6 - Greyhound Ages

In this section I discuss how to calculate the age of a greyhound from it's whelping date and explain why this may effect it's race performances. Please note a link to Greyhound Welfare sites is now provided in the hope of rehoming retired ex-racing dogs.

What's this Greyhound's Age in Months?

Knowing the age of the dog is yet another very important factor to take into consideration when predicting canine races, as it indicates to it's future racing potential and therefore implies to the general consistency of racing performances.

Greyhound Predictor v2.0 Software allows all dog racing ages to be entered in months.

In UK racing form, a dog's age is always taken from the first day of the month they were born, even if born on the last day of the month!

All dogs and bitches less than 24 months old are classified as 'greyhound puppies'. These inexperienced pups will at approximately 12 months of age be introduced to the idea of racing, after initial schooling trials and further 'grading in trials' most young dogs that achieve a 'grading in time', will make their race debuts between 15 - 18 months of age.

Dog trainers may occasionally elect to bring certain 'well bred pups' on slowly at first, deliberately keep them back, wrap them in cotton wool perhaps! and then introduce them fresh in the spring from a winter's break, in order to start to get them fit for the forthcoming competitive 'Puppy Opens' held later in the summer months.

These raw 'lightly raced greyhounds' are always said to be "open to improvement" and will improve rapidly over a short period of time, as overall they possess good racing potential, which is always thought a good sign, when predicting future greyhound winners. However, 'greyhound pups' frequently run a little 'green' and race inconsistently, as obviously young puppies are still learning to win dog races.

The age at which a greyhound reaches it's peak can vary enormously. It is generally considered a greyhound will be at it's best between 30 - 36 months, although I personally believe some greyhounds reach 'racing maturity' slightly earlier between 21 - 30 months of age and consider this, the perfect age for dogs racing over middle distances. Though bitches may take a little more time to reach their full potential.

Older greyhounds lets say between 36 - 48 months old will be competing in their second or third racing season, these mature experienced race dogs are often battle hardened to the hustle and bustle of regular races, having acquired 'good racing trackcraft' and remarkably produce very consistent racing performances, illustrated by the close proximity of their recorded racetimes.

A greyhound's racing career is a short one! as dogs still competing at an age of 54 - 60 months old, will be approaching the twilight of their track careers and many of these fondly remembered 'greyhound veterans' will sadly have to be retired. However, there are always exceptions to the rule, as a few 'seasoned old campaigners' will continue winning greyhound races at perhaps 70 - 80 months old. Although, many of these 'veteran racers' are generally thought past their best and will lack that bit of spark or back-straight pace they once possessed!

The Greyhound Predictor website now has an extra page dedicated to 'greyhound rescue sites' if you can in anyway help in the re-homing of retired racing greyhounds then please check out our greyhound rescue page.

Now check your racing newspaper.

To know how old a greyhound is? you need to find the raceform statistic known as the 'whelping date' this data is usually located in the greyhound formlines to the right of the dam's name. Now simply calculate the approximate number of months that have elapsed since the whelping date occurred!

Now enter this runner's age in months.

Next Page: Racing Weight

Greyhound Age Handicapper

	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11
2009	JAN	FEB	MAR	APR	MAY	JUN	JUL	AUG	SEP	OCT	NOV	DEC
2008	12	11	10	9	8	7	6	5	4	3	2	1
2007	24	23	22	21	20	19	18	17	16	15	14	13
2006	36	35	34	33	32	31	30	29	28	27	26	25
2005	48	47	46	45	44	43	42	41	40	39	38	37
2004	60	59	58	57	56	55	54	53	52	51	50	49
2003	72	71	70	69	68	67	66	65	64	63	62	61
2002	84	83	82	81	80	79	78	77	76	75	74	73
2001	96	95	94	93	92	91	90	89	88	87	86	85

How to use the chart:

Find the month this set of races is being run and circle the number above it.
Point at the month the hound was born and move your finger down that column until it's on the line showing the year the dog was born.
Add the number you circled in the top row (0 - 11) to the number your finger is pointing at.
The sum of the two numbers is roughly the hound's age in months.

Next Page: Racing Weight