Historically, sight hounds have often been called gaze hounds. In history, they have been working dogs and people were not so much worried about their appearance.



Once the 19th century approached, people began to breed them for appearance making them look like they do now; long, lean canines that almost look royal in appearance. They have even been known to be the favorite pet of many an Egyptian Pharaoh or world king or emperor.

Sight hounds are a breed of dog deeply rooted in history

Not only have they been used for a long time but many dogs could probably trace their roots back to the very first dogs that were domesticated for human use. That is quite a family tree.

Many people have heard of the notorious scent hound dog breed type. They are notorious for their great smellers, and for good reason; they have the ability to smell through thick grass, over a river, and for a very long time at that. A sight hound is the vision-worthy equivalent of a scent hound. While scent hounds are a type of hound with great noses, sight hounds are notorious for their impeccable sight.

SightHound Appearance

While scent hounds are notoriously short and stocky, sight hounds are just the opposite: long, elegant necks and legs, thin bodies, and strong muscles. They have high stamina levels for chasing and hunting and they must be exercised a lot, so they tend to be rather tight and muscular in appearance.

Sight Hounds in Your Community

While sight hounds are great hunting dogs, they make excellent family dogs as well as do other herding dog breeds. They are great for families with kids who can provide them with a great deal of exercise and attention. If you have ever seen a Whippet, a Borzoi, or a Saluki, you have laid eyes on a sight hound without even knowing it!

Note how deep a Sighthounds chests is and how long their necks are; these features and traits allow them to see far and over things that other dogs may not be able to. This is what they are famous for, after all!

While sight hounds make awesome family dogs, they are great for sport as well. Outside of regular hunting sport, they are good in dog shows and races as well due to their speed and agility. If you see dog shows on Animal Planet or the Discovery channel or you have ever been able to attend one, chances are that a great majority of the dogs who were the strongest competitors were sighthounds!

These days they can be great guard dogs, family dogs, and even herding dogs as well and are infamous for having good temperaments as well. Whether you are a man or woman of sport, a pet lover, or just looking for a great breed of dog for your family it is hard to argue that sight hound dog breed types are excellent choices for any person.

Sighthound. Lovely, dependable, friendly and protective?what more could you ask for in a dog?