Greyhound

The racing gait of the greyhound is a double suspension gallop, in which all four feet are off the ground twice during each full stride. Although Youngman's jest suggests that the list of holidays for a non-believer would necessarily be the "empty set", many non-believers honor various holidays and "holy" days, and those of one faith often honor holidays of other faiths. As a result, greyhounds have a small "divot" in their back, set just behind their shoulder blades. Referring to the original meaning of the term, Henny Youngman included this joke among his vast catalog of one-liners:. An additional peculiarity of greyhounds is that they have a hinged spine, which is unique in the animal world. Christopher Columbus, who has arrived in the New World just moments earlier, tells a Native American that he wants to cash a check... Veterinary blood services often use greyhounds as universal blood donors. One example of this fact is revealed by the assumption inherent in this bit of dialogue from the 1961 musical-comedy album, Stan Freberg Presents The United States of America, Volume One.

As red blood cells carry oxygen to the lungs, this characteristic help the breed's speed. Some holidays that were once widely celebrated are less so today, for various reasons. Greyhounds have higher levels of red blood cells than do other breeds. Some are designed to promote a cause, others recognize historical events not recognized officially, and others are "funny" holidays are generally intended as humorous distractions and excuses to share laughs among friends. A female may have an elevated risk of cancer if she was administered hormones during her racing career. These are holidays celebrated by various groups and individuals. Greyhounds have much less fat than other dogs, and therefore can not metabolize anesthesia as quickly. Other secular holidays not observed internationally:.

Greyhounds demonstrate unusual blood chemistry, which can be misread by veterinarians not familiar with the breed; this can result in an incorrect diagnosis. Many other days are marked to celebrate events or people, but are not strictly holidays as time off work is rarely given. Due to the unique physiology and anatomy of greyhounds, a veterinarian who understands the issues relevant to the breed is generally needed when the dogs need treatment, particularly when anaesthesia is required. They are:. Some retired racing greyhounds have injuries that may follow them for the remainder of their lives. With the winter holidays, come various different greetings appropriate for each holiday or the entire season. Most greyhounds finish racing between two and five years of age. In some Christian countries, the end of the festive season is considered to be after the feast of Epiphany, although this has only symbolic value.

There are several reasons why some greyhounds never race:. Usually, this festive period begins near the end of November and ends with New Year's Day on January 1, reflecting traditional pagan celebrations of the period around the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere. However, not all National Greyhound Association registered dogs race. Except in North America, the phrases "holiday season" and "holiday period" usually mean the summer months when most people take their annual holiday ("vacation" in North American English), and phrases such as the "festive period" are used to describe the period around Christmas and New Year. The vast majority of greyhounds are bred for racing, leading registered American Kennel Club dogs about 150:1, and as such each dog is issued a Bertillon card, which measures 56 distinct identifying traits, and the Bertillon number is tattooed on the dog's ear, so as to ensure that the dog who races is in fact the dog it is claimed to be. In many Western countries, the winter holiday season is a period of time surrounding Christmas. In 2005, an epidemic of respiratory failure killed dozens of dogs and left over 1200 quarantined in the U.S., particularly in Massachusetts, Colorado, Iowa and Rhode Island. The Catholic fiestas patronales are celebrated in each place's patron saint's day, according to the Calendar of saints.

Accidents and disease are also common killers among racing greyhounds. In the order of the Wheel of the Year:. Previously, in the United States over 20,000 retired greyhounds a year were killed; recent estimates still number in the thousands, with about 90% of National Greyhound Association-registered animals either being adopted, or returned for breeding purposes (according to the industry numbers upwards of 2000 dogs are still killed annually)^[3]. Well-known consecutive holidays include:. These groups began taking greyhounds from the racetracks when they could no longer compete and placing them in adoptive homes. In late 1990s, the Japanese government passed a law that increased the likelihood of consecutive holidays by moving holidays from fixed days to a relative position in a month, such as the second Monday. The early groups were formed in large part out of a sense of concern about the treatment of the dogs while living on the track. They tend to be considered a good chance to take short trips.

In the late 20th century several Greyhound adoption groups were formed. Consecutive holidays are a string of holidays taken together without working days in between. See main article at Greyhound racing. "Legal holiday" is not a term used outside the United States. During the early 1920s, modern greyhound racing was introduced into the United States and introduced into United Kingdom and Ireland in 1926. "Public Holiday" is the term used in Australia and "Bank Holiday" in the UK, although some industries in the UK work through Bank Holidays. Until the early twentieth century, greyhounds were principally bred and trained for coursing. Public holidays can be either religious, in which case they reflect the dominant religion in a country, or secular, in which case they are usually political or historical in character.

