How do they train Greyhounds to race.?

Question

Do you think the race tracks should finance and support the feeble and used up dogs instead of the kennels starving and slaughtering them at the end of their "run"?

http://www.greyhoundracingsucks.com/grs_FloridaHeadlines.htm

I agree racing should be banned. What on earth is happening to people that get their jollies off watching animals get hurt!

Answer 1

I'd like to see the track anyone watched puppy races at. Puppies are kept with their litter mates until they're a year old at which time they start training andliving their lives in crates.

Anyone with an ounce of sense wouldn't find amusement in watching these dogs hurt themselves. Having scars is the least of these dogs' problems, it's the physical injuries that they suffer later in life that are their worst problems.

My oldest male raced 19 times, was in 6 collisions, one of which the trainers termed "serious", yet he was raced again the following week. Really amusing, I'm sure. He's paying for it now with plenty of pain. Thank God I've got a great vet and the acupuncture and chiropractic treatments are finally helping him.

And there is no waiting list for rescued racers, read the stats, thousands are put to sleep every year, or sold to labs.

Answer 2

what are you talking about?

i have a retired x racing greyhound. racing should be outlawed period.

and YES they do still slaughter them. not as much as they used to, but they still put down and est. 10 thousand each year. Its not funny, and not fun to watch. these dogs get injured, sometimes severely when raced like this. My grey has several scars on him, like most do from these races. there is nothing fun or funny about it. and there is no waiting list for a greyhound. There are too many now that cant find homes. and rescue shelters can only hold so many. maybe 10-15 at a time. When there are tens of thousands racing and being bred right now.

Answer 3

Umm tracks DO support adoption efforts. What planet are you on? How many tracks have ON TRACK adoption centers? How many tracks have kennel space specifically reserved for retirees waiting for adoption? What about the State of Massachusetts program that takes a cut of the handle to pay for the costs of retirement (spay/neuter, etc.). Did you know that the first greyhound-specific adoption organisation was started in the UK by racing owners and trainers to combat the negative stereotype that 'greyhounds were unsuitable for home life' that was propogated by other purebred ownership and welfare organisations of the time? How about Race for Adoption, Greyhound Night of Stars, Follow That Hound and other innovative programs run by the racing industry to promote and fund adoption?

And what the h*ll are you talking about 'feeble and used up dogs'? I just picked up a 21 month old foster who flunked out of racing. Come and watch her bounce around my house and tell me she is 'feeble and used up'. Or meet my two littermates who each ran over 100 races. Watch how excited they get when we return to the track. See how happy they are to participate in 'fun runs' against other retirees.

I don't know if it is even worth answering your original question 'how do they train greyhounds to race' but I'll give it a go. Greyhounds are born on a farm. They spend the first 3 months of their lives with their mothers and littermates. At 3 months they are usually weaned and split into two groups based on sex. One or both of the groups may be mixed with other litter(s) of approximately the same age. The puppies live, play, eat and learn together. The primary lessons of a greyhound's first year are socialisation (with both humans and other dogs), leash manners, and developing the chase instinct. This is done by turning the pups out in large fields and giving them rolly toys (like balls) to chase around. A lure pole (basically a stick with a rope attached and a stuffed animal attached to the end of the rope) may also be used. Humans stand in the middle of the field and swing the pole in a circular motion while the dogs try to catch the toy. Greyhounds don't need any prompting other than their natural instincts that have been bred into them for thousands of years.

After about a year the greyhounds progress to real training. They begin with a ground lure on a pulley system (like what's used in lure coursing) then a small circular lure area to teach them to turn. As they progress they move to a training track where they learn how to break from the box and handle the turns of an ovular course. By around 16-18months of age they are ready to go to the racetrack.

Answer 4

I don't know how the pros do it but the amature racing group starts with a small pup playing with and chasing a sock on the end of a string moving up to a rag on the end of a stick (lunge whip) Then little short runs with "real" equpment another dog isn't added till pup is well used to chasing the lure and they usually start against a steady older dog.(the absolutelly LAST thing you want is a collison) The whole thing need to be kept fun for pup since YOU CAN'T MAKE A DOG RUN FOR THE LURE and since the dogs go home & sleep on the bottom of the bed nobody want them hurt or intimidated. By the time they learn what this game is about - put it this way don't trip on the way to the track - the dog may drag you there on your nose

PS we get some of those "feeble- used up" track dogs from time to time in the amature sport - much fitter than our pets tend to be, even if the owner takes them jogging, and wildly thrilled to get to chase the "bunny" again....

Answer 5

The pups start training about about 1 yr. They do "puppy races" on the track and it is hilarious. Sometimes they do perfect, other times they crash into each other or go backwards! I watched the puppy races for a couple of years. The dogs that wash out or retire are no longer slaughtered. They are put up for adoption after being spayed and neutered. The waiting list is incredible! Greyhounds make wonderful family pets. They do need a place to run, though since it's in their nature. They are very sweet dogs. I was glad to learn they were no longer being exterminated.

Answer 6

"I was glad to learn they were no longer being exterminated."

Really?

According to Greyhound Network News, stats for 2006 in the US:

Recent Statistics: In 2006, 24,567 greyhounds were born. Of those, 22,951 entered the racing system. Approximately 14,800 graded-off greyhounds were rescued and adopted. An estimated 8,567 greyhounds were killed. This number includes 1,616 farm culls and 6,951 “retirees” who were not rescued.

http://www.greyhoundnetworknews.org/Fact%20Sheets/GNN_Fact%20Sheet%202007.pdf

14,800 adopted
8,500 killed

A 36% death rate doesn't qualify as "exterminated"?