Everything Greyhounds Blog

GAA Holiday Event

2007-11-25T15:42:00.000-05:00

We had a great time at the Greyhound Angle's Holdiay Event. Here are some pictures.

Etta's Dewey Trip

2007-10-30T11:50:00.000-04:00

It's taken a while but finally getting pictures up of Etta's first Greyhounds Reach the Beach. So here we go.

Lincoln, Etta and Misty

Etta

Come on the water looks nice

Taking a rest

What a pretty face

Greyhounds Reach the Beach Pictures

2007-10-10T16:40:00.000-04:00

Here is a link our pictures.

Our Pictures

Just got home.

2007-10-09T21:31:00.000-04:00

Just got home from the event at Dewey Beach. We had lots of fun.

Greyhound Event

2007-09-23T20:20:00.000-04:00

On Saturday we did an event for Fast Friends adoption group. We had a great time and it was a great day. Here are some pictures.

Trish at our booth.

Our pack.

Etta our foster.

Lincoln and Milky playing in the fun run area.

More Etta Pictures

2007-09-19T14:09:00.000-04:00

Etta is a really sweet foster. She is learning home life very well.

Our New Foster

2007-09-13T23:32:00.000-04:00

Friday we are driving up to the kennel in NJ to pick up a foster. This isn't our first time fostering but we failed the first time around and Annie lived the rest of her life with us. This time we CAN NOT fail.
We will be bring home Etta. She just turned 10 last week and is a retired brood mom. She looks a lot like our Suzy only bigger. She's very playful. Guess no one told her she's a senior. Good thing since she'll have to keep up with Bear and Lincoln Here's a few pictures that are on the adoption website.

Took Bear to the Vet

2007-09-08T21:48:00.000-04:00

We took Bear to the vet to have his toe checked and he has a sore around the cast. Bear got the toe re wrapped and the sore should go away in a few days our vet told us. The vet took the cast out and wrapped the toe a new til next weeks bandage change.

Happy Birthday Paisley

2007-09-06T18:18:00.000-04:00

Today is Paisley's (FTH Purple Rain) Birthday. She turned 3.
Happy Birthday sweetie.

My Girl Video

2007-09-05T12:44:00.000-04:00

The greyhound that wins the race is the Winifred Bale and the race is the 1983 National Sprint at Harold Park in Australia. Her siblings Gwendalyn Bale and Billy Bale were imported to the U.S. for breeding.

Bear broke his left toe

2007-09-05T12:20:00.000-04:00

Bear broke his left front toe on Saturday. He was playing in the backyard with his brothers and sisters and probably did it then. You know how puppies are.
Bear is home and he is doing well. We now have to take him out on the leash in the backyard to potty and for walks. No running for awhile pup. It was tough when we got home cause our others where so glad to see him.
So, I had to hold on tight on the leash and Lincoln and Suzy where out doing crazy zoomies in the yard, I was holding Bear back cause of course he wanted to join and Milky, she was more interested in chewing on some green grass.
The rest of the evening, Bear has been chewing on rawhide. He loves this so this kept him occupied. They all got some rawhide and it was actually quiet for a bit.

Here are some pictures of Bear.

Happy Birthday Suzy

2007-09-02T10:56:00.001-04:00

Happy Birthday Suzy. We are going to have a great day today in celebration of your special day.We love you sweetie.

Greyhound racing contributes almost $272 million in taxes

2007-09-01T23:17:00.000-04:00

Greyhound racetracks employed almost 15,000 people and paid almost $272 million in taxes in 2006 according to an annual report released by the American Greyhound Track Operators Association (AGTOA). The annual payroll of these tracks was more than $194 million and they spent nearly $357 million on goods and services.

In addition to live Greyhound racing, most tracks offer simulcast wagering on Greyhounds, horses, and in some cases, on jai-alai. Greyhound racing fans bet more than $660 million on simulcast horse races. Some tracks now have card rooms and slot machines. These additional gaming activities have generated millions of dollars of additional revenue for cities, counties and states.

