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Whippet Puppy Advice?

68 replies

SightHoundSunday · 21/10/2024 11:18

Feels bizarre to be typing this but we've got a whippet puppy joining the family later this week.

We already have an adult male greyhound and I've wanted to get him a companion for some time, but we were considering another rescue, rather than a puppy.

For various reasons it has all come about quite suddenly, so I'm still getting my head around the new addition (but very excited!). Currently prepping!

Any puppy survival tips? My lovely friend has one from the same litter and it makes it look easy so I'm hoping to follow suit. 😅

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19
iloveshetlandponies · 21/10/2024 21:45

SightHoundSunday · 21/10/2024 14:16

I know nobody asked...

Oh my god 🥹🥹🥹🥺

Elderlydogsrus · 24/10/2024 07:01

How’s puppy doing? @SightHoundSunday

SightHoundSunday · 24/10/2024 16:51

Elderlydogsrus · 24/10/2024 07:01

How’s puppy doing? @SightHoundSunday

I am collecting him tomorrow! Longest week of my life. 😂

Thank you again for all the advice and replies, I have read and digested everything, just had no time to reply!

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oakleaffy · 24/10/2024 16:55

Whippets need SLAVES.

My Whippet “Can’t get the staff”…

Whippet Puppy Advice?
oakleaffy · 24/10/2024 16:59

As 9 week old pup..Get them
used to different environments early on.

And get them used to cats if at all possible, early on.

Whippet Puppy Advice?
oakleaffy · 24/10/2024 17:05

@SightHoundSunday In all seriousness
Please beware windows.

Our Whippet flew out of an upstairs ( open) window - She was afraid of hoover.

She landed on Wisteria bush and was mercifully OK .
Another Whippet leapt from an attic Window of a Victorian house. ( She survived )

Moran Healey ( Whippet author) says some Whippets think they can fly.

They can be lunatics. Open windows from above, only.

Stormyweatheroutthere · 24/10/2024 17:12

I WANT A WHIPPET PUPPY..... we have 3 sight hounds.. 1 has whippet it. Never seen such a skinny beast!!
They love cosy clothes and soft blankets.... And pretending they are made of velcro....

Lulubellamozarella · 24/10/2024 17:16

Oh be prepared to have your heart completely stolen, as well as your food, your bed and your sofa!!! 😂(and your slippers!)

I have two of them and my female whipsters are now 6 and 5 and are cousins. These are the first whippets we have ever had and to be honest they are the weirdest, goofiest, silliest, loveliest breed I have ever owned. They are utterly bonkers and will have you laughing at their daftness.

Whippets are sensitive breeds and most of them don't much like being left alone so you will have to make sure you address this early on and work up to being able to safely leave them for a bit.

Their pray drive is bonkers and off the scale. Anything small and especially small and furry is fair game for a game of 'chasey chasey' so work on recall is vital.

Mine do epic zoomies and love to stretch their legs so access to a dog park, other dogs to run with, the beach etc is a good idea so they can exercise. A whippet that can run free is a happy whippet.

My two are very vocal and will let you know if they want something by whining pathetically and looking at you like they are being abused. They whine to be tucked into their blankets if they are cold, they whine if its time for dinner and will let you know if they are displeased with you. You will become their slaves. Ours also like to talk to you and make a 'row row row' noise which is cute but annoying at the same time.

They feel the cold so blankets, coats, and fleeces for cold days will stop them shivering pathetically and their teeth from chattering 😂

Once they have had a good run and exercise ours are happy to sleep most of the rest of the day other than a mad half hour at 6.30pm where we get epic zoomies and toys shoved in our face to play 'tuggy'

As far as actually 'puppydom' goes I think everyone else has covered the basics but the book 'Easy peasy puppy squeezy' was great at covering all the do's and don'ts of owning a puppy. One of ours was bitey and jumpy and never sat still and the other was completely the opposite, playful and snoozy so not all whippet puppies are the same but they can be mental. A crate was vital with our first as she was totally on the go all the time and loved to run off with our shoes and slippers and we needed the crate to force her to take a time out for her own good or the pup would never sleep. Small puppies need a lot of sleep. Our second was a far easier puppy and we never needed it for her.

Both have grown into the most amazing, loving, cute, funny, daft dogs ever and we have oodles and oodles of photos of them sleeping upside down in a weird way or of the strange faces they pull when sleeping. They truly are funny. I would never have another breed now. I have never known a breed like them.

Best of luck and keep us posted with how it goes.

MinistryofThyme · 24/10/2024 17:21

We let off the lead from the first walk and recall is great. We also were firm on sleeping downstairs on his own. He chooses this now - loves his cave bed.

We were also firm on being left alone - as in we built up, followed advice etc, but did it from about 5 months. He now probably doesn't notice if we're there or not if he's been fed and walked 😂

Absolute bugger as a puppy. So naughty 🙈 You may well get lucky but if not, it'll pass! Eventually...

Elderlydogsrus · 24/10/2024 17:21

@SightHoundSunday how exciting!

following with interest as we are considering a whippet…just wanting to make sure they are a good fit for a family of 5!

BoobyDazzler · 24/10/2024 17:27

Whippets are lush, I’m very envious!

My dog is a lurcher - whippet/bedlington so whippet shaped but scruffy. He’s a massive idiot but so loving, and very obedient and clever.

My only advice would be let it off lead asap and work really hard on recall.

stayathomegardener · 24/10/2024 17:46

We have a little spring loaded bell attached to the back door ours can ring for the toilet.

Houdini made to measure harness stops them jumping out backwards like eels.

Enjoy, they are the best.

Here's mine 💚

Whippet Puppy Advice?
oakleaffy · 24/10/2024 20:42

BoobyDazzler · 24/10/2024 17:27

Whippets are lush, I’m very envious!

