Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 March 1900 — DOG RACING. [ARTICLE]

DOG RACING.

Methods Employed la Training and Running Whippets. The dogs employed for racing are generally whippets, i. e., miniature greyhounds. They vary considerably in size, and are handicapped in the races according to their weight; the lighter the dog the longer start he gets. ♦ ♦ • The racing is managed in the following manner: The dogs are held on to the marks allotted to them by the when all are ready the owners or trainers of the dogs run up to the course. As they run they wave white towels or pieces of white calico —technically known as “the rag”—and attract the dogs’ attention by whistling and calling to them. These men are obliged to pass a mark placed about ten yards past the winning post. The starter usually stands either behind the dogs or cne side of the course close to them. The start is effected by the firing of a pistol, and the dogs being released run as fast as they can towards their owners or trainers. As these men are standing ten yards past the winning post it follows that the dogs are running at their best pace as they pass that spot. Each dog is distinguished by wearing a colored ribbon round its neck, and the judge usually stands in a hole in the ground, so his eyes may be on a level with the dogs as they pass him. Directly the race is over the judge hoists a colored flag corresponding to the color worn by the winning dog. A word as to the way in which the dogs are started for a race: They are not merely released by the men who are holding them on to their “marks.”' The man in charge of a dog generally kneels with one knee on the ground, and holds the dog by the scruff of the neck until the started gives the signal to “get ready.” The man then takes a firmer grip with his left hand of the loose skin at the dog’s neck, while with his right hand he holds the dog up by the root of the tail so that only thedog’s front legs rest on the ground. The front legs must not be beyond the mark from which the dog is to start. As soon as the pistol is fired, the man “throws” the dog off. The object of this “throw” is to enable the dogs to ; fall at once into his stride. If the dogs j were merely slipped, in all probability they would not go “clean” from theslipper’s hands, and in scrambling to get off they might slip and thus lose all chances of winning the race. It will be easily understood that there are a right and wrong way of “throwing” a whippet off the mark, and that the wrong way is the easier of the two. A good start is worth several lengths to a dog in a hundred and sixty yards* race. ♦ ♦ ♦ The exercising of the whippets is tedious work, since the dogs must be led out for their walks. The trainer usually, commences the day by giving . his dogs their liberty for half an hour. He then takes them up, puts on their leads, and goes off for a walk of from six to twelve miles. The length of the walk varies according to the dogs* constitutions and the amount of time that the owner is willing to subtract from his usual working hours. But whatever length the walk may be, it must be steady and continuous; it will not answer the same purpose to let the I dogs run loose and follow as they please. ♦ • ♦—Royal Magazine.