The personnel who own and work for racing kennels and the approximately 800 Greyhound-breeding farms in 31 states also contribute to local economies through taxes and their operations. It is estimated that breeding farms invest more than $150 million in land, buildings and equipment, and purchase goods and services representing $96 million each year.

“While this economic contribution to the states where we do business is substantial, our sport could not exist were it not for our Greyhound athletes,” said Richard Winning, president of AGTOA. “We have a special responsibility to ensure Greyhounds are well cared for from the time they are born until they retire.”

Through the American Greyhound Council (AGC), a joint effort of track operators and Greyhound breeders and trainers, the industry funded a number of programs designed to care for the welfare of racing Greyhounds. Since its inception, the AGC has spent more than $7 million on Greyhound welfare programs. These programs include:

Sponsoring a canine bone cancer study;
Publishing Care of the Racing and Retired Greyhound;
Updating the International Greyhound Research Database;
Co-sponsoring a Greyhound safety and track surface maintenance symposium;
Sponsoring veterinarian education programs;
Maintaining a Web-based hot line to monitor disease outbreaks;
Inspecting breeding farms to ensure Greyhound welfare standards are met.

The industry contributed more than $1.4 million to support Greyhound adoption activities. This included providing grants to independent adoption groups; funding and promoting on-site track-sponsored programs; providing education to Greyhound pet owners; sponsoring a study to improve the adoption process; and funding an 800 number to facilitate Greyhound adoption.

Track management and employees also believe in giving back to their communities. In addition to volunteering their time, these tracks contributed nearly $6.2 million to hundreds of non-profit organizations.

Social Network

2007-09-01T23:13:00.000-04:00

Found a great new site. Check it out here

Happy Labor Day

2007-09-01T23:11:00.000-04:00

Have a great Labor Day. Be safe what ever your plans are.

AGC responds to Boston Globe story

2007-08-29T23:28:00.001-04:00

The following is forwarded on behalf of Gary Guccione, Communications Coordinator, American Greyhound Council, in response to a recent column written by Boston Globe columnist Derrick Z. Jackson. The column, which was syndicated and published in other newspapers, drew an egregiously unfair parallel between Michael Vick’s crimes and the legal, regulated sport of Greyhound racing. Boston Globe story.

Dear Editor:

It is disturbing that Michael Vick’s misguided participation in illegal and inhumane dog fighting has become a pretext for attacking responsible, legal animal use industries.

Boston Globe writer Derrick Z. Jackson’s recent column comparing Greyhound racing to illegal dog fighting was completely lacking in fairness or balance, and grossly unfair to the Greyhound racing community. It read more like radical propaganda than thoughtful commentary.

The legal and highly regulated Greyhound racing industry takes its responsibilities seriously, as animal stewards as well as taxpaying employers. Greyhound racetracks employed almost 15,000 people and paid almost $272 million in taxes in 2006, according to an annual report released earlier this week by the American Greyhound Track Operators Association (AGTOA). The annual payroll of these tracks was more than $194 million; spent nearly $357 million on goods and services.

Through the American Greyhound Council (AGC), Greyhound track operators, breeders and trainers have invested more than $7 million in recent years on Greyhound health and welfare programs ranging from breeding farm inspections to canine bone cancer research, veterinary symposia and web-based Greyhound health resources. The industry spends over $1.4 million annually to support Greyhound adoption activities.

It is in the Greyhound welfare area that Derrick Jackson’s column was most egregiously unfair. Intentionally or not, Jackson apparently allowed himself to be used as a tool by the Greyhound Protection League (GPL), an extreme organization that has become famous for its hysterical condemnation of Greyhound racing without regard to the facts.

The vast majority of people in Greyhound racing are in the business because they love Greyhounds and are fully committed to responsible animal care. In the rare cases where industry members are found guilty of serious animal welfare violations, they are banned from the sport for life, and other industry members are prohibited from doing business with them. Few other fields, including journalism, deal with ethical violations so harshly.

