The diversity of dog breeds increased in direct proportion to the jobs they needed to fill. One of the earliest breeds to be developed for a specific task was the sight hound. Greyhound- and Wolfhound type dogs were bred and highly prized by Egyptian and Assyrian nobility as far back as 5000 years ago. Hunting dogs in desert lands depended less on their noses, given the sandy soil's inability to hold scent for very long. In addition, the topography was one of rolling plains and open country; prey was easily visible to dogs with good eyesight.
