For many years greyhounds have captivated our attention. These long-legged speed demons have wowed crowds at greyhound tracks across the planet. There is a majestic quality about them, something quite alluring that lends itself to this most competitive dog-racing sport.
For a novice looking in, it’s all over in a matter of minutes, but the preparation for greyhound races is significant. The dogs, their owners, trainers and groomers put a tremendous amount of effort into maintaining these animals in excellent health and peak physical condition.
The race is about to begin
Come race time, the greyhounds will be led to the starting gates. They are usually muzzled and will await the commencement of the race. Greyhounds tend to explode out of their starting blocks, often reaching speeds in excess of 65km/h. These streamlined, slender and powerful animals have exceptional stamina and a penchant for pace.
When these animals reach their maximum acceleration, they are able to hit a speed of 72 km/h within only 30 meters. It has been noted that these dogs can maintain an average speed of around 17 metres-per-second over half a kilometre. They have incredibly long back-leg strides and can zip across the track in no time at all.
The dogs typically chase an artificial rabbit called a lure. This device bolts ahead of the dogs at a rate of knots. As a betting sport, greyhound racing is incredibly popular in the United States, the UK, Australia, China and several other countries. For the most part however, greyhound racing is purely an amateur sport.
These dogs do only what comes naturally
In spite of debate by animal rights activists, greyhounds are not forced to run. In simple terms this would be impossible to do. What owners, trainers and dieticians do is groom these dogs to be in the best physical and emotional condition they can be. This means loving them, exercising them and feeding them well. Secondly there is no burden on these dogs, they are not ridden or prodded in order to run – they simply chase the lure.
And the track that is prepared for greyhounds is a wonder to behold. It’s laden with lush green grass, free from divots, ditches or uneven terrain. There are no stones or other potential encumbrances on the track, it’s plain sailing to the finish line. They are a punter’s favourite and a major crowd-pleaser. And to have colossal stadia built in honor of greyhounds is indeed a canine honor, second to none.