05/10/2020
Continued on the day in the life of your retired racing Greyhound...
Okay, game plan time!
The trainer goes through the kennel and hangs up racing muzzles (pre fitted and marked with each racers names. Normally hung muzzles are night racers, upside down are matinee racers who need to be done first.
Kennel muzzles are hung upside down for dogs needing to go "schooling" at the track, and kennel muzzles hung on for crates for one's needing to go to the sprint field
It's going to be another long day...
Dogs are loaded up and taken to the track itself by 7am when it's still cool outside. They're ran for one single lap, or 3/4 lap, or 1/2 lap depending on the individual hounds need. Some started "from the box" rather than "hand slipped" (in the starting box vs let go by hand). They may need to get used to our track, get over an injury (pulled muscle, small cut, got bumped and fell) or just need to get experience.
One quick run and they're done! But... we have 7 more pairs to run, so back to the truck we go... then go up to the kennel and swap out those 16 with 10 more!!
When they're done schooling, it's time to load up the "sprinters". I get to take them to play on the sprint field while the trainer starts cooking breakfast.
Two hounds per run, they get to run in the sprint field until they say they're done. They get to run straight down and back at full sp*ed to help build muscle tone and they LOVE it! Racing their buddies and playing "in a long dog park". This helps new arrivals get used to our sand footing, our weather, our routines. It helps do physical therapy for any who were off the racing roster due to injuries (again, pulled muscle, etc like us humans occasionally get too)
When they're done, like the "schoolers", they come back to the turn out pens to potty, get water, and go back to their crates.
While I was "sprinting", the trainer was cooking a roaster oven full of macaroni and veggies. It smells pretty good already.
Time to weigh racers, go over them, and rub them down.
Did you see our previous video? You'll need to go watch that.
Each racer has a set weight. If they're set at 70, they can't weigh more than a pound and a half heavier or lighter than that. Notes are taken on weights, who needs extra and who needs less. So we have to weigh the hounds running that day AND the ones running the next day too!
Each hound has ears checked, nails trimmed, and rubbed down. Before a good rub down, the trainer gets Absorbine liniment in their hands. Just like pro athletes, a good liniment massage gets the muscles ready for a workout. We rub them down AND the ones who ran the previous day as well, don't let them get stiff after a work day, the same as we do for ourselves.
It takes a good hour and a half sometimes with all the hounds to be done, but with team work it gets done faster.
The hounds love it and they know they get a cookie, nilla wafer, or marshmallow when they're done.
With all weights recorded, if any hounds need a rub down for being off the racing roster for a break, they get it now.
Otherwise it's time to cook!
We mix up racers food first.
5 pounds of macaroni, 5lbs mixed veggies, and 120lbs of beef get mixed together with hot water until it's the consistency that feels right to the trainer.
Honey, electrolytes, Canine Red Cell, are added to the "feed tub".
A set amount of high protein kibble is added, though not much because racers need more protein from meat than kibble.
Then we mix up racers feed first. They get a set amount of feed based on their weight. Then a half of a baked potato, a little orange juice, and a half banana, they're ready for breakfast!
Whoa... you fed them what??!! Yeah, they really did get that!
When racers are done, now the feed tub gets more kibble mixed in to make it right for everyone else. A tray of supplements are grabbed, the bowl of p*eled bananas, the bowl of baked potatoes, the OJ, the honey, the red cell and bag of marshmallows
This boy ran yesterday and acted like he was slightly cramped up. He gets his 3lbs of feed along with a potato, OJ, banana, honey, and a marshmallow to top it off
This other boy ran yesterday too, he gets a little red cell and a marshmallow
This boy had a day off yesterday and doesn't run till day after tomorrow, so he gets his 3lbs and a marshmallow.
This girl gets her 2.5lbs and since she runs tomorrow she gets......
Well, if you can't tell, each racer gets their diet customized individually and depending on when they ran vs when they're running again!!
When all the hounds are fed, food is set aside for racers for dinner.
The feed tub is cleaned up, bowls cleaned, and time for humans to grab a quick bite while the kennel naps for a half hour.
Afterwards, it's time to go potty again, kennel swept throughly, pens cleaned, fresh water, porch mopped then mop water changed, kennel mopped.
Edited to add- kennel kitchen cleaned, bathroom cleaned, front porch cleaned, dirty bed tub drained and beds rinsed thoroughly, then beds hung up to dry the rest of the day
Is 11am... time to go home, shower, and nap before coming back for the race day!
(To be continued...)
We are a Pro-Racing adoption group located at the Birmingham Race Course. We help over 1,000 Greyhounds find homes annually locally or with other groups.
