I've never heard of that before, could be they have worms? And feel they need to relieve themselves?

I have never been to a racetrack, supporting the industry as my signature says, You Bet, They Die, however just being there is enough without betting.

 

Are you sure it was a boy and not a girly wee?

 

It was perhaps a girly wee as Phoenix suggested. I expect its probably a mix of excitement and that they've been kennelled prior to the race for a while and have the opportunity to go.

 

I think it may have been a girly wee
I think its common for the dogs to stop and toilet because of all the excitement. When you gotta go, you gotta go

 

At first I did think maybe a girlie wee, but it was definitely a "poo squat", tail was down and the bum was aimed at the ground!

 

Hmmm ... how many dogs did you notice doing this? Which racetrack did you go to?

 

I have been to a greyhound race track and I noticed this too. Alot of them went for a poop before the race and either nothing came out or it really wasnt a very good solid poo! sorry for the details. I thought it was something they trained the dogs to do so they are as light and empty as possible before a race.

 

Hmmm ... how many dogs did you notice doing this? Which racetrack did you go to?

Over the night it probably averaged around 1 per race. Sometimes none of them did it, sometimes a couple would do it, and it was at Belle Vue in Manchester.

I have been to a greyhound race track and I noticed this too. Alot of them went for a poop before the race and either nothing came out or it really wasnt a very good solid poo! sorry for the details. I thought it was something they trained the dogs to do so they are as light and empty as possible before a race.

I also thought it might be something they were trained to do, like you say to lighten the load before a race! Clearly didn't work because they never seemed to win!

 

Over the night it probably averaged around 1 per race. Sometimes none of them did it, sometimes a couple would do it, and it was at Belle Vue in Manchester.

I also thought it might be something they were trained to do, like you say to lighten the load before a race! Clearly didn't work because they never seemed to win!

some people who i was talking to at the races said that they waited until just before to see who toileted and placed there bets on them! Not sure why because like you said they didnt seem to win anyway!

 

Over the night it probably averaged around 1 per race. Sometimes none of them did it, sometimes a couple would do it, and it was at Belle Vue in Manchester.

That's where the speedway is, not been though. Random, I know

 

Well i work for a greyhound trainer, and ive never heard of them training to do this ill ask on monday though!

 

Could just be nerves or excitement. Tia has to go to the loo everytime we get out of the car whether she has a full tummy or not and its never firm. When I first got her she was petrified of the car and I had trouble even walking past a car with her. Now she gets in on her own and accepts the car gets her to the park but I think she is still nervous of it! Xx

 

I think it might just be excitement. Greys LOVE to race and run and chase furries, when theyre on the track they know whats about to happen and the nerves and excitement kick in

 

It is most likely excitement. Greyhounds know when they are at the track and get excited. They love to chase the lure.

When we first got Button she came to us straight of the track she had raced the day we collected her or rather my friend collected her for us. If we put the greyhound racing on the TV she got really excited especially when she heard the rabbit start up and the traps open. She would jump up and run round the room looking for the bunny.

 

the dog has been fed before the race to slow it down.sometimes its excitment

 

the dog has been fed before the race to slow it down.sometimes its excitment

I dont quite understand this, why would they want to slow down the dog? Theyre in the race to win, not to lose...

 

I've never heard of that before, could be they have worms? And feel they need to relieve themselves?

I have never been to a racetrack, supporting the industry as my signature says, You Bet, They Die, however just being there is enough without betting.

whys this?i always thought they were well treated?

 

whys this?i always thought they were well treated?

They are very well treated, i dont understand why some people are so against it the dogs are very well loved and looked after, well fed and exersiced every day. If they are injured, theyre treated and cared for, they are not forced to race, they thrive on it. Some owners visit every week (or as often as they can) and walk/play/spend time with their dogs. Its not what i would consider a money making industry, one owner at our kennels has just spent £50,000 one about 10 dogs 'just for a hobby' and will prob only win a couple of hundred with those dogs.

Happysaz, can i ask why youre so against greyhound racing?

http://www.gbgb.org.uk/TheTruthAboutRacing.aspx

 

They are very well treated, i dont understand why some people are so against it the dogs are very well loved and looked after, well fed and exersiced every day. If they are injured, theyre treated and cared for, they are not forced to race, they thrive on it. Some owners visit every week (or as often as they can) and walk/play/spend time with their dogs. Its not what i would consider a money making industry, one owner at our kennels has just spent £50,000 one about 10 dogs 'just for a hobby' and will prob only win a couple of hundred with those dogs.

