breeds listed as wrong choices, the beagle is a scenthound, while the dachshund is associated with the scenthound group in the US and UK, but regarded as its own group in other countries. The Labrador retriever and the Gordon setter are gun dogs - hunting dogs that assist hunters in finding and retrieving game. On the other hand, the Dalmatian was originally bred as a carriage dog, and the border collie is a herding dog.