When To Enter My Whippet Pup

[Blueboybilly 164]

Hi there. I am currently putting my whippet pup through basic training which is going well and I am looking for advice on a good age to enter him to the 'world of work'.

 

He is 6 months old and with the season just around the corner I am starting to think that I might enter him this winter however some advice suggests that you should wait 14 months whereas other advice states that 8 months is okay.

 

This is my first whippet and I want to do the best thing possible with regard to training as I believe that some that if entered too early they can open up and form bad habits.

 

I don't keep ferrets and I will be looking to be using him for lamping.

 

Please let me know what you think and let me know about your own experiences etc.

 

Blueboybilly

[Fly The Boy 340]

Leave him till the 12 months you will have him for long time don't rush him,,,,,,,give him few runs in feb..........

[green dragon 701]

I was all way told you will ruin a good dog if you entered to early what's the rush enjoy your pup mate atb

[shaaark 11,003]

Hi there. I am currently putting my whippet pup through basic training which is going well and I am looking for advice on a good age to enter him to the 'world of work'.

 

He is 6 months old and with the season just around the corner I am starting to think that I might enter him this winter however some advice suggests that you should wait 14 months whereas other advice states that 8 months is okay.

 

This is my first whippet and I want to do the best thing possible with regard to training as I believe that some that if entered too early they can open up and form bad habits.

 

I don't keep ferrets and I will be looking to be using him for lamping.

 

Please let me know what you think and let me know about your own experiences etc.

 

Blueboybilly

He won't be 'set', ligaments, tendons etc til he's about roughly 16-18 months anyway. If it was me I'd not be doing much at all, workwise, with him until then. Just get him out and about fairly regularly, socialising, teaching him some manners, stock breaking etc. Run him a little too young and you 'could' set him up with little strains and niggles which might impact on him for life, and piss you off and start thinking, like more than a few people do, that whippets are shit, fragile, got shit feet etc etc, which they aint and haven't!

Or even pm some keen whippet guys off here like trev70 and a couple of others, they've put up some cracking stuff recently about whippets, I think the thread is 'let's see those whippets, coursing, racing and working.' Something like that, anyway, take your time with him mate.

[Blackbriar 8,569]

I've got a 3 month old Beddy Whippet and, like you, this is my first, so I don't claim any expertise. However......

 

While I'm out with him, I just let him run if he wants to - I don't encourage him to run, and I keep him on a long line for now, so he doesn't overdo it. To my mind, he should be putting most of his energy into growing.........

 

I'm sure your dog is already quick, but like the other lads have said, don't be tempted to do too much, too early.

Edited August 11, 2015 by Blackbriar

[tb25 4,627]

Add be giving a few easy slips come winter.

[Wales1234 5,581]

My pups are out after their jabs running and mooching with the older dogs I wouldn't ferret or lamp them till about 14-18 months but I won't leave them behind when I'm just mooching their off the lead storming about and do catch the odd rabbit and stuff

[matt1979 766]

I have a whippet x pup at the minute around the same age. I am not into lamping really, he will be tagging along with the older dogs this winter for sure, as my thoughts are he needs to learn basic skills in the field, manners and how to work alongside other dogs. No doubt he will get the odd run but these things happen even when you are just walking your dogs anywhere. Some will criticise this and I accept he is only a pup but in my eyes it's about being sensible about how much work rather than whether to do any or not. I should say though lamping is a different game in my eyes though the stakes an risks are far higher atb

[shaaark 11,003]

I have a whippet x pup at the minute around the same age. I am not into lamping really, he will be tagging along with the older dogs this winter for sure, as my thoughts are he needs to learn basic skills in the field, manners and how to work alongside other dogs. No doubt he will get the odd run but these things happen even when you are just walking your dogs anywhere. Some will criticise this and I accept he is only a pup but in my eyes it's about being sensible about how much work rather than whether to do any or not. I should say though lamping is a different game in my eyes though the stakes an risks are far higher atb

That's the point I was making. Yes you need to take any pup out and about, and educate it etc, and it will run the odd rabbit now and again, but as you say, lamping and proper regular running etc needs to be left til it's mature enough not to risk being stressed and strained unnecessarily. By the way, I like that pup of yours, looks a cracker

[sandymere 8,263]

I'd start it gently later this winter if you can find a bit of ground that hasn't been run to death to give the pup a chance of success, a 10 month old whippet should be physically mature enough for a few easy slips to get the foundations right then it should be ready for some heavier graft the following year. It will be more about getting the right slips than anything else, if I have a youngster coming on I save a bit of ground so there will be nice green rabbits for the 1st outing or so.

This lad was doing a bit at 10 months

 

Edited August 11, 2015 by sandymere