Greyhound Racing in Germany

In Germany greyhound racing takes place on oval tracks with either sand or grass running surfaces. There are at least 42 greyhound clubs throughout the country that conduct greyhound races.¹ These clubs are members of the 100+ year old German Greyhound Breeding and Racing Association, which is the oldest greyhound association in the country.² Another group conducting races in Germany is the German Greyhound Club, which was a founding member of the Continental Greyhound Racing Confederation (CGRC).³

The race schedule varies by club, although they all generally hold a handful of racing competitions each year with training races occurring more frequently. Races are open to a variety of dog breeds but all races are segregated by breed. As a member of the CGRC, the German Greyhound Club is required to abide by the CGRC Racing Rules for any CGRC competitions held in the country. The German Greyhound Breeding and Racing Association has its own set of regulations and also follows the German Kennel Club Racing Rules and the International Kennel Federation rules for sighthound racing.⁴ These regulations include licensing requirements, grounds for disqualification, anti-doping policies and a requirement for a veterinarian to be present during races.

A majority of the greyhounds racing in Germany appear to have been bred in country. There are 19 German greyhound breeding kennels listed on greyhound-data.com, an online database maintained by dog racing gamblers.⁵ The greyhounds are not housed at the tracks, but instead are brought there by their owners to race.

There is no wagering on greyhound races in Germany.