High Performance Web Sites

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The animal on the cover of High Performance Web Sites is a greyhound.

The fastest dog in the world, a greyhound can reach speeds of up to 45 miles per hour, enabled by its streamlined, narrow body; large lungs, heart, and muscles; double suspension gallop (two periods of a gait when all four feet are off the ground); and the flexibility of its spine. Although greyhounds are incredibly fast, they are actually low-energy dogs and lack endurance, requiring less exercise time than most dogs. For this reason, they're often referred to as "45-mile-per-hour couch potatoes" because when not chasing smaller prey (such as rabbits and cats), they are content to spend their days sleeping.

Greyhounds are one of the oldest breeds of dogs, appearing in art and literature throughout history. In ancient Egypt, greyhounds were often mummified and buried with their owners, and hieroglyphics from 4000 B.C.E. show a dog closely resembling the modern greyhound. In Greek and Roman mythology, greyhounds were often depicted with gods and goddesses. Greyhounds appeared in the writings of Homer, Chaucer, Shakespeare, and Cervantes, and they are the only type of dog mentioned in the Bible. They've long been appreciated for their intelligence, graceful form, athleticism, and loyalty.

During the early 1920s, modern greyhound racing was introduced into the United States. Smaller and lighter than show greyhounds, track greyhounds are selectively bred and usually stand between 25–29 inches tall and weigh ...