vertragus from Roman Spain of the 2nd century C.E., comes from Arrian's Cynegeticus. A similar type, possibly a moderately sized male sighthound, with a height of 61–63 cm, of approximately the same historic period, the Warmington Roman dog is described from a well-preserved skeleton found in England. Although today most sighthounds are kept primarily as pets, some of them may have been bred for as many as thousands of years to detect movement of prey, then chase, capture, and kill it primarily by speed. They thrive on physical activity. Some have mellow personalities, others are watchful or even hostile towards strangers, but the instinct to chase running animals remains strong. Apart from coursing and hunting, various dog sports are practiced with purebred sighthounds, and sometimes with lurchers and longdogs. Such sports include racing, lure coursing, and other events. List of sighthound breeds Afghan Hound Azawakh Borzoi Chippiparai Chortai Galgo Español Greyhound Irish Wolfhound Italian Greyhound Kaikadi Kanni Kombai Levriero Sardo Magyar agár Mudhol Hound Old Croatian Sighthound † Patagonian Greyhound Polish Greyhound Rajapalayam Rampur Greyhound Saluki Scottish Deerhound Silken Windhound Sloughi Taigan Tazy Whippet Xigou † extinct Crossbreed sighthound types Kangaroo hound Longdog Lurcher American Staghound Breeds considered to be controversial, not having by origin a sighthound function A number of breeds or types of dogs which do not hunt solely by speed and sight, as well as a number of non-hunting breeds, are currently being recognized as sighthounds, either formally or informally by kennel clubs, or lure and live coursing clubs. These include: Andalusian Hound Basenji Cirneco dell'Etna Ibizan Hound (Podenco Ibicenco) Peruvian Inca Orchid Pharaoh Hound (Kelb tal-fenek) Podenco Canario Portuguese Podengo Rhodesian Ridgeback Thai Ridgeback Kennel club classification When competing in conformation shows, most Anglophone kennel clubs, including the American Kennel Club and The Kennel Club (UK), group pedigree sighthound breeds together with scent hounds in a Hound Group, the Fédération Cynologique Internationale groups them in a dedicated Sighthound Group, whilst the United Kennel Club groups them in a Sighthound and Pariah Group. See also Dog type Hound Hunting dog Scenthound References Further reading Almirall, Leon V. Canines and Coyotes. Caldwell, Id.: The Caxton Printers, Ltd., 1941. Anderson, John Kinlock. Hunting in the Ancient World. University of California Press 1985. Belkin, Dan. "The Functional Saluki: Lessons from the Coursing Field". Field Advisory News, November/December 1993. Bengtson, Bo. "What IS a Sighthound?" Sighthound Review, charter Issue, May–June 1984.