Training a whippet pup for the hunt

[sdiguana 1]

Howdy,

 

I have a 10 week whippet pup (male) and want to get him ready for the hunt the fall of 2013 so that he starts his rabbit chasing ways at 13-14 mo age. I've been trying to find information on training him, but so far haven't turned up a whole lot. I've read the Working Whippet by Helen Hansell which was a good overview on getting going, but at the end of it i'm not sure that i felt i got everything i needed (may need to read it again..). I'm using Dr Sofia Yin's Learn to Earn program for basic obedience. Anything else you guys recomend?

I have heard Purdy's Progress is a good one to watch, but i cant find it, anyone know where i can locate it?

 

What i've worked out so far, please correct me if im off:

-dont play tug with him, ever

-teach to retrieve to hand

-teach rock solid recall

-teach memory recalls (why are these important??)

-precondition on roads to harden him up over 6 weeks leading up to hunting season

 

is it ok to let him have rabbit skins as chew toys/ training tools ? or shall i wait till he is older?

 

i still feel like there are enourmous gaps in my knowledge of ensuring he learns to be a good hunting dog, and there aren't any sighthound hunters out in my area that i have been able to locate to get a local idea. i used to travel to wolves more often than i cared... wished i had decided to take up the sport and learn from you guys' side of the pond before that gig ended.

 

one other side question: crating the pup during the working day for two 4 hr blocks with a 20 minute stretching the legs walk and potty break at lunch. He seems much more distraught over the daytime crating than when i was getting him going on the nighttime crating (he is over the night crying). Looked like he was drooling all over the corner of the crate today & chewing the wire/bars, is this something that will pass like the night version or is it a bigger issue? We kept him home with the wife for a week when he first arrived, but she had to go back to the office too, so we've not a ton of option for daytime people interactions.

 

Thanks much & cheers!

[Dranny GLC 112]

It's sounds to me that you av done a lot of research and you have it all under control I think if your keen enough to care so much it will all work out in the end. I can't give any advise because I'm only a beginner myself. Good luck.

[mally 832]

First of all why would you want to crate a pup for 2 x 4 hour sessions during the day, let the pup interact with people and learn it's surroundings. Yes crate the pup when it's not supervised but i don't agree in crating a pup for this amount of time during the day. I have all my pups in the house for a couple of months to house train them and socialise them and the only time they are crated is during the night and if i go out during the day.

 

Chews, why would you want to give it a rabbit skin?? this will cause problems when you start to work the dog, he'll think it's ok to mess about with a rabbit like he has done with the rabbit skin toy that he's played with for the months before. People may disagree with this, however i have a 5 year old bitch that's caught hundreds of rabbits but has yet to kill a single one, she catches and retrieves them live to hand, as does her son Sagar.

 

The only time i would use rabbit skin is on the dummies used for training, i only allow the dogs to retrieve them though not play with them.

 

I give meaty bones and rawhide chews to pups

[airbourne 128]

First of all why would you want to crate a pup for 2 x 4 hour sessions during the day, let the pup interact with people and learn it's surroundings. Yes crate the pup when it's not supervised but i don't agree in crating a pup for this amount of time during the day. I have all my pups in the house for a couple of months to house train them and socialise them and the only time they are crated is during the night and if i go out during the day.

 

Chews, why would you want to give it a rabbit skin?? this will cause problems when you start to work the dog, he'll think it's ok to mess about with a rabbit like he has done with the rabbit skin toy that he's played with for the months before. People may disagree with this, however i have a 5 year old bitch that's caught hundreds of rabbits but has yet to kill a single one, she catches and retrieves them live to hand, as does her son Sagar.

 

The only time i would use rabbit skin is on the dummies used for training, i only allow the dogs to retrieve them though not play with them.

 

I give meaty bones and rawhide chews to pups

:thumbs: :thumbs:

[sdiguana 1]

-I certainly don't want to crate the little guy for two four hour sessions, but i'm at work during that time and dont forsee leaving him alone in the house bieng safe for him or especially the house. My wife and i are trying to shift our schedules so I goto work very early and she goes in later so we can get it down to a bare minimum, we are hoping to get it down to one session at 3-4 hrs in the morning... we're still working out the logistics on that.

 

-thanks for the tip on only training for the skins. I think i mis-read someone elses tip on how to get them familiar with the scents of rabbits. At what age do you start training for retrieving the dummies? if indoors i can get him to retrieve a stuffed animal, mixed bag on if he brings it to me or runs somewhere else to chew on it. I am trading him the animal for a treat to encourge bringing to hand. But when i go outside he is only interested in sniffing things and eating slugs. I'm guessing its a maturity / focus issue...?

