Dog Races

[aly]

Originally posted by zaylagrey
Hey Coach.. I think you scared them. You can be a little intimidating sometimes .

No one is scared. We like to try to remain as civil to each other as possible here. Sometimes that means ignoring certain posts that might spark some heated words. I read some of this individual's comments on your forum and while he likes to shoot off at the mouth, it is neither intimidating nor scary.

I understand why you guys were offended when first reading this thread. I am thrilled to see that so many of you ventured into other parts of the board and made introduction threads. This was just one "bad apple" thread among thousands of kind, warm, compassionate threads. I want to thank those that came and offered their opinions/ideas/beliefs without attacking anyone or calling names. It is much easier to have a discussion and learn new things when it is not clouded with juvenile name calling.

I hate to even think that there are "sides" to this in the first place. I think we all agree that Greyhounds love to run and are glad that they have an outlet for that. I think we all agree that there is good and bad in everything and that we should do what we can to help the poor Greyhounds who are stuck with the bad racing owners.

I am not against racing if the dogs are loved, well-cared for, and happy. I am against racing that entails abuse, neglect, and euthanizing the "losers".

I tried posting on the GT board about this and I was belittled because I don't own a Greyhound. I tried to explain my experience and was ripped apart. It was just by one person directly (although a few others said the same), but it left me feeling very hurt and bitter. Therefore, I couldn't listen to one thing this person said to me, valid points or not. I've been involved in rescue and dog behavior for over 6 years now. No, I am not an expert on Greyhounds, but I do know a lot. Just because I don't have a Greyhound doesn't mean one should assume I know nothing. And just because someone owns a Greyhound, it shouldn't be assumed that the person is an authority on them. I've met many an owner who knows absolutely nothing about the breed they have. I've also met many a person who knows more than me about the breeds I have, even though they don't own one themselves. I'm fully willing to admit when someone knows more than me. What they do or do not own has nothing to do with their knowledge.

Oh yeah, one thing I do have a problem with regarding racing are these "Greyhound farms". Please inform me on these (in a nice way). Since I do shelter work every day, the term farm gets to me. Why do you have to mass-produce these racing pups? Couldn't you adopt young Greyhounds from shelters or rescues to race them? Dogs are dying every single day while these farms are bringing more and more dogs into this world. These pups will need a home someday soon if their racing person doesn't keep them or euthanize them. If they are rehomed, then that means another dog in a shelter won't get a home and will die.

[guster girl]

Originally posted by aly


I tried posting on the GT board about this and I was belittled because I don't own a Greyhound. I tried to explain my experience and was ripped apart. It was just by one person directly (although a few others said the same), but it left me feeling very hurt and bitter. Therefore, I couldn't listen to one thing this person said to me, valid points or not. I've been involved in rescue and dog behavior for over 6 years now. No, I am not an expert on Greyhounds, but I do know a lot. Just because I don't have a Greyhound doesn't mean one should assume I know nothing. And just because someone owns a Greyhound, it shouldn't be assumed that the person is an authority on them. I've met many an owner who knows absolutely nothing about the breed they have. I've also met many a person who knows more than me about the breeds I have, even though they don't own one themselves. I'm fully willing to admit when someone knows more than me. What they do or do not own has nothing to do with their knowledge.

Hey, where did you post in Grey Talk? I want to read where you posted and judge from that point if I want to continue to be a member there. I'm considering exiting the entire pet forum altogether, but, I want to make a more thought out exit if I do.

[aly]

Originally posted by guster girl
Hey, where did you post in Grey Talk? I want to read where you posted and judge from that point if I want to continue to be a member there. I'm considering exiting the entire pet forum altogether, but, I want to make a more thought out exit if I do.

It was in the thread that was deleted. That very first thread about this whole hoopla.

You're not going to leave here too are you? YOU CAN'T!

[Denyce]

Hey guster girl!

I hope you don't plan on leaving PT. I have always enjoyed your posts and look forward to your thoughts and opinions on topics. Besides seeing your pics!

Denyce

[guster girl]

Hey, Aly and Denyce! Aly, I want to send you a private message, but, your mailbox is full! But, mostly, I'm just spending so much time on the internet reading on pet talk, I just think when I get a new job (hopefully soon), I'll need to leave it alone for awhile. Nothing major, I don't think I'd quit cold turkey! Ha ha.

[Jamieejo85]

Originally posted by Kfamr
Cute doggies everyone!


I'm completely sick of the way GT has been talking aobut Pet Talk.

I guess we're all trolls now.

