Greyhound off leash....

Happy New Year to everyone out there, hope your 2008 is full of hope and promise. I thought I would make a list of the areas that we have allowed Merlin the greyhound off leash. It's not as easy as you may think. Greyhounds can accelerate from 0-70kph in three strides and they are not the most obedient breed of dog out there. Once Merlin sees anything that is small and moving fast he's onto it and wants to chase it down and eat it basically. So, it's a matter of finding a fully fenced area with enough room for him to get moving. So here is my list: 1: The Meadows Slip Track. For $75 a year one gets unlimited 24/7 access to the 450m slip track at The Meadows. It's fully fenced and watered and is an first rate facility. Only trouble is it's fairly unstimulating for the dogs. Merlin needs a fair bit of prodding these days to get running, but when he does he like a freight train coming down the track. 2: Coburg Velodrome. It's okay except that there is an underpass that the dogs seem to find and want to escape through. There's no shade and the surface in the middle of the track is quite uneven so there is the possibility of broken legs and ankles especially when moving at top gear. 3: Near Merri Primary School. There is a small fenced area that is quite good. There are benches to sit at and trees and bushes. The dogs really like this area and can get a bit of speed up and run like maniacs. It's a bit of a find this one.