1. GreyhoundIt probably comes as no surprise that the fastest breed of all is the Greyhound. They are born to run, although are surprisingly lazy the rest of the time, and have an incredible top speed of 45mph. |
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2. Afghan HoundIn joint bronze medal position for quickest canine is the Afghan Hound. At top speed they are a blur of fur, running at 40mph. |
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3. SalukiOne of the most ancient breeds of dog, the Saluki is thought to date back to ancient Egypt. With a top speed of 42mph they are the second fastest dog breed. |
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4. VizslaThe other dog that can register up to 40mph on the canine speedometer is the Vizla. If this Hungarian breed doesn't get plenty of exercise it can become destructive. |
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5. DalmationDalmations can reach speeds of up to 37mph. Their quick pace came in useful when they were used to run alongside carriages to protect travellers from highwaymen. |
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6. Jack Russell TerrierSmall but speedy, the Jack Russell Terrier rounds out the top five fastest dogs. Bred to be the perfect dog for fox hunting, they can clock speeds of up to 38mph. |
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7. BorzoiOriginally from Russia, where they were used as hunting dogs, the Borzoi just loves to run and can reach a speed of 36mph. |
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8. DobermannDobermanns were bred as guard dogs, but are no slouches in the velocity department either. A burglar would find it hard to outpace their top speed of 32mph. |
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9. WhippetThe Whippet, like their larger Greyhound cousins, are natural racers and can speed along at up to 34mph - perfect for when they were used to hunt rabbits. |
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10. German ShepherdOne of three dogs that can reach speeds of 30mph, the German Shepherd is a popular service dog - with the police and army putting their pace to good use. |
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11. Border CollieBred to herd livestock, Border Collies have no problem outrunning sheep with a top speed of 30mph. |
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12. Standard PoodleWith a showdog image that couldn't be further removed from the German Shepherd, the Standard Poodle can also run at up to 30mph. |
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