There is a haunting beauty in the tonal quality and repertoire of the greyhound voice. From the song of a lone hound breaking the momentary silence with a howl somewhere within the compound in the early evening to the rising chorus of hundreds of voices at dawn as the kennels start their day, there is always a bit of music in the air. As I stand in our turn-out pen with our dogs I listen and marvel. Greyhounds, like most dogs, use their voices to communicate how they feel. In the morning, they sing of the joy of going out to play and taking care of their business. They bark, roodle, and tell the latest gossip to their friends. Later, at feeding time, the sounds change to happy yipping which tails off as each dog receives their bowl.
Bliss believes that everyone should always know how she is feeling about any given topic- especially if she knows that she will race that day… On days when she is scheduled, we bench her for the usual full grooming and physical exam. The moment she finishes gobbling down the milkbone she’s been given for being so good (as always!) on the bench the singing starts. She will spend her morning using her amazing coloratura (methinks bragging) that she is going racing- this continues until she hops into the truck, her tail wagging in anticipation.
If a leash is so much as moved on the leash hook in any kennel in the compound, the roar becomes absolutely deafening as they all want to go up to the track to race. While the kennels are preparing to leave for the afternoon card the music echoes between the buildings: All is well! I want to go! Let’s go now! What about me? Hey! Are we going? Let’s go! Now! Hurry up! Up at the ginny pit each time the doors are opened by the leadouts to bring the racers for the next race out the hound music billows out behind them, happy and excited. I really enjoy the “gonna race now” chorus that emanates from the starting box before the lure starts. Each group in the boxes has a different thematic pattern, but all sing of the same messages- the joy of the chase and the sheer thrill of being born a greyhound.
Tags: greyhounds, greyhound racing
23 October, 08 at 5:25 PM |
I am reading your blog and i wish more people could hear the sounds of our wonderful greyhounds.You have really touch my heart with all you have done in your shot time .I do love listening to the dogs sing at Suncoast Kennel. The first time i was there the boys pen started to sing and they got in a pack and just had a ball. They were not singing because they were out of there crates as some people would say. But the greyhounds just feel the happiness when we are there and the chorus begins.Thank you for being a part of our world and fighting for the dogs!!!