So you have decided you would like to buy a racing Greyhound, well how do you go about it?
Much will depend on finances available. Will you be buying alone or have you considered syndication with friends or family?
This method of owning greyhounds is becoming much more popular of late. Not least because you will be able to afford to spend more money on potentially a better class dog, but also the future costs will be less of a burden if, say, your dog gets injured & has to rest for a while.
Although it is an exciting prospect, try not to be tempted into buying the first greyhound that becomes available. Take time to find out a little about the breeding. Presumably once you have purchased your greyhound you will want to watch him/her race, so decide where your nearest racetrack is and make a few visits. Evening racing tends to be generally of a higher quality and often includes “open racing”-(open race greyhounds are top grade and open races may include greyhounds visiting from other tracks).
Try to get a feel for the types of races you prefer. They vary greatly in distance terms, from a short sprint over say 265m all the way up to the “marathon” races staged over around 800 to 900m.
Appreciate that the greyhounds will generally race over a similar distance for the most part. A greyhound that sprints well, will be a quick trapper and have a lot of early pace, thus he will burn himself out after his short burst. A greyhound who runs over the staying trip, however, will often not have the same trapping abilities, but will have more middle or staying pace. Some look as if they could go on for ever.
The majority of dogs race over what is termed the standard trip, usually over 4 bends, once round the track. Young pups may progress to other distances either up or down after they have raced for a while and their potential has been established.
For this reason it is difficult to purchase a greyhound specifically for the longer distances unless it is an older proven dog, (which will probably mean higher purchase costs if it has good ability) as there can be no surety of its staying power.
The cost of a greyhound can vary enormously. An unraced puppy at 3 to 4 months old could be anything from £300 to a £1000. This figure will depend on its breeding so it would be an advantage if you have a little knowledge of this or can befriend a seasoned owner for their advice.
Greyhounds already on the racing trail will be more expensive as their rearing and schooling costs need to be recouped. You can expect to pay £1500 upwards for a dog that can make mid to upper grades. Bitches are generally a little cheaper to take into account their seasonal rests. They may come into season 6 monthly, some go a lot longer and the rules state they may not race for 10 weeks once they do. This is not always a bad thing as even a dog may require to be given a rest periodically, so they get theirs whilst in season and come back refreshed at the end of it.
One advantage with having a bitch is that if you are so inclined you may breed from her when her racing career is over.
Some breeders will do a deal, when you purchase, to take the bitch back in return for a pup or two, but please take professional advice before entering into this type of deal. If she turns into a top class racer you may well regret it!
Armed with a little knowledge, you need to decide which route you would like to take. Do you wish to buy a greyhound that has just begun his racing career in the hope that he will progress to a reasonable grade or would you prefer to buy one who has had more races and has shown his ability?
There is one other option, although it is probably the least attractive to a newcomer. This is to buy a young pup that has not reached the track yet. Remember that greyhounds do not commence racing until around 15 or 16 months old and many even later than that. So unless you are prepared to wait then you shouldn’t opt for this route. The risks are also greater in that some greyhounds never make it to the track either through injury or they simply may not chase.
There are many ways you can buy a greyhound, but the safest method for the newcomer is to make contact with one of the trainers at your chosen venue. One way to do this is to make contact with the racing manager at the stadium who can furnish you with names and telephone numbers of trainers attached to the track. Many of the trainers may have greyhounds that they have purchased with a view to selling on and, if not, they have contacts who will find what you are looking for. It’s no use asking for next years Derby winner as you will probably be disappointed!
Ask the trainer to let you visit the kennels on Sunday morning and you will find a large number of doting owners taking their dogs for a walk or maybe the other way round!
You will then have an opportunity to discuss what you want with the prospective trainer and the implications of owning a racing greyhound will be explained.
Keeping a greyhound in training is relatively inexpensive, it is usually around £5.00 per day plus vets fees when required run-money is paid to every greyhound even if it finishes last. This can help to cover costs, however amounts vary greatly from track to track.
Just as the trainer is responsible for the care of the greyhound whilst it is racing, the owner is equally responsible once its racing career has finished. This means either taking it home if it is practicable or it must be placed with responsible home-finders such as the ‘Retired Greyhound Trust’ and it’s keep paid for until a suitable home can be found.
They make wonderful pets & and most will live quite happily with other pets & small children.
If you are still unsure about any aspect of
purchasing or owning a greyhound, there are excellent ‘Forum’
facilities on this site and at www.globalgreyhounds.com
where you can ask questions. There are plenty of people out there who
will be willing to help, remember we all started somewhere.