Racing greyhound diet
The highest quality protein sources are eggs, fish, meat, and poultry. Greyhounds need a high-quality diet suited to their specific needs. The right blend for them would be more like 28 to 30 percent protein, 15 percent fat, and 5 percent fiber. If he spends a lot of time outdoors during hot weather, he will need extra energy to make up for what he uses to pant and stay cool. But remember that opinions vary considerably, even among the experts, so try different foods with your Greyhound and see how he responds. Grains can also provide protein, but these are lower quality proteins. Greyhound racing begins as a gamble and for most dogs ends in tragedy. Once a racing greyhound is not fast enough to win races, his or her career soon comes to an end. Every year in Australia, around 20,000 greyhound pups are bred in the hope of finding a quick runner. Some ex-racers go into breeding programs, but even they will then likely be killed at age 5-6 years. The ideal balanced dry food diet for the average healthy retired racer is composed of 22 to 27 percent protein, 10 to 15 percent fat, and 5 percent fiber. The purpose of eating, of course, is to provide energy. On average around 5 dogs are killed at official races each week as a result of greyhound racing. Racing greyhounds are not commonly kept as companion animals. Up to 200 dogs are reported injured during official races each week. The amount of energy your Greyhound gets from the protein sources in his diet depends on the quality of the protein and its digestibility. Feeding Your Retired Racing Greyhound a Nutritious Diet. Most dogs born into the greyhound racing industry will be killed before their 5th birthday.
Modify his diet according to his specific needs. The vast majority will be killed once they have served their (racing) purpose. Information from greyhound rescue groups also indicates that many rescued racing greyhounds have been underfed, possibly because they have been kept on a restricted diet to keep them at a lean racing weight. Bred for no other purpose than to race and win, greyhounds in Australia are literally running for their lives. Just add a bit of extra oil to his diet or use a food with a slightly higher fat content. So keep in mind that virtually any opinion may be challenged by someone with equally good sources to support his or her opinion. Pets Dogs Feeding Your Retired Racing Greyhound a Nutritious Diet. The greyhounds who do make it to the track are put at significant risk of sustaining serious injuries, such as broken hocks or legs, or head trauma, during training and racing. Off the track their lives may not be much better — oftentimes being kept in tiny barren pens or kennels for the majority of their lives, only released to train or race. Feeding Your Retired Racing Greyhound a Nutritious Diet. If your hound is a real couch potato, use foods that are at the lower end of these ranges. If your Greyhound is doing a lot of outdoor activities during cold weather, he may need extra energy to maintain his body temperature. Some proteins are used by dogs more efficiently than others. Live baiting refers to the illegal practice of using live animals for the purpose of training greyhounds. Greyhounds that are actively and regularly competing in agility, lure coursing, or other high-energy activities need higher amounts of protein and fat in their diets. Investigations by Animals Australia and Animal Liberation Queensland have revealed that live baiting is a routine and accepted training method used by dozens of Australian greyhound trainers. Other, perfectly healthy dogs are given to university veterinary faculties where they may be killed for use in teaching and training. This energy comes from three sources: protein, fat, and carbohydrates.
