Training Program After Season

Hi Joe,

Mate I have been asked this question quite often and it is just about impossible to come up with a program that fits every greyhound in that situation as each program has to be tailored to each individual greyhound.

My own process would be as follows:
Firstly assess the greyhound, and this would include checking it thoroughly for injuries or weak areas in the muscle tissue that may require strengthening. Thoroughly check the bone structure, particularly the fibulas, as well as wrist and hock ligaments.

Coat condition, this should be soft and shiny as its coat reflects the greyhounds basic health to a certain extent, and I have been known to just walk the dog only for a month, until I was satisfied that its health and soundness had improved enough for it to commence handslipping.

During this time I usually worm the dog twice to ensure its free of intestinal worms, and just to be sure bring its immunisation up to date.

Then it is generally a 200 metre handslip every second day for three handslips up a straight without a lure, and then the distance is increased to 350 metre handslips every third day, or if that is not available, putting the dog up twice over the 200 metre distance for three handslips.

A two day break, and then a handslip behind the lure over a distance of anything between 250 to 300 metres on a race or trial track.

Then a three day break and another run behind the lure over the 250 to 300 metre distance, but this time the dog comes from the starting box.

After that first run out of the boxes, I thoroughly check the dog over again for injuries, and three days after that run obtain a full racing blood profile on the greyhound to ensure that its health is optimum, and the two runs behind the lure have then also given me the opportunity to see if any further work needs to be done on either its chasing endeavours or its box manners.

Its only after all that has been given the green light that I start working the dog to bring its fitness up to scratch for racing.

This is done by working the dog only behind the lure and giving it a run every fourth or fifth day depending how it recovers after each run, bringing the distance up gradually, and walking the dog daily for just 2 kilometres during the days its not running behind the lure.

The gradually increased runs behind the lure are basically a run out of the boxes over 300 metres, then two runs over 350 metres, followed by two runs over 400 metres, and so on, and handslipping the dog over suitable distances if they are not available by coming out of the boxes.

Keep in mind that the distance the dog runs over is not increased until such time it handles the current distance without any signs of stress.

This type of work is maintained until the dog has reached what for that individual dog is its its optimum race distance, then any further runs behind the lure are done in small fields until such time as I deem the dog ready to race.

Free running in between lure runs: I generally do not allow the greyhounds in training any free running, while I know that hundreds of trainers do so and get lots of winners.

My reasons are as follows: When a greyhound that I’m training reaches a certain stage in fitness and health I need to have total control over exactly how much work that dog does, and that does not include the dog going silly in a yard or run and maybe doing itself some damage. I’m also extremely careful of the condition of the race or trial tracks I run the dog on, and I have been known to inspect a track prior to booking my trials and going home again without running my dogs if I’m not satisfied with the condition of the track surface. After all the hard work you have done why run a greyhound on a poorly prepared surface, and run the chance of a career ending injury.

The other reason for not allowing greyhounds I have in training free running or any handslips up a straight without a lure, is that for a greyhound to reach its maximum speed it needs to fully stretch its muscle tissue every time it runs. This then conditions the muscle tissue to behave in a certain manner that enhances speed. On the other hand, few greyhounds fully stretch while free running without a lure, and again this conditions muscle tissue into shortening the dogs stride and reducing the speed of the greyhound.

Keep in mind that I also believe a greyhound should be thoroughly checked for injuries after each and every run even if the dog has performed extremely well. I’m also a great believer in thoroughly massaging every muscle on the greyhound after each and every run including hock and wrist ligaments, and having regular blood profiles done at least on a monthly basis to ensure its optimum health is maintained.

Cheers,
Tom