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Original poster

Please tell me about your Whippet's recall.

44 replies

PencilFace · 26/01/2019 06:09

I have a 2 year old male Whippet, he's such a good dog in many respects apart from his recall. He will come back fine if there are no other dogs around but the minute he sees one he is gone.

I think in part I may have caused this problem as I let him play with other (willing) dogs as much as possible as a pup thinking this would socialise him well. I feel so bad though as now he is on a lead 90% of the time as I can't have him sprinting up to every dog he sees.

He is also very rough with other dogs which is another problem!

Does anyone else have a similar issue? Or a Whippet with perfect recall? I'm trying to decide whether to keep trying to train him or just accept he'll have to be on a lead.

OP posts:
heidiwine · 26/01/2019 08:02

We have a whippet with reasonable recall. He won’t come back when stalking squirrels or in full on play with other dogs.
I used the Total Recall book and did almost every step (it took months).
He also plays quite roughly - I think it’s a sighthound thing. He is very good at waiting so now I make him wait before he runs off to another dog and for some reason that seems to be making him a bit calmer with them. I wonder if maybe that’s because the other dogs have had a chance to clock him before he bombs in on them.
I would recommend Total Recall - two years old shouldn’t be too late.

Frouby · 26/01/2019 08:08

My whippet girl has really really good recall, mainly because she is a very greedy whippet and I used food to train her. Even when she is playing or stalking something.

Easy to do if they are greedy.

Maybe use a long line? Then you can stand on it, but on a whippet it needs to be attached to a harness rather than a collar. If he's zooming around and its on a collar and you stand on it or it gets caught on something you can seriously damage their necks.

bluetongue · 26/01/2019 08:23

My whippet’s recall is fairly good but it’s all down to the timing. I have to get his attention before he runs off after a dog or it’s a lost cause.

He also plays rough. Complete with what I call ‘dinasaur’ noises Blush Internet research show some it’s pretty common in whippets. He does go to daycare 1-2 days a week and they insist he’s fine so I don’t think he’s an aggressive dog but it’s still unsociable behaviour.

Original poster
PencilFace · 26/01/2019 09:13

I think I will buy the totall recall book, I had heard of it but thought it was mostly for gundogs, good to know it can be applied to hounds too.

Its interesting to hear they are all similar with the rough play, it came as a complete shock to me and seems at odd with their delicate apperance. My freinds all have gundogs and they are just so different, they totally ignore other dogs and I wish i could get my boy like that.

I will try and dig out my long line, i did use it a little bit but used to end up in a tangle, more practice needed I think!

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drinkswineoutofamug · 26/01/2019 11:59

Whippet cross owner here. Her recall is fine until, like you say she sees another dog. I've done treat training with her , out on walks and at home. She's very friendly with other dogs and wants them to chase her. She's been put in her place by some older dogs so she now ignores them. She's in my bad books atm , came home covered in mud, ran upstairs to find my oh, who had left our bedroom door open. Needless to say, over freshly made bed now needs changing.
I'm also wondering if there's some terrier in her as my garden now resembles the surface of the moon , there's that many holes she's dug. 😒

Original poster
PencilFace · 26/01/2019 14:20

My Patterdale terrier was awful for digging, he uprooted entire bushes before. I wish I could get my whippet interested in treats but for him nothing beats the excitment of another dog.

I'm trying to look up training courses for older dogs now as I feel this isn't something I can sort out by myself.

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cowfacemonkey · 26/01/2019 15:48

My lurcher is exactly the same. I’m also working through Total Recal book. We’ve had to change where we walk as he loves to play but is far too rough and ready. Fortunately there are a couple of dogs locally that play a similar way so I’m able let him have a good play with them a couple of times a week.
He was such a nervous pup that like you I let him play off lead with any other dog he wanted to as back then all he wanted to do was run he never used to rough and tumble, but now he’s bigger and more confident he’s a bitey face pest!

Lau123lau · 26/01/2019 20:19

My whippet pup is exactly the same, recalls great without distraction, sees another dog and he’s off at full pelt to try and start a chase. I’m not as concerned when he does it with bigger dogs, it’s when he jumps all over some poor dashund (which seem incredibly popular near us) that I don’t like! He has been put in his place by a chihuahua before now though! I’d love to come across another whippet/lurcher/grey he could play with but they don’t seem very popular where we live.

cowfacemonkey · 26/01/2019 21:22

Ahh a field full of lurchers, whippets and greys... now that would be the best sight ever! There's a few greyhounds round my way but never off lead sadly.

