At 70 miles per hour (113 kilometers per hour), cheetahs are the world’s fastest cat and the world’s fastest land mammal, so the world’s fastest dog, a greyhound clocked at speeds up to 45 mph (72 km/h), probably won’t be catching a cheetah in a sprint.
What does a greyhound look like when it runs and how does its form compare with a cheetah? Watch Simon Lewis and Sam Hume film this BBC Earth footage from the back of a truck racing the greyhound on a wide-open green. Their speed: Around 43 mph (69 km/h).
But greyhounds might still have the advantage in the long run. According to Pet Place, cheetahs can sustain their top speed for around 219 yards (200 meters) while greyhounds can sustain their top running speed for around 273 yards (250 meters). Plus, from Psychology Today in 2009:
…the greyhound is also a distance runner. He can settle into a speed in excess of 35 miles per hour and can run at that rate for distances as great as seven miles (11 kilometres). This means that while the cheetah can win the short sprint race, in any long race the greyhound will leave that big cat way behind, panting in the dust.
Watch this next: Cheetahs on the Edge—Director’s Cut.
Bonus: Underwater Dogs in Slow Motion.
This Webby award-winning video collection exists to help teachers, librarians, and families spark kid wonder and curiosity. TKSST features smarter, more meaningful content than what's usually served up by YouTube's algorithms, and amplifies the creators who make that content.
Curated, kid-friendly, independently-published. Support this mission by becoming a sustaining member today.