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k9kesi · 8 years ago

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Racing greyhounds in the United States

I have so many good resources to share with you! I want to first emphasize that when I speak of racing practices, my knowledge is solely about racing in the United States. I have not done extensive research into other countries (other than the plight of the galgo in Spain, which is separate from racing), and I don’t have enough of a knowledge base to comment one way or the other on them. I want to make a pretty comprehensive post here but not make it so heavy that it is hard to dig into, so I’ll try to summarize a few issues and at the bottom give multiple references. I know there is simply no way to cover every question that may be out there, so hopefully the references can help with that.

All photos courtesy of Rachel Hogue, who has graciously allowed her photos to be shared for informative purposes.

Misconceptions of cruelty

I thought I should address this first. A lot of people completely unfamiliar with greyhounds or sighthounds think they are too thin, malnourished, or starved even when they are in peak physical condition. So keep in mind when you hear people claim that they are all starved, the person may be simply uninformed and uneducated about the ideal body condition of a sighthound. It’s not uncommon for adopters to let their greys become overweight after adoption due to being alarmed at the sight of ribs, spine or hip points.

Another misconception is that a nervous or scared hound proves abuse occurred. There can be many reason a hound is scared. One is that simply the stress of a complete environment and routine change for the dog has caused him/her to be particularly anxious. Going from a racing life to a home life is an incredible transition and some handle it better than others. Nothing I’ve read brings a better understanding of that than this wonderful excerpt from a seminar by Kathleen Gilley titled "What is your new adoptive greyhound thinking?"

Another possibility, if the hound seems to be very extreme in their anxiety and shyness, is that a small number of hounds are what is termed “spooks.” Just like some people become very anxious, or OCD, or perhaps have agoraphobia, some dogs have these issues (and it’s not limited to greyhounds as a breed). It CAN be hereditary. While generally severe spooks are often simply retired quickly because they just don’t handle racing well, some actually do quite well in racing and only become more “neurotic” when they are taken out of their comfort zone. For these types, it takes a very long period of adjustment in retirement and a patient person to deal with their sensitivity. You can read an interesting discussion about spooks here on the Grey Talk forum.

Simple Logic

Stopping to think about some of the wilder claims made, when you really think about them, make no logical sense. Consider, for example, that racing owners and breeders want a top performing dog. A top performer will win more races, more purses, and ultimately perhaps become a sought after stud or a brood bitch whose pups will be highly valuable. A breeder spends thousands of dollars to have and raise a litter. It’s not simply taking a male and female and throwing them together.

If you look at pedigrees, and every racing hound’s pedigree is registered and recorded online here, you will see certain sires and lines in common with many, many hounds. That is because those dogs were exceptional performers. That means that people pay an expensive stud fee to have litters with those bloodlines. Already it makes no sense that there would be that kind of money and care put into a litter only to abuse and treat them badly. If a person starved and abused their dogs, all it would take was someone who didn’t do so to have dogs that outperformed the others. Even if you don’t believe these people care for their dogs (and most do), sheer logic says that if they want to make money and have any success that the dogs must be able to perform well.

Let’s then move on to the logic behind the claim that the dogs are being forced to race all their lives. I have to say, as an aside, that it’s laughable that these dogs are forced to run in any way. There can be no doubt that these dogs love what they do, they love running and racing. When handlers take them out for schooling or race day, they leap and strain and can’t wait to get to the track.

If you haven’t seen it, this video of a retired racer watching other dogs race is quite telling as well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqdRV6HNfPQ

In truth, most race for one season, maybe two. If they are very successful, they don’t want to continue to race long-term a potential breeding hound because there is always some amount of risk of injury (as there is with any activity). A dog that has proven exceptional skill is going to be an excellent candidate to add to the gene pool of future racers. On the flip side, they won’t want to keep a poor racer around because they have to continue to pay for that dog’s upkeep. The track has a limited amount of space and kennels, and owners are going to want to keep their newest prospects there, not have a dog that isn’t winning languishing there and draining resources. It makes no sense. The kennels are owned by the track, and the track is not owned by the industry.

