Pups or Ready Made ?

Ask me whether you are best buying pups or ready made race dogs and you would always get the same head scratching answer from me- I don't know, depend on your needs.

Pups are great fun with the expectation that you dream about for so long, will this be the one. Probably most will never live up to your dreams but you normally do still enjoy the dreaming and the racing as you are going full circle with the dogs.

I see it as a case of just keep throwing darts at the dartboard in the end, one will hit the bull’s eye. Well let’s hope any way. The problem is that you will probably get an offer you can’t refuse for the dog and circle starts again.

Ready made dogs are now available much cheaper on the graded size. My good friend Dave Yanez has started a service where he will source a dog from the sales or a source for a one off arrangement fee. http://www.gemfindersgreyhoundservice.com/

This is a must use service for any greyhound owner or trainer.

You often get offers for dogs through established and new contacts. The established ones are much the best. The money you pay is exactly what you get. The likes of Charles Picking at ZigZag and Brian/John at Shelbourne treat everyone as they should be and will do everything what they can for you and the dogs.

Occasionally you make take a chance on something else. Through a friend of a friend I’ve picked up a dog from Kerry that seems a snip and open to improvement. Those first days while you wait for dog and him to have his first run can be nervous times. If the dog was to run terrible and miss grading it open a lot more instant work. You may have to move him on to a smaller track at little or no cost. Time will tell.