BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY :The
greyhound is known since the antiquity by the Romans, even
though we are led to suppose that his arrival and implantation
in the Península dates back long before that period. Descendant
from ancient Asian greyhounds, he has adapted himself to our
different terrain of steppes and plains. He was exported in
large quantities to other countries, like Ireland, England
during the XVIth, XVIIth and XVIIIth centuries. Our greyhound
is one of the ancestors of the English greyhound which presents
with the Spanish greyhound (galgo) the similarities true to
the breed which have served as a base in its selection and
subsequent acclimatization. Among the numerous citations by
the classical authors, one should select that of the citations
by the classical authors, one should select that of the archpriest
of Hita who says: "Hare which goes is soon caught in
a chase by the greyhound...", thus proving the principal
and ancestral function of the breed.
GENERAL APPEARANCE: Greyhound of good size, eumetric, subconvex,
sub-long line and dolichocephalic. Compact bone structure,
head long and narrow (dolichocephalic), ample thoracic capacity,
belly very tucked up, very long tail. Hindquarters vertical
and muscled. Hair fine and short, or semi-long and hard.
BEHAVIOUR /TEMPERAMENT: Serious temperament and reserved
in occasion, however when out hunting, proves to be an energetic
and lively hunter.
IMOPRTANT PROPORTINS: Sub-longish line structure; length
slightly more than the height. Proportions and functional
harmony is to be sought after as much in static position as
in movement.
HEAD: - Description of the ensemble: in proportion with the
rest of the body, long, lean and fleshless. The ratio skull-muzzle
is: length of the skull 5, length of the muzzle 5/6. Cranial-facial
lines are divergent. Seen from above, the ensemble skull-muzzle
must be very long and even (without bulges); with a long and
narrow muzzle.
CRANIAL REGION
- Skull: Of reduced width and sub-convex profile. The width
of the skull shall not exceed half of its length. The skull
has a median furrow well marked on its first two thirds; the
frontal sinus and the occipital crest are simply indicated.
- Stop: In gentle slope, only very slightly accentuated
FACIAL REGION
- Nose: Small, moist with black mucous membrane.
- Muzzle: Long, of sub-convex profile, with a narrow, slightly
arched nasal bridge towards the nose.
- Lips: Very lean. The upper lip just covers the lower lip.
The lower lip does not show a marked corner of the lips. Fine,
tight, with dark mucous membranes.
- Teeth: Strong, white and sound. Scissors bite. Canines very
developed. All premolars present.
- Eyes: Small, oblique, almond shaped; preferably dark of
hazel colour. Calm expression, soft and reserved.
- Eyelids: Fine skin and dark mucous membrane. Fitting very
closely on the eye.
- Ears: Broad at the base, triangular, fleshy in their first
third part and finer and thinner towards the tip which will
be rounded. Set-on high. When the dog is attentive, they are
semi-pricked in their first third with the tips folded, in
lateral direction. At rest, they are in "rose type";
close to the skull. When pulled forward they reach very close
to the corner of the lips.
- Palate: Of the colour of the mucous membranes with strongly
marked ridges.
NECK Long, oval in cross-section, flat, slim, strong and
supple. Narrow in its cranial part, widening slightly towards
the trunk. Upper profile slightly concave. Lower line almost
straight with a slight central convexity.
BODY
- View of the ensemble: slightly rectangular, strong and supple.
Thoracic cage amply developed; belly well drawn up; giving
a look of robustness, agility and resistance.
- Withers: simply indicated.
- Back: straight, long and well defined.
- Loin: strong; not very broad and with an arched upper line,
with a compact and long musculature, giving an impression
of elasticity and vigour. The height of the loin in its central
part may exceed the height at the withers.
- Rump: long, powerful and slanting. Its slope to the horizontal
exceeds 45º.
- Dorsal-lumbar line: with a slight concavity of the back
and a convexity of the loin. Without abrupt breaks and without
oscillation when moving, giving the impression of great elasticity.
- Chest: powerful though not very broad; deep, without reaching
the elbow and very deep in its extension up to the floating
ribs. Point of sternum marked.
- Ribs: the ribs with wide intercostal spaces and flat. The
ribs must be really visible and marked. The thoracic perimeter
shall be slightly superior to the height at the withers.
- Belly-Flanks: belly abruptly tucked up behind the sternum;
whippety. Folds of flanks short and lean and flanks well developed.
