Owners and Trainers

Preparing your greyhound for GAP

To assist your dog in successfully transitioning from racing to retirement, you should spend time preparing your retired greyhound for pet life using the checklist below:

  • As soon as the decision to retire is made, greyhounds should be desexed and should undergo a dental scale and polish.
  • Racing Queensland’s Retirement Readiness Scheme offers financial support to participants preparing their greyhound for retirement.
  • Take time (several weeks) to slowly adjust your greyhound to a pet-like environment. You can do this by:
    • Slowly increasing their food intake and decrease their exercise;
    • Beginning to transition them from their racing kennel to a larger yard for several hours each day to simulate time in a backyard;
    • Gently introducing them to being inside a house, with new surfaces such as carpet, tiles, and floorboards, and new sounds such as the dishwasher, washing machine, vacuum cleaner, television etc*; and
    • Take them for walks in the community, beginning with quiet parks and working your way towards shopping strips. (Always ensure they are muzzled when in public until they have been assessed by GAP as having low prey drive)*.
  • Introduce them to other medium-sized dogs under controlled and safe circumstances, ensuring your greyhound is muzzled at all times.
  • If your greyhound copes well with being introduced to medium dogs, you can move onto small dogs.
  • Encourage your greyhounds to be friendly and sociable.
  • Practice walking calmly and on a loose leash.
  • Teach basic manners.

For information on socialising your greyhound, see the Racing to Retirement guide.

You can find more information about greyhound welfare on the QRIC website. 

*Ensure these enrichment activities are positive and calm. If your greyhound begins to show signs of anxiety or starts to shut down, stop and begin again another day.

How do I enter my retired greyhound into the GAP Participant Rehoming Program?

  1. Complete the online application form
  2. Submit current desexed certificate, current C5 vaccination certificate, undergo a dental scale and polish, and be negative for heartworm/hookworm.
  3. Once all paperwork has been received, the GAP regional co-ordinator will contact you to organise a time for a mobile assessment of your retired greyhound at your property.
  4. When your dog is matched to a home and ready to be collected by GAP staff ensure your retired greyhound is:
    • clean, flea and tick free;
    • negative to heartworm and hookworm;
    • in good condition;
    • free from injury and illness; and
    • ensure that you have submitted a greyhound notification of retirement in accordance with GA Rule 106(3)