Flabbergasted 67 Report post Posted January 15, 2018 Don't know if anyone has actually picked up on this posted on the GRNZ site on 19/12/17 New Rule and Policy Please view the following new rule and policy, also to be published in February On Track magazine.A copy of the new Rule book can now be viewed on our website under Rules and Policies. There has been a number of calls asking what is and isnt allowable in terms of the Rule and policy? The only allowable material is TANNED SHEEPSKIN. Squeakers are NOT allowed (you must use something like a bottle with stones in it, a rattle, or some other means of audible device that does not mimic an animal If you are given old club lure skins, this is allowable Can I make synthetic lures, YES What if I buy a synthetic toy and it has a squeaker in it - Either puncher it so it doesn't make a noise, or remove it Can i use a tanned possum skin - NO Common sense will tell you, if you are nervous about the type of product your using - Keep the receipt Again - Approved means - A Lure that: (a) is made up of professionally tanned sheepskin; or (b) is made up of purely synthetic materials; or (c) is made up of a combination of (a) and (b). NO SQUEAKERS Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hound Fan 577 Report post Posted January 15, 2018 16 minutes ago, Flabbergasted said: Don't know if anyone has actually picked up on this posted on the GRNZ site on 19/12/17 New Rule and Policy Please view the following new rule and policy, also to be published in February On Track magazine.A copy of the new Rule book can now be viewed on our website under Rules and Policies. There has been a number of calls asking what is and isnt allowable in terms of the Rule and policy? The only allowable material is TANNED SHEEPSKIN. Squeakers are NOT allowed (you must use something like a bottle with stones in it, a rattle, or some other means of audible device that does not mimic an animal If you are given old club lure skins, this is allowable Can I make synthetic lures, YES What if I buy a synthetic toy and it has a squeaker in it - Either puncher it so it doesn't make a noise, or remove it Can i use a tanned possum skin - NO Common sense will tell you, if you are nervous about the type of product your using - Keep the receipt Again - Approved means - A Lure that: (a) is made up of professionally tanned sheepskin; or (b) is made up of purely synthetic materials; or (c) is made up of a combination of (a) and (b). NO SQUEAKERS What a joke....my daughter is outside with her pet dog playing with my sqeaker lure.....thanks brendon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flabbergasted 67 Report post Posted January 15, 2018 I'm all for the improved welfare and understand and support the changes made and implementation of these better initiatives however no squeakers is going way too far. Most tracks in Australia have some sort of squeaker on their lures which are often audible when listening to race broadcasts from across the ditch. So they haven't even gone to such ridiculous lengths. How are we supposed to get a dog's attention so as to get them to run up a straight or along the beach or in a paddock when trying to catch them especially as puppies. Absolute lunacy and obviously these people have never trained a dog. Don't dare whistle or blow a whistle or you could be charged with breaching the rule. The avearge pet owner can throw a squeaky toy to their puppy or pet and it's perfectly legal - come on...... get real ! As if this ill thought out idea wasn't ludicrous enough then someone has the most stupid suggestion of all: Use a bottle with stones in it, a rattle - yeah right most dogs crap themselves when they hear similar noises like thunder, firecrackers etc. - as a matter of fact I know many trainers who actually use this very thing as a disciplinary action to train dogs. If they bark and you shake the boittle they usually shut up real fast. So many dogs may just turn it up cold. Oh and some great grammar in there too - "puncher it" - Might be easier if one was to puncture it instead. Jabba2, come on ref and gary1 3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bus stop 230 Report post Posted January 15, 2018 Just wonder what the situation is around keeping chickens, weaner pigs, and the granddaughters pet lamb she is getting ready for show day on the same property as racing greyhounds are getting trained. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alltheway!!! 640 Report post Posted January 15, 2018 22 minutes ago, bus stop said: Just wonder what the situation is around keeping chickens, weaner pigs, and the granddaughters pet lamb she is getting ready for show day on the same property as racing greyhounds are getting trained. As long as they are not being used to stir dogs up (which they arent obviously). Should be fine. After the whole cole saga. Do not be surprised if the nzgra follow nsw did by banning the ownership of small animals on greyhound properties Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimbob 92 Report post Posted January 15, 2018 Squeakers are NOT allowed (you must use something like a bottle with stones in it, a rattle, or some other means of audible device that does not mimic an animal good luck trying to enforce that one , the entire industry has become a joke who wants to bet on a bunch of non chasers Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kinetic 124 Report post Posted January 15, 2018 Why does crap like this keep coming into the industry? It's rediculous... And it has massive effects, a freind of mine in aus has pulled out of coming in on a pup in NZ......this rule was the last straw. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kinetic 124 Report post Posted January 15, 2018 So who do we complain too? I've emailed Phil but don't think I'l get anything back. How do we fight this? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
