Several "farmers" board and finish racing greyhounds from ages 12 through 18 months (for absentee owners). We tried it for two or three litters. Besides getting paid, the biggest problem is getting dogs that have not been handled as pups. Few problems in the greyhound "farming" community beat trying to train 65 to 75 lb. dogs that will not handle and have "head problems". These dogs jerk, assume the stiff-legged brakes-on position, will not run with other dogs, run all over the training track grounds, refuse to be caught at the end of the race, tend to jump fences, tend to be spooky, are hard to worm or vaccinate, and are just generally a pain. (They also have a tendency to come with fleas and ticks on them) It is embarrassing to have a problem handlling one's pups at the training track. Many times at the training track, a farmer who boards dogs will be having trouble handling his greyhounds. Someone will yell out, "Is that John Doe's litter?" The farmer gives a disgusted affirmative nod of the head. Everyone around the training track knows John Doe did not handle his pups.

Therefore, most greyhound farm breeders DO handle their pups. Several breeders do intend for their greyhounds to be adopted in the future (count us among this group). Some do not think about the greyhound's future after racing. But practically all responsible breeders DO handle their pups for good business reasons. [Women tend to do a better job than men at this endeavor.]

We must add that genetics does play a strong role in the behavior of problem greyhounds. One of our first brood females had a tendency to produce spooky dogs- afraid of storms, difficult to handle and train, and afraid of any changed situation. We worked and worked with her pups (through three litters). We finally realized the problem patterns and similarities in her pups. Obviously we stopped breeding her. Very few pups from our other brood matrons have similar "head problems".

Later,