Greyhounds and friends to hit the beach

CORRECTION: This article has been updated to delete a reference to greyhound racing. Greyhounds Reach the Beach is neutral on the issue.

An informal gathering on the beach in October among a few friends and their greyhound companions evolved into a national event decades later and is now a weekend tradition for thousands of participants who visit from all over the country. 

Proud owners frolic among the Greyhounds Reach the Beach crowds eager to share their adoption story in addition to representatives available to explain the adoption process and to debunk any myths about owning a greyhound. 

This four-day event in Dewey Beach unites the beach community with an abundance of social gatherings, vendors and guest speakers.  

Larry Bowersox, an organizer, explains why the event draws these dogs and their friends to the beach.

Explain the uniqueness of a greyhound.   

New greyhound owners usually need to spend a little time learning about the unique virtues and needs of an ex-racing greyhound. 

Greyhounds must always be on a leash or in a fenced area, as they are always "hunting" for small animals to chase. While people think they are "racing" dogs, they are actually "hunting" dogs. 

Greyhounds have little recall, meaning they won't usually come back to you if you call them. They grow up in large greyhound kennels on farms with dozens of other greyhounds being trained to race. When they are adopted after racing they are often placed in a foster home (with other greyhounds) so they can learn new about new things like windows or stairs.

One misconception is that greyhounds are hyper-active and have to run all the time. In fact, greyhounds are big couch potatoes at home and spend a lot of time sleeping on a couch or a big pillow.  (We have bumper stickers which say "44 mph couch potato.")

They do enjoy a nice long walk once a day. If they can run in a big fenced yard or ball field from time to time, they love it and will amaze you with their speed. Greyhounds can live to 14 or 15 years old; they are gentle dogs and generally good with older children.

How many participants do you anticipate this year and how much has this event grown in numbers since its debut in 1995?   

We expect somewhere between 500-700 registrants this year, about the same as last year. The event grew to probably about 2,000 attendees between 2000 and 2007. 

However, the folks who started the event decided to walk away in 2008 so attendance dropped off steadily until we took over the event in 2015. Now it gets a bit more popular each year as new greyhound owners discover it.

If someone is interested in greyhound adoption, will there be information available and if so where?   

Yes, we will have several adoption groups at the Sleep Inn location who can provide information on greyhound adoption. Some will also have greyhounds available for adoption. Cost is usually about $250.  

Who are the top speakers at this year’s event and where will they be presenting?  

We have many speakers this year, including folks from Paws for People who work with dogs used in therapy; we have a chiropractor who will speak of the benefits of chiropractic for canines; and we have an expert in canine dental care speaking. 

Laura Schenone is doing a presentation on her new book, "The Dogs of Avalon: the Race to Save Animals in Peril." 

Our Blessing of the Hounds and a seminar on our spiritual relationship with our pets will be delivered by Pastor Susan Carol Roy of the University of Maryland Medical Center.  Pastor Roy has been instrumental in changing hospital policies across the country to allow pets to visit patients to encourage healing.

What is the most sought-after event of the long weekend?  

One of the big attractions to our greyhound folks is the many greyhound vendors who come from as far away as South Carolina, Vermont and Kansas, selling too many things to mention but including dog coats, collars, treats, leather goods and spectacular artwork.  

This year we are also offering tours for greyhounds and owners of local attractions through Sun Otter Tours. Registered participants can bring their pets to mingle at the Beer N Biscuit Mixer Friday night at Revelations Craft Brewery. And of course the strolls on the beach with our greyhounds are always popular.

With the Grapehound Wine Tour, Inc. managing the event in its third year, what significant changes have positively impacted this long-standing tradition? 

The Grapehound Wine Tour, Inc. is a 501(c)3 charity registered as a Delaware corporation. We have managed wine events for greyhound owners in New York and Virginia for 12 years. 

This is our third year of managing Greyhounds Reach the Beach. We bring vast experience in event management. For example, the old event used to mail packets of information to attendees at great expense. We send all our registrants a comprehensive E-Booklet weeks before the event at a fraction of the cost.

This is important because we donate all proceeds after expenses to greyhound adoption. 

Will you have “Ask the Vet” sessions this year and if so, what vet will be available and what day?  

Yes we plan to have an "Ask the Vet" session on Friday afternoon with our veterinarian, who has a great deal of experience with sighthounds.  

Where will the vendor locations be this year?   

Most of our featured vendors will be at the Sleep Inn in Lewes in a huge wedding tent.  More vendors will be in pop-up tents near the big tent and also in rooms at the Sleep Inn. Additional vendors will be located at hotels in Dewey Beach and at the Rehoboth Beach fire hall. 

There's no single location in Rehoboth Beach or Dewey Beach large enough to house all the vendors who come to this national event.

What extra measures go into cleaning up and managing the dog waste on/off the beach areas?  

Over the years, our greyhound folks have developed a culture of keeping the beaches and venues we visit immaculate. We provide waste bags and insist that everyone use them immediately as needed. Some dog events have clean up sessions later, after an event. Greyhound folks clean up immediately.

Often, greyhound people remove pet waste they come across that isn't even theirs.  We have reached out to both The Partnership for the Delaware Estuary and the Delaware Clean Water Alliance to work with us on keeping Delaware waters clean.

IF YOU GO

Greyhounds Reach the Beach®
Where: Dewey Beach
When: Oct. 5-8
Cost: $20 per person (register online; price includes Dewey Beach dog license)
Info: www.grtb.org