Friday 21 November 2008
Retired greyhounds
Is this wikipop breaking the rules? Report it to an administrator.
Introduction
There are hundreds of thousands of registered and unregistered racing greyhounds in the UK. In 2006 alone, 10,101 young greyhounds were registered ready to race with the National Greyhound Racing Club.
Campaign groups such as Greyhound Action argue that over-breeeding in the industry, particularly in Ireland where many pups originate from, means tens of thousands of puppies are culled each year or young dogs destroyed because they don't make the grade.
The work of the Retired Greyhound Trust (RGT), and other greyhound rehoming charities, plus recent news stories of thousands of unwanted greyhounds being shot and dumped in mass graves around the country, has encouraged more people to adopt a retired greyhound.
The RGT estimates that around 9,000 (registered) greyhounds retire from racing each year and, since the RGT began in 1975, it's found homes for around 35,000 of them - with a record 3,433 rehomed in 2005. However, this still leaves thousands of dogs each year who don't find a new home after the track.
Greyhounds make wonderful pets – ask any owner of a retired greyhound and they’ll testify to the gentle, accommodating and intelligent nature of the dogs once they’ve successfully made the move from kennel/track to house/garden.
History
Greyhounds are the oldest known dog breed and the only dog breed mentioned in the bible (Proverbs 30:29-31):
- There be three things which go well, yea,
- Which are comely in going;
- A lion, which is strongest among beasts and
- Turneth not away from any;
- A greyhound;
- A he-goat also.
The greyhound, or sighthound, was the hunting dog of the pharaohs of Ancient Egypt and the Kings of Ancient Greece.
Three-thousand-year-old paintings on the walls of tombs show Pharaohs hunting by chariots, closely followed by dogs identical to today's Greyhounds. A manuscript in the British Museum dating from the 9th century shows a drawing of a Chieftain hunting with two greyhound-looking dogs.
They were the dog of choice for nobility – the Normans banned Commoners from owning greyhounds - they responded by breeding a variety of colours, including the brindle coat form, which made the "illegal" dog more difficult to spot at a distance.
Greyhound racing is believed to have begun in the UK in 1876 in Hendon, North London, but failed to catch the racegoer’s imagination and it was not until July 24, 1926, that greyhound racing officially began in Britain, at a specially-constructed track – Belle Vue, in Manchester. (source: http://www.stainforthonline.co.uk/2001/meadow_court_racing_history.htm)
It was the invention of an Oklahoma entrepreneur O.P. Smith, who invented the mechanical hare, and brought the idea to England in 1925. By 1939, there were 100 tracks in Britain, and London had at least ten. It was a hugely popular activity and in 1946, attendance numbers rivalled those of football matches.
Greyhound racing in the UK is either regulated racing under the rules of the National Greyhound Racing Club with dogs, owners, trainers, kennels and tracks registered through the NGRC, or it is through unregulated or ‘Flapping tracks’.
The NGRC was established in 1928 of “well-known gentlemen” who had no financial interest in the sport.
The NGRC is funded by the British Greyhound Racing Fund through levies paid by bookmakers. In 2005, around £10 million was paid into the fund.
The industry itself is still popular and profitable in the UK. According to the NGRC, greyhound racing attracts annual audiences of about 4 million to its 29 registered tracks and accounts for nearly a quarter of all UK sport gambling - that is £200 million on track and £1.3 billion off track.
Historic tracks
Belle Vue, Manchester
(needs writing - plus monkey/greyhound races)
http://nla.gov.au/nla.pic-vn3308231
http://animal.cals.arizona.edu/classes/ans142/readings/Module-08.html
http://www.wonderlandgreyhound.com/history.html
Walthamstow, London
Parts of the vintage dog track were 'listed' by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on May 23, 2007, to preserve the heritage. (source, Government News Network release:
The famous Entrance Range including the Tote Board and the kennels have been listed at Grade II.