Fortunately, groups like GPL are becoming increasingly marginalized, as mainstream animal welfare groups recognize the benefits of cooperation with the racing community for the benefit of the Greyhounds. The American Greyhound Council and individual tracks across the U.S. work side by side with hundreds of adoption groups around the country to find loving homes for retired Greyhounds.

Thanks to these joint efforts, more than 90 percent of all registered Greyhounds are either adopted or returned to the farm as pets or breeders when they retire. That’s a success story your readers will never hear from GPL or Mr. Jackson.

Sincerely, Gary Guccione

Lunar Eclipse

2007-08-29T23:10:00.000-04:00

The moon glows orange during the lunar eclipse early Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2007 seen next to the TransAmerican Pyramid in San Francisco. The moon's surface darkened as the earth's shadow moved across it to create a partial eclipse from just before 1:51am (PST) with the total eclipse visible one hour later.

Lazy fun Day

2007-07-31T12:22:00.000-04:00

We had a fun day today, just being lazy and enjoying the nice day.

Bear and Suzy

Milky

Lincoln and Milky

Fun Run

2007-07-31T12:05:00.000-04:00

We had a fun run at the ball field. This was one of the last videos with our Zeus in it. He is the dark brindle at the end with our fawn girl Suzy.

WARNING - The Dangers of Drying boxes

2007-07-12T18:19:00.001-04:00

I thought I would pass this along. I was sent this in an email.

With Nancy's kind permission she has allowed me to share the details
of Riva's tragic death as a warning to other Grey lovers. Please
feel free to repost this everywhere you can so that we can get the
word out on how dangerous these drying boxes can be.
Many Thanks

"Before Maggie there was Riva and I want tell you how we tragically
lost her last summer.

My husband was away for a few days and I decided to take Riva to a
groomer for just a good shampoo. I dropped her off at 8am and waited
to get a call that she was done, so I could pick her up.

I didn't get a call until 1pm and the groomer simply stated that
Riva was ready. I went to pick her up and when I went in to get her
she was lying on the floor in a pool of sweat, panting rapidly and
when I looked into her eyes I knew she was gone.

I asked the groomer what was going on and she said Maggie must be a
lttle overheated. I asked for help and had to pour Riva into the
backseat of my car. She bled on the way and when I arrrived at vet
tech the vet met me at the door and took one look at her and said
she was gone.

She had a temp of 108.7, the vets tried everything but with no
success. I was told that the groomer had put Riva in what was
refered to as a drying box, which completely encloses the dog in
plexiglass and pours heat in to rapidly dry a dog. You can imagine
what a horror it was for us to discover Riva has basically roasted
to death from the inside out. It was an outrage and the groomer has
never apologized then or now, and has never taken responsibility for
this tragedy.

Our friend that works for that law firm took the case pro bono and
we are suing the groomer and her business. Until this happened we
had never heard of drying boxes for dogs nor had any of the hundreds
of people we have sinced talked about this.

We have had local press do stories on this and it has raised the
public awareness that is far reaching. The most important issue is
the awareness, but we want an Apology from the groomer and our
expenses reimbursed and a donation to be made in Riva's name to
greyhound rescue. We are in the process of settling this mess and
just want it to be over.

In the meantime we have testified before a senate subcommitee to
pass a bill requiring that drying boxes be outlawed and that
groomers be licensed. If we can pass this legislation and it looks
very positive, we will be the first in the country to do so. The
bill will be called Riva's bill, so that will become something
positive out of such a tragedy. I wanted to share this with you, so
that you can share it with dog owners and anyone that is interested.

Drying boxes are used worldwide by some groomers, if you talk to the
average groomer most will say they wouldn't even consider using one
because they realize that they are almost a form of animal abuse and
can easily turn into a situation like the one I experienced. Let's
keep on protecting our grey friends anyway we can.

I feel this is a story that needs to be told.

Heat Wave

2007-07-11T13:47:00.000-04:00

We are in our third day of our heat wave. Temperatures near 100 degrees. The humidity is about 80%. It feels very wet and the sun is very hot. Staying indoors alot but in the evening a nice breeze kicks in that makes it ok to sit out on our porch. Hopefully, another day or two a cool front is coming through to cool us down.

