Rescue whippets

[Patchworkpony]

Can anyone tell me why so many whippets are up for adoption - what is the usual reason for a whippet needing to be rescued? Are most rescue whippets house trained?

 

[Peter7917]

They are such easy little dogs that the only reason I can assume is that there are certain people who use them for hunting, some of those people will get rid of them as soon as they are no longer any good for hunting, be that due to age, injury etc.

I can think of no other reason unless they ate the family cat. ....

 

[Leo Walker]

I rarely see actual whippets, lots of lurchers but proper whippets are few and far between.

 

[{97702}]

I rarely see actual whippets, lots of lurchers but proper whippets are few and far between.

Ditto this - I looked intensively for a rescue whippet, there were none around. I ended up with a whippet sized lurcher.....who looks exactly like a whippet but isn't!

 

[EventingMum]

A friend got a rescue whippet from a lady who used to rescue them in Ireland before she moved to Scotland. Since moving she has still been getting the odd one or two sent over and one was the one my friend got. He's a lovely dog, he was house trained and generally has been the perfect family pet. He is very attached to his new "mum" although settles but not to the extent it's been a major problem.

 

[Annette4]

The ones I have seen (looking atm) have been handed over mid 'kevin' phase when they have started counter surfing or their recall goes a bit unreliable. They come out the other end but it's hard work.

 

[Bosworth]

mine came from a puppy farm in South Wales. She was 7 months old and had never left the 6ftx4ft shed she was born in. She was rescued, from the likely life as a brood bitch. The place she came from bred all sorts of puppies. At 7 months old and with no positive human contact, she bonded with me over night, followed my bedlington dogs every step, was allowed off lead the following day and has the best recall of any dog I have ever known. She has never once messed in the house, she doesnt destroy anything. I fostered for a whippet rescue, and many are from breeders who have over bred, and no homes for them. Once who are bought by unsuitable people and dont 'fit' their lives, lots come in due to owner situations ie, they cant have dogs in new accommodation, the owners have gone into a home. With all the pure bred whippets I fostered, SA was the most common feature, and that settled when they had another dog with them who is happy and relaxed, and a routine that they understood. I also found crate training them worked brilliantly. But the biggest thing I think with whippets is that they need company, ether human or canine, a solitary whippet is not happy.

 

[Patchworkpony]

mine came from a puppy farm in South Wales. She was 7 months old and had never left the 6ftx4ft shed she was born in. She was rescued, from the likely life as a brood bitch. The place she came from bred all sorts of puppies. At 7 months old and with no positive human contact, she bonded with me over night, followed my bedlington dogs every step, was allowed off lead the following day and has the best recall of any dog I have ever known. She has never once messed in the house, she doesnt destroy anything. I fostered for a whippet rescue, and many are from breeders who have over bred, and no homes for them. Once who are bought by unsuitable people and dont 'fit' their lives, lots come in due to owner situations ie, they cant have dogs in new accommodation, the owners have gone into a home. With all the pure bred whippets I fostered, SA was the most common feature, and that settled when they had another dog with them who is happy and relaxed, and a routine that they understood. I also found crate training them worked brilliantly. But the biggest thing I think with whippets is that they need company, ether human or canine, a solitary whippet is not happy.

Thank you - such helpful advice. A lady who works for me was asking my advice about adopting one and I don't know enough about them hence the post.

 

[handbagsandhay]

Its the opposite here! I have a very difficult time finding a whippet to rehome (plenty litters of pups) before I eventually found my second. She had been used for hunting but was no longer useful after injury (and she had had a litter of pups young) and I had to drive about 5 hours to get her!