It is a bit tedious putting together the Excel Spreadsheet so I am just using the Bitch data at present. On Xmas Gift heats night at Harold Park in 1970 the average weight of the bitches was in kg equivalent 25.48 kg. In Jan 07 at Wentworth Park, there were 37 bitches in the racebook and only two of them were less than 25.5 kg. Harold Park was a big circumfrance track so you would expect the average size bitch to be a little bigger than the average size bitch at Wentworth Park so this amplifies these statistics. Is this only because of the breeding that has occurred in that time or could it also be a tendancy for modern trainers to turn out on raceday, heavily muscled athletic greyhounds. I am not sure but I tend towards the breeding factor. What do other members think?

Think its all in the breeding...

My girl Kimba's Spirit was a 25kg race bitch Her first litter to 29-30kg Big Daddy Cool produced 6 pups, 28,28.5 and 31 kg dogs 24,24,25kg bitches

Her next litter 2 pups to 32kg Hallucinate has produced pups that at this stage, the bitch who i kept is 8 months old... and when i last saw her 2 months ago, id say she was 26-27kg

Same whelper (myself) and same rearer as the BDC litter so cant say they were brought up differently

Yes Chook, I think you're right, it is the breeding factor. I think there are two components to this factor (1) the introduction of imported sires and (2) a tendancy for people, including myself, during the last almost 50 years, to have a penchant for big dogs/bitches. With regard to the imported sires phenomenon which really 'kicked-off' with the arrival of Which Chariot in 1960 (he raced here first and very successfully), I woud be interested to investigate the size of those imported sires. I know that in the 1960s some imported stud dogs produced big pups/big greyhounds e.g. Knockrour Rambler, Ballymurn Chief and Come on Clopook. I am sure there were others who produced pups with similar traits, for example, I was not as familiar with the imported dogs based in Victoria. In relation to peoples' liking for 'size' in their pups/greyhounds, I am, with hindsight, not sure that this was necessarily a good thing. Some of the pups I bred, particularly in the 1980s, were big magnificent animals with successful bloodlines (proven bitch) but 'heavens' were a lot of them slow. Peoples' preferred sized dogs and bitches is a matter I would like to canvas at another time, however, I know it doesn't matter whether they are big or small or whether they are by 'Rin Tin Tin' out of 'Lassie', the only things that matters are if they can run and also do all of the other associated important things right. If you wish, let us (me and the other members) know how Kamikaze fared at the vet with its suspected hamstring strain. The dog can obviously run a bit and I would like to him do well.

Import factor has got me thinking now.... Food for thought as i dont like small pups, and Kimba's Spirit looks like she may throw small ones as she isnt a giant (although she is now... belly sticks out lol)

Kamikaze sore in the hamstring, nothing too major

And regarding the above - as they say its not the size of their frame but the size of the ticker inside.....
Just sucks when a 22-24kg bitch is put next to a 34-36kg dog. They usually waner what a whippet is doing on the track lol