Melbourne Greyhound Track Closing

2007-07-10T12:49:00.000-04:00

This track is closing and there is now a need to move 400 dogs. It looks like we are bracing for some tough work ahead for the adoption groups. The track may not reopen til Dec 26. Let's help these hounds out.

Greyhounds and the Changing Seasons

2007-07-10T12:46:00.001-04:00

Do you change your routine with your greyhounds for the different seasons? Right now it is summer and hot.
Any good tips to share.

Happy 4th of July

2007-07-04T20:48:00.001-04:00

Hope everyone has a safe and Happy 4th of July.

Paisley- FTH Purple Rain

2007-06-30T15:12:00.000-04:00

Much needed rain

2007-06-29T08:53:00.001-04:00

We are finally getting some rain. We haven't had any for weeks. It's also going to cool down to highs in the 70's. The pups will love this weather we are going to be getting later today.

Greyhounds on the Hunt

2007-06-28T13:27:00.000-04:00

Greyhounds on the hunt art painting.

Greyhound Care

2007-06-28T13:18:00.000-04:00

Here are a few tips on greyhound care.

THE ADJUSTMENT PERIOD

Recognizing the adjustment period and successfully managing it is a very important part of any Greyhound adoption. It must be remembered that becoming a pet involves a dramatic change in routine, which can be stressful for a Greyhound, and he must be given time to adjust to his new surroundings. In this regard, a quiet Greyhound may be fretful, a good eater reluctant to eat, a perfectly housebroken Greyhound may have an accident. Give your pet time to get settled, and don’t worry about any odd behavior during the first few weeks. Your love, patience, and understanding will help your Greyhound through this adjustment period, which usually lasts from a few days to a few weeks.

Greyhounds are friendly, affectionate dogs, who thrive on attention and human companionship, and make terrific pets once they get accustomed to their new homes. Raised with their littermates, where they competed for affection, Greyhounds love becoming the center of attention as pets.

HOUSEBREAKING

Your Greyhound has been housed in a large crate in his trainer’s kennel. He is used to being put outside in a fenced-in area to relieve himself four to five times daily. He may be used to getting up early (about 6 A.M.) to be taken outside. To avoid accidents in the house, we recommend that you take him outside as soon as he gets up. You can gradually get him used to sleeping later.

If your dog has an accident in the house, a verbal reprimand should usually suffice — then take him outside and PRAISE HIM when he relieves himself. DO NOT HIT YOUR DOG or put his nose in the “accident,” as your dog will respond more quickly and positively to kindness.

If your dog is a male, he may attempt to lift his leg in a few places around the house to “mark his territory.” Watch him carefully as he walks around the house, and try to catch him before he does it. If this should happen, it does not usually go on for long, so try to be patient.

If your dog has an accident, clean the spot, then rinse the area with a solution of white vinegar and water. This will neutralize the odor and discourage his going in that spot again.

For the first few days, it’s a good idea to give your Greyhound access to his “potty area” more frequently than you ordinarily would — as often as every couple of hours. This teaches your Greyhound where his new home is, and where he’s supposed to “go.” It also helps to relieve the tension of being in a strange place, and prevents accidents. Also, some Greyhounds are not accustomed to “going” while on a leash, and must learn to do so.

BEDDING

Provide your Greyhound with as soft a bed as possible. Greyhounds not only love their comfort, they require it, as they have very little padding on their elbows, and can develop a fluid condition on joints if forced to sleep on a hard surface.

You will be surprised at how quickly your Greyhound becomes attached to you, and what a difference your presence makes to him. Do not shut your Greyhound in a separate room to sleep if he is not sleeping in his crate. He will much prefer to sleep in the same room with you (in the same bed, if you let him). He’ll feel more secure on his own bed beside your bed, and will be less likely to cry or cause damage. Remember, the bedding in his crate must be very soft, and very plentiful. Crates are made of plastic or metal, and both of these are very hard on a Greyhound’s joints.

