In Egypt the greyhounds were mummified and buried with their
masters. The Egyptians viewed them as supreme among all animals.
The greyhounds also find place in the literary works of
Shakespeare, Chaucer and Homer.

In England, greyhound was considered as a status symbol back in
10th century. Only noblemen were permitted to hunt with them.
Later, Queen Elizabeth I made rules regarding the use of
greyhounds to chase hares. In early 1900s Patrick Owen became
the first one to introduce the concept of greyhound racing.
Later, the first circular track was made in California in 1919.

The greyhounds are kept in the paddock before the race begins.
After the pre race tests and procedures, the greyhounds are put
in individual compartments in the starting box, called traps.
These traps have automated doors. When the race starts the dog
is made to chase a lure. A lure is a mechanical device that
moves around the track at a considerable distance from the dog.
The lure resembles either a bone or a rabbit.

After the race, the greyhound is provided with water and an open
area to walk. The winner is called in the winner"s circle.

The registration and identification of greyhounds is the duty of
the National Greyhound Association. It is a non profit
organization and carries its work in North America. Only
registered owners can enter into an exclusive contract with a
registered kennel. These kennel in turn contract with the
tracks. The tracks decide the schedule for the race fro a
season.

There are certain states like California and Maine that prohibit
greyhound racing. Other States prohibit the use live rabbits and
other small animals as a bait for the dogs in the race.

The way the greyhounds are handled and trained is also a matter
of controversy. While some greyhounds are naturally fit to race,
the others lack killer instinct. the dogs unfit for racing are
either killed or given in laboratories for experimentation. In
certain cases the dogs is starved in order to develop in him an
impulse to kill the small animals for food.

The World Greyhound Racing Federation ( WGRF) was established in
1969. it is a non regulatory organization and is dedicated to
providing information and promoting the sport nationally and
internationally. Various nations participate in the Bi- annual
World Greyhound Racing Conference. At the 2003 conference the
organization has adopted a welfare charter which aims at
promoting the mental and physical well being of the dogs.

Greyhound Pets of America is another non profit organization
that finds home to the retired greyhounds. It advices the owners
of these pets how to take care of the greyhounds and helps it
fit in the new environment.

The American Greyhound Council is responsible for researching
diseases that infect the greyhound and providing well trained
professional and veterinarians to better take care of the dogs.
It also employs inspectors to check any mistreatment of
greyhounds.

Like in horse racing, betting in greyhound racing is also quite
prevalent. The betting game has its own terminology like bookie,
beards, quiniela etc. Betting, being a wager can never be
foolproof, but one cam increase his chances to win by playing
smart. For example, a dog with a consistent performance can be
good to bet on. The medical history and the appearance of the
dog can be another parameter. Success cannot be guaranteed in
the game of betting, but doing a little homework never hurts.

About the author:
Mansi gupta writes about > greyhound racing topics .

Author : Mansi gupta
Site : www.goarticles.com

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