My dog is a lurcher - whippet/bedlington so whippet shaped but scruffy. He’s a massive idiot but so loving, and very obedient and clever.

My only advice would be let it off lead asap and work really hard on recall.

My Whippet's Best friend {apart from her litter sister} is a Beddy X.

They squirrel stalk together , and play together really nicely.

I let ours off lead as soon as vaccines were done, as they stick to you when that young.

HOWEVER.... as an adult, if they spy deer or something on the horizon, recall can be sketchy if they have a high prey drive, which seems to be instinctive in some Coursing lines.

Whippet Puppy Advice?
Whippet Puppy Advice?
oakleaffy · 24/10/2024 20:52

SightHoundSunday · 21/10/2024 14:10

Yes I was wondering about fireworks being as "the season" is so close (we had a load going off behind the house last night). My big boy is terrified of them (and thunder) so I'm hoping the pup can get used to them early on.

I use a harness for the big boy (probably unnecessarily as he's as placid as they come) so likely will use a harness for the whippet as I prefer them to the traditional wide sighthound collars.

My main concern is toilet training as I have no real experience. Luckily we have almost entirely hard floors downstairs, and a fully enclosed very secure back garden which I'm sure will come in handy. I'm reading up on it now.

I was in town earlier and picked up an adorable (and bargainous) little bed which will be perfect for the puppy days.

Excited doesn't come close!!

You may well find your Big Boy teaches your little one a lot...including to fear fireworks.

We had a wonderful Rescue Lurcher years ago, and then had a Whippet puppy - Lurcher taught the Whippet everything. He was housetrained so fast, as followed her lead.

However, Lurcher was afraid of the hoover, and she taught him to also be afraid of it, despite the home he came from having a noisy hoover that he wasn't at all scared of as a little puppy.

Twiggy wasn't afraid of fireworks, or thunder, and she taught him not to care about these, but hoover fear she most definitely did teach him.

She'd slink out of the room...and he'd follow.

My Whippet now isn't bothered by thunder, but she doesn't like the sight of fireworks.

{We have a massive display opposite the house , annoyingly, and she was much better with the curtains closed, even thought she could hear them blasting off.

Personally I wish fireworks didn't exist, as so many animals are terrified of them.

oakleaffy · 24/10/2024 20:57

ChiefEverythingOfficer · 21/10/2024 14:14

Here is my old guy - he is 14 next month

What an absolutely gorgeous Boy ❤️ !
I love distinguished older Whippets.

@SightHoundSunday Another tip...Get newboy used to having his teeth brushed with a dog toothpaste every day.

When his adult teeth come through, he will be used to it, and hopefully it will keep his teeth in good order.

oakleaffy · 24/10/2024 21:04

Re Whippets and harnesses... some Whippet people say harnesses can cause issues with shoulders, and can rub under their 'arms'.

I did use a harness when ours was tiny, but a well fitted Martingale collar or leather seems to be used by most Whippet people as they so rarely dick about.
{Pic of Whippet Party we were invited to!}

Gorgeous 15 yr old on far right in green coat.

Whippet Puppy Advice?
SightHoundSunday · 25/10/2024 13:37

😍

Whippet Puppy Advice?
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SightHoundSunday · 25/10/2024 13:37

He definitely needs jumper!

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Andante57 · 25/10/2024 13:55

So adorable!

Binkybonkybilly · 25/10/2024 14:20

Cute!

oakleaffy · 25/10/2024 14:28

SightHoundSunday · 25/10/2024 13:37

😍

He's really sweet!

Buy a jumper on the big side as they grow like Topsy!

The best ''storm proof'' coats I've used {still using a 30 year old one!} are ''Blizzard'' {A Greyhound and Whippet shop used to sell them}

They don't leak, and are machine washable.

Very important for when they come in plastered in mud and covered in fox poo from rolling with their coats on.

Those lovely Friday Fox Newmarket Wool ones need hand washing in soapflakes and are really only suited to ''lead walks''.

Not Rolly-Polly in fox shit walks.

www.blizzardcoats.co.uk/15-whippet-coats

Lulubellamozarella · 25/10/2024 14:55

oakleaffy · 25/10/2024 14:28

He's really sweet!

Buy a jumper on the big side as they grow like Topsy!

The best ''storm proof'' coats I've used {still using a 30 year old one!} are ''Blizzard'' {A Greyhound and Whippet shop used to sell them}

They don't leak, and are machine washable.

Very important for when they come in plastered in mud and covered in fox poo from rolling with their coats on.

Those lovely Friday Fox Newmarket Wool ones need hand washing in soapflakes and are really only suited to ''lead walks''.

Not Rolly-Polly in fox shit walks.

www.blizzardcoats.co.uk/15-whippet-coats

I second the recommendation for a blizzard coat. My two have the pink ones and they are awesome!!! Proper warm and waterproof not just water resistant which makes a difference. Brilliant coats. You can afford to go a little bigger as your pup will grow into it because they grow at an alarming rate.

Also check out 'Trendy Whippet' we have their coats and harnesses. Be careful with the harness in case you have a little houdini as some of them they can back out of with them being so skinny!! 😂

Andante57 · 25/10/2024 15:20

Our darling girl

Whippet Puppy Advice?
SensibleSigma · 25/10/2024 15:29

Oooh… adorable! How much does a whippet pup set you back these days? I rescued a bedlington lurcher years ago- absolutely adored him- and am now owned by an opinionated frenchie cross.

I’d have loved a dog that didn’t get travel sick though. We haven’t cracked that with this one.

SightHoundSunday · 25/10/2024 16:33

Andante57 · 25/10/2024 15:20

Our darling girl

She's stunning!!

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