The Pro Greyhound Movement

A really great resource on Facebook is The Pro Greyhound Movement. It is a closed group so you must be approved to join; however if you don’t look like a spambot you can generally be approved within a day or so. There are many owners, breeders, trainers, track workers, and other adopters in this group. It was created to be a means of communication and connection between those in the industry and adopters. They are very willing to answer questions, and often if you give your dog’s racing name you might find out information about them. Some trainers may specifically remember your hound, or can give you more information about where your dog came from. If you’re lucky you might be able to connect with a trainer or breeder and get past photos of your hound from their racing life. I must warn you, however, that if you join up and immediately start out attacking people there your reception will not be a good one. They are understandably wary and defensive with people who seem to have an agenda other than learning. AR groups have “joined” before and stolen pictures only to edit and post them out of context in anti-racing propaganda. So that’s something to be aware of.

Dennis McKeon

Dennis really deserves a special mention here because he has written extensive essays and articles to share what goes on in the industry and debunking myths surrounding racing in the US. He has been involved in the industry as a trainer most of his adult life. A list of some of his myth debunking pieces can be found here: Debunking Lies. Dennis also posts often on his own Facebook page which is set to public so that it is open to all. I have spoken to him and asked him if he’d be willing to answer questions directly from people, which he generously agreed to. If you have questions that you just can’t seem to find good answers to, you can contact him through his Facebook page.

Resources and more Resources

I could go on forever here, but this is probably too long as it is! So here are several wonderful resources that you can check out to see what normal racing greyhound life is like and how they are treated. You might be pleasantly surprised!

Greyhoundfacts.org: Greyhound Facts is a 501c3 nonprofit organization. Our mission is to provide a place to learn about all aspects of present day greyhound racing in the USA from those with hands on experience. Our network of volunteers includes people who are actively involved in the breeding, raising, training, and rehoming of these wonderful hounds.

All About Greyhounds: Welcome to All About Greyhounds! We hope you will explore all the pages of the website, Greyhounds have many facets and we hope to showcase them all. We endeavor to keep this website fresh and up to date, so please enjoy your visit and come back often.

Oh Happy Racing Greyhound: Community on Facebook.

Adopted Greyhound Puppies: Article and photos about greyhound puppies who, for whatever reason, don’t become racers.

Racing Greyhounds and Their People: There seems to be a common misconception that racing greyhounds don't get much human contact while they're at the track. A look behind the scenes shows how much trainers and kennel staff truly love these dogs in their care, as well as how much the dogs love them back.

Blanchard Greyhound Racing: A racing kennel that has graciously opened up to the public with updates, photos, and videos about their hounds.

Jason Michael: Works with Palm Beach Kennels in Florida. He shares photos and videos of the racers daily.

Life at a Greyhound Track (Rachel Hogue): A beautiful photo blog that takes you through the life of the typical racing greyhound. Browse through the photos and read the captions, you will learn a lot! She has other albums with fantastic photos from racing hounds to puppies at the farm.

American Greyhound Council: The American Greyhound Council (AGC) was established in 1987 to fund and manage greyhound welfare, research and adoption programs for the racing community. It is a joint effort of the National Greyhound Association, the official greyhound registry and breeding organization; and the American Greyhound Track Operators Association. The AGC works with breeders, tracks, adoption groups, regulators, elected officials and others to ensure the health and safety of greyhounds at every stage of their lives.

National Greyhound Association: The NGA is the official registry of the breed, a membership organization devoted to overseeing the recording of the breeding, registrations and performance of the Sport of Queens in the United States. Greyhound racing starts here, where professional members gather information to breed, whelp, humanely raise and produce the world's fastest canine. Most importantly, we celebrate a history of the breed and exalt the finest traits, to produce the finest athletes and amazing all around dog.