TAIL
Strong at its root and low set, lengthens between the legs
remaining in contact with them. Tapering progressively ending
in a very fine point. It is supple and very long; reaching
well beyond the hock. At rest, falls in a sickle with a hook
at the end more marked and inclined laterally. Brought back
between the legs with a terminal hook almost touching the
ground in front of the hindlegs, it realises one of the most
typical aspects of the breed.
FOREQUARTERS
- View of the ensemble: perfectly vertical limbs, fine, straight
and parallel. Metacarpus short and fine. Harefeet.
- Shoulders: lean, short and oblique. The shoulder blade must
be noticeably shorter than the upper arm.
- Upper arm: long, longer than the shoulder blade, very muscular,
with elbows free although quite close to the body.
- Forearm: very long; well defined bones with well marked
tendons, straight and parallel. Carpal pads very developed.
- Metacarpus (pastern): slightly oblique, fine and short.
- Feet: harefeet. Toes tight and high. Phalanges and pads
hard and well developed. Interdigital membrane moderately
developed, nails well developed.
- Angulations: angle scapular-humeral: 110 degrees. Angle
humeral-radial: 130 degrees.
HINDQUARTERS
- View of the ensemble: powerful, well defined bone structure,
muscled with long and well developed muscles. Perfectly straight
and vertical with correct angles. Hocks well marked, short
and vertical; harefeet with toes raised high. They give the
impression of power and agility in the impulsion.
- Thighs: very strong, long, muscled and toned. The upper
thigh as much as possible nearing the vertical. Seen from
behind, they will show, at first glance, a very marked musculature.
Broad, flattened and powerful, its length is of ¾ that of
the leg.
- Lower thighs: very long with the Achilles tendon clearly
visible, which should be well developed.
- Rear pastern: fine, short and vertical.
- Feet: harefeet the same as the front feet.
- Angulations: angle coxal-femoral 110º. Angle femoral-tibial:
130º. Angle of hock: in excess of 140º.
MOVEMENT/GAIT
By nature, the typical gait is the gallop. The trot must be
extended, low over the ground, elastic and powerful. No tendency
of lateralisation or ambling.
SKIN
Closely fitting onto the body on all its parts, solid and
supple, pink in colour. The mucous membranes must be dark.
COAT
- Hair: dense, very fine, short, smooth; spread all over the
body down to the interdigital spaces. Slightly longer at the
back of the thighs.
The variety of semi-long hard-haired: Shows a greater hardness
and length of hair which can be variable; although always
evenly spread onto the whole body, it tends to form a beard
and moustaches at the muzzle, eyebrows and forelock on the
head.
- Colour: all colours are admitted. The following colours
are considered as the most typical, in order of preference:
fawn and more or less dark brindles, well pigmented. Black.
Flecked with black, dark and light. Burned chestnut. Cinnamon.
Yellow. Red. White. White with white and pied markings or
bi-colour and pied.
SIZE
Height at the whiters: males from 62 to 70 cm.
Females from 60 to 68 cm.
A margin of 2 cm is admitted in subjects of perfect proportions.
FAULTS
Any departure from the foregoing points Should be considered
a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be
regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.
Minor faults:
Straight profile of muzzle. Pointed muzzle.
Absence of any premolar.
Pincer bite.
Parietal bonex pronounced.
Head a little broad with only some chiselling.
Tail a bit short, not going beyond the hock.
Scars, wounds and scratches in hunting season.
Important faults:
Skull of excessive width together with pointed muzzle.
Moderate endognathism (overshot).
Absence of canines, not due to accidents.
Voluminous head.
Short and round neck.
Cranial-facial axes parallel.
Eyes light, round, protruding or prominent.
Ectropion and entropion.
Stop very marked.
Ears short, pricked or small.
Lips and dewlap marked.
Barrel-shaped ribs.
Dorsal-lumbar line like a saddle back.
Height at the loin less than the height at the withers.
Short flanks.
Short rump, round or only slightly oblique.
Musculature very protruding, round and not elongated.
Limbs incorrect, splayed toes, cow-hocked.
Weak pads.
Tail and ears amputated.
Outlines of coarse appearance, heavy or without suppleness.
Unbalanced character (temperament).
Eliminatory faults:
Insufficiency of type (lacking in type).
Split nose.
Undershot or overshot mouth.
Albinism.
Topline very broad, flat and straight.
Chest let down well below the elbow.
Any other typical characteristic which would recall or indicate
a cross-breed.
N.B.: male animals should have two apparently normal testicles
fully descended into the scrotum. |