Data report · Updated October 2026
Fastest Dog Breeds and Running Speed: Measured Speeds in km/h and mph, and How Each Was Timed
On the measured data in this report, the greyhound comes out fastest. In race tracking, a typical greyhound peaks just under 19.5 m/s (about 70 km/h) between 80 and 150 m into a race. The fastest greyhound in 2025 AKC Fast CAT timing averaged 37.93 mph (61.0 km/h) over 100 yards. The fastest whippet came second at 36.81 mph (59.2 km/h). The fastest Labrador averaged 29.63 mph (47.7 km/h). We found no published measured speed for Indian sighthounds such as the Mudhol Hound.
Key findings
- A typical racing greyhound reaches just under 19.5 m/s (just under 70.2 km/h or 43.6 mph) between 80 and 150 m into a race. That is from 2021 radio tracking data in Australia.
- In AKC Fast CAT timing for 2025, the fastest greyhound averaged 37.93 mph (61.0 km/h) over three 100-yard runs, the top figure of 33 breeds we checked.
- The fastest whippet ranked second at 36.81 mph (59.2 km/h), ahead of the fastest mixed breed dog at 33.64 mph and the Borzoi at 33.53 mph.
- The fastest Labrador (29.63 mph), German Shepherd (29.68 mph) and Golden Retriever (29.41 mph) were all near 47 to 48 km/h.
- The fastest Shih Tzu averaged 19.81 mph (31.9 km/h), so the top greyhound ran 1.9 times as fast as the top Shih Tzu.
- Six retired greyhounds galloped at up to 19.0 m/s (68.4 km/h) in 2012 lab trials filmed at 350 Hz over force plates.
- On a tight bend greyhounds keep the same foot-contact timing and take a 65% rise in limb force, a 2005 Nature study found.
- Aston Rupee set the Sandown Park 515 m record of 28.79 s in 2021, an average of 64.4 km/h.
- We found no published measured running speed for the Mudhol Hound, Chippiparai, Rampur Hound or Kanni, as of October 2026.
How fast can the fastest dog run?
About 70 km/h. Radio tracking of racing greyhounds in Australia found a typical greyhound reaches a peak just under 19.5 m/s (just under 70.2 km/h and 43.6 mph). The peak comes between 80 and 150 m into a race. That is an average speed profile across six months of races, not one single run.
The study was by the University of Technology Sydney and published in 2021. It put small tags in the dogs' racing jackets and tracked them at a location accuracy of plus or minus 150 mm. Races were run over 525, 600 and 725 m. Speed fell after the peak, to about 16.1 m/s (58.0 km/h) at the end of 525 and 600 m races. It fell below 15.5 m/s (55.8 km/h) at the end of 725 m races, a drop of about 17% over a medium race.
A lab study gives a similar ceiling. In 2012, six retired racing greyhounds galloped at 9.9 to 19.0 m/s on a track of about 90 m at the Royal Veterinary College. They were filmed at 350 frames a second over force plates. The top of that range is 68.4 km/h (42.5 mph). Greyhounds are the main breed behind the greyhound feeding guide.
| Point in race | Speed (m/s) | Speed (km/h) | Speed (mph) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peak, 80 to 150 m after the start (all distances) | just under 19.5 | just under 70.2 | just under 43.6 |
| End of 525 m and 600 m races | about 16.1 | about 58.0 | about 36.0 |
| End of 725 m races | below 15.5 | below 55.8 | below 34.7 |
What are the fastest dog breeds?
Greyhounds and whippets, on the speed of the fastest dog of each breed. In the American Kennel Club's Fast CAT rankings for 2025, the fastest greyhound averaged 37.93 mph (61.0 km/h) and the fastest whippet 36.81 mph (59.2 km/h). The next tier, near 33 mph (53 to 54 km/h), held a mixed breed dog, the Borzoi and the Saluki.
Fast CAT is a 100-yard (91.44 m) straight dash after a lure. Each dog runs alone, timed from the start line to the finish line with break-the-beam electronic timers (required since 1 March 2022). The time is turned into mph with the formula 204.545 / seconds. The yearly ranking uses the average of a dog's three best runs, so one lucky run cannot top the table.
Sighthounds fill eight of the top ten places among the 33 breeds we checked, including the Saluki and the Afghan Hound. The whippet, at about 9 kg, nearly matches the much larger greyhound over this short distance.
Source: American Kennel Club Fast CAT rankings, 2025 calendar year, fastest dog of each breed. Speed is the average of that dog's three best 100-yard (91.44 m) timed runs, timed by break-the-beam electronic timers and converted with the AKC formula 204.545 / seconds = mph. km/h computed by dogeats.in.
