Greyhound

When speech of galgos, immediately comes to our mind the image from the Greyhound, powerful machine to run, defined by its characteristics and their bearing like ?the one of the dogs and the dogs of the kings?. Of very old origin, he was used for the hunting of the hare, however today, attracts a public of great enthusiastic, disputing in the greyhound tracks worldwide races that, as much by the number of spectators as the amount of the prizes, is almost on a par of those of horses.

On his origins it is known, almost with absolute certainty, that they were the Phoenicians who introduced in Europe, around year 1000 before Christ, to first lebreles originating of Egypt and East. When arriving at the British Islands, these dogs were crossed other races that had there then, like some of shepherd quickly and some molosos. It has been being in fact that the race already has been fixed, in his present characteristics, for many centuries as they demonstrate infinity to it of testimonies, some from which are quite remote. Dog appreciated by the English poor men and sovereigns, was bred by these with great skill and had in great consideration until the point to punish with severe pains to that killed it. Willingly payment of debts and tributes were accepted by the noble like that sometimes even, ascended to strong sums. Dogs of a so high lineage, could not be lazy of side by the most important artists of different times (writers and painters). Between] you many that would deserve to be remembered, most famous are certainly the great flamenco painter Van Dyck who, in an excellent picture of whole body of James Stuart, Duke of Lenox and Richmond (conserved in the Metropolitan Museum de Arte of New York), it presents/displays us to a Greyhound of rare beauty and very similar to the present ones.

Also the Greyhound appears in pictures of Italian painters like Paolo Uccello, Vittore Carpaccio, Paolo Veronese, both Tiépolo (Giovanbattiste and Giandomenico) and other artists, which demonstrates that this race had begun to extend outside England, already at the end of the Average Age.

In a great synthesis, the Greyhound can be compared with a very powerful car, been born for the races in which everything is based on a fast displacement with the minimum effort and the minimum resistance. The extremities are fine but robust and powerful, the musculatura exceptionally developed that is marked very or under a fine skin, tense and or adhered in all the parts of the body.

THE GALGOS RACES. The origin of the races of Greyhound is relatively more recent. They were born in the lsabelina time (aims of century XVI beginnings of the XVII) like answer to the discussions on the speed of this race. These manifestations spread quickly by all England until the point that was necessary, to horse between century XVIII and the XIX, one precise regulation of the same ones. Simultaneously, the first societies for the races were born of galgos, initially in England, Ireland and Scotland and later outside the British Islands, for the protection and the development of the race dog, to take and to guard books of origins and to make, in the greyhound tracks, the necessary managements. At the present time, these competitions are spread throughout but mainly in Great Britain, Ireland and the United States they as much have great relevance by the number of races that are disputed every year, like by the number of facilities, the participation of the public and finally by the quantity of the prizes and the volume of the bets that, in the most important meetings, are almost equipable to great the classic ones of the equestrian one. The facilities for the races of dogs have improved much lately arranging most of the greyhound tracks of an equipment very falsified (mechanical hare, electronic totalizers, television in closed circuit) as it happens in many of the Spaniards. He is the public much who attends them in each meeting since the number of fans very is elevated noticing an increasing interest by this type of manifestations. The races are disputed on diverse distances, according to the form and the development greyhound track where they are carried out. They vary from a minimum of 270 meters - reserved for pure sprinters to a maximum of 850: on this distance those dogs train themselves that we could define as ?fondistas?. The classic measurement for the great competitions - like for example the English or Irish Derby it is of 500 meters, occasion in which the winner receives a prize of approximately 20,000 pounds sterling. Also races of obstacles are disputed during which the dogs must jump four fences in each return of track. Nevertheless, these races are becoming more and more rare mainly by the high percentage of accidents that produce since during them the dogs are put under efforts and difficulties much greater than those than must make in the races in level.

Raised to the cross. Males of 71 to 76 cm., females of 68.5 to 71 cm.

Head. It releases, moderately wide. Powerful jaws, with white and strong teeth: the incisors of maxilar superior are superposed in form of scissors to those of inferior maxilar. Slight Stop. Flat skull.

Eyes. Of dark color.

Ears. Small, in rose form fine.

Neck. Length, muscular, slightly been nauseated, placed well between shoulders.

Previous extremities. Shoulder oblique, muscular, without getting to be heavy. Long extremities and the correct seriousness, with good bones. Free elbows, located under shoulders. Metacarpos of average length, slightly inclined.

Body. Deep and wide thorax. Deep ribs, curved and arranged well backwards. Flanks remarkably raised. Quite long, wide and square back. Powerful kidneys, slightly been nauseated.

Later extremities. Thighs and wide and muscular legs. Metatarsos well flexible. Corvejones low and in correct seriousness.

Feet. Moderately wide, with compact fingers and strong phalanges, robust plantar pads.

Tail. It releases, of low, strong enough birth in the base but it is sharpened towards the end; the dog takes it low and slightly curved

Coat. Fine and closed. Color: black, target, red, blue, red deer, atigrado, or anyone of these colors mixed in the target.

FEEDING. The nutritional necessities for this vigorous dog vary, not only and like it is obvious according to sex and the age but also, based on the intensity of the physical effort that must make. In the units in rest contributions of 1,500 - 1,700 are considered sufficient Kcal. daily. In conditions of training, generally, this value must be increased until at least twice. On the other hand, the provision of vitamins, mineral salts and vegetal oils, will have to be in direct relation with the work development.

DAILY CARES. For the units destined to the races, it is of extreme importance of arriving at the time of the competition, in optimal physical training conditionses, anticipated fundamental to obtain excellent results. For the care of the mantle, he is advisable to happen to him with certain frequency, a glove for smooth hair.

DISEASES. In the Greyhound a clinical picture denominated cramp is known galgo. This alteration appears in the units of the greyhound track or in the phase of training or during the competition. During the race, the dog has of unexpected walking rigid that puts itself in evidence by the effort that makes when moving the later extremities that shortly after tend to become rigid determining their halting and fall. The causes not yet have a scientific explanation although it seems that they can have to an incorrect feeding, bad environmental conditions and stress. The directed therapy to solve the acute problem, consists of carrying out massages in the legs of the dog maintaining it in rest. In the space of few minutes of sintomatología it disappears. Nevertheless, the best therapy seems to consist of a good prophylaxis that puts in practice all the norms of feeding, hygiene, atmosphere and training.

 

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