Myth Busters

[hounddog]

It is a myth that something terrible will happen to the greyhound if racing no longer exists.

Many people close to racing would have you believe that the breed will die off or turn into some sort of mutation of itself unless the exclusive control of breeding remains in the hands of the "industry." This line of thinking is eagerly showered on generic greyhound pet message boards all the time. To many first time adopters and those who haven't done much research, this sounds ominous. The end of the world as we know it. It seems it is such a priority to some to get this message out that on some pro-race message boards members are encouraged to join the other boards to "educate" the newbies in the dangers of thinking otherwise. You've probably heard the mantra: "You are now the owner of a finely tuned athlete, hand crafted by years of selective breeding." "This breed was born to race." "You realize that if some have their way and racing ends it will be the end of the greyhound as we know it."

Please everyone, do your research and draw your own conclusions. If you have done your required reading about the history of the breed when you first adopted you realize that the greyhound has been around for centuries. The oldest breed known to man, they say. Only breed mentioned in the bible. The pets of kings and royalty. In 1016, King Canute was so taken with the breed that he enacted laws that " no mean person shall own a greyhound." and " the destruction of a greyhound should carry the same capital punishment as the murder of a man." Way to go King Canute! :)

The point is this. After thousands of years of existence as a hunter and pet, we find the breed for the past 8-9 decades under the control of the parimutuel gambling industry. To contend that this was the ultimate intention of the greyhound is a myth. Pretty full of yourselves I'd say to those who think this way.

Yes, if racing were to end, the breed may change over time in some subtle ways. SO WHAT. Some changes may be for the better. The legacy of the greyhound will continue as it has throughout all of recorded history.;

[heygrey]

We need to look at the origin of the dog, the history, and see that racing was not a priority for this animal for most of it's history. Men just saw a money making potential at the animal's expense. Sad, but true.
" The Greyhound was introduced in the 1800's to the United States for the purpose of controlling the jackrabbit population. This prey certainly showed off the Greyhound's ability as a hunter-courser. One thing led to another, and farmers started to compete their dogs against each other, and racing came into popularity. It was in 1912 that a mechanical lure was invented to allow for racing on an oval track. The rest is racing history."

[beltane]

I HATE to hear the "Greyhounds will cease to exist without racing".

Ugh...Secret's out...Greyhounds make great pets!!!!

[robinw]

Isn't that aggrevating? And the amont of people who endorse racing for that very reason alone!!!

[sactoryan]

For whatever reason, there is not enough interest in greys as pets to maintain a healthy and vigorous breed stock without racing. If racing were to end, the future of the breed would be in the hands of private breeders, eager to create unnatural combinations for profit, and would expose greys to many of the genetic abnormalities they are currently free from. Much human and greyhound interaction before racing came from the hound's talent as hunters. Today, so few people hunt that the numbers would simply not be there to support a healthy breed stock.

At a minimum, obtaining a grey will be extremely difficult without a steady supply of retired hounds. Even if you do manage do get one, it would not have the characteristics of the NGA racing greyhound that we all know and love.

/devil's advocate

[dad2paisley]

Grey racing needs to continue. It could be much worse without this. At least now there is more watch groups looking out for the welfare of the dogs.

[robinw]

Dad2Paisley, are you saying that racing will continue with or with any oegalities and that the dogs are safer because there are watchdog groups? What groups would be considered watchdog groups?

[sactoryan]

admin said:

Grey racing needs to continue. It could be much worse without this. At least now there is more watch groups looking out for the welfare of the dogs.

Greyhound racing is so fractured and non-centralized I do not foresee this as being a problem at all. As things stand now, there is no central group overseeing anything. NGA people have no clue what goes on in tracks on this coast and vice versa.

I often hear this argument in conjunction with something I think is completely ridiculous, namely that racing will move "underground" if organized racing ends. No one has yet told me how a greyhound track can operate 'underground.' Besides, racing is ALREADY illegal in many states. We do not have underground racing in those states; why would it be different elsewhere?