Show the numbers
| Label | km/h |
|---|---|
| Greyhound | 61.0 km/h (37.93 mph) |
| Whippet | 59.2 km/h (36.81 mph) |
| Mixed breed | 54.1 km/h (33.64 mph) |
| Borzoi | 54.0 km/h (33.53 mph) |
| Saluki | 53.8 km/h (33.46 mph) |
| Ibizan Hound | 52.8 km/h (32.81 mph) |
| Pharaoh Hound | 51.6 km/h (32.08 mph) |
| Afghan Hound | 51.6 km/h (32.06 mph) |
| Belgian Malinois | 50.3 km/h (31.28 mph) |
| Sloughi | 49.6 km/h (30.79 mph) |
| Border Collie | 49.1 km/h (30.52 mph) |
| Dalmatian | 48.2 km/h (29.92 mph) |
| Vizsla | 48.0 km/h (29.80 mph) |
| Scottish Deerhound | 47.8 km/h (29.69 mph) |
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| Breed | Top speed (mph) | Top speed (km/h) | Implied 100-yard time (s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greyhound | 37.93 | 61.0 | 5.39 |
| Whippet | 36.81 | 59.2 | 5.56 |
| Mixed breed | 33.64 | 54.1 | 6.08 |
| Borzoi | 33.53 | 54.0 | 6.1 |
| Saluki | 33.46 | 53.8 | 6.11 |
| Ibizan Hound | 32.81 | 52.8 | 6.23 |
| Pharaoh Hound | 32.08 | 51.6 | 6.38 |
| Afghan Hound | 32.06 | 51.6 | 6.38 |
| Belgian Malinois | 31.28 | 50.3 | 6.54 |
| Sloughi | 30.79 | 49.6 | 6.64 |
| Border Collie | 30.52 | 49.1 | 6.7 |
| Dalmatian | 29.92 | 48.2 | 6.84 |
| Vizsla | 29.80 | 48.0 | 6.86 |
| Scottish Deerhound | 29.69 | 47.8 | 6.89 |
| German Shepherd | 29.68 | 47.8 | 6.89 |
| Labrador Retriever | 29.63 | 47.7 | 6.9 |
| Golden Retriever | 29.41 | 47.3 | 6.95 |
| Azawakh | 29.04 | 46.7 | 7.04 |
| Boxer | 28.95 | 46.6 | 7.07 |
| Weimaraner | 28.88 | 46.5 | 7.08 |
| Dobermann | 28.66 | 46.1 | 7.14 |
| Siberian Husky | 28.53 | 45.9 | 7.17 |
| Irish Wolfhound | 28.27 | 45.5 | 7.24 |
| Rottweiler | 28.16 | 45.3 | 7.26 |
| Italian Greyhound | 28.10 | 45.2 | 7.28 |
| Beagle | 26.68 | 42.9 | 7.67 |
| French Bulldog | 24.36 | 39.2 | 8.4 |
| Bulldog | 22.94 | 36.9 | 8.92 |
| Pug | 22.07 | 35.5 | 9.27 |
| Pomeranian | 21.65 | 34.8 | 9.45 |
| Dachshund | 20.46 | 32.9 | 10.0 |
| Basset Hound | 20.01 | 32.2 | 10.22 |
| Shih Tzu | 19.81 | 31.9 | 10.33 |
These are the fastest individual dogs of each breed, not breed averages. A typical pet of the same breed will be slower. Breeds are those with an AKC ranking; the 100-yard time is back-calculated by dogeats.in from the mph figure.
How fast can a Labrador or German Shepherd run?
About 47 to 48 km/h at the very top. The fastest Labrador Retriever in 2025 Fast CAT timing averaged 29.63 mph (47.7 km/h). The fastest German Shepherd averaged 29.68 mph (47.8 km/h) and the fastest Golden Retriever 29.41 mph (47.3 km/h).
Flat-faced and short-legged breeds sit lower. The fastest French Bulldog averaged 24.36 mph (39.2 km/h), Pug 22.07 mph (35.5 km/h), Dachshund 20.46 mph (32.9 km/h) and Shih Tzu 19.81 mph (31.9 km/h). Those are still the quickest dogs of their breeds in AKC Fast CAT that year.
Speed is not the only thing to weigh for an Indian home. A Labrador's full breed guide covers exercise needs, and the heat risk ranking by breed shows which of these breeds struggle in Indian summers.