The stadium, built in 1931, has had a number of improvements and additions since it first opened but the notable frontage remains, as do the kennels which were built as part of the first phase of construction.
Culture Minister David Lammy described Walthamstow Stadium as "a wonderful part of Britain's greyhound racing heritage" and the best surviving and most architecturally interesting in the country.
The Retired Greyhound Trust
The NGRC set up the Retired Greyhound Trust (RGT) in 1974, specifically to find homes for greyhounds when their racing days are over.
In 2000, the NGRC introduced a de-registration scheme which requires the greyhound owner, under NGRC Rule 18, to notify it when a greyhound has stopped racing and say what arrangements have been made for its retirement, including the dog’s new owner’s name and address.
As a result, some dog owners will contract local rehoming charities, including branches of the RGT, to take a retired hound of their hands and keep it until a new home is found. They may be charged a fee for the service, which goes towards the costs of running the rehoming facility.
The RGT is also funded by the levy on the industry collected by the BGRF - £1.3 million was given to the RGT in 2005 (source: http://www.bgrf.org.uk/chairmans.asp)
The RGT, which currently rehomes over 3,000 greyhounds a year, is a good starting point for enquiries about adopting a greyhound or other support, such as volunteering to walk dogs or sponsoring dogs which are not able to be rehomed.
They operate through over 60 local branches, many sited close to greyhound tracks licensed by the NGRC.
Other rehoming charties
(section needs writing)
Retired greyhounds as pets
When you see greyhounds tearing round a race track at up to 41mph, it's hard to imagine that off the track they are gentle, quiet "couch potatoes".
Greyhounds are adaptable, docile dogs who don't need a great deal of exercise - two twenty minute walks a day usually and a mad few minutes chasing a ball around the garden will usually be enough!
They have short, thin hair which means they don't shed hair all over the furniture, or come back caked in mud from country walks. They rarely (if ever) bark or growl. They don't slobber, aren't big on whining and generally have the temperment you would expect from an ancient, even royal, breed.
But each hound has its own character and some will want more attention or exercise than others - find a rehoming kennel you trust to tell you what each dog is like. They should allow you to take a dog home on trial to decide whether it's the one for you or your family and you shouldn't worry about taking it back if it isn't. It's in the dog's interest as well as yours to spend the rest of its life with someone who wants it.
There will be dogs who have been mistreated and need special care, and most of them have lived all their lives in kennels with other dogs so they need help adjusting to living in a family home.
Some will have already lived in homes with children, babies, other dogs or even cats, and you should be able to find one to suit your own family. Some will be suited to living with older or disabled owners, while others will thrive on attention from large families.
They will already be used to walking on the lead and be toilet-trained and the kennel should have already given the animal a health check and had it neutered, wormed and micro-chipped.
Feeding
Greyhounds have a low bodyfat ratio and putting on too much weight is dangerous for them. Greyhounds also have a sensitive digestion and the wrong food or feeding pattern can cause digestive problems.
It's important to feed them a high-protein diet and limit dog treats and table scraps. Some things - chocolate (not special dog chocolate), onions and potato can make them ill. A chocolate bar left lying around and eaten can poison your dog.
The ideal balanced dry food diet for the average, active retired greyhound should be at least 22 percent protein (up to 30 per cent), 10 to 15 percent fat, and 5 percent fibre. Real 'Couch potato' greyhounds need food at the lower end of these ranges.
Greyhounds who don't get enough "good" saturated fats - such as those in fish oils and fresh, raw beef - will have coarse, dry coats and dandruff. Feed your dog a diet that consists of 10 to 15 percent fat.
Your greyhound should be fed at least twice a day. You may find your dog responds better to smaller, portion-controlled feeds at more frequent intervals through the day which can help with 'bloating' or stomach problems.
A retired greyhound that is at the right weight will look thin to the untrained eye. A good way to check the greyhound is at the correct weight is by the hip bones which jut out slightly on top of the back, above the hind legs - these look like small bumps. They should just show slightly above the fur - too much and you may not be feeding enough, and if you can't see or even feel the hip bones through the fur then your greyhound is too fat.
