Do You Really Understand Your Greyhound's Previous Life?

"My greyhound came from the track." Sometimes this statement is said with pride and other times disdain, but what remains constant is the number of misconceptions surrounding that statement. "The track." has become a generic catch-all term which implies the track (actual racing facility) has complete control over the greyhounds and makes all decisions regarding them. This common perception is completely false.

In the interest of truth and understanding your greyhounds life let's explore the many facets a greyhound's life. However, before we venture on you must understand the NGA greyhound was never bred to be a pet. Just like, seeing eye dog, the police dog, and the show dog, the NGA greyhound was bred to do a job. Not to be a pet.

First stop, the breeder. The breeder is just as the name leads you to believe. This is the person who bred the litter. They sent in the needed DNA samples on both the bitch and the dog, then the litter is registered with the NGA. (National Greyhound Association.)

Second stop, Owner. This is the person who is recorded as the owner of the greyhound with the NGA. The breeder can be the owner of the greyhound but not always.

The breeder has breed a litter and for our purposes has retained ownership rights with the NGA. The greyhounds are then raised until they are ready for racing. A greyhound can not race until it is 18 months old. So for a year and a half the greyhound is being exercised daily. Sometimes this involves what they call "gigging". Basically, it's lure coursing in a circle. They greyhounds are not forced to do anything. Its instinct, to chase a moving object. Instinct, that is there from the day they are born. They are just encouraged to do what comes naturally; chase a moving object. Those greyhound which do not want to chase are retired before they ever get a chance to race.

They are kept with their littermates during this time and they do what puppies do. They play fight, pounce on each other, run etc. This is where most of the "racing scars" happen. Greyhounds are thin skinned even as puppies and we all know how sharp puppy teeth and claws are. Unfortunately, normal puppy behavior and thin skin does not work well together.

"Wait a second. Aren't greyhounds bred on farms?" My response here is define farm. Are they kept in barns with horses? No. These are large kennel facilities with lots of land as growing greyhound puppies need a lot of room to run and develop properly. This is the case with all sighthounds. Borzoi, saluki, afghans all need to "grow out."; which means they needs lots and lots of room to run and develop their muscles properly. If you don't have two acres plus, don't get a sighthound puppy. They require the room. If you don't have that kind of space an adult may be more to your liking as they have already "grown out." Also, some breeders and owners keep the litters in the house not the kennel as they only raise one litter every three years or so. These few still have lots of room and still exercise the puppies daily to achieve proper development.

Okay so now the puppies are 17 months old. It's time find a place for them to race. The owner calls several kennel owners to see if they have room to take on another dog.

The kennel owner, owns a kennel that has contract with the track (racing facility). This contract allows the kennel to use the racing facility to professionally race greyhounds in said kennel against other kennels. The Kennels are privately owned and do not belong to the racing facility. They just have a contract that says so and so kennel can use our facility but so and so kennel must comply with the following rules. That's it. I say again the track does not own the kennels. The Track does not employ the help in the kennel eihter. That is the sole responsibility of the kennel owner. An agreement is met between the owner and kennel owner and the greyhound(s) are moved.

When the greyhound(s) arrive they are greeted by the trainer. The trainer is the person in charge of overseeing all aspects of the greyhounds care, from exercise, food, medical treatment ect. Now the trainer and the Kennel owner can be the same person. Just like owner / operators in small businesses. That said, You have to realize the trainers just over see their care. It is the greyhound's Owner that makes all major decisions regarding the greyhound he or she owns. The trainers feed the dogs, groom them, bath them, turn them out to potty, make sure they get enough exercise to stay fit as possible. Trainers and kennel helpers sink thier lives and souls into keeping these dogs happy and healthy. Simple truth, if these dogs are not healthy and happy they don't and won't run. If you're betting your pay check on a greyhound with a strong sense of self and a mind of its own, you want it happy and healthy. If they are not, you and they don't eat. It's that simple.

The track is only the facility where the dogs compete proffessionally. The track has taken certain messures to make sure the dogs remain safe while in their care. The dogs are weighed in and taken back to the "ginny pit" (holding area) before they race. The trainer leaves them at the door. The "lead outs" take over from there. This is to keep anyone from sabatoging the dogs. When it's time for the greyhound to race it is taken out to potty and walked up to the box by the leadouts. The trainers and helper do not touch the greyhounds again until the race is finished.

This is the extent of the Tracks involvment with the greyhounds. They are not in anyway responsible for the day to day care of the greyhounds. They only oversee and manage the actual physical aspect of racing, chasing a lure around an oval.

Once the race iscompleted, the greyhounds are given back to thier trainers. The trainers cool them down and take them back to the kennels. They are turned out to potty, fed, watered, given a bone, petted etc.

Once it is time for a greyhound to retire from a racing falility, the trainer calls the kennel owner, who then calls the greyhounds registered owner. It is now up to the owner to decide what happens at this point. No one else decides, just the greyhound's registered owner as is his or her right under the law. Several things can happen, returned to owner, move to another track, euthanasia or adoption. I say again, this is the sole decision of the greyhound's owner. Most greyhounds are moved to another track, returned or adopted.

Hopefully, you now understand a bit more about your greyhounds life on the track, the number of people involved and their roles, but above all your NGA Greyhound.