DISCIPLINE

Greyhounds are extremely sensitive animals, who cannot be disciplined roughly. A stern tone of voice should be all that is needed to keep your Greyhound off the sofa or bed if you do not want him there. The wrong disciplinary tactics will only teach your dog to be afraid of you.

OTHER PETS

Your Greyhound should get along well with other dogs, as he has had lots of socialization experience in the racing kennel. Take care, however, to watch them carefully at first, as the “old dog” may become jealous of the newcomer. Muzzles can be very valuable tools during an introductory period.

ALWAYS separate your dogs when you feed them. Dogs can get very feisty over food!

Many of our Greyhounds live in homes with cats, and get along well with them.., They should, however, be introduced carefully. When introducing your Greyhound to your cat, put the dog’s muzzle on him. Bring them into the same room, and allow them to get acquainted with your supervision. DON’T PUSH IT, and don’t be overly nervous. If the dog chases the cat, the cat will probably swat him, and the dog will learn that he is not dealing with a "bunny." When the dog no longer shows interest in chasing the cat, you can slowly start increasing the muzzle-off time. The cat who runs through your yard WILL be chased. This includes the cat with whom the Greyhound lives quite peacefully indoors. There is a big difference! Outside, the remembrance of thousands of years of being bred to chase will take over.

STAIRS

Your Greyhound has never had to go up or down flights of stairs. He may find them intimidating at first. He will learn, but you must be patient with him. If you encounter a problem, start by helping him almost to the top of the stairs. Then put him down and allow him to climb the last few steps. Gradually increase the number of steps he must climb. Reverse the procedure for downstairs. DO NOT PUSH. If he becomes frightened, he may try to jump all the way.

EQUIPMENT

Your Greyhound requires a lead (leash) with a heavy-duty clasp. His collar should be kept tight enough so that it won’t slip over his head if he backs up on his lead. We advocate the use of the Premier collar, which is a sort of combination collar and wide choker. Keep a collar WITH IDENTIFICATION on him at all times, or you may be courting disaster.

NEVER tie your Greyhound outside on a rope, chain, or “runner.” Greyhounds are not used to being tied, and can get tangled up and injure themselves. They will pull, wiggle, or chew their way free.

EXERCISE

In retirement, a Greyhound’s exercise needs are no different than any other dog’s. Your Greyhound should be taken on three or four short walks daily on a regular schedule so he can relieve himself, and taken to a large fenced-in area (park or baseball field) a

couple of times a week, so he can romp and gallop at will. It helps during the initial adjustment period to keep your Greyhound well-exercised, to work off his tension and nervous energy.

Greyhounds make excellent jogging companions, once they learn to adjust their stride to yours. Summer’s heat and winter’s salt can injure their pads, which are very soft Keep this in mind when choosing a place to run with your dog. If your Greyhound does any strenuous running, give him a chance to relieve himself afterwards, and again about an hour later, to prevent kidney tie-up. THIS IS IMPORTANT!

NEVER take your Greyhound outside without his lead on. He may become confused and run, or he may chase a cat or other small animal. He does not know about traffic, and if permitted off- lead, is likely to run right into the street. This dog is a SIGHTHOUND, which means he hunts by sight, not scent. He can see for a distance of half a mile, and can run at forty miles per hour. If he sees a rabbit, a squirrel, or your neighbor’s cat, he will not only chase it, he will probably catch it!

DIET

A Greyhound’s diet consists of about three to five cups of dry food mixed with some beef or canned food with a little warm water to form a “stew.” A dash of vegetable oil is added for a shiny coat Vegetables may also be mixed in. If your Greyhound has a lot of gas, it will be directly related to the food you are giving him!

Greyhounds should be fed once or twice a day, at the same times. They tend to “poop” twice a day. If you feed at 5 P.M., you will probably have to get up at 5 A.M.

Avoid giving “treats” too often, as these may turn your Greyhound into a beggar and a finicky eater. A dog biscuit given at the same time every day is O.K. TRY TO AVOID GIVING MUCH “PEOPLE” FOOD! KEEP FRESH WATER AVAILABLE AT ALL. TIMES !!!!!!!

