Rebanne

I am blessed with a dog that enjoys the ring and is very focussed on me - that makes him a pleasure to show. :) What I ask for, he gives. the talk was more about my attitude to my dogs, I think I was being a bit soft :D So what is your attitude to winning? That's what I'd really like to focus on. How do you get into that space and stay there? well that pep talk did make me more positive, my whole bearing changed. I was stricter with the dog, presented him more confidently and I think it works. My mantra was, he might be a greyhound, but he's a good one, so give him the win! This is mainly at group level cause we are often the only greyhound at breed level :)

I am blessed with a dog that enjoys the ring and is very focussed on me - that makes him a pleasure to show. :) What I ask for, he gives. the talk was more about my attitude to my dogs, I think I was being a bit soft :D

one of the things that made a difference to me was being told, " I imagine your dog lives the life of Riley? all creature comforts supplied, loved and doted on? Then it's not too much to ask that he does what you want for a few minutes on the odd day out is it?" Smartened me right up. Though my daughter does most of the handling nowadays for me due to my back problems.

and they don't have to be chasing something to get into the zone. Give them enough room and they are running around seemingly flat out doing zoomies, then, bang! they are in a totally different headspace and and you just cross your fingers and hold your breath they do manage to avoid the tree. I actually prefer to let mine off together at the slipping track, a long boring narrow area, as there is less chance of them splitting up and then coming at each other head on. My greyhound chiro man has told me about greys racing at each other full on and colliding and both dying from a broken neck. One of my boys t-boned my girl and when she got up I thought her leg had been broken. Any wonder I spend a small fortune at the chiro's.

and the ability to recognise some should never be let off lead. I've only had one that I considered suitable to let off lead in an unfenced area. And I did train him up but I never lost sight of what he was. I think if I put the effort in I could train up my current boy but as I have easy access to a couple of fully fenced areas there is no real need. But the others I have had, no way would I trust them to come back if they put something up. When they get into that zone, nothing breaks them until they snap out. That's why some break their necks cause they hit a solid object so hard cause they don't even see it. They can even kill themselves by colliding with each other. BTW all my dogs come back when called, in boring circumstances. Even when accidently let out the front and the gate is open they have responsed to my yelling. We have just been lucky another dog or cat wasn't trotting past the open gate at the time.

When you say sanctioned do you mean just ANKC or can it be another organisation? So they can compete but not train offlead? Unless on private land? Just curious as we have a greyhound starting flyball training and is going great but I've always been curious as too whether he could legally compete or not as flyball isn't an ANKC sport. It's been a while since I read up on the laws but as I remember the wording it is ANKC sanctioned events and, also, clubs. So off lead/muzzle free is allowed at a ANKC registered club. This is in Victoria. One of the obedience clubs I have frequented in the past is no longer affiliated with the VCA. If I took a grey there now they would have to be muzzled and leashed as they (used to) train at a public park.

Good on you. I enjoy showing, my dogs are happy to go along with me. If they disliked it we would all retire to the couch.

Then why show this breed? If a judge can't touch them, then how can they be judged? It's a hands on sport. How long should a Maremma be given in the ring to make up it's mind if it will allow another person to approach it? The Maremma wasn't the only dog to react in such a fashion, commentators also remarked on other dogs being overawed. Should this allowance be given to other breeds who also would prefer not to be examined by a stranger. Maybe Maremma's shouldn't be shown at all and should be left in the paddock to work? I didn't say don't show them - I simply pointed out the difference between attributes that assist the dog's function & attributes that are rewarded in the showring. Nor did I say they couldn't be touched - but that they would not welcome it. But if they are clearly unsuited to the current show format, and it seems they are, then why do people show them? Why do something that is against everything you say the dog (breed) stands for - so to speak? It would be so stressful for them.

don't you mean a cav cross poodle?

so you are saying the Maremma must be judged differently to every other breed of dog entered in the show? How is that fair? All the winners you have put up, are you saying the ones who do not let a judge go over them, they have the correct temperament, the ones who will tolerate an examination have incorrect temperament? Which is which?

How can you judge it fairly if you can't touch it?

Then why show this breed? If a judge can't touch them, then how can they be judged? It's a hands on sport. How long should a Maremma be given in the ring to make up it's mind if it will allow another person to approach it? The Maremma wasn't the only dog to react in such a fashion, commentators also remarked on other dogs being overawed. Should this allowance be given to other breeds who also would prefer not to be examined by a stranger. Maybe Maremma's shouldn't be shown at all and should be left in the paddock to work?

Thank you :thanks:

I wouldn't expect them to be happy but I would expect them to put up with it. I get your point Steve but if the dog won't obey it's owner (handler) and the judge can't lay hands on the dog then the dog can't be judged properly. And we are talking about them in the show ring, not out working.

http://www.dolforums.com.au/topic/171675-greyhound/ My linkhttp://www.dolforums.com.au/topic/105867-greyhounds/

it's a hang over from the olden days. No more a threat then any other dog. They are sighthounds, they hunt, so do lots of other dogs.

Is this every state, and does it apply to non-race bred greys? I thought that was the case, but there is a grey in my local dog park that is always off-lead, muzzle-free with no special identification so I wondered if maybe it wasn't. What I have said applies to Victoria, to all greyhounds including show bred. You can exhibit greyhounds at sanctioned events, shows, agility, obedience etc, without a muzzle. NSW has only recently bought in the green collars (muzzle free) but I understand, for things I have read, that greyhounds are allowed off lead, but should still be muzzled if not previously tested and excempt.

Judge couldn't even go over the dog, that dog showed all the hallmarks of being timid.

In Victoria only GAP greyhounds are allowed to be muzzle free. If you adopt a grey from elsewhere you can get them assessed by GAP but, by my understanding, they then become GAP dogs, ie they are issued a number etc same as if you had adopted them first from GAP, you still own them. They have to stay at GAP for several days. By law no greyhound is allowed off lead except on private property, even GAP greyhounds, even off lead parks. ETA they must wear their identifying collar when out and about

what will you do with this female puppy?

In extremely rare cases, identical twins have been born with opposite sexes (one male, one female). In these cases, identical twin boys are conceived, but, during the twinning process, one twin loses a Y chromosome (boys have chromosome type XY while girls have XX). Without a Y chromosome to trigger the production of male sex hormones , this fetus develops as a girl by default, but a girl with only one X chromosome (chromosome type XO). The co-twin is unaffected, and develops as a boy as normal.I read this about humans but i haven't been able to find any thing about it with dogs so do the girls grow up to be 'full' girls with only one X chromosome?

were thy killed immediately? I'm with HW on this one. 2 sides to the story with the truth somewhere in between

I've had 5 GSD's, none of whom had Hemangiosarcoma. I've had 5 Greyhounds and none have had it but my daughters Greyhound has. Luckily it's only on his skin, at this stage, and it's been over 12 months since the first was removed.

Gawd wouldn't you freak if that was your dog! Good work to all.