Steve, you are flogging a dead horse so to speak or is that term no longer allowed.

Using dead carcasses on trial days will never be reinstated either here or in Aus. and neither should it. It just ain't going to happen so we best move on and break them in without it.
I have been breaking in dogs for over 35 years and have never used a carcass on trial days. Most of the times I have seen people using one on the dogs that were not blessed with the right genes it made little difference.

In the 35 years, what was it you mainly used, Michael?

Mick the Kiwi ...
Cough cough Bullsh1t ....

"It has been very entertaining watching Bruce in 2017..."

You need to get out more, Kevvy.

Being Data's only Columnist is a rarity considering Bruce himself said no one reads this stuff on Social Media ..

Come on Micky.... Bruce is great Value for money and i have never seen somebody so disliked as Bruce ....
Back in my day there was no dislike button but i would of threatened Bruce's dislike record Guaranteed..lol
Micky G ...

It's not easy to read my stuff on Social Media, as you suggest (I did not say that, you did). First, I never use it myself. Second, quite a few of my articles have been pirated by some media and generally attracted compliments. I have even been translated into Finnish, while Grey2K watch it like a hawk. Third, the only place I get more dislikes than likes is right here. This is also the only place where trainers far outnumber any other interested parties. Hmmm.

Long ago I mentioned that the reason I logged on here was to pick up information. Some times that has worked out but mostly it doesn't as the majority of posts play the man, not the ball.

Many find your Social Media Talent wise in wisdom Bruce and some don't ...

You do very well Bruce for a Man who said he don't believe in the power of Social Media ..

It is great to see the Scribs of Greyhound racing now post their Opinions and concerns to such a power Media ............Social Media Bruce and Greyhound Data is the source of all things current with Greyhound racing Worldwide ...

Every person Anti or PRO reads everything they need to know right here and believe it or not your posts get the most responses so Mate you must be doing something right not wrong so keep playing the drums because at times it does amuse me and Yes Micky G i do need to get out a lot more ...

Quote... "It's not easy to read my stuff on social media..."

You're not wrong there, Bruce.
It's bloody painful and fateagues most.

If you really need an answer to that it explains why you are all crying in your porridge.
Are you telling me that over the ditch you have not figured out a way to break in dogs without either live or dead bait?

As for MG, no doubt hell respond.

no doubt they have had to Michael........either that or be prepared for a 2 yr jail term/30k fine

the main problem here as I saw it, is that due to the lack of carcasses and/or lure changes dogs are not performing anywhere near as consistently which in turn denigrates the sport and stifles its income as a result.

not good outcome for owners, trainers, breeders, punters, Government, the establishment, even breakers.

Michael,
I think you have taken my question wrong.
No insinuation of anything live whatsoever.
I'll rephrase it..

Were you using synthetic only lures in your 35 years of breaking and if not, what materials did you use to heighten the senses of the dogs?
Just interested what others were using, especially from different countries.
Cheers.

Micky G

Are you aware that More than 400 Australian wildlife species are being hunted by feral cats...in Australia alone .

Rats, possums and stoats, which kill 25 million of New Zealand's native birds every year and prey on other native species like lizards,

PS
Micky also don't forget
One person is torn to pieces every three months by a Croc in Far north Queensland.so say it .... Bobby Katter ..

I hate domestic cats with a vengeance and will shoot any rabbit that steps on my property but never use them as bait. Although I have fed rabbit to my dogs in the past.

Mike G , I am certain you do not need to know or would be interested in how we break in our dogs but just prove I am not just stirring I will tell you what you already know.
As greyhounds have been bred to chase artificial lures for generations My belief from day one has been to try and trigger that instinct in them as early as possible. Traditionally we have used sheepskin au natural but as that has been harder to obtain we buy from a tannery down the line a bit. We started doing that several years before the rule came in.
Someone on here posted that a lot of chase was lost when greyhounds were allowed to hunt naturally and that as the larger properties fell by the wayside that went out the window. We had a lot off success this way early on and although they seldom saw or caught anything they enjoyed the freedom and the hunt. I am sure it triggered the hunter in them.
I was one of the most vocal here in NZ about not being able to use natural skins for no other reason than dead animals are used in all sorts of ways that may not make people happy. I know one trainer here that only fed possum which would not go down well in Aus. It is a top source of protein (better than beef) and there were a lot of carcasses available from the trappers till someone saw a commercial use for it.
However with scandal after scandal things need to change. The people who bought in the rule quite rightly said a member of the public or for that matter an investigator would not be able to tell, while watching a trial if the lure was live or dead or If it had been alive. I had to agree that is no longer viable whilst we are continuing to dogged (lol) by not only the activists but all the keyboard warriors who have no other reason to jump on the bandwagon other than they can.
I am now in the camp that believe there should be an official lure that is chosen by the trainers and provided by the governing bodies that can be distinguished as a legal lure, and that is all that is allowed to be used. Creates a level playing field and easy to police.
yellow for you with green polka dots would do and ours could be black with a silver fern or whatever stars and stripes for USA and gold harps for the Irish. They would be all that is legal and you could also use the same lure on racedays which makes sense.

Whatever, but think of something before someone thinks of something we like less.

Well Michael,
That is a much better answer than your last one and I'm glad I raised the question with you.

Point 1. You are right. I did not NEED to know.
Point 2. You are wrong. I AM interested to know as the rule affects ALL of us and proves that we all believe(like the rest of society) that natural reward should be allowable, especially when it comes to the integrity of a racing animal.

All participants. from ANY country, must be allowed to train their animals using a lure that will heighten all three senses used to chase...Sight, Sound, and Smell.
Knock out any one of those senses and it is compromising the integrity of the animal to chase truly.
The results of compromising that is what we are actually seeing now...Failure to break in, failure to pursue in a race, and fighting in a race.
Someone tried to insinuate that Greyhounds have a very weak sense of smell, you and I, and everyone else who has anything to do with training knows that is absolute rubbish.
I don't know how many times I have called up a dog free running on the straight travelling at 70 klm an hour, only to stop on a dime and run back to a scent it picked up while galloping.
It's sense of smell is HIGHLY engaged WHILE RUNNING and very efficient.

Anyway, I agree with you, Michael, an official lure should be nominated and be used in training AND on race days and here it is...
A BLOODY SHEEPSKIN!!!!!!
A sheep, in anyone wildest imagination, CANNOT to swung around a track or bullring for live-baiting!!
Simple, end of story.
It should be permitted to be used in puppy yards, in breaking in, and on racetracks so the progression is continuous and the dog knows the reward...it all makes sense!
Although I don't have a problem with the use of dead rabbits, I too can see some people try to connect it with live baiting.
If race clubs want to get creative, use vegetable dye to colour the wool.
I don't see any problem using as training rewards any thing that is impossible to connect with live baiting ie: kibble, dried liver etc, beef steak.

Anyway, the most important thing is to get a rule in place where scent CAN and HAS TO be allowed to train the animal properly.

SO, Michael, my new friend from NZ...now that we have become friends and all Kiwis I know have a sense of humour...here's a Kiwi joke...

Q. What do Kiwis use as after-shave?

A. Mint sauce!

:)

I know...the hypocrisy of it all!
I don't like cats at all, and a lot of people let them murder and murder!!!!

It's a twisted little world we live in, Kevvy.