ON CHOOSING A DOG FOOD

Buy small, five-pound bags until you find the right dry food for your dog. Then buy forty or fifty pound bags. Palatability is important.

Greyhounds eat a high-protein dog food when racing, but do not require as much protein in retirement DO NOT BUY “NO-NAME” (cheap) dog food!

Look for the meat and bone meal content to be high (second or third) on the list of ingredients. Avoid the fancy dog foods with the three flavors and three shapes. Some well-known brands are good, but sometimes you will pay for the packaging.

The vitamins in commercial dry dog foods are synthetic vitamins sprayed onto the food (the same as your breakfast cereal) so a natural vitamin supplement like Brewer’s yeast can be helpful. If the dog is eating a good, balanced diet, a multivitamin tablet a day should suffice.

When you find a food that agrees with your dog, and keeps his stool firm, STICK WITH IT, and do not switch foods, merely for the sake of giving him “variety.” This switching of food is the main cause of diarrhea and/or gas. A dog who has chronic loose stool or bad gas is eating the wrong food.

GROOMING

There are four points to grooming a dog; coat, ears, nails, and teeth. Greyhounds are short-haired dogs who shed little if kept indoors.

Frequent brushing will help eliminate shedding. Ears can be cleaned with a Q-Tip and mineral oil. Nails can be trimmed at home, with a large clipper or a grinder. Nails can be done at the Veterinarian’s office. It is very important that your Greyhound’s teeth be kept clean, as plaque buildup will result in a gum infection, plus bad breath. If plaque is built up on your dog’s teeth, have the teeth scaled. (You can buy a tooth scaler, or have your Veterinarian do it) After that, it is up to you to keep his teeth clean. Dog toothbrushes DO work.

VET CARE

Your dog should have a DHLLPPC vaccination annually, and a rabies shot at least every two years.

A stool sample should be taken to the Veterinarian twice a year, to be checked for worms.

NEVER use a store-bought wormer. Do not use flea collars or internal flea-preventive pills with a Greyhound.

A heartworm check is essential. Heartworm preventive pills are vital.

Greyhounds require only a fraction of the anesthesia used on a dog of comparable size. It is VERY IMPORTANT that your Veterinarian is aware of this. An overdose of anesthesia can be fatal.

Keeping Your Pets Safe In Extreme Heat

2007-06-28T13:15:00.000-04:00

The extreme heat can be just as hazardous to your pets as it is for us humans. Animals can get overheated faster than people, so it's very important to take some of the same precautions we do for ourselves and apply them to our pets.

If it's too hot for you, it's too hot for your pet. Remember they're still wearing their fur coats.

"Pets don't sweat like we do. They sweat through their panting and paws," explained Dr. Jean Duddy of Angell Animal Medical Center. "They cannot cool of as well as we do."

To keep your pets safe, walk them in the early morning or late afternoon when it's cooler and don't let them play outside.

"They really don't know enough to cool off," said Dr Duddy. "A dog out playing in this weather will continue to play."

If you have to leave your pets inside during the day make sure they have plenty of cold water and a cool place to stay. And never leave a pet in your car, even briefly.

"On an 80 degree day, ten minutes in a car, the temperature can rise to over a hundred. So ,you can imagine with the temperature already 100 how hot that gets how quickly."

Watch for signs that your pet is in heat distress, symptoms like excessive panting, staggering and dizziness.

If that happens Dr. Duddy says it is important to immediately get them to a shady area. "Cool them with cool, not cold, water, and put ice packs on their neck."

It's Hot

2007-06-27T23:09:00.000-04:00

It's been real hot here in Maryland, so out came the pool so our greys could cool off.

Everything Greyhound Message Board

2007-06-27T23:07:00.000-04:00

Come join us at the message board, Everything Greyhound. We talk all about greyhounds and we have lots of fun there.

Here is the link. Just click on it.

Everything Greyhound

Everything Greyhounds Blog

2007-06-27T22:58:00.000-04:00

Welcome to Everything Greyhounds Blog. This blog will be all about greyhounds.