Original poster
PencilFace · 27/01/2019 07:39

Yes I wish we would meet other whippets or similar but I rarely do, shih tzus are the most popular where we live and they don't seem like they would enjoy a chase!

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drinkswineoutofamug · 27/01/2019 08:13

Near us we have a few greyhounds, most are ex racers so never off the lead. Another whippet, a whippet x staffie! God that boy can jump! We are mainly surrounded by labs , who can sniff me out as I always have treats for training on my pocket.
My girl runs with an older greyhound beautiful to watch them go

Mner2019 · 27/01/2019 08:20

Our dog has good recall from treats but not if he’s out of sight. He can be really close to you e.g a metre but if he can’t see you, all bets are off.

I find regularly changing his treats helps. There’s nothing like the excitement of new treats. Zooplus have a great range.

Mner2019 · 27/01/2019 12:48

Haha. I wrote the above and then he absolutely pegged it on me today. He ignored me in the wind until I managed to get to him. Stoopid whippet had rolled in fox wee and stank. His bath didn’t go down well - he’s still sulking!

Itscoldouthere · 27/01/2019 14:19

Have a look and see if there are any Whippet or lurcher walk near you.
I have a Bedlington/whippet and there are often get together walks arranged through Facebook.
I have also joined the Cambridgeshire Whippet walk group although I’ve not yet made it to one of their walk, they post bodies and it’s so great seeing pointy face dogs running and playing together 😊

Itscoldouthere · 27/01/2019 14:21

‘Post videos’ !

drinkswineoutofamug · 27/01/2019 15:20

Just got back from a 2 hr walk in the forest near us. Off lead. I'm in shock she was so well behaved, came when called. Ignored other dogs. Went back on lead no fuss when we came across a field of sheep. She's now flat out. And stinks . Off wet dog.

Standstilling · 27/01/2019 15:27

Ahhhh,Love reading about your whippets. Mine is asleep on my knees as I type. His recall is, well, variable. He loves treats esp cheese and also his squeaky tennis balls. I can get him back if I have the ball chucker with me. As a pp said, his recall is all about timing; getting his attention at the right time.

He loves to run with other dogs but not many can keep up. He just shows off by zooming past them but isn’t really interested in playing with them.

stayathomegardener · 27/01/2019 15:43

Slides into the Whippet club...
My Whippet boy will be 3 this summer and despite good early training completely lost his recall as a teenager.

He is getting so much better again now I could almost trust him off lead.

He met a Whippet best friend a year ago and they have been inseparable ever since and run off lead in our fields playing chase me chase me but that's created other problems as he now reacts to any other dogs out and about on lead with fear.

If anyone is in Cheshire we have a 10 acre field that is pretty Whippet proof and always keen for more friends.

Original poster
PencilFace · 27/01/2019 15:58

Ooh I wish I lived near Cheshire! Really enjoying reading about all the Whippets, they all sound so similar.
Mine has so many good traits that I can forgive the sketchy recall. He is gentle, affectionate, adores children and never makes a sound apart from a very amusing happy growl.

Please tell me about your Whippet's recall.
OP posts:
stayathomegardener · 27/01/2019 16:39

What a handsome boy.
I wish my boy didn't bark. He didn't initially but old dog taught him 🙄 Old dog (deerhound x greyhound) can't really hear so thinks he's heard something and Whippet thinks old dog knows everything so continues the cacophony at absolutely nothing!

stayathomegardener · 27/01/2019 16:40

Boy

stayathomegardener · 27/01/2019 16:40

Awww photo won't post.

LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett · 27/01/2019 16:41

I'm not even reading, I'm just here for the whippet pictures Grin

OP your boy is gorgeous. They are the most beautiful dogs.

Mner2019 · 27/01/2019 16:56

Yours is gorgeous OP. Here’s ours...

Please tell me about your Whippet's recall.
Ooogetyooo · 27/01/2019 17:01

Mine only comes back for treats but is pretty good at recognising when other dogs don't want to play