When comparing a dog to a horse, several questions arise. One of these questions might be as simple as, “Are horses faster than dogs?
Horses are faster than dogs. The average dog can maintain a speed of 3.8 meters per second compared to a horse’s 5.8 meters per second. This causes the horse to cover more distance in a shorter period of time
Dogs are often compared to all kinds of animals. They include cats, coyotes, wolves, and horses!
This is an interesting comparison because most people assume that the smaller animal is faster. This is not true because dogs have the ability to run a good amount, but they will not be as fast at a high pace.
The reason horses are faster than dogs
Horses are almost always faster than dogs. Of course, there are exceptions when an incredibly fast dog can outrun an average horse, but as a rule, the horse always wins.
Why is that? The horse simply has longer legs and more lungs, which means it has a longer stride, which means it can cover a much greater distance in a shorter period of time.
The average speed of a dog
The average dog can run at 15 to 20 miles per hour. This is the average for all dogs combined.
Although greyhounds are the fastest breed of dog in the world, their average speed is 35 miles per hour, which is more than 10 miles per hour faster than the average dog! Such a dog can outrun a horse at a race.
These long-legged speed demons have even been known to reach speeds of up to 45 miles per hour, an incredible feat for a domestic dog!
Average Horse Speed
The average gallop speed of a horse is 25 to 30 miles per hour, which is much faster than the average dog.
Although the horse is undoubtedly the faster of the two animals, you may be surprised to see that the averages are so close.
This is because while the average horse is quite fast, it cannot compare to its racehorses. The average speed of a racehorse is 40-45 miles per hour!
American Quarter Horses are the fastest horses on the track, capable of 55 mph for short periods of time.
The fastest horse of all time is a filly named Winning Brew, who was able to maintain an average speed of 44 mph over a distance of 400 meters.
The great equalizer between dogs and horses seems to be distance. At high speeds, dogs and horses can run 2 to 5 miles.
This distance will not be covered in a full sprint or gallop, but both horse and dog can cover these miles at a faster pace than when walking.
It is shocking that there is one living thing that can run farther than horses and dogs.
Humans are the best long-distance runners, having evolved to run tens and tens of miles at a time.
Humans can never outrun the fastest horse in running, but we will beat even the fastest horses in long-distance running!
Why Dogs Run Faster Than Humans
For most people trying to run with a dog, this is what happens. Your dog tends to overtake you.
Some dog breeds are slower than others, and humans can keep up with them, but with the exception of athletes, they probably can’t keep up with their four-legged friend.
The key to making a dog run fast is its body structure.
A long, lean, muscular body is the key to a dog running fast down the street. A tall dog, such as a greyhound, will inevitably be faster than a bulldog.
However, even puppies with short legs and chunky bodies are still likely to outrun you.
Speaking of the fastest dog in the world, greyhounds are bred for speed. They can run up to 45 miles per hour, almost twice as fast as some of the best Olympic athletes.
Greyhounds can run faster than racehorses. A greyhound runs a double-strung gallop. This means that the greyhound’s feet only touch the ground 25 percent of the time.
The horse has no such position, so the greyhound can outrun both you and the horse.
Other fast running breeds include the Doberman Pinscher, Dalmatian, Afghan Borzoi, Saluki, Border Collie, Isaban Hound, Pharaoh Hound, Belgian Malinois, Scottish Deerhound, Wizzla, Jack Russell Terrier and Saluki.
These breeds can run between 30 and 40 miles per hour.
Another fast breed is the Siberian Husky. These dogs were made for speed and endurance.
Moving at about 12 miles per hour, they can maintain that pace for six hours, dragging a 200-pound sled behind them.
Dog breeds that are slightly slower but can still outrun you include the Clumber Spaniel, Chow Chow, Newfoundland, and Old English Mastiff.
The Old English Mastiff can run at about 15 miles per hour, which is still faster than the average human.
Although these dogs are large in size, medium-sized dogs that don’t move their paws as fast include the poodle, corgi, and Sussex spaniel.
You may have a chance to outrun the Shih Tzu, Japanese Chin, English Toy Spaniel and Chihuahua because of their short paws and often low stamina, but they still move pretty fast.
These wrinkled pups often have short legs and a large belly, which is not ideal for running.
Their body type does not make them the running dogs that greyhounds are.
However, some do reach speeds of 15 miles per hour, which is about four minutes.
The average speed of a non-competitive runner is seven to 10 minutes per mile or eight miles per hour.