A healthy greyhound should also have a few vertebrae visible and a couple of ribs showing just slightly. At normal weight you should be able feel the front ribs not see them, however the back two ribs should be identifiable by sight, but not excessively so.
The following chart shows the calories needed to maintain weight for dogs kept as pets getting moderate exercise. If you're sticking to calorie -counted diet for your hound, make sure you're also including dog biscuits, snacks and scraps in the count.
- 50lb dog - 1,350 calories
- 57 1,482
- 66 1,650
- 88 2,112
- 118 2,832
(source: http://www.adopt-a-greyhound.org/advice/feeding.html)
The energy needs of a greyhound may increase by 20 to 100% depending on the weather - hot or cold weather increases their energy needs in order to maintain body temperature.
An ill greyhound with a fever will also have increased energy expenditure for cooling and an increased metabolic rate and post trauma or surgery will increase the nutritional requirements for protein needed for healing. (source: http://www.ranvet.com.au/feeding_greyhounds.htm)
Every owner develops their own feeding pattern for their greyhound, but here's a sample diet you might find useful as a starting point. Remember there should always be a supply of fresh water in his bowl.
Breakfast
Weetabix and ½ pint milk/water mixed, or pasta with gravy (made from 1/3 of an Oxo cube or gravy granules plus water, or two cups of complete dry food (see 'Dinner') mixed with gravy.
Lunch
A handful of dog biscuits, dog chews, or a dog treat such as a pigs ear and a couple of dog biscuits, or a tin of tuna or pilchards
Dinner
A complete dry food (kibble) such as Gain, Red Mills, Purina, Beta or similar brands, with at 22 - 30% protein depending on your dog's activity level - amount according to weight. Mixed with gravy and preferably about 8oz of meat or a tin of oily fish such as sardines, mackeral or tuna. You can also add cooked vegetables (but not potato or onion) or rice. Meat can be cheap cuts such as (cooked) mince, heart, liver, breast of lamb, tripe or skirt, as well as chicken, beef (can be raw if fresh) and lamb. Lamb and offal can be rich and result in loose stools - so don't feed this more than once or twice a week!
Your dog may also enjoy eggs (raw or cooked) mixed with his main meal, or cottage cheese. He'll also wolf his way through uncooked chicken wings - the bones are soft and easily digested.
Raw meat can be given as a treat, an addition to the diet or as part of a home-cooked approach to feeding your dog.
Remember that your greyhound is likely to have been fed a mostly kibble diet during its lifetime but, as long as you introduce new foods slowly and allow time for his digestion to adjust, there is no reason he can't be fed fresh, raw meat such as beef, lamb or chicken, including bones (cooked bones can be dangerous.
There are some schools of thought that say a diet of mostly raw meat is better for dogs than feeding over-processed meat derivatives such as kibble and tinned foods. Theer are health benefits to adding a little raw meat to the diet (http://www.petstyle.com/images/articles/Petfood_Recall/drkidd_raw_vs_cooked.pdf) but it's up to you and your dog how often you want to feed raw foods.
If you want to add home-cooked food to your dog's diet, you can subsitute any amount of processed dog food for a cooked diet of roughly one third meat, one third grains (eg pasta, rice) and one third vegetables (not potato or onion).Make sure you use metal food and water bowls, raised off the ground (no higher than 8 inches) to make it easier for the long-necked dog to reach and swallow food.
Avoid exercise about 1 hour before and 1 hour after eating. If your dog is active immediately before or after eating they can get gastric dilatation/volvulus (GDV), a potentially deadly condition most common in large deep-chested breeds. Symptoms usually begin after a meal. The stomach becomes engorged with food, fluid, and gas, and then may twist on itself so that nothing can escape. It can kill the animal in an hour.
