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| Being a Trainer | |
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| Topic Started: Aug 20 2008, 10:27 AM (375 Views) | |
| windrunner | Aug 20 2008, 10:27 AM Post #1 |
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What do you need to be a trainer or handler? |
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| mountain4greys | Aug 21 2008, 07:02 PM Post #2 |
Grey Pup
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I'd like to know to. Always wanting to learn. This sounds like an interesting topic. |
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| CampWhippet | Aug 22 2008, 11:50 AM Post #3 |
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I'd love to spend all day with the dogs! |
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| windrunner | Aug 22 2008, 12:28 PM Post #4 |
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Me too, that would be awesome and I would do anything. |
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| windrunner | Apr 2 2009, 03:12 PM Post #5 |
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What qualifications do you need to be a handler? at the track? |
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| Fastdog | Apr 3 2009, 09:17 AM Post #6 |
Grey Pup
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When you say "handler" , are you refering to a trainer, or a leadout? There are also other positions at the track that deal with "handling" the dogs. Such as paddock judge. I have had long conversations with my trainer and this is what he has told me. He started his career with one qualification. That was a deep love of the dogs and the sport. There is no formal school for this. It is usually an apprentiship type deal. Get on as a kennel helper. Do all the hard dirty work. Pay attention to everything. Learn as you go and when you think you can do it by yourself, give it a shot. The hours are long and the pay stinks. Taking care of a racing kennel is no glamore job. It's 365 a year. At the kennel at 6am and lights out a couple of hours after the last race ended. Usually around midnight. It's paying close attention to every dog in the kennel. Thorough rubdowns to check for signs of discomfort or injuries. It's constant cleaning of the entire kennel to keep fleas and tics at bay. It's mixing up the nastiest looking mess of food every day and then carefully weighing it before feeding to ensure the dogs weight is maintained just right. It's cleaning poopy or wet beds. It's constantly cleaning crates. It's giving medication when necessary and not forgetting. It's doing turnouts and cleaning the turnout pens. It's cleaning ears and giving knucklebones once in a while to keep plaque and gingivitas away from teeth. It's dealing with grumpy owners that want to know why their dog doesn't win every race. It's dealing with fans who didn't win on your dog. It's dealing with jealous trainers in another kennel when your dogs do win. It's schooling and handslipping, and keeping track of progress and failure. It's the constant phone calls. You're joyful when you can tell an owner how well their dog is doing. You're sad when one has finished it's career and has to go home. It's the tears you will shed when one of your own is injured or put down. It's up at all hours of the night to meet the haulers to load or receive dogs. It's the track vet that wants to inspect your kennel and the dogs. It's dealing with unreasonable track owners and track management that don't want to reinvest in their business or fix anything around the compound. This just begins to tell some of the responsibility of being a trainer. So why would anyone ever want to subject themselves to this misery? It's because after you handle these dogs for that much time every day, they become like your own children, with their own little quirks and personalities. With all the misery and hard work, as with your own children, you do it out of love. And when you finally get a chance to stop and look at what you've got, you will find that you are as poor as a church mouse. But you are one of the richest people on earth, because for all you have given, you have received back ten fold the love of a greyhound. Edited by Fastdog, Apr 3 2009, 10:27 AM.
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| windrunner | Apr 4 2009, 12:49 PM Post #7 |
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leadout but I do anything. I worked for a doggie day care for 5 years and I know all about cleaning, poop cleanup, etc. The money really doesn't matter, cause I am near retirement. |
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| Fastdog | Apr 6 2009, 03:39 PM Post #8 |
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Grey Pup
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W.R. I'd say you're a little to old to be a leadout. Thats for the kids who can run up and down the track 30 times a card. However you are not to old for the rest of it. You just need to be where the action is. Maybe some day you can get there. I'm sure there will be a kennel that is dying for your help. Especially if you work cheap. They really are crying for good help that is responsible and can be counted on. I'd say you are more than qualified. But one thing about this sport, you will never ever know everything and there is always something new to learn every day if you want to. Your caring and concerned attitude is just what a racing kennel is looking for. |
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| windrunner | Apr 7 2009, 01:28 PM Post #9 |
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How bout the guy who checks the dogs during intro or I could drive that tractor and do the track clearing every few races. Even in my present job of 21yrs I still learn new things. Well hopefully one day, this could happen. |
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| Fastdog | Apr 7 2009, 03:56 PM Post #10 |
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Grey Pup
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The tracks have what they call the paddock judge. That person is responsible to check the ear tatoos of the dogs as they come from the ginny pit to the paddock to be blanketed and readied for the next race. They are supposed to do this for every dog to ensure the correct dog is running according to the card. They also do the weigh-ins as the dogs are brought from the kennels to the ginny pit. There is some paperwork involved in that position and it's usually filled by an adult employed by the track. It's not a bad job for some part time work. The guy that drives the tractor and waters and drags the track is not a bad job either if you don't mind being out in the weather. Usually the tracks have a person employed that is the track manager that knows how to keep the track surface in proper condition. That person may or may not be the one that drives the tractor, but will always supervise the work. That's not bad part time work either. Track conditions are one of the most important things about dog racing. It can litteraly make or break a dog. (if you know what I mean) |
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8:40 PM Nov 25
