Xigou

The Xigou is the Chinese sighthound — a lean, deep-chested coursing dog of the northern plains, sometimes called the Chinese Greyhound.

History

It has coursed hare and fox across northern China for centuries and belongs to the wider Asian sighthound family alongside the Saluki and Tazy. Numbers fell severely in the twentieth century and the type survives mainly with rural hunters.

Temperament

The breed is known for being quiet, gentle and reserved at home and intensely focused in pursuit — the sighthound pattern of calm indoors and unreachable outdoors.

Care and training

It needs room to run and secure fencing, since a sighthound in chase does not respond to recall. The short coat needs little, and a lean dog with little fat feels the cold.

Health

Sighthound builds carry the usual anaesthetic sensitivity; nothing else is widely documented for this breed. These are patterns for the breed rather than a forecast for one dog; the measured facts are in the panel.