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Do you have questions about greyhound racing? Do you need advice on how to train a greyhound?
Swimming
P. Wood United Kingdom (Verified User) Posts 251 Dogs 0 / Races 0 15 Apr 2018 17:54
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Hi All! hope your all well! Just want to ask all trainers, including everyone's guru Carol Brown, does any one use swimming as part of training a greyhound for the track? I know the horse-racing fraternity do! I try to be radical in my training of graders. please advise! xw
Grant Dunphy Australia (Verified User) Posts 743 Dogs 4 / Races 1 15 Apr 2018 19:26
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I use swimming when dogs are injured & returning from injury.I actually use the horse swimming facility at Newcastle horse racetrack.Its like a canal with a 20m straight leading to a circle the size of a large bullring with a bridge so that you can go over the bridge & go round again or come back out the straight.I use a horse lead attached to the dogs collar.Most of them like it. I would use it more often for all dogs if it were closer.I think it would be great if our racetracks installed similar swimming facilities.
Tony Digiorgio Australia (Verified User) Posts 1008 Dogs 25 / Races 0 15 Apr 2018 21:11
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I remember the days we used to cross paths down near the traffic control tower at Botany Bay. There would be more dogs and horses there most mornings than at the Easter Show. Swimming was very popular to "sharpen" dogs up but as you say Grant, the venues are slowly disappearing.
I think it was in the Miss Lidcombe days. How time flys.
We used to swim our dogs all the time. There are just no facilities close enough now for me to do it. I believe it was beneficial. I wouldn't swim within a few days before racing but I know others who did and had no problems.
Carole Brown Australia (Verified User) Posts 32355 Dogs 185 / Races 2 16 Apr 2018 00:16
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Hi Woody, I will keep out of this one, as I am not a fan of swimming as part of training. Hope you get plenty of other answers so that you can make a decision. Best wishes.
Mark Donohue Australia (Verified User) Posts 3237 Dogs 6 / Races 0 16 Apr 2018 01:17
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All I can write is, dog paddle. They love it.
Sir Lloyd Williams once told us, how his Melbourne Cup winner always had problems and he couldnt gallop him for weeks and weeks. So, they had to swim him all of the time leading up to the Sydney Cup (3200m). The horse was beaten a nostril.
My friend who passed a couple of years ago, often said, there are no swimming races for dogs. I often quipped back, theyre not racing, theyre training.
So, each to their own opinion.
Jason Hay Australia (Verified User) Posts 321 Dogs 3 / Races 0 16 Apr 2018 01:29
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I swim my pups 2 times a day sometimes 3 but I live close to the river have to be careful of bull sharks and the salt water can give them upset tummies but they have muscles on top of muscles and it builds their inner core I believe and they luv it
Hi All! hope your all well! Just want to ask all trainers, including everyone's guru Carol Brown, does any one use swimming as part of training a greyhound for the track? I know the horse-racing fraternity do! I try to be radical in my training of graders. please advise! xw
Hi Woody Yes ,All our lives we learnt to swim the dogs ,it will take a few swims {weeks } to accustom them to it, because they are using some different muscles, and it needs to be introduced, gradually as in any thing. so you dont start with one that is racing that week ?? and the stayers soon learn that it builds up their stamina,as tthey will swim alittle further for you ,if you find a spot where you can go in with them , it helps to keep them going forward, and swimming correctly, and you can get better idea of the amount they have had, time or distance, learners will try and splash a little so being in there you can lift their back end and keep them going properly, salt water is good for them, but it is not always that you live where it is ,Bob and I swam his uncles dogs for years , but be careful winter time is no good ,too risky for chills, a swim and a gallop up the straight is all they need between races when they are well ,, all the best Val
P. Wood wrote:
Hi All! hope your all well! Just want to ask all trainers, including everyone's guru Carol Brown, does any one use swimming as part of training a greyhound for the track? I know the horse-racing fraternity do! I try to be radical in my training of graders. please advise! xw
My friend who passed a couple of years ago, often said, there are no swimming races for dogs. I often quipped back, theyre not racing, theyre training.
I used to hear that too Mark.
I believe it is very beneficial for stayers. It allows you to give them the extra work they require without the constant pressure of running. I found that it is very good for a dogs balance too (guessing like in humans it builds up core muscles). If it was feasible for me to still do it I would.
Mark Donohue Australia (Verified User) Posts 3237 Dogs 6 / Races 0 16 Apr 2018 02:27
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Yes, true Carly and Jason. I had stayers and sprinters and most of them loved it. Like someone wrote, if it's introduced to them gradually they will enjoy it as it builds up different muscles.
I too swam my dogs at Botany before the third runway was built and there were many horses and dogs waiting to have their swim behind the row boat. It was a little `money making machine' for the fella behind the boat. He even expanded to two row boats during the summer months and dogs/horses could swim two afternoons and weekends. I used to see horses mainly on a Sunday as a form of recovery, but I have seen horses having a short swim at the Equine Centre, Broadmeadow after their gallop on the track.
Tony Digiorgio Australia (Verified User) Posts 1008 Dogs 25 / Races 0 16 Apr 2018 02:35
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Tommy Smith/Gai Waterhouse would have 2 trucks full there every Sunday morning so there must have been some benefit in it.
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