Source: American Kennel Club Fast CAT rankings, 2025 calendar year, fastest dog of each breed. Speed is the average of that dog's three best 100-yard (91.44 m) timed runs, timed by break-the-beam electronic timers and converted with the AKC formula 204.545 / seconds = mph. km/h computed by dogeats.in.
Show the numbers
| Label | km/h |
|---|---|
| Dalmatian | 48.2 km/h (29.92 mph) |
| German Shepherd | 47.8 km/h (29.68 mph) |
| Labrador Retriever | 47.7 km/h (29.63 mph) |
| Golden Retriever | 47.3 km/h (29.41 mph) |
| Boxer | 46.6 km/h (28.95 mph) |
| Dobermann | 46.1 km/h (28.66 mph) |
| Siberian Husky | 45.9 km/h (28.53 mph) |
| Rottweiler | 45.3 km/h (28.16 mph) |
| Beagle | 42.9 km/h (26.68 mph) |
| French Bulldog | 39.2 km/h (24.36 mph) |
| Pug | 35.5 km/h (22.07 mph) |
| Pomeranian | 34.8 km/h (21.65 mph) |
| Dachshund | 32.9 km/h (20.46 mph) |
| Shih Tzu | 31.9 km/h (19.81 mph) |
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How fast is a greyhound in a real race?
About 64 km/h on average over 500 m. Aston Rupee set the Sandown Park 515 m track record in Victoria, Australia, at 28.79 s on 9 September 2021, per Greyhound Racing Victoria. That is an average of 17.89 m/s (64.4 km/h, 40.0 mph) from a standing start in the boxes.
In Britain, Lennies Eddie won the 2026 English Greyhound Derby at Towcester over 500 m in 28.20 s, per the Greyhound Board of Great Britain. That is an average of 17.73 m/s (63.8 km/h, 39.7 mph). Aston Rupee's run cut 0.11 s off the previous Sandown record of 28.90 s.
These race averages sit below the peak speed because they include the start and the bends. On a tight bend greyhounds do not change their foot-contact timing and so take a 65% rise in limb force, Usherwood and Wilson reported in Nature in 2005. Human sprinters on banked bends change their foot-contact time to keep the force on their legs constant.
| Race | Distance (m) | Time (s) | Average (km/h) | Average (mph) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aston Rupee, Sandown Park track record, 2021 | 515 | 28.79 | 64.4 | 40.0 |
| Lennies Eddie, English Greyhound Derby final, Towcester, 2026 | 500 | 28.20 | 63.8 | 39.7 |
Is a greyhound faster than a cheetah or Usain Bolt?
Faster than Bolt, slower than a cheetah. Usain Bolt's 100 m world record of 9.58 s (Berlin, 2009) averages 10.44 m/s or 37.6 km/h. The fastest greyhound in 2025 Fast CAT timing averaged 61.0 km/h over a similar distance with a short running start, 1.6 times Bolt's average.
The fastest recorded cheetah averaged 29 m/s (104.4 km/h) over a 200 m course, a 1997 figure cited in a 2012 Journal of Experimental Biology paper. In that paper's own filmed trials, the cheetahs ran 8.7 to 17.8 m/s and the greyhounds 9.9 to 19.0 m/s, so in those trials the dogs reached higher speeds.
Both species used a top stride rate of 3.9 strides a second. The cheetahs carried 70% of body weight on the hind legs at 18 m/s, against 62% for greyhounds, which the authors suggest may lower the risk of slipping.
Sources: Hudson, Corr and Wilson, J Exp Biol 2012 (cheetah 200 m figure cites Sharp 1997; lab maxima). Eager et al., Animals 2021 (tracking peak); Greyhound Racing Victoria 2022; GBGB 2026; AKC Fast CAT 2025; World Athletics 2009. Race and Fast CAT figures are averages computed by dogeats.in from time and distance.
Show the numbers
| Label | km/h |
|---|---|
| Cheetah, 200 m average (1997) | 104.4 km/h |
| Greyhound, race peak (tracking) | under 70.2 km/h |
| Greyhound, 2012 trials maximum | 68.4 km/h |
| Greyhound, 515 m record average | 64.4 km/h |
| Cheetah, 2012 trials maximum | 64.1 km/h |
| Greyhound, 500 m Derby average | 63.8 km/h |
| Greyhound, Fast CAT 100 yd | 61.0 km/h |
| Whippet, Fast CAT 100 yd | 59.2 km/h |
| Labrador, Fast CAT 100 yd | 47.7 km/h |
| Usain Bolt, 100 m average | 37.6 km/h |
| Shih Tzu, Fast CAT 100 yd | 31.9 km/h |
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Peak and average speeds are not the same thing. A peak is the highest speed at one moment; an average over 100 m, 200 m or 500 m includes the start. Compare like with like.
