This information should have explained why a stud dog must have stronger credentials than the brood matron requires. The answer has little to do with breeding, or productivity. Promoting a stud dog’s service is an entirely different ball game, and a very competitive and different one. The brood has little relation to the breeding world, only to her owner and specifically to the pups she produces.
The article I wrote for Cathy should have covered how to choose a stud dog, so there is no need to go into this. Let’s focus on the brood matron, and we should have these subjects covered.
There are some rules I have developed for myself over the years, and this would be an appropriate time to share some of these with you. The most important consideration I should provide you to start this subject is to realize that learning about greyhounds in every aspect of this sport comes from personal mental and physical relationships with your greyhounds for best decisions one expects to make. No one can learn everything they need to know from reading alone. It doesn’t matter how thorough information may be given . . . its not the same thing as being there in person.
I realize everyone cannot do this, and most greyhound owners in this organization are business people who don’t have the time to be that involved. Because of this, let’s cover a few key points which I feel are the most important of all.
The first item of importance I want to give you concerns the “disposition” of the female. You cannot read about this, so you need to learn how to question those who care for this females throughout the time prior to breeding her. If there is any negative question as to the disposition of the female, then I would not breed her. Why? Because the offspring will be more like their mother if she is going to be a productive brood matron. You must breed good solid traits into pups, and eliminate bad traits you can avoid at all costs.
When I was managing our racing kennels, then my trainers will tell you that I ask them many times about the disposition of certain females which I could not be around that much. Racing greyhounds can help motivate and make a good team in the kennel, or they can be totally disruptive and even demoralize the trainer. We had a kennel once which was next to another kennel composed of many greyhounds out of the sire, Wild Breeze. This was a great track dog, and many of his offspring could run, but 80% of them would destroy any kennel. There were fights continuously in the turnout pens, and utter chaos on a daily basis. God only knows how their trainer could go to work every day. The owner of this stud dog later sold him for a sizable sum. The buyer soon went out of business.
You want prospective broods which perform in the kennel, as well as on the race track. When you are working with a knowledgeable trainer you have respect for, then make sure you ask how well your female stacks up with all the other greyhounds in the kennel as far as disposition goes. Find out which greyhound he feels has the very best disposition in the kennel, then ask him to compare her to that particular greyhound. Just be satisfied that you still have confidence in your female, and that you would like to have pups just like her. Disposition cannot be weak. It must show a well controlled competitiveness shown in the kennel and on the race track. Trainers love this kind of greyhound as they are not trouble, but are all business at the right times.
You have seen human athletes which are easy going and nice to relate to, then become all business when the game begins. They are never a trouble to deal with, and get the job done. That is a good disposition. Add heart into this mix, and you have the perfect greyhound, one which normally won’t check turns and the like. I gambled on a female once which had so much heart that I just had to breed her. My trainer once told me “I believe she would run through a brick wall”. Her pups had heart, and made a great addition to our kennels.
Breeding takes years of experience to properly relate to, but I will cover some high points for you to consider when making your decision to breed a particular female. There will be exceptions to what I tell you. Just realize that I am attempting to keep you working with the highest percentages to be productive. The best way to do this is to forget any one female, and lets discuss this as though you are looking for the very best prospect possible. Should any female you own now have these traits, then count your blessings.
Disposition is the mental relationship one considers for best results. The physical qualities will be the second, and genetics provide the third consideration one should give in order to make a final decision.
Let me remind you of the most important tool, another rule to follow, which is the farm providing the total care and training of the offspring produced. You can do everything right, and still fail if you aren’t dealing with a productive farm. Eighty (80%) percent of the farms out there cannot consistently produce greyhounds with the ability to race at a top track like Wheeling. This means you have a twenty (20%) percent chance of being on the right farm.
Physical qualities of a greyhound is shown through the racing record they provide. When you look into these greyhounds, then you will likely see the same traits among the best ones. The traits I look for in males and females alike are as follows;
Eyes – big round piercing eyes quickly get my attention. You should be able to see a deep desire within most animals when you look into the eyes of hundreds of greyhounds. Take a tour and look into the eyes of the best greyhounds in a racing kennel, then compare that look with the others. If you are visiting a farm . . . make a game of looking for the most intense eyes you can find. Watch what a greyhound looks at when he/she is in a turnout pen, or into some activity. Some greyhounds confine their view within the pen, and with other greyhounds. Others, view everything going on outside the pen. They are alert and hold a stronger desire. The only distraction which might not allow you to see the true strength within the greyhound is their focus on you.