Happysaz, can i ask why youre so against greyhound racing?

The Truth About Racing

Yes... and when they're not making money anymore they're often dumped, abandoned, put to sleep.. whatever, just disposed of like rubbish - sometimes with their ears chopped off to remove tattoos - there are very few racing trainers who genuinely care about their dogs and would make the effort to rehome them themselves after their career is finished.

They're also fed absolute crap, kennelled outside 24/7 - only taken out for training and races, never set foot in a house - they exist purely to make money for their trainers. Yeah, really fantastic lives they have

Greyhound racing is a DISGUSTING sport, and I have absolutely NO respect for anyone involved with it - including those who attend.

http://www.greyhoundaction.org.uk/igreyhound.html
http://www.league.org.uk/content/301/Greyhound-Racing

 

Yes... and when they're not making money anymore they're often dumped, abandoned, put to sleep.. whatever, just disposed of like rubbish - sometimes with their ears chopped off to remove tattoos - there are very few racing trainers who genuinely care about their dogs and would make the effort to rehome them themselves after their career is finished.

They're also fed absolute crap, kennelled outside 24/7 - only taken out for training and races, never set foot in a house - they exist purely to make money for their trainers. Yeah, really fantastic lives they have

Greyhound racing is a DISGUSTING sport, and I have absolutely NO respect for anyone involved with it - including those who attend.

Greyhound Action
http://www.league.org.uk/content/301/Greyhound-Racing

Most of these 'horror stories' are either myths or from other countries. Very few are from the UK. Our dogs are kennelled INSIDE, they go out for walks EVERYDAY and run around paddocks with their kennel mates regularly. Alot of the owners will visit very often to spend time with their dogs. We have partnerhip with hall green greyhund rescue and always make an effort to rehome them. The owners will sell their dogs if they want to, that hasnt got anything to do with the trainer. There are also people who work with trainers who rehome the dogs themselves (i will at some point too) All the trainers i know are just like us, and take good care of the dogs and make an effort to get them rehomed after their career has ended. If a dog get injured, then yes it may be put to sleep if its career is over and have no chance of leading a normal life (although there are some heartless people out there who just dont care and will put to sleep if they wont make money) Just like everything in this country, there is always someone giving a bad name for something.

Im not saying greyhound racing is all fluffy and lovely etc etc but its NOT disgusting and abuse. Im not very good at writing what im thinking, but ive tried my best, in MOST places, its not as terrible as people make out

ETA: we have a couple of injured dogs at our kennels, some who have been off lame for a while and may not ever race again. We have no intentions of having them PTS. One girly who i have fallen head over heels in love with is usually lame after running (tendon and wrist injuries) i dont think she'll ever make anymore money from racing, or will ever race well again. i intend to rehome her when shes retired.

 

I can't speak for happysaz133 but having volunteered in rescue for 18 months now I have to say that the good trainers and owners are far outweighed by the bad ones. Those who surrender their dogs to us almost never give any money towards their care and kennelling before they are rehomed. We are a welfare charity so reguarly take in dogs that are branded un-rehomable.

Of my 2 one was sold to the flapping tracks and was not cared for at all - he was bred and tattooed but he seemingly didn't make the grade so was sold on to whoever would have him. Greyhounds have large litters and how many puppies make it into racing and what happens to the rest of them? On greyhound data I have seen people selling on dogs for next to nothing for a quick sale.

My other one broke her leg when she was just 2 years old and her 5th race and was surrendered to the rescue. Although she was neutered, vaccinated and microchipped they hadn't properly treated her leg and she subseqently re-broke it soon after. She will now walk with a limp for the rest of her life and has arthritus in that leg. She was 4 years old in September.

We also see greyhounds reguarly turning up in the pound and when their owners are contacted they say that they re-homed them privately and that the dog isn't their problem anymore. There is little to no enforcement of the rule that owners must make sure their dogs are re-homed after their racing career.

If you want a high profile case of owner (and media) indifference google Snip Nua.

