Thanks to all that rain, the Pacific Northwest is a wonderful place for us racing dogs to run and compete.  The track is soft, so we can really let out the speed.  We even get to watch our families fiddle with their passports as they travel into Canada.  Here is what is happening up there regarding dog racing and whippet racing.

British Columbia – Dog racing north of the U.S. border is plenty of fun.  The Vancouver Island Whippet Association does a great job of hosting meets.  In August of 2010, the British Columbia Whippet Racing Club will host the NAWRA national meet in Squamish, B.C.  I’ll have more on that later.  Here are spring dates for British Columbia whippet races.

• March 6, 2010 – (sprint) in Cobble Hill, British Columbia
• April 10, 2010 – (oval) in Cobble Hill, British Columbia

Washington State – Clubs in Washington State hosted the 2009 NARWA national meet and did a bang up job.  I thoroughly enjoyed myself.  The two clubs with spring dog racing dates are Olympia Racing and Coursing Club and Whippet Racing Activity Group.  Here are their spring dates:

• March 13, 2010 – (sprint) in Centralia, WA
• March 14, 2010 – (oval) in Centralia, WA
• April 17, 2010 – (oval) in Goldendale, WA
• April 18, 2010 – (oval) in Goldendale, WA

Oregon – Dog racing in Oregon is run just south of Portland and frequently hosted by the Washington Whippet Racing Association.  There will be whippet racing both sprint and oval track over one weekend this spring.  Those dates are:

• March 20, 2010 – (sprint) in Beavercreek, OR
• March 21, 2010 – (oval) in Molalla, OR

With plenty of rain, the grass should be perfect for wonderful, fast dog racing.  Hope to see you at a meet.

- Tristan the Whippet

After a long winter of lying around and enjoying those holiday treats, it’s time to get back to dog racing and more specifically, whippet racing.  All we racing dog and sighthounds are very excited and looking forward to that first dash after the lure.  Here is what is happening out West.

Northern California – The Northern California Whippet Club and the River City Racing Association host their whippet racing meets in Sacramento, typically featuring sprint racing on Saturday and oval track on Sundays.  Here are the dates.

• March 6, 2010 – (sprint) in Sacramento, CA
• March 7, 2010 – (oval) in Sacramento, CA
• March 20, 2010 – (sprint) in Sacramento, CA
• March 21, 2010 – (oval) in Sacramento, CA
• April 10, 2010 – (sprint) in Sacramento, CA

Southern California – Racing in Orange and Brea, California, the Southern California Whippet Association and the Great Western Whippet Association also have both sprint and oval track whippet racing. Here are their dates.

• February 7, 2010 – (sprint) in Orange, CA
• February 27, 2010 – (sprint) in Orange, CA
• February 28, 2010 – (oval) in Brea, CA
• March 13, 2010 – (sprint) in Orange, CA
• March 14, 2010 – (oval) in Brea, CA

Southwest Region – Dog racing in the great Southwest kicks off in March with races sponsored by the Albuquerque Whippet Fanciers Association and the Reata Whippet Racing Group in Riverton, Utah.  The River City Racing Association is coming from Sacramento to host a very special sprint race in conjunction with the American Whippet Club event in Tucson.  Here are their dates for the dog races.

• March 6, 2010 – (oval) in Mountainair, NM
• March 7, 2010 – (oval) in Mountainair, NM
• April 17, 2010 – (sprint) in Tucson, AZ, with the American Whippet Club event
• April 25, 2010 – (oval) in Riverton, UT

With plenty of rain, the grass should be perfect for wonderful, fast whippet racing.  Hope to see you at a meet.

Feeling the Need for Speed,

- Tristan the Whippet

Retired Racing Greyhounds for Dummies

• Offers tips on how to train Greyhounds in household manners
• Informs about common illnesses and chronic health problems found in the Greyhound breed
• Covers Greyhound history

Find out about your retired racing Greyhound’s special needs. Get the lowdown on keeping your dog healthy and content with Retired Racing Greyhounds for Dummies . Are you thinking about adopting a retired racing Greyhound, or are you already sharing your life with one? This fun and friendly book is bursting with expert advice on all aspects of owning an ex-racer: understanding the Greyhound personality, taking care of your new friend, teaching good manners, and much more.

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“Anyone who reads this book and follows its guidance will have a happier, healthier dog and be a happier, more relaxed dog owner.“

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There are conflicting opinions regarding the origin of the Greyhound, from the Celts who believed that they came from Greece, to the Romans who believed that they came from Gaul (in Western Europe), with many varying opinions in between.

There are ancient pictures which date back to 6000BC in the city of Catal-Huyuk in present-day Turkey, depicting dogs very similar in type to Greyhounds. Pictures from 4000BC found on a funery vase in Iran also depict Greyhound-like dogs which suggest that these dogs were held in the highest regard. Ancient artists tended only to depict images of religious or social importance.

Appearance

Greyhounds have an extremely elegant and graceful appearance; slender but also strong. They are propelled by extremely strong hindquarters; when they run it appears effortless and truly beautiful.

It is a pleasure to watch these dogs race, with their long neck and face set on their long, slender frame.  Greyhounds come in a massive variety of colors; Black, red, white, blue, fawn, fallow, brindle or any of these colors broken up with white.

Temperament

Despite what most people think, these dogs can be real couch potatoes! Although they are capable of short bursts of speeds of up to 64km/hr, they are not blessed with great amounts of endurance, so love to get home after walks and sleep it off!

They are great family pets; kind and gentle with their families and very affectionate. They may be a little aloof with strangers, but never nasty.

However, their history must be remembered; they were bred to course and race and therefore have tendencies to chase and catch small things; this can include smaller dogs, cats and other small pets. They must be very carefully socialized with smaller dogs and extreme care should be taken around cats.

Grooming

With their short coats, they will only require a very minimal amount of time spent on grooming.

Exercise

Two 20-minute walks a day is ample for these dogs – they particularly enjoy getting home to relax after their walks!! Real care should be taken with allowing these dogs off lead – unless they are EXTREMELY well trained, they are liable to run off and chase any small thing that moves – and at 64km/h, there is no chance you’ll be able to catch them!!

Health Problems

Greyhounds can be prone to injury when expelling their pent up energy! They don’t really suffer from any genetic diseases; they can be a little sensitive to drugs although vets should be aware of this if treating them.