From: kls4344@ritvax.isc.rit.edu (Person in flux)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.dogs
Subject: Re: Greyhound Obedience Training
Date: 27 Sep 92 17:21:27 GMT
Reply-To: kls4344@ritvax.isc.rit.edu
Organization: Rochester Institute of Technology

Gentle netters:

	I'm seeing huge articles in this newsgroup that I just don't have the
time to read (to my regret) because posters aren't trimming the text and are
leaving entire exchanges in.  Trying to read all this stuff again and again and
again is too frustrating, redundant, and (I feel) unnecessary.  Please, quote
*ONLY* the text to which you are responding; even better, quote nothing
especially if the subject header is accurate (like this one for working with
Greyhounds).  If you really want the text in your post, I suggest leaving it 
below your comments, like so:

Complete text follows for reference (no further comments from me).

Thanks.
Katie

Complete text follows for reference (no further comments from me).

In article <DEAN.92Sep24135028@wind.sweetpea.jsc.nasa.gov>, 
dean@sweetpea.jsc.nasa.gov (Jack Dean) writes:
>>>>>> In article <19sviiINNgju@agate.berkeley.edu>, dgm@garnet.berkeley.edu 
(D.G. Meads) writes:
> Debbie> NNTP-Posting-Host: garnet.berkeley.edu
>
>>Can anyone help?  I am assisting in a Dog Obedience class and we have an
>>ex-racing greyhound as one of our pupils. Since racing greyhounds are 
>>punished for sitting apparently, none of us are sure how to approach 
>>teaching 'sit'.  We have suggested going very slowly and gently, but no-one 
>>knew for sure.  'Down' is also going to be a problem since it's usually 
>>taught from a 'sit'.
>>
>>Can anyone out there give advice - 
>>
>>Thanks.
>>
>>Alison 
>>
> >> I wasn't aware that racing greyhounds were ever punished for sitting.  From
> >> my experience with retired racers, the bigger problem is that their muscles
> >> are so large that they are effectively muscle-bound and have difficulty
> >> with sitting and then moving into a down from there.  Also, the dog is in
> >> such a new situation that they don't know how to react to commands,
> >> homelife, etc.  Racers that I have known just needed time to lose the
> >> muscle mass and get used to the new luxury of their lives.
>
> Debbie> 	My rescue greyhounds have never done a regular "sit".  There is
> Debbie> an occasional modified version, which is sort of off to the side (as opposed
> Debbie> to the hind quarters just lowering).
> Debbie> 	My rationalization was that a)  the cages didn't allow sitting very
> Debbie> easily so they lie down instead b) it seems to me that their tails "start" 
> Debbie> really low on the rear end and their tails would be right angle (ouch) if 
> Debbie> they did a regular sit.
> Debbie> 	When relaxing (most of the time, I might add) my guys love to use a 
> Debbie> wall for support (all their cushions are next to a wall) it also helps when 
> Debbie> they decide to sleep on their backs.  Now that looks hilarious, those long 
> Debbie> legs all sprawled out... :) 
> Debbie> 	If we are out at a park (on leash OF COURSE) and I decide to sit on
> Debbie> a bench or something, they NEVER lay down or sit.  I'm sure they get bored
> Debbie> standing, but I'd just them stand there, trying to push 75lbs of unwilling
> Debbie> dog into a sitting position just isn't my idea of fun :)
> Debbie> 	I'm really interested in all the other rescued greyhounds and this
> Debbie> sitting thing...I sort of gave up on the idea a long time ago.
> Debbie> 	
>
> Debbie> Debbie Meads
> Debbie> and Tyre and Sidon
>
>I have also heard that racing greyhounds are trained not to sit;
>however, I am not sure if that is just folklore or if it is actually
>true.
>
>In any event, I have trained my two adopted retired racers to sit on
>command.  Their "sit" does look unusual though.  Due to the large
>amount of muscle mass, their butts don't reach the ground, and their
>knees stick out.  The position is analogous to a deep squat, or
>"sitting on your heels" in a human.  
>
>Of course their "down" position also looks a little strange at first.
>Their chest is so deep, and their waist so narrow that their is
>several inches of clearance.  Even in a down, their knees stick way
>out, and their butt is in the air.
>
>Debbie is right about the looks of greyhounds when they decide to
>sprawl out on their backs.  Legs and necks pointing off in all
>different directions.  It is hilarious.
>--
>Jack Dean                         dean@sweetpea.jsc.nasa.gov
>
>