 

Most of these 'horror stories' are either myths or from other countries. Very few are from the UK. Our dogs are kennelled INSIDE, they go out for walks EVERYDAY and run around paddocks with their kennel mates regularly. Alot of the owners will visit very often to spend time with their dogs. We have partnerhip with hall green greyhund rescue and always make an effort to rehome them. The owners will sell their dogs if they want to, that hasnt got anything to do with the trainer. There are also people who work with trainers who rehome the dogs themselves (i will at some point too) All the trainers i know are just like us, and take good care of the dogs and make an effort to get them rehomed after their career has ended. If a dog get injured, then yes it may be put to sleep if its career is over and have no chance of leading a normal life (although there are some heartless people out there who just dont care and will put to sleep if they wont make money) Just like everything in this country, there is always someone giving a bad name for something.

Im not saying greyhound racing is all fluffy and lovely etc etc but its NOT disgusting and abuse. Im not very good at writing what im thinking, but ive tried my best, in MOST places, its not as terrible as people make out

But what about the vast over-breeding for the industry? Dogs are churned out by the dozen and a lot of them don't even make it to the track - my girl's father had over 10,000 puppies before he died and he wasn't that old. With that scale the amount of wastage (to put it coldly) is immeasurable. Very simply there are not enough homes for all of the dogs and the scale of the problem is something that on the training side you may not see.

 

But what about the vast over-breeding for the industry? Dogs are churned out by the dozen and a lot of them don't even make it to the track - my girl's father had over 10,000 puppies before he died and he wasn't that old. With that scale the amount of wastage (to put it coldly) is immeasurable. Very simply there are not enough homes for all of the dogs and the scale of the problem is something that on the training side you may not see.

Sadly over breeding isnt just in greyhounds its seen all over the country and the rescue centres and the dogs themselves are the ones who have to suffer and cope with it all

 

whys this?i always thought they were well treated?

Read up about it, if a day's shoot makes you angry, this will make you incandescant

 

Most of these 'horror stories' are either myths or from other countries. Very few are from the UK. Our dogs are kennelled INSIDE, they go out for walks EVERYDAY and run around paddocks with their kennel mates regularly. Alot of the owners will visit very often to spend time with their dogs. We have partnerhip with hall green greyhund rescue and always make an effort to rehome them. The owners will sell their dogs if they want to, that hasnt got anything to do with the trainer. There are also people who work with trainers who rehome the dogs themselves (i will at some point too) All the trainers i know are just like us, and take good care of the dogs and make an effort to get them rehomed after their career has ended. If a dog get injured, then yes it may be put to sleep if its career is over and have no chance of leading a normal life (although there are some heartless people out there who just dont care and will put to sleep if they wont make money) Just like everything in this country, there is always someone giving a bad name for something.

Im not saying greyhound racing is all fluffy and lovely etc etc but its NOT disgusting and abuse. Im not very good at writing what im thinking, but ive tried my best, in MOST places, its not as terrible as people make out

Each to their own - but in my opinion, it's vile, just an awful sport and I can't see how anyone can view it as entertainment.

Having owned three ex-racing greyhounds, all of whom have had behavioural problems and serious medical problems - all of which could have almost certainly been prevented with the correct care, training and attention.

My two current boys - both were PETRIFIED of everything in the house, they cowered if anyone shouted or made quick movements, they'd slink across the floor on their bellies, they'd shy away if anyone attempted to stroke them, they'd quite happily urinate in their beds and sleep on soiled bedding, obviously used to sleeping in their own filth. Both had teeth rotten to the point of crumbling away - the toothache must have been incredible, one has a deformity in his knee where an injury wasn't treated and the other one is battling stomach cancer at present - more than likely a direct result of the terrible nutrition he received whilst young.

My last boy, Riley, a stunning fawn brindle youngster - had a brief racing career but had a phobia of eating so don't have the reserves or energy required to perform. Died at 2 ½ years from anorexia nervosa. He improved briefly in the year I had him, but the damage was already done - he was a very messed up dog, mentally and physically, goodness knows what on earth he had done to him to install such a deep rooted severe fear of food and eating.

3 different dogs - 3 different stories - lots of serious problems - one thing in common... all victims of the greyhound racing industry.

Of course there ARE trainers/owners who care deeply about their racing greyhounds and treat them well, but greyhound racing is largely a very dark world - sooner it's banned, the better.