Free to Run Trivia Quiz

Answer: Afghanistan

It's been called the Baluchi hound, the Barakzai hound and the tazi, but in English-speaking countries, most of us know this dog as the Afghan hound. One of the oldest dog breeds in the world, its most notable feature is its long coat, which is usually gold or white, though other varieties exist as well.

There are two main strains of Afghan hound, the Bell-Murray strain - named after the people who brought it to Britain - and the Ghazni strain, which has a thicker coat, indicating its mountain origins. Like many hounds, it has a strong prey drive, and can be stubborn and difficult to train.

Answer: Irish wolfhound

'Cú' is an Irish word that can mean 'hound' in general, or a war hound; people familiar with Irish myth might have heard of Cú Chulainn, the legendary Irish hero whose name means 'hound of Culann'. Ancient works depict similar dogs being used to hunt boar and wolves, and guarding homes.

When the British colonised Ireland, only nobility were allowed to own Irish wolfhounds. The breed had almost died out by the 19th century, due to the depletion of the wolf population in Ireland making it redundant, but Captain George Augustus Graham helped revive it by crossing Great Danes, borzois and deerhounds.

Although a saying about the Irish wolfhound is 'gentle when stroked, fierce when provoked', today's Irish wolfhound is a mild-tempered animal. It is also the mascot of the Irish Guards.

Answer: Saluki

The saluki was traditionally bred and owned to hunt prey such as gazelles, foxes and hares, and is still used by the nomadic Bedouin as a hunting dog; its speed makes it an asset. Although most Bedouin are Muslim and dogs are considered unclean in Islam, the saluki is an exception.

It is another very old breed, appearing in art from as far back as the Mesopotamian era. It is not to be confused with the Moroccan sloughi, which is also a sighthound, but looks very different, with shorter fur and ears.

In 2007, the American Kennel Club dedicated an exhibition to art featuring salukis.

Answer: Whippet

True story: in 2011, a plane was delayed at Manchester Airport due to a whippet on the runway! Whippets are descended from greyhounds who were considered too small to hunt. Like terriers, they were used to kill rabbits and rats, but were also popular as a racing dog in the 19th century, particularly in Yorkshire (hence the stereotype), Lancashire and the Midlands.

It is also nicknamed the 'snap dog', and both this and its official name are thought to be a reference to the dog moving as fast as a cracked whip.

When it isn't running around chasing small animals, a whippet can be surprisingly calm and lazy.

Answer: Azawakh

The azawakh is a similar breed to the sloughi, and also comes from Africa, albeit Mali rather than Morocco. It also has roots in Burkina Faso and Niger. Like the Bedouin and the saluki, the Tuaregs use the azawakh as a hunting and guard dog. Roofs of buildings are considered a good place for it to sleep, as it can rapidly descend and chase away intruders, and has a strong pack mentality (as opposed to the sloughi, which prefers to hunt alone).

They are also well adapted to running at high speeds in hot desert climates.

They also have some genetic ties to pariah dogs, as the Tuareg are not as strict about interbreeding as the Bedouin are about salukis mixing with other dogs.

Answer: Ibiza

Apart from being popular with clubbers, the island of Ibiza (or Eivissa in Catalan) is also known for being the homeland of this dog. With its pointy ears and thin body, it is physically similar to ancient primitive hunting dogs, although it is a relatively recent breed.

It comes in two coat varieties, smooth and wire-haired, and is used to hunt rabbits. Female Ibizan hounds are considered to be better hunters than the males. According to Ibizan superstition, if an owner wants to get rid of an Ibizan hound, they should release the dog into the wild on the other side of the island rather than killing it, as this is considered unlucky.

Answer: Galgo

The galgo, or Spanish greyhound, is thought to be a relative of the English greyhound, but is smaller and has a long head and tail. It was, and still is, primarily used to hunt hares, but is also popular as a racing dog. Greyhound racers crossbred galgos with English greyhounds to create faster dogs.

Unfortunately, many galgo puppies are left to fend for themselves in the streets by breeders, with only the pick of the litter being selected for racing or hunting. These dogs do not fare much better, as they are considered to be too old by the time they reach 2-3 years of age, and are drowned, hanged or shot dead. Spanish dog rescue groups either adopt the abandoned dogs, or find homes for them in other countries in Europe.

Answer: Rhodesian ridgeback

The Rhodesian ridgeback, named for colonial-era Zimbabwe and the ridge of hair running down the length of its back, was used by big game hunters to find lions and keep them at bay. It is the result of crossbreeding between the indigenous Khoikhoi people's hunting dogs, and the dogs of Dutch colonisers, in particular Great Danes and collies.

They were also used to hunt pigs and baboons and keep them off farmland. There are two similar breeds in Asia, the Thai ridgeback - which tends to be grey, rather than fawn - and the Vietnamese Phu Quoc ridgeback.

Not having the ridge is cause for disqualification for show purposes, and puppies born without the ridge are traditionally culled, though the issue being highlighted by the documentary 'Pedigree Dogs Exposed' has helped to reverse this practice.

Answer: Italian greyhound

The Italian greyhound was popular in Renaissance Italy - hence its name - but mummified dogs with a similar appearance have been found in Egypt and ancient Roman sites such as Pompeii. As well as Nero, Queen Victoria, Catherine the Great and Mary Queen of Scots are all said to have owned Italian greyhounds.

The breed's very short fur means it sheds very little, though like its bigger counterpart, it gets cold in winter. Designer breeding to create smaller dogs in the 1800s led to deficiencies in the breed, such as bulging eyes, but breeders in the early 20th century managed to produce a slightly healthier animal.

Answer: Pharaoh hound

The Pharaoh hound is not actually Egyptian, but was given the name due to its resemblance to the ancient dogs of Egyptian cave paintings. Urban legends claim that the Phoenicians introduced it to Malta, but it is actually a more recent breed; it was first brought to England in the 1920s. 'Pharaoh hound' was also the original name of the Ibizan hound, but the name got transferred to the similar-looking Maltese dog after the FCI made the decision to call the Ibizan hound by its Spanish name of 'podenco ibicenco' instead.

It is traditionally used to hunt rabbits and rodents, and has a knack of jumping on a mound if its prey is hiding there, to flush it out. A similar, smaller, breed, the cirneco dell'Etna, exists in Sicily.