Conclusion

If you’ve adopted a racer, perhaps try to get in touch with your dog’s breeder or trainer. It can’t always be done but sometimes it can and they are happy to hear from adopters. Cole’s breeder was pleased to hear about him and sent me farm and puppy photos.

Rudy’s breeder became friends with me on Facebook where she loves sharing videos I post of him to her own page. I know a certain someone here on Tumblr who found people at the track through the Pro Greyhound Movement who remembered her hound, and even told a story of a specific song they used to sing to him ;).

I’m not trying to make people pro-racing here. I’m trying to stop the spread of misinformation that is completely false. They aren’t starved and beaten. They aren’t raced their entire lives, and they don’t live in a tiny cage 24/7 except when they race. They haven’t been deprived of all love and caring their whole lives. They aren’t forced to run. They are not mass-killed if they don’t win races. I only ask you listen to the other side and find out the facts before spreading information that may be inaccurate and ultimately harmful to the very dogs you are trying to help.

Cole and Rudy, 2015

#greyhound racing #racing resources #myth #fact #long post #rachel hogue #US racing

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daddyslittlejuliet · 6 years ago

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Does Your Dog Make the List of the Dumbest Dog Breeds?

The post Does Your Dog Make the List of the Dumbest Dog Breeds? by Jackie Brown appeared first on Dogster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.

The Border Collie is widely considered to be the world’s smartest dog breed (with the Poodle coming in close second). If some dog breeds are the smartest, it only makes sense that some dog breeds are the dumbest, right? An internet search for dumbest dog breeds will turn up numerous lists of those breeds people think are less intelligent in some ways.

First, what determines the smartest and dumbest dog breeds?

What determines which dogs are among the dumbest dog breeds? Photography by Waldemar Dabrowski / Shutterstock.

So, just what makes a dog smart — or puts him in the rankings for the dumbest dog breeds? Is it simply how trainable he is? His ability to remember things? Sense of direction? Energy level? Something else?

In 1994, a psychologist named Stanley Coren, PhD., DSc., FRSC, wrote a book called The Intelligence of Dogs (Atria Books). Dr. Coren ranked more than 100 dog breeds based on three specific types of intelligence:

Instinctive intelligence (ability to perform tasks it was bred to perform like herding or hunting)

Adaptive intelligence (ability to independently problem solve and learn from previous experiences)

Working and obedience intelligence (ability to learn when being taught by humans)

In The Intelligence of Dogs, Dr. Coren’s top 10 smartest breeds in order of intelligence were:

Border Collies top the list of smartest dog breeds. Photography by oneinchpunch / Shutterstock.

Border Collie

Poodle

German Shepherd Dog

Golden Retriever

Doberman Pinscher

Shetland Sheepdog

Labrador Retriever

Papillon

Rottweiler

Australian Cattle Dog

The 10 lowest-ranking breeds (or the dumbest dog breeds) according to the book were (in descending order):

Beagles make the list for dumbest dog breeds. Photography by alex_ugalek/Thinkstock.

Basset Hound

Mastiff

Beagle

Pekingese

Bloodhound

Borzoi

Chow Chow

Bulldog

Basenji

Afghan Hound

So, does this mean these are the 10 dumbest dog breeds? Well, not necessarily.

When talking dumbest dog breeds, remember: all dogs have, and were bred for, different skills

“How smart you appear to be depends on the test,” says Nicholas Dodman, BVMS, Dipl. ACVB, professor emeritus and former section head and program director of the Animal Behavior Clinic at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University. “Until quite recently, I had two dogs. One of them was hyper and the other dog would sort of lie around like a lump. You would say Jasper was not as smart as Rusty. But once you were out on a trail, Jasper lit up. He was doing the job that nature intended him to do because he was a coonhound, and he was using his super-intelligent nose. He was brilliant at his job, but not so good at some other things.”