Kay, can you post a link so I can read the posts? I have been gone for a couple days..such a nice thread to come back to I tried clicking a link you posted back on page 4 or 5 and it didn't work thanks
~jamie

[Kfamr]

Originally posted by Jamieejo85
Kay, can you post a link so I can read the posts? I have been gone for a couple days..such a nice thread to come back to I tried clicking a link you posted back on page 4 or 5 and it didn't work thanks
~jamie

I believe all of the threads have been deleted now.
It just seems like a few of them think PT is some evil place because of this thread.
I am glad to see a majority of their members have ventured out of this to see the TRUE Pet Talk, though.

[Tollers-n-Dobes]

Originally posted by Kfamr
I am glad to see a majority of their members have ventured out of this to see the TRUE Pet Talk, though.

So am I

[zaylagrey]

I'm so sorry this happened to you. I've been a member of Greytalk for about six months. and there is a hand full of people there that can get very argumentive. I try to understand it this way, the reason I believe this is such a passionate subject for some of these people is the racing industry is their livelyhood.Generations of families have raised these dogs and trained them. It would be like someone saying what you do for a living is horrible, but you feel there is nothing wronge with it. Of course you'll get defensive about it. There are some there that are over the top to a point of insulting, thats why I don't get involved in those topics there, it has happened to me once before. Then there are some that are very interested in hearing your point of view and answering your questions. About your question of farms, all I know is the ones we deal with as a adoption group. I'm sure there is someone here in the industry that will be more than happy to explain better than I. I do know that there is allot of selected breeding in the process, that is why for a large breed dog allot of diseases have been bred out of their lines. I hope this helped. I do like it here.

Originally posted by aly
No one is scared. We like to try to remain as civil to each other as possible here. Sometimes that means ignoring certain posts that might spark some heated words. I read some of this individual's comments on your forum and while he likes to shoot off at the mouth, it is neither intimidating nor scary.

I understand why you guys were offended when first reading this thread. I am thrilled to see that so many of you ventured into other parts of the board and made introduction threads. This was just one "bad apple" thread among thousands of kind, warm, compassionate threads. I want to thank those that came and offered their opinions/ideas/beliefs without attacking anyone or calling names. It is much easier to have a discussion and learn new things when it is not clouded with juvenile name calling.

I hate to even think that there are "sides" to this in the first place. I think we all agree that Greyhounds love to run and are glad that they have an outlet for that. I think we all agree that there is good and bad in everything and that we should do what we can to help the poor Greyhounds who are stuck with the bad racing owners.

I am not against racing if the dogs are loved, well-cared for, and happy. I am against racing that entails abuse, neglect, and euthanizing the "losers".

I tried posting on the GT board about this and I was belittled because I don't own a Greyhound. I tried to explain my experience and was ripped apart. It was just by one person directly (although a few others said the same), but it left me feeling very hurt and bitter. Therefore, I couldn't listen to one thing this person said to me, valid points or not. I've been involved in rescue and dog behavior for over 6 years now. No, I am not an expert on Greyhounds, but I do know a lot. Just because I don't have a Greyhound doesn't mean one should assume I know nothing. And just because someone owns a Greyhound, it shouldn't be assumed that the person is an authority on them. I've met many an owner who knows absolutely nothing about the breed they have. I've also met many a person who knows more than me about the breeds I have, even though they don't own one themselves. I'm fully willing to admit when someone knows more than me. What they do or do not own has nothing to do with their knowledge.

Oh yeah, one thing I do have a problem with regarding racing are these "Greyhound farms". Please inform me on these (in a nice way). Since I do shelter work every day, the term farm gets to me. Why do you have to mass-produce these racing pups? Couldn't you adopt young Greyhounds from shelters or rescues to race them? Dogs are dying every single day while these farms are bringing more and more dogs into this world. These pups will need a home someday soon if their racing person doesn't keep them or euthanize them. If they are rehomed, then that means another dog in a shelter won't get a home and will die.

[guster girl]

Originally posted by Orangutango
So am I

Make that three.

[aly]

Originally posted by zaylagrey
I'm so sorry this happened to you. I've been a member of Greytalk for about six months. and there is a hand full of people there that can get very argumentive. I try to understand it this way, the reason I believe this is such a passionate subject for some of these people is the racing industry is their livelyhood.Generations of families have raised these dogs and trained them. It would be like someone saying what you do for a living is horrible, but you feel there is nothing wronge with it. Of course you'll get defensive about it. There are some there that are over the top to a point of insulting, thats why I don't get involved in those topics there, it has happened to me once before. Then there are some that are very interested in hearing your point of view and answering your questions. About your question of farms, all I know is the ones we deal with as a adoption group. I'm sure there is someone here in the industry that will be more than happy to explain better than I. I do know that there is allot of selected breeding in the process, that is why for a large breed dog allot of diseases have been bred out of their lines. I hope this helped. I do like it here.

