I was devastated to learn the revised ‘Rules for the conduct of Lure Coursing Sanctioned Events’ released in November 2024(1) included a [new] Rule 5.8, which mandates that all sighthounds participating in team events at Lure Coursing trials be muzzled, effective from 2026.

Over the past two years of participating in Lure Coursing, I have not witnessed any problem behaviours among sighthounds that would justify this rule. The natural instincts and pack dynamics of these dogs allows them to effectively course the lure without the need for muzzling. When two or three sighthounds are released at the ‘Tally ho!”, the dogs immediately spread out to pursue the lure from behind and either flank. With each bend in the course, the closest sighthound claims the chase while the remainder reposition along a flank. In all the runs that I have observed, natural instinct drives each dog to course the lure.

If a sighthound was to exbibit any problem behaviours, at any stage in their career, they would be carefully managed by the existing framework of rules:

• Prior to running in teams, sighthounds are required to prove their ability to course the lure (Rule 7.1).
• A sighthound that playfully interferes with or courses another can be immediately dismissed (Rule 6.2).
• A sighthound that is aggressive or fights another can be immediately disqualified and is required to re-prove its ability to course the lure (Rule 6.3).

As it stands, the implications of this new rule are particularly detrimental for the smallest sighthound, the Italian Greyhound. Muzzles are required to be a flat “2-2.5cm clean of the nose” for all breeds recognised in Rules 4.3 and 4.4. The poor fit for Italian Greyhounds is exacerbated by there being limited availability of racing muzzles for dogs this size (eg 3 sizes, compared with 9 sizes for Greyhounds(2)), with fixed muzzle depth(3).

Italian Greyhounds are small, cat-sized dogs, that adopt the double suspension gait exhibited by many sighthounds in pursuit of the lure. While coursing the lure, their head is within 1-5 inches of the ground, pulleys, and the line. Fitting Italian Greyhounds with a poor fitting muzzle for high-speed pursuits immediately increases their risk of collision and injury.

I’m calling on the members of Dogs Australia(4) to reconsider the implementation of Rule 5.8. Instead, I urge members of Dogs Australia(4) to support clubs in enforcing current rules that already protect the integrity of Lure Coursing events and the safety of sighthounds. 

1 Dogs Australia. 2024. Rules for the conduct of Lure Coursing Sanctioned Events. Dogs Australia. Accessed 01/12/2024. https://www.dogsaustralia.org.au/media/9709/8-lure-coursing_2020.pdf

2 Sofa Dog Wear. Racing Muzzles (Millers Muzzles). Sofa Dog Wear. Accessed 01/12/2024. https://www.sofadogwear.eu/katalog.php?section=kategorie&akce=rozbalit&id=64

3 The Muzzle Shop. 113 Tiny Italian Greyhound Basket Running Muzzle. The Muzzle Shop. https://www.themuzzleshop.com/product-page/tiny-ig-running-muzzle-113

4 Dogs ACT, Dogs West, Dogs Queensland, Dogs NT, Dogs NSW, Dogs SA, Dogs Tasmania, and Dogs Victoria.