The common sense of these words is 'to shine; bright'. A public holiday or legal holiday is a holiday endorsed by the state. "gryja" 'to dawn', "gryjandi" 'morning twilight', Old Irish "grian" 'sun', Old Church Slavonic "zorja" 'morning twilight, brightness'. . "gray", Old High German "gris" 'grey, old', Old Icelandic "griss" 'piglet, pig', Old Icld.
. Subsequent words have been derived from the indoeuropean root *g'her- 'shine, twinkle': Eng. A holiday can also be a special day on which school and/or offices are closed, such as Labor Day.

441-442) the English name "greyhound" does not mean "a gray dog/hound", but simply "a fair dog". In Canada and the United States, a Holiday is a day set aside by a nation or culture (in some cases, multiple nations and cultures) typically for celebration but sometimes for some other kind of special culture-wide (or national) observation or activity. According to Pokorny's Indogermanisches Woerterbuch (p. However, some Canadians (especially those of English or Irish decent) will use both the terms vacation and holiday interchangeably when referring to a trip away from home or time off work. Its origin does not appear to have any common root with the modern word "grey" for colour, and indeed the greyhound is seen with a wide variety of coats. "I'm going on holiday to Malta next week"), the North American equivalent being "vacation". "Hund" is traced to the modern "hound", but the meaning of "grig" is undetermined, other than in reference to dogs in Old English and Norse. In most of the English-speaking world a holiday is also a period spent away from home or business in travel or recreation (e.g.

The name "greyhound" is generally believed to come from the Old English grighund. The word has evolved in general usage to mean any special day. It is believed that they (or at least similarly-named dogs) were introduced to England in the 5th and 6th centuries BC from Celtic mainland Europe. Based on the words holy and day -, holidays originally represented special religious days. Historically, these sight hounds have been used primarily for hunting in the open where their keen eyesight is a distinct advantage. The word holiday has related but different meanings in English-speaking countries. ^{[1] [2]}. Native: "Columbus Day!".

Analyses of DNA reported in 2004, however, suggest that the greyhound is not closely related to these breeds, but is a close relative to herding dogs. Columbus: "Oh? Why?". Popularly, the breed's origin is believed to be traced to ancient Egypt, where a bas-relief depicting a smooth-coated Saluki (Persian Greyhound) or Sloughi was found in a tomb built in 4000 BC. Banks closed.". However, as greyhounds have a body fat of around 16%, compared to an average of 25% in other canines, overdoing their exercise can be detrimental to their health. Native: "You out of luck today. An adult greyhound will stay healthy and happy with a daily walk of as little as 20 to 30 minutes. Tax Freedom Day (calculated by dividing the tally of all taxes collected in each year by a tally of all income, and applying it to the calendar).

They enjoy walking and running outside. Sinkie Day (The Day After Thanksgiving). Greyhounds can live in an urban setting but require moderate exercise on a regular basis. Flying Spaghetti Monsterism Holy Day (every Friday). Most companion greyhounds are kept on a leash because their hunting background has instilled a strong desire to chase things. Blame Someone Else Day (first Friday the 13th of the year). Most greyhounds that live as pets are adopted after they retire from racing. Christmahanukwanzakah (the holiday season in general, a holiday made out of a marketing campaign invented by Virgin Mobile during the 2004 holiday season.).

They do not have undercoats and therefore are less likely to trigger people's dog allergies (greyhounds are sometimes incorrectly referred to as "hypoallergenic"). Festivus (23 December). Their talents include sighting and hunting. Mole Day (23 October). Greyhounds are generally loyal, tractable dogs with developed intellects, although their territorial instinct is weak and they make poor guard dogs. Brick Day (15 October). They can get along well with children and family pets (often including cats). October Fool's Day (1 October) (Southern Hemisphere version of April Fool's Day).

Greyhounds can make good pets because of their mild and affectionate character. Ask a Stupid Question Day (28 September). Greyhounds are often referred to as "Forty-five mile an hour couch potatoes.". International Talk Like a Pirate Day (19 September). Most are quiet, gentle animals. National Underwear Day (11 August). They are sprinters, and although they love running, do not require extensive exercise once they leave the track. National Talk In Elevators Day (last Friday of July).

Although greyhounds are extremely fast dogs, they are not high-energy dogs. Pi Approximation Day (22 July). There are approximately thirty recognized color forms, of which variations of white, brindle, fawn, black, red, blue, and grey can appear uniquely or in combination. Evoloterra (20 July celebrates the first manned Moon Landing). Greyhounds have very short hair, which is easy to maintain. X-Day (5 July in the Church of the SubGenius). Females tend to be smaller with shoulder heights ranging from 68 to 71 cm (27 to 28 inches) and weights from 27 to 31 kg (50 to 75 pounds). Bloomsday (16 June based on James Joyce's novel Ulysses).

Male dogs are usually 71 to 76 cm (28 to 30 inches) tall at the withers and weigh around 29 to 36 kg (65 to 90 pounds). No Pants Day (first Friday of May). . 24-hour Comics Day (24 April). They are one of the fastest land mammals; their combination of long, powerful legs, deep chests and aerodynamic build allows them to reach speeds of up to 72 km/h (45 mph). Towel Day (25 May) (a tribute to the late Douglas Adams). The Greyhound is a breed of dog used for hunting and racing. International Cannabis Day (20 April).

