KickReturn

Thanks for the insights everyone. My boy Hester will not chase anything thrown. He has never put anything in his mouth other than food from his bowl and his stuffy toys. He really wants the other dogs to run so he can chase. They just get frightened and stop. Immediately after they stop Hester is his usual loverboy self toward them. On the occasions when other dogs have kept running and been able to stretch him a bit, he chases politely. Perhaps because he has to dig in and focus on running to keep up. The whole thing is odd as he has zero prey drive. In the video of his races I have seen, he does not seem to chase the lure, just the other dogs. His victories were just coincidence of him being in front a bit at the line. He would just cruise along and do what was needed to stay with the leaders. He seemed almost lazy. 134 races, 47 times in the money. I like the lure pole idea.

My big boy Hester (close to 90 lbs and almost 31" at the shoulder) has become very competitive when running with other Greyhounds. Despite being the most gentle soul in all other situations, he is showing speed, anticipation, and aggression that at times prevents the other dogs from running. He seems to be coursing them, cutting them off whenever they try to change direction and pinning them in a corner of any enclosed area. His racing pedigree is apparent and he suddenly seems so fast that the other dogs cannot get away and get going. When he first came to us he was no match for the agility of the other Greys he ran with. He is so large and was so clumsy. And with a dropped gracilis he could not really turn to the right without slipping. He used to chase happily and would scamper after the other dogs as long as they chose to run. But things have changed. We have had him out with 5 different Greyhounds and he literally dominates them and shuts them down. He never leads, but rather is always the pursuer, closes any gap instantly, and lets the dog he is chasing know he is right there. He never attempts to use his teeth (muzzles always worn), just lots of snarling and “grumbling”. Most of the time the other dogs are frightened, submit, and stop running. I am surprised to see this behaviour and physical ability emerge from such a broken down racer (6 years old with almost 3 years at the track). I am happy he is healthy but I feel bad for the other dogs as none are getting a proper run when he is around. (He does get walked for at least two hours a day so he'll be fine.) Is this just the wrong combination of dogs? Is there anything that can be done so he can get a decent run? Unfortunately he won't run on his own. Some photos 'cause I know you all want to see the villain.

Yes, we are aware the name is mostly feminine in application. But he's got some decent bits and pieces (well one piece anyway) that tell a rather male story. If you have some time to spare look up Devon Hester kick return highlights on YouTube. Nothing girlie there. To UPDATE: this fellow just gets better every day. His desire to please is very strong and his affection towards our whole family is very intense. When we leave he literally breaks down and cries like a small child. So touching if a bit odd. I am sure this will diminish in time, it has only been a few weeks. His behaviour continues to be flawless. I had thought of doing some obedience classes but I am not sure I want to alter his behaviour at all. Maybe just for fun, stimulation, and bonding. And finally on a superficial note, wherever we go he literally stops traffic. Cars pull over to get a look, pedestrian can't resist approaching, and other dogs are either intimidated or intrigued. And Hester through it all remains calm and dignified almost to a fault.

OK so here are some photos of Hester. For reference the guy with the dog is 6 feet tall. Hester. Wears his heart on the outside. Hester with his girlfriend.

Hello All, First time adopter, first time pet owner and I think I have ended up with the perfect animal. We call him Hester after another very fast athlete from Florida. Very affectionate and gentle, he even winds his front leg around mine to hold me close to him. Perfect manners in the house. Never begs for food. Lies down when the family eats. Was told once to not enter the kitchen on the first day home and he has not set foot in the kitchen since. He is very tolerant of all other creatures large or small including squirrels. He sleeps in our room and is silent accept for some racing dreams. I could not imagine a better behaved animal. And to top it off he has a heart shaped patch on his side! He is six now. He had a very long career as Skidbootsahoot, 134 races, 50 times in the money. He is huge, about 31 inches at the shoulder, silly long legs, but very narrow in the chest/shoulder area and light (85 lbs) for a dog of his dimensions. He is from Florida, raced mostly at Flagler. I would be interested to hear from anyone who has had previous contact with him. Apparently he was fostered by Judith Greenfield in Denver. He then went to a home on Mayne Island off the coast of British Columbia. Apparently there were some unspecified problems there and he was returned to an agency that received my application the next day. My understanding was that he was never trained, walked on leash, etc. Just left to roam acreage with a couple of Deerhounds. Apparently he had his food restricted as some sort of punishment or behaviour modification. He arrived underweight and in poor physical condition. Not really abused, just out of shape.