How is a dog's running speed measured?
Four ways, and each gives a different kind of number. Timed races over a set distance give an average. Radio or GPS tracking gives a speed curve with a peak. High-speed video over force plates gives speed at single strides. Lure dashes such as Fast CAT give an average over 100 yards with a short running start of up to 10 feet.
Many websites quote 45 mph for greyhounds. Even the AKC's own Fast CAT page says dogs "have been known to reach speeds of 35-45 mph" without naming a test. We found no measurement behind 45 mph (72 km/h); the highest measured figures we found are just under 70.2 km/h in race tracking and 68.4 km/h in the lab.
Fast CAT also has a height handicap for points. It is 1.0 for dogs 18 inches (about 46 cm) or taller, 1.5 for 12 to 18 inches and 2.0 below 12 inches (about 30 cm). The mph figures in this report are raw speeds before any handicap.
| Method | What it records | Example in this report | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radio tracking tag in race jacket | Speed through a whole race, plus peak | Greyhounds, Australia, 2021 | just under 70.2 km/h peak |
| High-speed video (350 Hz) over force plates | Speed and forces at single strides | 6 greyhounds, RVC, 2012 | up to 68.4 km/h |
| Official race timing over set distance | Average from a standing start, with bends | Sandown Park 515 m, 2021 | 64.4 km/h average |
| Break-the-beam timers over 100 yards | Average over 91.44 m, short running start | AKC Fast CAT 2025 top greyhound | 61.0 km/h average |
| Foot-contact timing on straights and bends | Stride timing and limb force | Greyhounds, Nature, 2005 | 65% more limb force on bends |
How fast is a Mudhol Hound or other Indian sighthound?
No one has published a measured speed. As of October 2026 we found no timed race, tracking study or lab test for the Mudhol Hound, Chippiparai, Rampur Hound or Kanni. Figures such as 60 or 72 km/h on breed websites give no method, so we have left them out.
These breeds are built like the greyhound and saluki. The closest measured relatives are the Saluki at 33.46 mph (53.8 km/h) and the Sloughi at 30.79 mph (49.6 km/h) in 2025 Fast CAT timing. That is a comparison of body type, not a measurement of Indian dogs.
Indian heat matters more than top speed for a pet sighthound. Short sprints in the cool early morning are safer. See how hot is too hot for dogs in India and the dog heatstroke data before running any dog hard in summer.
- Mudhol Hound: no published measured speed found
- Chippiparai: no published measured speed found
- Rampur Hound: no published measured speed found
- Kanni: no published measured speed found
Why are greyhounds and whippets so fast?
Hip-driven power and, in some whippets, one gene. Usherwood and Wilson argued in 2005 that greyhounds power running by torque about the hips. In that model, the muscles that make power are separate from the legs that carry weight, much like a cyclist.
In whippets, a 2007 PLoS Genetics study looked at 85 racing dogs. Those carrying one copy of a myostatin (MSTN) gene mutation were more muscular and placed in faster racing grades than dogs without it. Dogs with two copies become heavily muscled "bully" whippets. In a further sample of 146 whippets, 20 carried one copy, 2 carried two and 124 had none.
Body condition also counts. In a 2005 trial, nine trained greyhounds were fed 85% of their free-choice intake for 9 weeks. They lost 6% of body weight and ran 500 m races 0.7 km/h faster on average. The authors called a body condition score of about 3.5 out of 9 normal for a trained greyhound in racing condition. Our feeding chart by weight covers pet portions.
| Dog | Breed | Time (s) | Speed (mph) | Speed (km/h) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fritz | Greyhound | 5.675 | 36.04 | 58.0 |
| Newt | Whippet | 5.745 | 35.60 | 57.3 |
| Pippin | Greyhound | 5.763 | 35.49 | 57.1 |
| Mighty | Mixed breed (large) | 6.284 | 32.55 | 52.4 |
The seventh AKC Fast CAT Invitational ran from 18 to 21 September 2026 in Branson, Missouri, for the top five dogs of each breed. Fritz the greyhound won the large-dog class in 5.675 s.
Frequently asked questions
What is the fastest dog breed?
