Green’s Dictionary of Slang

the greyhound races, greyhound racing.

1929		J.B. Priestley Good Companions 230: What with dogs, football, pitchers one thing and another.
1938		J.B. Booth Sporting Times 230: Thanks to the ‘dogs’, the ‘pools’ and the ‘tote’, never has a greater volume of money been used in betting.
1946		S. Jackson Indiscreet Guide to Soho 30: He [...] spent all his money on the ‘dogs’ or playing faro half the night.
1958		F.J. Hardy Four-Legged Lottery 208: I owe him two hundred from the dogs last night.
1963		A. Baron Lowlife (2001) 59: Where the fraternity of the doggies and the ponies gather.
1967		J. Wynnum I’m a Jack, All Right 15: Keeping a book on the gallopers, trots, and dogs is a wearing business — and there’s hardly a quid in it for me.
1969		A. Buzo Rooted III iii: Went up country and made a killing on the proverbial dogs. Picked up a good tip from a local turf identity.
1976		P. Theroux Family Arsenal 165: It was the same at the dog track. That’s where I met the fucker – at the dogs.
2000		Indep. on Sun. Culture 23 Jan. 14: A night at the dogs.
2005		H. Mantel Beyond Black 196: Let him have a win on the dogs.
2012		J. Fagan Panopticon (2013) 233: I went to fat Mike’s but he was at the dogs.