feral 36 Report post Posted January 15, 2018 https://www.chewy.com/hear-doggy-silent-squeaker-penguin/dp/130089 Problem solved !!!!!!! Emotive, MiniJax and GOM 3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hound Fan 577 Report post Posted January 15, 2018 1 hour ago, feral said: https://www.chewy.com/hear-doggy-silent-squeaker-penguin/dp/130089 Problem solved !!!!!!! I guess one thing in our favour is the riu cant enforce anything bar the dress code when it suits and picking dogs up for vet checks...so just carry on as normal because in my opinion they dont care as long as they get there wages and they really dont like things that cause a problem....simply because they dont understand our rules...thats why under the jca they get beaten 80pc of the time...... come on ref 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ownagreyhound.co.nz 52 Report post Posted January 15, 2018 I get the possum skin rule, and the thought process behind that. The squeaker rule is subjective due to its definition and i would suggest difficuilt to enforce. For example what if you had a squawker or a bleaker (not a squeaker) and it didnt mimic an animal - it just made a noise, then there would be no problem. The focus for NZGRA needs to be on the fact the NZ greyhound industry in its current state is not sustainable, that is what will cripple the code. Sustainability plays a very important part in all aspects of life, the greyhound code is no exception. There is too much window dressing going on and the code trying to make itself look good to those that have little knowledge of the industry, this needs to stop and the real issues addressed. hedley, lad27, Emotive and 4 others 5 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emotive 306 Report post Posted January 15, 2018 Personally, I don't have an issue with the "no squeaker rule" but I do agree it does seem OTT. Is there a will to police this rule, can't say I believe there is because certain trainers are still whistling at pre-race stir-ups, and that was banned also. Just wondering if these rules are meant to be applied to all cos' from my race day armchair that doesn't appear to be the case. alltheway!!! 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOM 1,017 Report post Posted January 16, 2018 On 16/01/2018 at 8:31 AM, Emotive said: Personally, I don't have an issue with the "no squeaker rule" but I do agree it does seem OTT. Is there a will to police this rule, can't say I believe there is because certain trainers are still whistling at pre-race stir-ups, and that was banned also. Just wondering if these rules are meant to be applied to all cos' from my race day armchair that doesn't appear to be the case. Strange comment Em. I would not even be able to guess how many times I have started a dog in a race over the years and can honestly say I have NEVER heard any trainer whistle at their dog at the stir up. I have heard them make comments like here comes Harold and I was in the habit of telling them here comes the bunny because that is what they think they are chasing and I was not about to try and change their mind. Of course after the rule change I had to amend that to Rapite and whisper it in their ear but I think they get the message. The White Poodle 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe blogs 202 Report post Posted January 16, 2018 Well you must ne death as it happens in every race Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOM 1,017 Report post Posted January 16, 2018 23 minutes ago, Joe blogs said: Well you must ne death as it happens in every race must ne death????? Is that near death or be deaf. What a stupid comment. There is absolutely no way you or anyone else could verify that comment one way or the other. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alison 12 Report post Posted January 17, 2018 True Joe Blogs.Just be in a stir up next Junior McInerney.Whistles all the time. lad27, Jabba2 and Emotive 3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOM 1,017 Report post Posted January 17, 2018 That does not equate to it" happening every race" I am completely baffled how Emotive knows this from their armchair watching it on TV. Hall 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOM 1,017 Report post Posted January 17, 2018 The heading for this thread was "Are they for real" and most of the answers have addressed that they probably are but have set themselves some impossible targets. Putting rules in place that unenforceable is lunacy. What a farce this present lot are, falling allover themselves to please whoever choses to complain. I have come to the sorry conclusion that there is no coming back from this. We have thrown in the towel, the sport or industry or