Whippets - Info please

caitlineloise

caitlineloise

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Would very much appreciate it if some more knowledgable people can give me some info on Whippets.

I know they are sight hounds, so was wondering on recall on walks, or wether they are a strictly leash only walker. Not that it would be a problem. But I'd always love to able to give any dog a bit of freedom and a run.

Also how are they with being left alone? Not for a long time, but as at our yards it's a no dog zone :mad: the dog would have to be left for at least 4-5 hours a day.

And bitch or dog?

And any other info is very welcome, and pictures are welcomed even more! :p
 
I had a lurcher (mainly whippet x collie) I only lost her two weeks ago :-( aged 15. She was an amazing dog and I would have another whippet x or a pure whippet with no hesitation.

I never had any problem with her on walks or being left alone. Be prepared to share your bed though, they like to be warm. This was generally all I could see of mine......

photo-16.jpg


and.......

photo-15.jpg
 
Whippies are lovely, very cuddly usually, and yes they love their creature comforts!

Why not approach a rescue (Scruples do only whippets I think, or GRWE are nationwide and have whippies, lurchers and greyhounds) as then you'll be able to give them your "shopping list" and they'll match you to a dog.. or at least keep in mind what you want and let you know when they have a possible match. That way you can make sure it's got recall, or check it seems trainable to recall.. plus any other requirements re being left, housetrained, not chasing horses, good with kids etc?

I have 2 GRWE lurchers, one whippet x GSD and one collie/saluki x greyhound (both go off lead and recall no probs, but that's a year of obedience and agility training). GRWE are really thorough with their assessments of dog and home, and there is a 24/7 volunteer-manned helpline for any post-homing support you need. I know of a few other lurcher rescues around the country if you let me know where you are...
 
Sorry, just seen you are in Leicestershire... GRWE would cover your area, and I know Scruples has a couple in foster near you... not aware of any others but Google will surely know ;0)
 
Supertrooper, those pics made my heart melt! My whippet is exactly the same, some mornings i have to actually wrestle him out of bed!

OP, i would defs recommend Whippets to anyone, mine is my first (after a childhood of labs and JRs) and i think i can safely say i'll never have another breed of dog!

My boy's recall is pretty good, i have heard that its not their strong point but ive never had a problem with it, he is also left alone for a few hours a day and after a short period when i first got him where he decided to chew everything in sight he has never minded since, as long as he has a comfy spot to curl up into he is a very content character. Good luck with your dog search!
 
Don't have a whippet but an Italian Greyhound, which is also a sight hound.

We have had the odd recall problem but only when we were at training classes. When we are out, he shoots off to try and catch the seagulls out but then comes back, tootles along quietly before going for a blast again.

As for leaving alone, mine gets left for 4 hours at the moment and whenever I turn up, he is in his snuggle sack fast asleep. He doesn't even bother getting out to say hello, he gets up in his own good time :D. In fact, he seems to do quite a lot of sleeping :rolleyes:.
 
Supertrooper said:
I had a lurcher (mainly whippet x collie) I only lost her two weeks ago :-( aged 15. She was an amazing dog and I would have another whippet x or a pure whippet with no hesitation.

I never had any problem with her on walks or being left alone. Be prepared to share your bed though, they like to be warm. This was generally all I could see of mine......

photo-16.jpg


and.......

photo-15.jpg
Click to expand...

Sorry for your loss, what lovely photos!

And I wouldn't mind cuddles in bed! :)
 
My OHs mum has a whippet, 6 months old now, and he is wonderful. Full of character, very cuddley and cheeky, and a real 'people person'. He isn't great with recall but is getting much better. My OHs nan (mums mum) also has a bitch pup from the same litter, and she is the opposite to her brother in so many ways. She is shy with strangers, not nasty at all, but sticks to her owners ankles around new people, she is quiet and gentle, and has amazing recall - one word or whistle to her and she is back with you like a bullet. Both are fab little dogs. We will be getting a small lurcher type next summer, as we have fallen in love with this type of hound!
 
