Greyhound bounds into a new career

TEAMWORK: Rachel Rae has trained retired greyhound Yellow to compete in dog handling.PHOTO/LEWIS GARDNER 070215WCLGMASTERSDOGS1

Whoever says you can't teach an old dog new tricks hasn't been a competitive dog handler.

Yellow was a racing greyhound called Gold For Thys in a former life, but following retirement has taken up a new sport under the training of Feilding woman Rachel Rae.

Rachel runs Night Rave Greyhounds, finding homes for retired racing dogs. But she's taken on two of her own to compete in dog handling. She and her dogs have been strutting their stuff at the Masters Games.

"I always knew I wanted to do it when I got the time. I used to watch Tux Wonder Dogs."

Yellow raced for two-and-a-half years and had 125 starts, a lengthy career, before retiring just under three years ago.

He is the second greyhound Rachel has trained for the obedience and rally-o discipline in dog handling and is the more promising. Greyhounds were easily trained, Rachel said.

"They're very calm and very placid. It's just the make-up of the breed.

"They are a hound, so they've got their own opinions about things."

After a year's training, Yellow had gained his canine good citizen gold from the New Zealand Kennel Club and was beginning to compete.

"Dogs train best with about five minutes a day. Little short bursts and they learn very quickly," Rachel said.

Dog handling is very much a partnership: "The sport needs to be as much fun for the dog as it is for you."