[guest hounddog]

sactoryan said:

[quote
Greyhound racing is so fractured and non-centralized I do not foresee this as being a problem at all. As things stand now, there is no central group overseeing anything. NGA people have no clue what goes on in tracks on this coast and vice versa.

I guess is easier to dodge accountability if there is no central governing body that oversees the entire industry. I look at the racing industry not as an "industry" in the formal sense but more as a "cottage industry" with hundreds of unorganized mom and pop shops operating with little or no oversight.

[dad2paisley]

The adoptions groups and the good kennel owners but there are always a bad apple or two just like in any breed of dog or even cats. I would also say the Greyhound Protection League even though I don't like there vending setup. If you look closely alot of the photographs and info is outdated as well as the website. But if they can help the greys thats all I care about.

[patricia]

So if everyone is sooo upset with greyhound racing what about horse racing? It is a sport just like running in humans, these dogs were made for racing, just like horses and our human athlets. These dogs are treated so well, have you ever been to a large metop. city and seen homeless dogs? I worked in Baltimore City in the fire department, I am a retired Paramedic and Firefighter and many days I saw packs of dogs fighting to live my partner and I tried to rescue as many homeless animals as we could between calls, hiding them in a city medic unit was not also very challening. This is not 1960, or 70,or 80. Times have changed and because of the sport, this has maded it easier to adopt these dogs. One more thing every summer my priest goes to Fla. for vaction and he always praises the races and tells the people at my catholic church "if you ever go to Fla. make sure you see a dog race, it is a once in a life time experience to see these magicient dogs race." Father Mc Governer, Holy Family Church, in Randallstown, Maryland. One more thing, I am preparing for a composition, the Maryland State NPC Bodybuilding and Fitness Show,were people pay to see the event and bet on different competors,should this be stopped. People, get over the old way of thinking. These dogs and horses are treated better then me. After my workout I don't get a bubble bath,or a rub down or get to sit in a worlpool and given a ton of food prepared for me. The racing business can not be shut down. These dogs were made to run, and are born athlets. So, what is your feelings on police dogs, they are put in danger every time they go to work, doing an event who goes in not the police officer its the dog. Hoe gets shot at , not the police officer, its the dog and who dies in the line of duty, its the dog. What about the Feema dogs, do you know they suffer with depression? Talk about abuse, something to think about.

[kh]

Greyhounds are born to run. Now that does not mean that that's all they are good for. Greyhounds do make great pets too. I breed Greyhounds for a hobby and I don't make any money... I actually lose money.
But I love Greyhounds so much that I can't stay away from them. Just watching these athletes run after breeding and raising them for a year and a half gives me the chills everytime they come out of the starting box. There are bad apples in every business, sport, etc... but it's really not right to base the entire Greyhound Industry as bad because of a few idiots. This sport has changed immensly (spell check) over the years and we are now well over 80% adoption now. All of my Athletes are returned to me when retired until they can be adopted out. Greyhounds are the worlds greatest athletes they run faster and jump farther than any other breed and love you when it's over. It's funny how many people see my retired racers at home laying on the couch they always say the same three things: "they look so strange", "look at there skinny long nosed heads", "is that all muscle on there upper legs!!!". That's right they are not to be confused with old fluffy because they look that way for a reason. That reason is hundreds and hundreds of years of RUNNING!!! I have an 8 year old retired female that I take up to the local softball fields and she goes nuts until I let go of her and as soon as I do she is gone running until she is tired out. It's not because she was forced to run... it's what she loves to do. I had a puppy that I brought home to take care of because he was small and did not have alot of strength to eat. When he was about 6 weeks old I would take him out in the grass and he would run figure eights and chase me and the kids everywhere. He was not tought to do this.... He was born to want to do this.

[sactoryan]

patricia said:

So if everyone is sooo upset with greyhound racing what about horse racing? It is a sport just like running in humans, these dogs were made for racing, just like horses and our human athlets.