Polotash - I will certainly be looking into rescue, thank you for the info

Ladybones - Thank you for your reply and information! He or she will definitely will have a comfy place to snuggle up!

Quirky - Brill thanks for replying, he sounds lovely. :) Like 'Oh hi! Your back, I'll come see you in a minute, I'm very comfy at the moment ;)'

Laura-C - Brilliant thank you, they really sound like lovely little dogs. Can't wait to start our search!
 
I have a mostly whippet (bit of collie as well) and as a first time numpty dog owner he has been lovely. He does look quite sturdy next to real whippets though.
Yes, snuggly, affectionate little dogs, sofa-surfers, but who doesnt appreciate a mobile hot water bottle? ;)
Perfectly happy on his own for 5-6 hrs a day with chews, as long as he's had at least 1hr walk or a good roar round with another dog.
Does not need a coat for walks, and good recall is perfectly possible. Mine is not really toy/food obsessed, but will panic if he cant see me.
Spent a lot of time hiding in bushes to make him come and find me. Left him once when he did not come back after the usual minute, luckily we back onto fields so traffic wasnt a problem.

So we went from

AlfieandTeddy-1-1.jpg


to this

DSCF0154-2.jpg




And this is what he likes best ;)


DSCF0360-2.jpg
 
paisley said:
I have a mostly whippet (bit of collie as well) and as a first time numpty dog owner he has been lovely. He does look quite sturdy next to real whippets though.
Yes, snuggly, affectionate little dogs, sofa-surfers, but who doesnt appreciate a mobile hot water bottle? ;)
Perfectly happy on his own for 5-6 hrs a day with chews, as long as he's had at least 1hr walk or a good roar round with another dog.
Does not need a coat for walks, and good recall is perfectly possible. Mine is not really toy/food obsessed, but will panic if he cant see me.
Spent a lot of time hiding in bushes to make him come and find me. Left him once when he did not come back after the usual minute, luckily we back onto fields so traffic wasnt a problem.

So we went from

AlfieandTeddy-1-1.jpg


to this

DSCF0154-2.jpg




And this is what he likes best ;)


DSCF0360-2.jpg
Click to expand...


He's just gorgeous! Thanks for your reply and info :)
 
Here are my little lot, the greyhound x on the left, the whippy x in the middle, and my Mums GSD on the right - all rescues :-)

DSC05381.jpg

Both sight hounds are ridiculously cuddly, and I too have to coax them from their beds in the morning, so sweet!
 
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They are fab, versatile, easy to train, very loving, heat seekers and fab heaters, they can take short bursts of exercise and still like to snuggle for long lazy sleeps, I have never had recall issues with mine and they have all been x racers or x workers, the only thing mine have all done is bench surf and bin raid:rolleyes::D
All mine have been good in the house and easy to toilet train.
I am currently nursing my very tiny blue whippet weho has broken ribs (so insurance) a must, the smaller more fragile one are a little more breakable.
 
Polotash said:
Here are my little lot, the greyhound x on the left, the whippy x in the middle, and my Mums GSD on the right - all rescues :-)

DSC05381.jpg

Both sight hounds are ridiculously cuddly, and I too have to coax them from their beds in the morning, so sweet!
Click to expand...

Crumbs - your whippie x looks far too much like my old whippet lurcher who we lost about 10 years ago. Same bat ears and everything! I want another one so bad right now....
 
I've been debating a Labrador or whippet next year to live with my soon to be four year old Labrador bitch...
And I think my mind is made up reading all these posts :-)

Hope you don't mind me hijacking the post
 
How weird ... Managed to delete half my post when posting??? Hence the hijack post won't make sense.
Currently on iPhone so will come back tomorrow on the laptop??? Clearly I need to go to bed
 
TheBeachblackpool030407143.jpg


Our boy with our Dobie girl, enjoying life!