Finally, remember mealtimes can also be a good time to reinforce training and status. If you will be feeding him before you eat a meal, nibble on a biscuit or some treat in front of him just before you give him his meal. Once in a while, take away his dish before he's finished eating, let him wait a few minutes and then return his meal to him. Don't do this too often - it may encourage him to bolt his food, but it can help in the early weeks of training him to accept your authority.
Exercise and play
Despite their appearance, greyhounds don't need a great deal of exercise - two 20/30 minute walks a day is enough. The rest of the time they're likely to be sleeping - greyhounds are experts in conserving energy!
However, all dogs have different temperments which is why it's important to find an adoption charity that will let you take a greyhound home for a while to see how he fits in with you or your family.
Your greyhound will usually already be trained to walk well on the lead but may not interact with you at first or understand how you want him to behave on a walk, or during play. Most greyhounds grow up in a kennel environment and may have to learn how to play and socialise with humans.
Don't start trying to play with him straight away (especialy if he isn't used to the home environment) - let him first get used to you being the pack leader and learn to trust your ability to keep him safe in his new environement. Once he's confident about his new home and his new status, he'll be settled and ready to play.
And, as a hunting dog, you'll find your greyhound is more interested in toys that mimic the chase - squeaky animals or balls you throw for him to run after and bite. But, especially in the early days, remember to reinforce your status by being the one to win the toy or walk away and end the game.
Greyhounds don't deal well with temperature extremes. What may seem like a warm summer's day to you will have your greyhound panting in an exhausted heap after 20 minutes walking. In cold weather they need to be kept warm with a properly-fitting greyhound coat. In hot weather they need to be walked at the coolest times of the day - early morning or late evening.
And remember - don't feed them before or after a walk or energetic play, it can make them very ill (see feeding section).
Letting your greyhound off the lead
The issue of whether you let your greyhound off the lead during walks is one many owners disagree on. The safest option for your greyhound is to never let him off the lead except in an enclosed area such as a field with a big fence around it that he can't jump or squeeze through.
Firstly your dog is an adult you've adopted - not a puppy you've trained yourself - so there will be limits to the way you are able to control his behaviour. Secondly, greyhounds are trained to chase. If they spot a rabbit (or a cat!) a field away they will chase after it and be there in seconds - no matter how loudly you try to call him back. Thirdly, they often have very poor roadsense or awareness of danger - these are dogs that have spent their formative years in kennels and on racing tracks, not walking city streets.
If you want to try letting your greyhound off the lead, you must first spend time properly training him to return to you at a given signal (remember it needs to be loud enough to be heard at distance - I use a particular squeaky ball). Do this first in the garden and around the house, linking the signal to food and treats each time so that he associates it with something good.
Move on to using the signal when he can't see you as part of regular daily training (for instance calling him when he's inside and you're in the garden) and rewarding him with lots of praise when he comes to you. If he takes his time or ignores you, go to him, using your signal to keep calling him until he follows you, then praise him when he's where you want him to be. Let him go again and call him back until he gets the idea.
When you think he understands the signal, move on to trying it in an enclosed area outside - a fenced playground for instance. Let him off the lead and walk away from him, or let him start sniffing around for a few minutes, then call him back. If he comes back, praise him but don't put him on the lead - let him wander off again. Don't use the signal to call him to be put on the lead, use a different call or just put him on the lead when he's near to you.
If it works, build up slowly to letting him off the lead in safe walking areas where he can't get far away. When he tests you by not returning to the signal - go and get him and put him on the lead. Don't punish him, just ignore him and take him home. Continue to praise him every time he returns to your signal or whenver you call him.
Your greyhound needs to be a dog that gets on well with other dogs for this to work at all because the sorts of places you'll want to let him run around will be ones used by other dog walkers - and having a big greyhound tearing towards their pet at speed isn't something they'll be happy about.
Don't underestimate how quickly your grehound can run away from you and get into trouble. It's in his interests more than yours to train him to respect and obey you.