The greyhound, on most measured data. The fastest greyhound in 2025 AKC Fast CAT timing averaged 37.93 mph (61.0 km/h) over 100 yards. Race tracking shows a typical greyhound peaking just under 19.5 m/s, about 70 km/h. In the AKC lifetime Fast CAT list, though, a whippet (40.99 mph) sits above the top greyhound (40.22 mph).
How fast can a greyhound run in km/h?
About 70 km/h at peak. Radio tracking put a typical racing greyhound's peak just under 19.5 m/s (just under 70.2 km/h), and lab trials recorded up to 19.0 m/s (68.4 km/h). Over a full 515 m race the record average is 64.4 km/h.
Can a greyhound really run 45 mph?
We found no measurement showing it. The highest measured figures are just under 43.6 mph in race tracking and 42.5 mph in a lab study. The AKC Fast CAT page says 35 to 45 mph but names no test.
What is the second fastest dog breed?
The whippet. The fastest whippet in 2025 Fast CAT timing averaged 36.81 mph (59.2 km/h), just behind the top greyhound at 37.93 mph.
How fast can a Labrador run?
The fastest Labrador in 2025 AKC Fast CAT timing averaged 29.63 mph (47.7 km/h) over 100 yards. Most pet Labradors will be slower.
Is a dog faster than a human?
Many are. Usain Bolt's 100 m record averages 37.6 km/h. The fastest Labrador, German Shepherd and Golden Retriever in Fast CAT timing averaged 47 to 48 km/h and the top greyhound 61.0 km/h.
Is a greyhound faster than a cheetah?
No. The fastest recorded cheetah averaged 29 m/s (104.4 km/h) over 200 m in a 1997 measurement, against about 70 km/h peak for greyhounds. In one 2012 study the filmed greyhounds reached higher speeds than the filmed cheetahs, up to 19.0 m/s against 17.8 m/s.
How fast is a Mudhol Hound?
There is no published measured speed for the Mudhol Hound, Chippiparai, Rampur Hound or Kanni, as of October 2026. Claims of 60 or 72 km/h online give no method.
What is the slowest breed in Fast CAT timing?
Of the 33 breeds we checked, the Shih Tzu had the lowest top speed in 2025, at 19.81 mph (31.9 km/h). The Basset Hound ran 20.01 mph and the Dachshund 20.46 mph.
Methodology and limitations
Breed speeds come from the American Kennel Club's public Fast CAT ranking tool for the 2025 calendar year, queried on 16 October 2026 for each of 33 breeds. We took the top-ranked dog of each breed; its speed is the average of its three best 100-yard runs (AKC Fast CAT rules, chapter 4, section 8). Timing method, start rules and the 204.545 / seconds formula are from the AKC rulebook.
Greyhound peak and finishing speeds are from Eager et al. (2021, Animals) and lab speeds from Hudson, Corr and Wilson (2012, Journal of Experimental Biology). Race times are from Greyhound Racing Victoria and the Greyhound Board of Great Britain; Usain Bolt's time is from World Athletics. dogeats.in computed every km/h, mph and average speed: m/s x 3.6 = km/h, mph x 1.609344 = km/h, distance / time = average speed.
Sources
- American Kennel Club, Fast CAT Top 20 Fastest Dogs by Breed (2025 rankings), Top dog per breed, average of three best 100-yard runs
- Eager et al., Analysis of Racing Greyhound Path Following Dynamics Using a Tracking System, Animals 2021, Radio-tracked greyhound race speed profile, peak and finishing speed
- Hudson, Corr and Wilson, High speed galloping in the cheetah and the racing greyhound, Journal of Experimental Biology 2012, Lab gallop speeds for 6 greyhounds and 9 cheetahs; cheetah 200 m figure
- Also consulted: AKC, Regulations for Coursing Ability Tests and Fast CAT, AKC, Fast CAT Invitational winners 2026, Usherwood and Wilson, No force limit on greyhound sprint speed, Nature 2005, Greyhound Racing Victoria, Aston Rupee crowned Victorian Greyhound of the Year (2022), Greyhound Board of Great Britain, Lennies Eddie wins the 2026 English Greyhound Derby, Mosher et al., A mutation in the myostatin gene increases muscle mass and enhances racing performance in heterozygote dogs, PLoS Genetics 2007, Hill et al., Effect of mild restriction of food intake on the speed of racing Greyhounds, Am J Vet Res 2005, World Athletics, Bolt again: 9.58 World record in Berlin (2009), AKC Fast CAT programme page (35 to 45 mph claim, no method; not used as data), Europe PMC searches for Mudhol Hound, Chippiparai, Rampur Hound, Caravan Hound and Kanni speed studies (none found).
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