Breeder Ian Greaves is changing the way he sells his dogs – even though he currently doesn’t have any to sell.
Unlike the small owner breeders who rely on proven race form to sell their young racers, the Monastervin based Geordie has not seen business affected by the Covid outbreak. For while there is a backlog of young dogs awaiting races before they will be advertised, Greaves has traditionally sold his youngsters on their schooling form alone with no lines of form in their ID books.
Most of his dogs are advertised on the internet, and then terms agreed over the phone. Inevitably, there is some guesswork involved. Some greyhounds exceed their breeder’s expectations, many others fail to match their valuation.
Selling unproven saplings predates the mechanical lure, but it is a route that many UK trainers have pursued in growing numbers; usually following disappointing purchases of proven racing dogs.
It is not without risk, buying four or five untried littermates at £3-£4,000 apiece, but Pat Rosney, Kevin Hutton and Ernie Gaskin, to name but three, have all enjoyed success going that route. Patrick Janssens will often buy the youngsters at 5-6 months old and finish the rearing himself.
Greaves said: “Selling young pups has never appealed to me. The owners, understandably, want to see the pups growing up, or want videos, and I just don’t have the time for that. So I have generally sold them once they have been schooled.
“At the moment, I don’t have anything for sale, as schooled and ready to go. But I have seven litters of August pups who still haven’t been to a track, plus some September whelps, and I would be prepared to sell some of them untried.
“I have already sold some, who are on the website, who were completely untried. I no longer guarantee the older dogs who are under £1,000, because I simply can’t afford to do it, but I would guarantee that any pups would chase.”
The man who has produced the likes of Toms The Best, Top Savings, Domino Storm, Swift Hoffman, Swift Keith, Top Power, Blonde Boss, Rubys Rascal and more, still expects to sell young schooled dogs, particularly out of the unproven broods whose progeny would be less sought after.
But among the mums whose latest litters are still to start schooling are: Swift Vicki (dam of Bramble Milburn and Cappoquin Jack), Swift Foundary (dam of Azzurri Genesis) and Swift Palmer (dam of Coney Cactus, Swift Aspen, Jovial Monk)
Greaves said: “It is just another way of selling dogs. I wouldn’t expect to make more money, but it reduces the risk of getting it wrong. At the end of the day, breeding greyhounds is not a way to a fortune, it’s a labour of love.”