You did help! Thank you very much for your kind response

And I'm so glad you like it here! It really is a great place! Just stay out of the political and religious discussions! Hehe

[guster girl]

Originally posted by zaylagrey
Of course you'll get defensive about it. There are some there that are over the top to a point of insulting

There are plenty of topics in here that get ugly like that too. What I don't understand, is how people think they are going to enlighten anyone by being hateful and calling them names. and, I'm not just saying the folks that are pro-racing talking down to people that are anti-racing or anti-racers thinking pro-racers are idiots or naive or whatever. I'm talking about all the topics that people are passionate about. You can be passionate and still get your point across, by giving facts supporting your beliefs and simply using a little tact. People seem to lack that frequently. I think that arguing/debating is a healthy thing to be involved in. It's when people start calling others stupid (for any reason), that things start going in reverse. It's like a magic time warp back to junior high. that's why this thread was so crappy to begin with. I like where it's going now, though.

[zaylagrey]

Thanks I'll make note of that..

[greysandmoregreys]

Originally posted by aly

Oh yeah, one thing I do have a problem with regarding racing are these "Greyhound farms". Please inform me on these (in a nice way). Since I do shelter work every day, the term farm gets to me. Why do you have to mass-produce these racing pups? Couldn't you adopt young Greyhounds from shelters or rescues to race them? Dogs are dying every single day while these farms are bringing more and more dogs into this world. These pups will need a home someday soon if their racing person doesn't keep them or euthanize them. If they are rehomed, then that means another dog in a shelter won't get a home and will die.

I will do my best to try and explain the greyhound farms. Farms being used for lack of a better word.

This may be long, so sit back, get a cup of coffee, and prop your feet up. I will try to cover from birth up until the point when they go to the race tracks.

Broods are normally kept in an area called a brood house. Just like a boarding kennel they have inside and outside runs. With carpet or some type of bedding to lay on inside with a doggie dog to go out.

The brood is bred, normally AI (artifical insemintion) she is then moved to the welping area of the kennel when she is due.
This area is similar to the brood house but it has a whelping box inside for the momma to have her pups. Most broods are monitered with video cameras or humans to make sure that there are no complications when she's read to give birth. Most owners are there when she gives birth.

The pups are normally moved from the mother when the mother deceides that the times is right.

The pups are then moved to a "puppy" area. Sometimes it's similar to the brood house and other times its to an outside run area that has a large dog hut, house, shelter which again is normally filled with some type of bedding. Hay, straw, something to that effect. During this time the pups play and romp with one another. Work out the pack order and all and all just be puppys.

Once they are around 6months old there moved to what is called long runs. Where there are normally 3 hounds per run. This is where the pups start learning to streatch there legs, build up muscle, the compete with one another by running up and down the fence line with the pups on the other sides. When they get tired they lay down and sleep, soak up the sun, or whatever they chose to do. These runs also have the huts,houses, shelters with bedding also.

At 12 months of age the pups are moved into the "racing/training" kennel which is where they learn about crating, collars, muzzles, turn outs, this is where the real training starts.

They are normally taken to sprint paths with other hounds from different litters. Most training consist of a whirly gig. Which is a long arm that has a stuffy, animal pelt, or something fun with which the pups will want to chase. I teaches them to run turns, because they have only really been in runs that they really don't make a full sweaping turn.

They then go on to the tracks where they learn to chase the mechanical lure. They start out with normally one or two other hounds. Again the compitition between the pups and also chasing that cool thing at the end of a pole. When they finish up the race most farmers give them a squeak toy or something fluffy to play with so they are rewarded for doing good. All the dogs get these not just the winner.

This track training normally goes on about 5 months. When they know what there doing is when the head to the real race tracks.

As far as feeding, worming, and vaccinations there all on set scheduals. Most feeding programs consist of meat, dry dog food, veggies, pasta, plus some type of vitamin supplement. Young pups are not fed raw meat.

Interesting point most farms and kennels will worm there dogs with Ivomec every month or every two months. So by doing this the greyhounds from these farms or from a race track will never have heartworms.

Hope I covered some of the questions you had. Why they are called farms I don't know. Maybe for a lack of better term>

[zaylagrey]

I knew someone who knew what they were talking about would step up to the plate. I even learned something.