call it what you will is unsustainable. That means that using the current rules and circumstances the sport will be unable to survive long into the future. Simple maths taking into account the number of dogs required to fulfill our obligations, the amount bred, the amount imported and the amount able to be rehomed , tell you it cannot work. This should give Anzacs Army cause for celebration but should also be a warning for the other two racing codes. The activists are already active in both those arena's and it is hard to argue with some of the early changes made but that is just the beginning Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flabbergasted 67 Report post Posted January 17, 2018 Well as my name suggests I'm flabbergasted. I just watched a show on TV1 called "Purina Pound Pups To Dog Stars". They rescued a Golden Retriever from a pound and he had no idea about being a dog having obviously been backyard bound and neglected. Scared of water wouldn't chase a ball etc. Well blow me down got him used to water and thanks to a squeaky toy (rubber chicken) learned to retrieve and was retrained and became normal. The dog trainer's words were quite prophetic "They respond to the sqeaky noise as part of their natural prey drive, they enjoy it and it's fun for them" and "these dogs make the perfect family pet". Well blow me down the show highlighted the predicament of the poor dog and the very thing responsible for saving this dog's life (a squeaky toy) is praised and perfectly ok but here our authorities are basically taking away the our breed's fun to try and appease some do-gooders in the general public. Talk about a hypocritical society. If it's good for one breed then it has to be good for all breeds and there should be no discrimination. GOM, Jabba2, bus stop and 3 others 6 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emotive 306 Report post Posted January 17, 2018 2 hours ago, GOM said: That does not equate to it" happening every race" I am completely baffled how Emotive knows this from their armchair watching it on TV. I never said it happens every race GOM, I said it is happening despite the ban, and that fact was confirmed by two other people. I also never said anything about watching on the telly. And how do I know, just sit at the end of the grandstand terrace and watch the stir-ups at Wanganui. My point was if an action is banned would there be a will to police the ban? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kinetic 124 Report post Posted January 17, 2018 It just blows me away that an anti narrow minded unrealistic perfect world person sais to nzgra 'that squeaker toy sounds like a wounded animal and should be banned'. And instead of our association showing some backbone and substance, they say oh yes it does your right, well ban it. If anyone from the NZGRA is reading this, show some bloody balls and stand up for our industry! We do not live in a perfect world, we can be transparent and proud of our industry. Why couldn't they just have said to this anti, no your being rediculous....we are not banning squeaky toys and squeaking lures. And that's it. GOM, come on ref and legs&lashes 3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOM 1,017 Report post Posted January 17, 2018 10 hours ago, Emotive said: I never said it happens every race GOM, I said it is happening despite the ban, and that fact was confirmed by two other people. I also never said anything about watching on the telly. And how do I know, just sit at the end of the grandstand terrace and watch the stir-ups at Wanganui. My point was if an action is banned would there be a will to police the ban? No you did not say that Em and I never said you did. I was referring to Joe's strange post. I must say though that if you have a "raceday armchair" at Wanganui close to the stir ups you are very fortunate. You are correct about policing it as it would be almost impossible to police. What would happen if my dogs were trained to respond to How great thou art and I sung that at the stir up, what are they going to charge me with? Inciting a dog to chase seems logical. It is a bloody stir up, that is the whole point of the exercise to try and get the animal excited and trigger the prey response , just like the dog in the pool that flabbergasted saw. I suppose the next step will be ban stir ups Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig Symes 124 Report post Posted January 18, 2018 Just wondering if the race day photographers will be allowed to use anything to get the dogs attention on the dais for the after race photos ? WhoKnows, Emotive and Gary Sharp 3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rouseabout 59 Report post Posted January 18, 2018 That is a good call Craig Perhaps the Assoc will put a brochure out telling us how to best train our dogs in the future Cheers Ray A Jabba2, Gary Sharp, come on ref and 2 others 1 4 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOM 1,017 Report post Posted January 18, 2018 It must be close to the announcement of the new CEO. This an opportunity to make sense of all of this. All it would take is a small alteration to the stationary again. We could still use GRNZ but explain that it actually means Greyhound Retirement New Zealand. Gary Sharp 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...