Bringing on my pup

[Guest coffeegrind]

Hello All,

 

Still out in France for the moment but coming back to Oxforshire in August and looking forward to getting my 1 yr 3 month old Whippet/Grey bitch on to some game, which is banned here in France and want to ask for advice about here taking the next few steps.

 

She is good, well behaved walking close and coming back when called reasonably well even when there is game about. She retreives perfectly and runs like a wee demon, head steady etc.

 

Once or twice a week I have started to take her out with me on my 3 mile (on sand, loam and wood chips) morning bike ride through the woods and there are a lot of bunnies about which she is now racing off after. She gets close enough to open her jaws wide and then seems to lose the plot a little and doesn't kill.

 

I have three questions and am open to general advice.

 

Is a bike ride that long too much for her? She is knackered afterwards and sleeps for an hour or two and I though I have built it up slowly, she has developed a cough and I'm a bit worried that Im pushing her too hard.

 

Is it alright for her to be off after game at her age? If so, as there arent any other lurchers here in France and she has never seen a kill, how can I get her to close the deal?

 

When I worm her, which I have to do before each trip back to the UK, she is sick for three or four days, puking up all her food and generally moping. Is that normal? If not can anyone recommend a good working treatment?

 

Cheers

 

 

Coffeegrinder