I made it a policy when hiring a kennel helper or trainer to watch the greyhounds in a racing kennel before that person was hired. Greyhounds actually look into your eyes, and they look into the eyes of strangers. From this, they react in a favorable or non-favorable manner. If they don’t show they like a potential employee, then they didn’t get the job.
Feet – greyhounds must stand up on their toes with good knuckled feet. I prefer smaller feet. A flat footed dog cannot run with any speed. They have no strength in their toes to grab the turf underneath. This may be more important than the eyes, but both go hand-in-hand in the confirmation of a good athlete.
Back – I prefer greyhounds which stand up high from the ground to the top of their hip bone. Then, have a strong back with a slight rise in the middle of the back which leans closer to their neck and shoulders than most greyhounds you see. You can learn what I am speaking of by looking at the top AA performers at any race track. There is a definite difference in the physical structure of their backs. You can see hundreds of greyhounds in runs on farms to practice looking for that special greyhound.
Teeth and gums – make sure your greyhounds have good teeth and gums; especially, a brood matron will not produce good litters, unless they have good teeth. Some people worry about breeding a older female. As long as they have good teeth, then they can produce, so use this toward making your decisions.
Size – there are many stories of small females producing big greyhounds, but many produce uneven litters, so I prefer breeding larger females, or no less than 58 pounds on rare occasions. A 60 pound female is plenty big as a starting place.
If you can put the above qualities together, then you are miles ahead of the game.
Choose only those females which come from quality litters. If she is the only good female in the litter, then she will likely produce one good pup in her litters. At least, I have seen this far more often than not. Make it a rule to only choose your broods that come from top litters. My first comment corner article discussed finding top litters at the NGA meets, and how you can purchase a female from these litters.
Try to purchase a female which not only comes from a good producing mother, but one who grand mother was very productive, also. That just ups your percentage toward success to another level.
If you want to race your greyhounds at Wheeling to go after the top commissions, then choose your females which ran successful at Wheeling. The offspring have a tendency to follow such a pattern if they are going to be productive at all. You can find all sorts of exceptions, but you are depending on luck when you do it don’t follow a solid game plan. There are far more losers doing this.
Genetics is the most demanding consideration of all. If anyone were astute to the highest level in this business, then they would have the greyhound industry cornered long ago. All you can do is follow obvious rules in you breeding strengths. Again, play the percentages by placing what you know works best in your favor. When you are breeding the kind of quality I have provided for you to consider, then you will greatly improve your percentages. Stay away from in-breeding before the fourth generation. Continue to outcross until that time.
The top three sires you were previously advised to breed to are obviously genetically sound, or would not be among the leading producers in the nation. If you have chosen your broods to match these greyhounds as described above, then you should have great success ahead. You will have a strong feeling of confidence when you plan your future in this manner.
Should you feel you do not know enough about what I have shared with you, then stick to females which ran in the top grade at the top tracks in the nation. Make sure you don’t breed them, until they have been off hormones for a minimum of six months. For best results, don’t breed them until they come off the track for a minimum of six months.
Few people have the thyroids tested of their brood matrons. The fact is . . . most females do not have a normal regulated thyroid. This will keep them from coming in season in the right cycle, and they may have small or uneven litters without proper regulations of their thyroid gland. Pay the small expense it takes for a veterinarian to make this test on your broods. It takes two tests to properly do this. The first one can determine the amount of thyroid medicine (pills) which should be given daily. Later, the second one will check the female to see if she has properly adjusted her thyroid level. If not, then the pill strength can be changed. You will always have much better litters when you do this, and your female will come in season on schedule.
When giving thyroid pills, then read the instructions. Most pills are good for 12 hours. This means you have to give them pills twice a day, or this is not being done properly. Few farms will do this as it is another requirement they won’t meet. The 20% successful farms are probably doing this already. Still, if you are going into this business, then do it right. You have to take it upon yourself to manage/confirm these things.
I had one farm give my females thyroid pills thinking they are used to bring the broods in season only. What a joke! Needless to say, we were not with them very long. The rest of their work was done the same way.
Build a relationship with a top notch farmer, one you feel is looking out for your best interest. Detail and communication is what makes greyhound racing work. Anyone who doesn’t pay attention to detail, and those who won’t communicate with you on a routine basis, then you will eventually lose has been my experience. Then again, farms change with time. These are things you cannot assume. You must stay in the flow. Ask questions, and expect prompt answers. When you cannot get them, then it is time to tuck your tail and run.
The above information is given for those of you who plan to breed your own females. If I have shared one thing which you can put to use, then it will make me feel good knowing I helped.
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Posted by: carpinteyronbq | 11/06/2011 at 01:46 AM