by Warren Young, Coalition for the Protection of Greyhounds
There are many dog breeds selected to produce companion animals for families. Although not all dogs are bred ethically, many are prepared for home life with a family as soon as they are born.
This is important because a review of research on this topic has shown that early life experiences have a lasting influence on adult dog behaviour and well-being.
The behaviour of adult dogs is largely determined by the quality of maternal care, its attachment style to its mother, and the variety of both social and non-social stimuli provided during the early and late socialisation period. Insufficient or inadequate stimulation during these periods may increase the risk of developing behavioural disorders as the dog matures.
Research indicates negative or traumatic experiences may have negative long-term consequences on health and behaviour e.g. removal from the litter prior to eight weeks of age. These negative early experiences which limit the ability to develop effective coping strategies and routines, may be particularly important contributors to aggressive behaviour in adult dogs.
Life as a greyhound puppy
The greyhound racing industry has set minimum standards relating to raising pups. In NSW, the Code of Practice states:
- From 3 weeks, pups should have daily exposure to humans
- From 0-8 weeks, there must be “regular contact” with other dogs, play with the mother, and exposure to different surfaces and toys
- At 16 weeks, they can be specifically prepared for racing by exposure to the starting box, lures, and race cages
One problem is that these are minimum standards. Trainers and owners are not required to provide the socialisation and early experiences that all pups need for the development of good health, temperament and behaviour. For example, daily exposure to humans could just be a single trainer. Contact with other dogs is likely to be restricted to other greyhounds, not other breeds. “Regular contact” is vague and open to interpretation. At 8 weeks of age, there is no stipulation for the pup to be with their mother. Pups separated from their mothers at about 6 weeks of age are more likely to develop behavioural issues.
Deprived of stimulation and enrichment
The other problem is that these standards cannot be enforced. According to Dr Liz Arnott, former Chief Vet officer with Greyhound Racing NSW, greyhounds are vulnerable because they can experience multiple changes in ownership and environment, and live in social and spatial confinement. She stated that between 3-12 weeks of age is crucial for long term welfare. Pups should be exposed to novel environments, people, sounds, objects, and dogs. Without these early experiences, they will lack coping skills, resilience and adaptability as adults.
Think of a young companion dog living in a home with a variety of people, different levels such as stairs, visiting a local dog park to interact with other humans and dogs. Greyhounds living in kennels are generally deprived of this important stimulation and enrichment.
The racing industry claims that greyhound welfare is improving, and points to statistics such as reduced death rates. Dr Arnott pointed out that the “absence of death is not an animal welfare metric”. She suggests that welfare needs to be measured by positive emotions and well-being, and being free of negative emotions such as boredom, fear, and anxiety.
Behavioural disorders - a death sentence
When we consider the deprived lifestyle of a young racing greyhound, it’s not surprising that they seem to have a reputation for being a nervous and anxious breed. And when the public see greyhounds wearing a muzzle, they could be forgiven for thinking the dogs are also aggressive. In fact, research confirms that the first 6 months of life is vital for preventing aggression to unfamiliar humans.
Therefore, the upbringing of a young greyhound puts them at risk of acquiring behavioural disorders, which could ultimately be a death sentence. Why? Because, if a racing greyhound gets through their racing career alive, ongoing behavioural issues such as aggression could render them unsuitable for rehoming. Greyhounds branded this way can be legally euthanised by a Veterinarian.
Petra's story
If a greyhound is eventually rehomed, they can display anxiety through their adult life. My companion greyhound is a good example. After nearly five years in our home, she has poor adaptability to new situations. A recent example is freezing on a walk after hearing the sound of a runner’s footsteps. Unfortunately, she just doesn’t cope with novel situations, even with anxiety medication.
It’s impossible to predict how many greyhounds have acquired dysfunctional behaviour due to their early experiences, but this is something the greyhound racing industry will never acknowledge since true greyhound well-being is of no interest when dogs are not profitable. Once again, greyhounds are just treated as commodities reared for human exploitation.