 

- for chews i've been giving spiral shaped tendons, rawhide and stuffed toys. he also only gets his food either from a kong, as a chicken back or turkey neck or as dry kibble or jerky used as training treats. i figured no animal shaped toys right?

[sdiguana 1]

did anyone have any suggested resources for learning? i should have kept my question short as that was my main intent on the thread.

 

Only two items i've learned of so far are purdy's progress (which i cant locate) and the book i'd mentioned up top. I'm happy to research and dig more so i can ensure i do well right with and for the pup.

[darbo 4,778]

did anyone have any suggested resources for learning? i should have kept my question short as that was my main intent on the thread.

 

Only two items i've learned of so far are purdy's progress (which i cant locate) and the book i'd mentioned up top. I'm happy to research and dig more so i can ensure i do well right with and for the pup.

pm mrpit off here he will sort you a copy out a decent bloke. good luck with the pup.

[sdiguana 1]

Did anyone have a suggestion when I should start him on dummies for training?

 

as i'd mentioned above he doesnt have much attention span yet at 10 weeks, so i assume its at some point in the (distant?) future.

[KittleRox 2,147]

Did anyone have a suggestion when I should start him on dummies for training?

 

as i'd mentioned above he doesnt have much attention span yet at 10 weeks, so i assume its at some point in the (distant?) future.

just small fluffy toys/ rolled up sock etc at this point then move onto a 1/2 lb dummy when the pups big enough,

 

don,t do too much retrieving or you may sicken the dog, as soon as the dog becomes even slightly uninterested/bored stop and leave for another day, atb

[young man 225]

-I certainly don't want to crate the little guy for two four hour sessions, but i'm at work during that time and dont forsee leaving him alone in the house bieng safe for him or especially the house. My wife and i are trying to shift our schedules so I goto work very early and she goes in later so we can get it down to a bare minimum, we are hoping to get it down to one session at 3-4 hrs in the morning... we're still working out the logistics on that.

 

-thanks for the tip on only training for the skins. I think i mis-read someone elses tip on how to get them familiar with the scents of rabbits. At what age do you start training for retrieving the dummies? if indoors i can get him to retrieve a stuffed animal, mixed bag on if he brings it to me or runs somewhere else to chew on it. I am trading him the animal for a treat to encourge bringing to hand. But when i go outside he is only interested in sniffing things and eating slugs. I'm guessing its a maturity / focus issue...?

 

- for chews i've been giving spiral shaped tendons, rawhide and stuffed toys. he also only gets his food either from a kong, as a chicken back or turkey neck or as dry kibble or jerky used as training treats. i figured no animal shaped toys right?

dont let him eat slugs it can kill him !

[sdiguana 1]

we're taking him for the next round of jabs this week, and another round of worming, should keep any harm from coming of the slugs. many a hookworm in the area, the vet said they have to be on a quite regular worming schedule to keep them parasite free.

 

i'd since learned that the pup has no sense when it comes to chewing on things... i was chatting with my neighbor whilst he was on lead next to me, and i look down to find him quietly chewing away on azalea leaves instead of his tendon... had a heck of a upchuck session later that evening and scared the heck out of us. We've since been much more cautious on what we let him chew on (and keeping him away from the shrubbery), not to mention he has a bit more prudence himself.

 

sit, and recall are coming on well. will be adding stay to the mix soon. Has a good eye to chase his toys, but still no concept of retrieving them more than 2-3 times in a session. i've just resorted to 3 tosses in exchange for a treat if he brings it to me, and calling it good... its a work in progress.

 

Another question: since i live in a densely forested area, i figure i want to have him running the forests at an early age to learn tree avoidance. I hope to hunt mainly on fields, but there are many mixed forest/field areas that are good candidates for the hunt here. Is that the best approach to keeping him thinking about where he is going? I get him to chase me through a tight footpath that requires quite a bit of agility to move through... the other day as i rounded a corner i slipped and fell into a patch of briars and ferns and the little bugger runs past, stops and comes to lick me in the face and take off again. made me feel like a three wheeled trabant in comparison to his cornering abilities heh.

 

Finally figured out how to upload a pic. The missus made him a coat for rainy season.

 

Edit: added pic

Edited September 18, 2012 by sdiguana