They are great dogs. Easy keepers, love their owners nd are really not trouble at all! Well.......When you compare them with a Dobe that is.
We have awlays had a long dog and a JR in the house though, and I guess we always will:)
 
I wanted a whippet type when i was looking for my second dog, and ended up with Suzy a lurcher - believed to be greyhoundxwhippetxsalukix?(maybe collie) - she's fab, required a lot of training, but is able to have a blast off lead, she's started agility and flyball and is generally fab! she came from GRWE

GRWE are fantastic, as the previous poster said - I am also in leicestershire and do leicestershire home checks for them. they spend a lot of time matching you to the right dog and have incredible support after homing one. Was there at the weekend volunteering - fell in love with most of the dogs they had there!
 
You can have that one Lacuna...! She is obsessed with rabbits and regularly vanishes for hours on end down in our wood and in and out of hedges... at training of course she is perfect (just done bronze award) and is perfect in the house, cute and cuddly, but outdoors she is a different story, lol!

She was abandoned by gypsys who left her tied up when they moved on, she was scarcely a year old and had had puppies 24-48 hours before.. of which there was no sign :0(
 
Try greyhound GAP too. They have a website http://www.greyhoundgap.org.uk/ We had our whippet x saluki pup from their rescue just after xmas when he and his brothers had been taken in as they were unwanted :-( and they are extremely suportive and will match the right dog with the right home.

Logan is fab. He house trained quickly and is off lead on walks unless there are small furry dogs like westies about. (He isn't nasty, just bounds up and wants to play but the owners get scared!) He loves lurcher games - running and running. He tires quickly.

We don't leave him longer than 3 hours as he is still young (11 months)
He will 'cry' if he cant see me at the yard for a few minutes then settles - been told this is a saluki trait though.
At the moment he is wearing a fleece lined coat all the time outdoors as he shivers - god know what he'll do when its properly cold!
Likes staying in bed and finds the warmest place.

We love him to bits

When he was rescued
Loggipup.jpg


Now
photo-4.jpg
 
Whippets are excellent dogs, Ours race and work and are all very obedient. We have never had a problem with recall, even when they see something! The only problem we have is missing food - one minute its on the counter the next its gone and ten sets of innocent eyes are looking up at you, lol.
 
whippets

brilliant little dogs..maybe not everyones cup of tea
ive had three lost my first two years ago..i race and course mind but they are pets the rest of the time
cuddly if you not mind the lightweight of them
hardly moults so very clean,some will go on alday and some will sleep alday
yep..dont leave any food out or at reach they steal as quick as youve turned ya back

a few downsides...most love to run and catch furry things and nothing stands in their way to get to,so watch out for barbed wire(although some are very good jumpers) their skin is on the thin side unless they have a thiccker coat my racing bred whippy is very fine where my coursing/working bred is thicker coated
they have no road sence,so advice kept on lead around roads
very versile dogs,race,course,work,agility,pets
trainable..love to please

will need at least one coat esp when it gets cold..as they only have one layer of coat esp if standing around will feel the cold..some even like water

ive only had bitches so cant comment on the sex..they do say bitches are strong willed,dogs are bidible and loyal

i love my girls

make sure dew claws are removed ..not nice if get ripped

or get a lurcher..long/short haired small as a jr as tall as a wolfhound depending on the cross

try k9 forum or the whippet forum lots of info
 
My friend owns a whippet and she is the most loyal dog ever im rather jealous she sticks by my friends side off the lead and if she does go for a run she soon comes back. I have a lurcher who comes from a working background (brought up as a pet since a pup by me) and he can be a bugger to get back on the lead but only because he doesnt want to go home! But he stays relativey close
 
But he is going through his teenager stage so is getting a little full of himself and with him been an uncut male has started to show agression to other dogs and strangers so as a precaution I muzzle him when we are around other dogs/people he does not know
 
I've just heard of a 5 month old whippy girl in rescue (foster home) who is looking for a permanant home. She is in the Cardiff area, and is cream and fawn. Housetrained, has recall and good with other dogs. PM me if you'd like to be put in touch with her foster mum.
 
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