Sighthound Sounds

A musical romp through the wonderfully weird and wonderful world of sighthounds. Here’s a playful list of songs to match their two speeds: comatose and chaos. Plus, a theme tune to capture the spirit of each breed. It's all vibes, no vet advice.

Sighthound by Sound

  • A brindle-coated greyhound with a black harness sitting on green grass, stretching its neck upward towards the sky in a park.

    Greyhound

    “Creep” (Radiohead)
    Soulful weirdos who just want to lie on your bed and wonder why they were ever called “athletes.”

  • A light-colored dog wearing a dark jacket and a gray neck gaiter, standing on a dirt path with trees in the background.

    Lurcher

    Lurcher – “Seven Nation Army” (The White Stripes)
     Bit scruffy, bit intense, total legend.

  • A close-up photo of a tan and white dog with heterochromatic eyes, one blue and one brown, against a plain light gray background.

    Whippet

    Whippet – “Mr Blue Sky” (ELO)
     Bouncy, sunny, deceptively chaotic.

  • A close-up of a black and white dog with long ears, lying on a white surface.

    Saluki

    Saluki – “Wuthering Heights” (Kate Bush)
     Elegant, haunting, probably judging you.

  • Close-up of a dog with a light-colored coat and wearing a thick green knitted scarf, looking downward in an indoor setting.

    Italian Greyhound

    Italian Greyhound – “Tiny Dancer” (Elton John)
     Miniature drama queen with big feelings.

  • A close-up of a dog with one ear standing up and the other ear flopping, looking directly at the camera against a plain light gray background.

    Irish Wolfhound

    “Heroes” (David Bowie)
     Noble. Soulful. Would rescue you from a moor ghost.

  • Close-up of a light-colored dog with its mouth open and tongue out, wearing a brown collar, outdoors

    Sloughi

    “No One Knows” (Queens of the Stone Age)
     Mysterious desert dweller with indie-rock energy.

  • A pig with gray and black fur looking through a wire fence in a grassy field.

    Scottish Deerhound

    “The Chain” (Fleetwood Mac)
     Majestic, mythical, surprisingly fast when they want to be.

Songs for Snoozing Sighthounds

Perfect for those 18-hour naps that only a sighthound can truly commit to.
Ideal background music for flopped ears and dramatic sighs.

  1. “The Sound of Silence” – Simon & Garfunkel
     For the retired racer who now identifies as a Victorian fainting lady.

  2. “Breathe Me” – Sia
     Whippet wrapped like a burrito under ten blankets.

  3. “Banana Pancakes” – Jack Johnson
     Lazy Sunday snuggles with bonus paw twitches.

  4. “Holocene” – Bon Iver
     That philosophical stare out the window... probably at nothing.

  5. “Weightless” – Marconi Union
     Scientifically proven to calm dogs. And humans. And probably plants.

  6. Porcelain (Moby)
     Soft snoots and softer snores.

  7. “Sea of Love” – Cat Power
     Melts into the sofa like butter on toast.

  8. “Pink Moon” – Nick Drake
     Gentle, elusive, slightly otherworldly – like the quiet ones.

  9. “Angels” – The XX
     Floaty, moody, and mysterious – basically a Saluki.

  10. “Pure Shores” – All Saints
     Because they’re mentally on a beach in the Maldives even while drooling on your cushion.

Zero to Zoomie

That 7-minute burst of absolute madness when the inner cheetah is unleashed in the garden.

  1. “Sandstorm” – Darude
     Obligatory. You know why.

  2. “Can’t Hold Us” – Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
     Literally. You cannot.

  3. “Dogs Days Are Over” – Florence + The Machine
     Irony aside, this is full tilt, tail tucked, teeth bared happiness.

  4. “Take On Me” – A-ha
     High knees, cartoon legs, and full anime energy.

  5. “Thunderstruck” – AC/DC
     Zoomies. Indoors. On hardwood.

  6. “Run the World (Girls)” – Beyoncé
     This one’s for the female lurchers who own the field.

  7. “Blinding Lights” – The Weeknd
     Exactly how they look when they’re running at you at 40mph.

  8. “Lose Control” – Missy Elliott
     Zoomies with extra sass and no warning.

  9. “Misirlou” – Dick Dale (Pulp Fiction theme)
     Greyhound meets Tarantino. Enough said.

  10. “Born to Be Wild” – Steppenwolf
    For when they slip out of their collar or harness ... now pray.

Why We Say ‘Ex-Racer’ Instead of ‘Rescue’

We use the phrase ex-racer because it’s clear – it tells people where the dog came from and what they were bred to do. But make no mistake, our greyhounds are rescues.

Not all of them are formally “retired.” Many don’t get that far. Some never make it to the track at all. Others are discarded the moment they’re no longer useful. If they didn’t race or course, chances are they were used for underground racing, lamping, dog baiting, or simply passed between owners with no stability, structure or care.

In Ireland especially, many sighthounds are bred with no intention of ever seeing a licensed track. That doesn’t make their experience any less traumatic – or their need for rescue any less urgent.

So we say ex-racer for clarity. But we always mean rescue.

Because rescuing a greyhound isn’t about giving them a comfy retirement. It’s about giving them a second chance.