It’s no secret that purebred dogs have very different skills depending on what they were bred to do. For instance, herding breeds like Border Collies, Australian Shepherds and Corgis are universally considered to be extremely intelligent. Due to the nature of their work, they are excellent at both making independent decisions and taking instructions from humans.

Why are hound dogs considered to be among the dumbest dog breeds?

Why do so many hound dog breeds make the list of dumbest dogs breeds? “Pretty much all scenthounds are governed by their noses,” Dr. Dodman says. “They’re hard to train because they don’t really look up, they look down. They’re not really interested in listening or pleasing anybody, they’re just interested in tracking with their noses. The sighthounds want to chase anything that moves. For every dog breed there’s a purpose, and the mixed breeds are just a combination of the purebreds. I can see how it might be easy to superficially judge a dog who is kind of slow and not paying a lot of attention to what you say and really not that interested in performing tricks, but it doesn’t mean that they’re not smart, and in some ways, being very independent could be more intelligent than being obedient.”

Scenthounds like Basset Hounds, Beagles and Bloodhounds can sniff out almost anything. Sighthounds can spot their prey making the slightest movement and swiftly chase it down. A Border Collie is far more trainable than a Bloodhound, but a Bloodhound is far superior at tracking scents than a Border Collie. They each have different skills, but they excel in their own ways.

Determining the dumbest dog breeds presents the same issues as determining human intelligence

Dr. Dodman notes how gauging human intelligence can present a similar conundrum to determining the dumbest dog breeds. “It just depends on how you grade people,” he explains. “Some people are good at math, some people are good at English. You can be good at some things and not so good at others.”

Considering the vast differences in skill sets among dogs, and taking into account the fact that dogs don’t speak our language, how can we accurately assess a dog’s intelligence and thus, the dumbest dog breeds? “It seems to be like multiple intelligences,” Dr. Dodman says. “Do you measure them as being particularly bright like Jasper, almost a savant, when it came to hunting? Or do you have to average out all the behaviors over 10 different types of behavior and give them an average score, which I imagine would come back to be pretty much the same for all dogs?”

Brian Hare, Ph.D., associate professor of evolutionary anthropology at Duke University in North Carolina, and founder of the Duke Canine Cognition Center, studies dog psychology. “We play the same types of games that researchers play with young children,” he says. “We give dogs puzzles to solve, and the choices they make reveal how their minds work.”

According to Dr. Hare, dog intelligence and the dumbest dog breeds are not black and white matters. “I don’t really think there is any such thing as ‘smart’ dogs and ‘dumb’ dogs,” he states. “That is just a throwback to a linear version of intelligence, as though intelligence is a cup of coffee that is more or less full. Different dogs are good at different things. And all of them are geniuses in their own way.”

In fact, some of the research on dumbest dogs might not be accurate

As it turns out, some of the research done to determine the most intelligent dogs or dumbest dog breeds might not be entirely accurate.

“The scientific work on breeds has not really held up,” Dr. Hare states. “Most breeds are only 150 years old, so there is very little to distinguish them. To scientifically prove the smartest breed, you would need to compare at least 30 dogs from each breed. They would have to be puppies raised and tested in a similar manner to control for the effect to rearing history and age on performance. If you took the AKC breeds or all breeds worldwide, you would need between 6,000 to 12,000 puppies, decades of work, millions of dollars and about a thousand graduate students. It is no wonder no one has done it.”

In fact, in his own research, Dr. Hare has seen as much variation within a breed as between them. “For example, Labradors bred for the military are the same breed as Labradors bred to be assistance dogs — and you have never seen two more different dogs in your life,” he explains.

Humans categorizing certain breeds as the dumbest dog breeds is less about truly measuring their intelligence and more about not understanding the breed’s particular skillset.

