Going to look at a whippet puppy tomorrow...

[Rainydayblues]

After a lot of thought on this subject we think a whippet might be the dog for us.
We are getting a dog primarily for the dcs - both 11, it's something they have wanted for a long time, something I feel is important for them, I grew up with dogs and the companionship is invaluable and while we will encourage them to look after the puppy/dog I know that I could end up doing most of it and I'm fine with that, it's just not how we plan things to be.

Dd loves dogs but struggles with the more energetic breeds, although I'm sure she will grow in confidence when she gets to know the dog.

Ds is just crazy about getting a dog, has read all the puppy manuals, has been talking everyday for at least a year about getting a dog.
Dh has never had a dog and is quite nervous of them.

My slight concern with this breed is that they seem reluctant to please, making training a challenge but this is balanced out with their apparently calm nature, which is really important too.

We have a large enclosed garden, I'm at home for most of the day, plan for an hours walking, with maybe a bit of running if the dog is up to it.

Any thoughts on what else I need to consider about the breed, questions to ask the breeder, things to look out for?

They are actually about the most trainable of the sighthounds, but sighthounds do require quite a different approach to say a lab. Actually no dog wants to please you, they are entirely self serving, well trained dogs have been shown that by offering certain behaviours they get access to the good things in life.

My whippy is four now and mostly as calm as they come, but he was a swine as a puppy and didn't really start to mature until two, they will do insane wall of death speed runs around your living room and won't really notice if they are bouncing off the furniture or a face ;)

Most though not all will have a considerable prey drive, make sure you have thought how you will manage that, they are more than capable of killing a cat.

Neighbour has a cat who likes to hang out in our garden - I expect they'll learn to hang out elsewhere!

Get yourself booked in with a good training class & stick with it,whippets are intelligent enough to do most things you'd want.
Puppies are both loveable & a nightmare,the fact that your home a lot is going to help big time,get ready to fall in love tomorrow

Be prepared for the breeder to grill you to within an inch of your life. I'd actually be a bit suspicious of a breeder who didn't ask loads of questions.

Whippet puppies are evil, evil little creatures All three of mine have followed the same pattern. They're lovely and sweet for the first couple of days then find their feet and turn into complete lunatics. They have two modes, asleep and 100mph. Without fail they do unstoppable wall of death runs when I'm shattered and just want to go to bed. Then all of a sudden around 7 or 8 months they start chilling out a bit and I remember why I wanted another one!

All of mine have been thieves to some degree but my youngest (now 7 months old) is a complete kleptomaniac. If it's not fixed down he'll steal it, if anything in this house goes missing the first place to look is in the dog beds Thankfully he doesn't always destroy things so they can be retrieved intact, if a little soggy.

Oh, and say goodbye to all the comfiest spots in your home. They belong to the whippet now......

I have a whippet greyhound cross.

Very sweet, only mild thieving of socks, very sensitive to tone, and to being told off. Adores my boys, 11 and 9.

Perfect age for kids to have a dog.

Whippets are so cute and funny!

Have already been put through the third degree by another breeder - we have nothing to hide, it's been a well thought through decision, initially dh agreed but said he wanted nothing to do with the dog but I insisted that wasn't good enough. We asked the kids not to talk about it to him so that he could make a decision without pressure, so 6 months later he told me he'd decided he felt that he could welcome a dog positively to the family. When we told the kids they cried and cried - I cried, dh was overwhelmed at the reaction.
Having a dog will change our lives - good and bad....but we have accepted the negs (we lose a bit of spontaneity, and have to rejig our weekends) and look forward to the fun, love and adventure they will no doubt bring. I say they, I'm thinking we'll end up getting two...eventually!

I'm quite excited, I really hope we like the breeder too, we didn't like the last one - who bred cockapoos, she had a great reputation but something didn't feel right, dogs lacked training, there were too many and kept in crates, Ds grilled her and wasn't convinced she kept her dogs properly. So we walked away, think she was a bit surprised by his questioning.

Sock stealing is a minor offence - I can live with that!

Good on you and DH for walking away from the cockapoo breeder and for grilling her, not just the other way around! If more people were like you, there would be less breeding of dogs just because they're in fashion.

Good luck with your whippet search. We'll need pictures, of course!

Omg! We've put down a deposit on a beautiful blue male whippet! It just felt right!

The couple have just started breeding, their family dogs were lovely, friendly, confident but gentle and calm and after the intial introductions they settled down for a nap. Saw all the paperwork. Dogs were well cared for and everything seemed kosher.
We'll pick up the puppy when it's 10weeks old when it's had it's vaccinations and we've had our non dog friendly holiday.

Exciting!!!!

Um, any pups left, I want one