. Pi Day (14 March). None of these rides operate today. International Dadaism Month (4 February, 1 April, 28 March, 15 July, 2 August, 7 August, 16 August, 26 August, 18 September, 22 September, 1 October, 17 October, 26 October). Greyhound was the name of several roller coasters in the United States and Canada. Wintereenmas (25 January through 31 January). There is an indoor football team based in West Virginia called the Ohio Valley Greyhounds. Paper Hat Day (4 January).

Marie, Ontario, Canada is called the Greyhounds. Holidays originating in ancient Latvia. The OHL hockey team in Sault Ste. Sweetest Day (third Saturday in October, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Michigan in the United States). The Greyhound is the mascot of the Assumption College sports teams. Queen's Day (30 March in the Netherlands). The dog is bred for showing instead of racing. Pioneer Day (24 July in Utah, United States).

The dog is not raised in a country where racing is popular. Patriot's Day (third Monday in April in Massachusetts and Maine, United States). The dog does not have the required temperament. Mother-in-Law's Day (fourth Sunday in October, where?). The dog has physical defects. Martin Luther King Day (third Monday in January in the United States). The dog is too slow. Loyalty Day (1 May in the United States).

Lee-Jackson-King Day (20 January) Combined holiday celebrated in the Commonwealth of Virginia from 1984 to 2000. Independence day (observed by many different countries at different dates). Labour Day (Many European countries celebrate Labour Day on May 1). Labor Day (a United States federal holiday that takes place on the first Monday of September).

Groundhog Day (2 February in United States and Canada). Grandparent's Day (Sunday after September Labor Day - proclaimed in the United States by Jimmy Carter in 1978). Flag Day (14 June in the United States). Boxing Day (26 December in the Commonwealth of Nations).

International Women's Day (8th of March, particularly in Eastern European Countries). United Nations holidays. Halloween (31 October). Father's Day (third Sunday in June; 19 March, others; 8 August, Republic of China).

World Ocean Day (8 June). Mother's Day (second Sunday in May in North America, fourth Sunday in Lent in UK). Labour Day, Worker's Day or May Day (1 May, most countries - United States and Canada are prominent exceptions). Earth Day (22 April).

April Fool's Day (1 April). Astronomy Day (date varies depending on cycle of Moon). Leap Day (29 February, every four years). Valentine's Day (14 February).

Perihelion (3-6 January, depending on year and location). Happy Winter. Happy Thanksgiving. Happy Solstice.

Happy New Year. Happy Kwanzaa. Joyous Yule. Happy Holiday(s).

Season's Greetings. Happy Hanukkah. Merry Christmas (sometimes referenced in Spanish or French as Feliz Navidad and Joyeux Noel). Preceded by New Year's Eve on 31 December, which is celebrated with festivities in anticipation of New Year's Day.

New Year's Day - (1 January) — Holiday observing the first day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. In many European countries it is also a holiday, called St Stephen's Day or the second day of Christmas. Boxing Day (26 December) — Holiday observed in many Commonwealth countries on 26 December. It was created in 1966.

Kwanzaa (USA) - (26 December - 1 January) — Holiday observance held from December 26 to January 1 honoring African-American heritage, primarily in the United States. Christmas is also celebrated as a secular gift-giving holiday; other observances include the decoration of trees and houses. Christmas Day - (25 December) — Christian holiday commemorating the traditional birth-date of Jesus. Hanukkah - (26 Kislev - 2/3 Tevet - almost always in December) — Jewish holiday celebrating the defeat of Seleucid forces who had tried to prevent Israel from practising Judaism, and also celebrating the miracle of the Menorah lights burning for eight days with only enough (olive) oil for one day.

It is celebrated by many as a secular holiday, and marks the beginning of the American "holiday season". It is traditionally celebrated with a meal shared among friends and family in which turkey is eaten. Thanksgiving - (fourth Thursday in November in USA, second Monday in October in Canada) — Holiday generally observed as an expression of gratitude, traditionally to God, for the autumn harvest. Birth of Bahá'u'lláh.

Birth of the Báb. Martyrdom of the Báb. Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh. Declaration of the Báb.

12th Day of Ridvan. 9th Day of Ridvan. 1st Day of Ridván. Naw Ruz (Bahá'í New Year).

Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). Tu Bishvat (New year of the trees). Tisha B'Av. Sukkot (The Feast of Tabernacles).

Shavuot (Pentecost). Rosh Hashanah (New Year). Purim (Based on the events in the Biblical book of Esther). Passover.

Lag Ba'omer. Hanukkah (also: Chanukah; the Festival of Lights). Ramadan. Festival of Muharram.

Eid ul-Adha, Greater Bairam. Eid ul-Fitr, Lesser Bairam