I hate the comparison between greyhound racing and horse racing. Do you know how much it costs to breed, house and raise a horse? It's exponentially greater than greyhounds. Horses are not born in litters and cannot be stored in cages stacked two high. In other words, there is a MUCH larger investment on a per horse basis than with greyhounds, and therefore a greater incentive to treat the average horse better than the average grey.

These dogs are treated so well, have you ever been to a large metop. city and seen homeless dogs? I worked in Baltimore City in the fire department, I am a retired Paramedic and Firefighter and many days I saw packs of dogs fighting to live my partner and I tried to rescue as many homeless animals as we could between calls, hiding them in a city medic unit was not also very challening. This is not 1960, or 70,or 80. Times have changed and because of the sport, this has maded it easier to adopt these dogs. One more thing every summer my priest goes to Fla. for vaction and he always praises the races and tells the people at my catholic church "if you ever go to Fla. make sure you see a dog race, it is a once in a life time experience to see these magicient dogs race." Father Mc Governer, Holy Family Church, in Randallstown, Maryland.

Well if the good father says to check out a race, durn tootin' I will! ???

One more thing, I am preparing for a composition, the Maryland State NPC Bodybuilding and Fitness Show,were people pay to see the event and bet on different competors,should this be stopped. People, get over the old way of thinking. These dogs and horses are treated better then me. After my workout I don't get a bubble bath,or a rub down or get to sit in a worlpool and given a ton of food prepared for me. The racing business can not be shut down. These dogs were made to run, and are born athlets.

You possess free will and the ability to determine your own destiny. Greyhounds have no choice but to run in the competitive gambling environment. The racing business can and will be shut down. It is illegal in a majority of states already, and trending that way in others.

So, what is your feelings on police dogs, they are put in danger every time they go to work, doing an event who goes in not the police officer its the dog. Hoe gets shot at , not the police officer, its the dog and who dies in the line of duty, its the dog. What about the Feema dogs, do you know they suffer with depression? Talk about abuse, something to think about.

Police and rescue dogs actually serve a valuable function to society, unlike greyhound racing, which at most promotes gambling, sport and entertainment. It's comparing apples and oranges.

[sactoryan]

kh said:

Greyhounds are born to run. Now that does not mean that that's all they are good for. Greyhounds do make great pets too. I breed Greyhounds for a hobby and I don't make any money... I actually lose money.
But I love Greyhounds so much that I can't stay away from them. Just watching these athletes run after breeding and raising them for a year and a half gives me the chills everytime they come out of the starting box. There are bad apples in every business, sport, etc... but it's really not right to base the entire Greyhound Industry as bad because of a few idiots. This sport has changed immensly (spell check) over the years and we are now well over 80% adoption now. All of my Athletes are returned to me when retired until they can be adopted out. Greyhounds are the worlds greatest athletes they run faster and jump farther than any other breed and love you when it's over. It's funny how many people see my retired racers at home laying on the couch they always say the same three things: "they look so strange", "look at there skinny long nosed heads", "is that all muscle on there upper legs!!!". That's right they are not to be confused with old fluffy because they look that way for a reason. That reason is hundreds and hundreds of years of RUNNING!!! I have an 8 year old retired female that I take up to the local softball fields and she goes nuts until I let go of her and as soon as I do she is gone running until she is tired out. It's not because she was forced to run... it's what she loves to do. I had a puppy that I brought home to take care of because he was small and did not have alot of strength to eat. When he was about 6 weeks old I would take him out in the grass and he would run figure eights and chase me and the kids everywhere. He was not tought to do this.... He was born to want to do this.

Greyhounds were born to run. . See you at the dog park and we can run our hounds till they collapse. Why do they need to be placed in a competitive gambling environment, and bred in large numbers for profit?

[oldjay]

kh said:

Greyhounds are born to run.

It's a shame they only get to do it once or twice a week.

Jay