“No individual dog or an entire breed should be considered ‘dumb,’” says Gina DiNardo, executive secretary for the American Kennel Club. “Ease of training is not an accurate way to assess a dog’s intelligence. What we humans may perceive as an animal being ‘dumb’ may be independence, stubbornness or aloofness, which are common characteristics in many breeds. Training takes time and patience, and every dog is different. Learn different training techniques available, and if you are having problems, seek out a trainer who can give you the skills that you need to teach your dog.”

So, what is it about certain breeds that caused them to end up as the dumbest dog breeds in Dr. Coren’s book The Intelligence of Dogs? Let’s take a look at each of the supposed dumbest dog breeds.

The 10 Dumbest Dog Breeds and Why They’ve Been Characterized as “Dumb”

1. Afghan Hound

The Afghan Hound is the “dumbest” dog. Photography by Olga_i / Shutterstock.

The Afghan Hound tops the dumbest dog breeds list according to The Intelligence of Dogs, but Afghan lovers surely disagree. Afghans are sighthounds, which means they were bred to hunt using their extraordinary speed and eyesight. Like many sighthounds, Afghans can be aloof, which means they can be a little standoffish and reserved, especially with strangers. They can also be stubborn and independent. Due to these traits, Afghans are not easy to train, but that doesn’t mean they’re dumb. They simply prefer to think for themselves and do things on their own terms. You might have to be more creative when training an Afghan, but their elegance, regal air and devotion to their humans makes them special companions.

2. Basenji

Basenjis also make the list of dumbest dog breeds. Photography by krushelss / Shutterstock.

The Basenji is another sighthound that makes the list of dumbest dog breeds for his independence and aloofness. Some people describe this breed as having feline qualities, and in fact, many Basenjis will groom themselves like cats. The breed has earned a reputation for being “untrainable,” but again, ease of training is not always an accurate indicator of intelligence. Quite the contrary, Basenjis are intelligent, curious and playful. Like inquisitive toddlers, they are smart enough to get into trouble if you don’t watch them carefully. Raising a Basenji can sometimes feel like taming a wild animal. They are watchful and wary, and although most bond with their owners, they may or may not like your friends. Bottom line: Basenjis are stubborn so they aren’t consistently obedient, but they can be trained. Positive methods are best.

3. Bulldog

Bulldogs are known for their stubbornness. Photography ©Lindsay_Helms | Thinkstock.

Another breed known for stubbornness on the list of dumbest dog breeds is the Bulldog. The term “bullheaded” fits the Bulldog to a T. For this reason, Bulldogs can be difficult to train, but dumb? You only have to look to one of the famous skateboarding or surfing Bulldogs to see that they are definitely capable of learning. Bulldogs are also labeled as lazy, but clearly some enjoy more vigorous activities than lying on the couch.

4. Chow Chow

Chow Chows can also be difficult to train. Photography by Sergieiev/Shutterstock.

Chow Chows might look like adorable teddy bears, but they are not always the cuddly type. Originally bred to be guard dogs, Chows are serious, independent and aloof. They are strong-willed and stubborn, and therefore more difficult to train, which lands them a spot on the list of dumbest dog breeds. Chows are intelligent — they just have minds of their own. If not trained correctly, Chows might challenge their humans for authority, which can become problematic. For these reasons, Chows require firm but fair training and extensive socialization starting from an early age. When raised properly, Chows are noble, loyal and devoted companions.

5. Borzoi

Borzois are sighthounds and may be a bit stubborn. Photography ©volofin | iStock / Getty Images Plus.

Yet another sighthound, the Borzoi is an independent freethinker. This breed gets on the dumbest dog breeds list since they can also be stubborn — training a Borzoi is an exercise in patience. Borzois seem to do best with frequent, short training sessions rather than hour-long classes. In the house, they are generally very well-mannered, calm, clean and quite affectionate, especially with their special people.

6. Bloodhound

Bloodhounds are another hound dog on the list of dumbest dog breeds. Photography ©alkir | iStock / Getty Images Plus.

