Owners and Trainers

Preparing your greyhound for GAP

To assist your dog in having a smooth transition from racing to retirement you should spend time preparing their greyhounds for pet life. Some simple rules are:

  • As soon as the decision to retire is made, greyhounds should be desexed and have their dental work done. Racing Queensland’s Retirement Readiness Scheme offers financial support t participants preparing their greyhound for retirement.
  • Take time (several weeks) to slowly adjust your greyhound to a pet-like environment.
    • Slowly increase their food intake and decrease their exercise until they reach a body condition score of 3
    • Begin to transition them from their racing kennel to a larger yard for several hours each day to simulate time in a backyard.
    • Gently introduce them to being inside a house, new surfaces such as carpet, tiles, and floorboards, and new sounds such as the dishwasher, washing machine, vacuum cleaner, television etc **
    • Take them for lots of 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) **
    • **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.
  • Introduce them to other medium 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. 

How do I enter my greyhound into the GAP?

  1. Complete the online GAP Adoption Program Submission 
  2. Submit current C5 vaccination certificate & Desexing Certificate.
  3. Our regional co-ordinator will contact you to organise a time to assess your dog and take photos so we can start promoting the dog and looking for a suitable home.
  4. You will be given an intake date – if the dog has not been adopted prior to your intake date GAP will receive the dog.
  5. On intake day, please present your greyhound:

If you have any questions, please contact the GAP team on 1300 087 021.