Ex-racers

[Guest quinny1]

Hello everyone.

Have been thinking about taking on an ex-racing hound as a pet, but with prospects to work. Work would mainly be bolted rabbits with ferrets. Would this type of dog be of use or is there a better alternative?

Cheers, Quinny

[Guest chilli]

no reason it carnt mate but there are better alternatives out there get something from a pup an train it do do thinks how u want , collie cross's seem to be popular choices for ferreting compainions

[burnie69 376]

Quinney i'll think you'll find most exracer want to chase everything and anything as chilli said a pup would be better at least you know how's its been brought up

[lucky 578]

i'd definately go for a pup rather than an ex racer,and if you want one for catching bolted rabbits a whippet cross would be a good choice.

ex racers are not always steady with stock including ferrets,probably wont retrieve and are prone to injury.

atleast with a pup you can train it to hopefully be everything you need.

[Tommy 9]

Thought i would just let you know about my own experiences of using greyhounds in the field. About three years back my dad was given a five week old litter of track greyhounds and rehomed most and kept one back himself. This bitch he kept was very biddable from a young age and took to light retrieving and jumping at an early age. She even caught her first rabbit aged 7 months and even though this wasn't planned she ran and picked up really well. Another plus was her no fear attitude to cover however thick, and i still have her on video flussing pheasants and partridge from pretty thick cover. But she had one major dissadvantage and this was her speed as this cost her life when she broke her neck while lamping at just under 11 months old. some may say that 11 months may be a bit to early to be running a pure sighthound but she was really foward for her age. A while after this i was offered a coursing greyhound aged 18 months and have owned her for just over a year now. She is just the same in that everything is done at full speed. She doesnt posses the same enthusiasm for cover and is no where near as biddable. although she ran well with a few of the northern greyhound coursing clubs in eight dog stakes this year.

the pup i feel was just one off fluke and personally feel that greyhounds arent much use in the field (rabbiting, mooching) when compared with a good lurcher.

 

All the best Tommy.

[burnie69 376]

Nice to here veiws from experince tommy ]

[Guest quinny1]

Thanks for the advice boys.

 

 

 

Quinny

[sash 2]

you could get 1, it will have the speed...

but it might not be ok with kids etc... a man told me that he got an exracer and it was a bit funny with children because of the stress it went through during racing..

its up to you [bANNED TEXT] iv never owned one myself, so he could of been filling me with sh*t.

[Guest daz halford]

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[Guest Paul in North Lincs]

If rabbits are goin g to be your main quarry, I would have thought that I smaller running dog would be better for sheer manourabilty. An ex racer will certainly catch, but over ruff terraine a smaller more nimbler dog will out class it every time........... Beddlington Wippet X Collie is one of my favourite all rounders.

 

 

Paul in North Lincs

[socks 32,253]

you could get 1, it will have the speed...

but it might not be ok with kids etc... a man told me that he got an exracer and it was a bit funny with children because of the stress it went through during racing..

its up to you [bANNED TEXT] iv never owned one myself, so he could of been filling me with sh*t.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

the guy is filling you with shit mate

[Guest Paul in North Lincs]

you could get 1, it will have the speed...

but it might not be ok with kids etc... a man told me that he got an exracer and it was a bit funny with children because of the stress it went through during racing..

its up to you [bANNED TEXT] iv never owned one myself, so he could of been filling me with sh*t.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

the guy is filling you with shit mate

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

I cant understand why????

 

It is a fact that ex racing greyhounds do often find it difficult to intergrate into new surroundings. Especially after a career on the courses. They can become very highly strung. Occasionally they never do settle. Although not renound for being snappy; I have known of several that have not really tollerated children.

 

Paul in North Lincs

[Guest kipper]

well quiny1 ive got a greyhound bitch that i work,ive had her 19 months she was an x track dog, i got her after i had to put one my dogs to sleep through injury and decided to breed a litter of pups my self because firstly the price of pups at thetime were very steep plus i new which way the pups were going to be bred,i new the breeding of the chosen sire.

when i first got the bitch it didnt even have a name,so a name it got and took a few daysto respond to it when called,after a few days in the kennel setteling down to her new life,i took her to a fenced off field where she couldnt get out let her off the lead a bit run about and giving her a treat when every time she came back when called,next thing sheep,she pulled a bit but every time she pulled she got a tap with the stick,so after a few outings walking up to sheep,through sheep,and a few taps with the stick she found out sheep werenot to b chased,and she has never chased one,ran through them an odd time while coursing and came straight back to hand,the hardest part was ferrets her eyes would bulge at the sight of 1,same again,muzzle on a few taps raised voice,now whenever the ferret goes any where near her she will get up n walk away,or when it comes out froma warren she"ll just watch.in between all this was jumping,retrieval work,and entering her into the field.

its a bit like starting a 3year old type of pup off,learning it basics when all its ever known is a dummy hare,she was started off with a bit of lamp work,she made a mess of some of the easiest catches,going at them at top speed and over shooting them only for them to make the cover,but she has come on in leaps n bounds,watching the lamp and has never crushed a rabbit she has bought back to me mostly all alive and a odd bruised 1,she was entered at other quarry doubled up to give her a better chance in the field for a late starter,has taken hare s/h and roe s/h but yet to get a good chance at fox s/h.

if u have the time and patience some greyhounds can make handy dogs,but not everything what u r looking for in a good lurcher,ive only had 2 injurys with her and really stoney fields n plough r not suited 4 her .but ive had a good time with her,and hope to improve on her some more next season,if u du try an x track dog well good luck with it, may b a lurcher pup might b suited 4 u,but u never no until u try

[Guest quinny1]

Kipper,

Fair enough mate, i will think about it.

 

Cheers, Quinny

[Kye 77]

My good mate in Oaklahoma (he sometimes looks in on here) has a VERY nice pure breed greyhound...i have hunted with her, and she is a handy tool...she isnt that fast compared to some greyhounds, but maybe that is why she is SO useful?...of course she gets a few nocks and grazes, she is a Grey after all!...i saw her run in New Mexico, and was VERY impressed, very wise on jack rabbits (hare)...

Kye..