If you have ever witnessed the aurora borealis, the colorful northern lights display that transforming the night sky into a brilliant sight to behold, you might be able to understand how a scenthound like the Bloodhound “sees” the world with his sensitive nose. Bloodhounds make the list of dumbest dog breeds and are hard to train because they are so distracted by all the glorious scents just waiting to be investigated. They also have a ton of energy, are stubborn and independent, and are absolutely relentless when on a scent trail. Combined together, the Bloodhound’s unique skills can sometimes make these dogs challenging to live with, but enter a Bloodhound in a tracking event and watch his special talents shine.

7. Pekingese

Pekingese are somewhat slow and sloth-like. Show Pekingese Malachy. Photography by by Debby Wong / Shutterstock.

One reason people might think Pekingese are a little slow is the fact that they are somewhat sloth-like. At home, they enjoy lounging about and surveying their domain. This could be due to their physical build or partly held over from their history as sacred pets of the Tang Dynasty in 8th-century China. In fact, Pekingese were called “sleeve dogs” because members of the Imperial household carried their cherished companions around snugly nestled in their voluminous sleeves. Can you blame the Peke for enjoying the easy life? Pekingese are also stubborn and difficult to housebreak. This doesn’t make them dumb, but it does make for some training challenges. Start training early and be consistent.

8. Beagle

A Beagle’s keen sense of smell often causes people to label him as “dumb.” Photography ©Halfpoint | Thinkstock.

Like Bloodhounds, Beagles like to follow their noses, which can sometimes get them into trouble … and lands them on the list of dumbest dog breeds. The Beagle’s sweet, affectionate nature, combined with his happy-go-lucky outlook might lead you to think he’s empty headed, but this breed is far from dumb. It’s best to keep Beagles on a leash. They can’t resist the urge to explore, smell the world and chase small critters.

9. Mastiff

Mastiffs make the list of dumbest dog breeds. Photography ©Photology1971 | iStock / Getty Images Plus.

The large, laid-back Mastiff is a very chill dog. So chill, in fact, that you might thing he’s a little dense. They are also a bit stubborn and might be more challenging to train than some breeds. Again, activity level and ease of training aren’t necessarily good indicators of intelligence. Mastiffs are actually quite bright. Due to their size and natural wariness of strangers, it’s essential for owners to start training and socialization early in puppyhood so Mastiffs develop into well-behaved and discerning companions.

10. Basset Hound

Basset Hounds, like Beagles and Bloodhounds, are very guided by their sense of smell. Photography by momente / Shutterstock.

Like the Pekingese, Basset Hounds can be a bit lazy. This could be in part to their long and low bodies or their laid-back personalities. Bassets can be a little stubborn, and like their scenthound cousins the Bloodhounds and the Beagles, Bassets might have trouble ignoring the amazing scents around them long enough to concentrate on learning. However, Bassets want to please their people and are very food motivated, so they do respond well to training. Don’t mistake the Basset’s easy-going personality for lack of intelligence, though. They are bright and affectionate dogs.

The bottom line on the dumbest dog breeds

It’s not fair to label any breed or individual dog dumb. Yes, some dogs are brighter than others, but most dogs are good at something — you just have to figure out what.

“Some dogs do some things better than others, and they have different behaviors.,” Dr. Dodman says. “Police dogs and army dogs tend to be the German Shepherd Dog and Malinois types because they’re easily trainable. Does that mean they’re smart? Or does it mean they’re not so smart because they always follow other people’s directions and don’t think independently? You can argue it both ways.”

Tell us: Is your dog’s breed or breeds on this list of dumbest dog breeds?

Thumbnail: Photography ©dimarik | Thinkstock.

Having trouble training your dog? Find out 3 reasons why dogs ignore our cues >>

This post was originally published in 2012 and updated in 2018.

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buynewsoul · 6 years ago