The Whippet is it the Ultimate Rabbiting Dog?

[Daniel cain 42,798]

57 minutes ago, Shortstraw said:

Most  whippets and lurchers will work lots of quarry, but some are bred to do the job more effectively. I would go working rabbiting lurcher x working rabbiting lurcher rather than working whippet x working whippet......very little difference in working whippets and show whippets......Lots of whippets these day 22 plus inches.....prefer the shorter stockier type. One of the things on some whippets too is their bloody skin.....some is quite good others shocking.

my mate had a little whippet x called Dai,...3/4 whippet 1/4 bull,best little dog I've seen around nets and woodland ,hedgerow etc,tough as old boots and didn't miss much...id get 1 bred same way if I was only into rabbits,or 1/4 beddy just to toughen up the skin....my oldest lads been asking for 1.....Will have to get a few jobs done around the house first...keep her in doors happy

[two crows 3,342]

no one breed or strain stands out, just individual dogs, and there are to many ways of using a running dog for rabbits, that's why no one can agree, and why an ultimate rabbit dog does not exist, the safe option for what you want is a whippet, to many variables in cross breds, imho with coursing dogs one type started to stand out, selective breading did the rest, be great to do the same with rabbiters but as said to many variables.

[mackay 3,044]

If it's rabbits and rabbits only you're after you're probably as well with a well bred whippet from the right lines.

[NEWKID 26,094]

On 08/07/2019 at 16:02, Daniel cain said:

my mate had a little whippet x called Dai,...3/4 whippet 1/4 bull,best little dog I've seen around nets and woodland ,hedgerow etc,tough as old boots and didn't miss much...id get 1 bred same way if I was only into rabbits,or 1/4 beddy just to toughen up the skin....my oldest lads been asking for 1.....Will have to get a few jobs done around the house first...keep her in doors happy

I've said Fin can have has own little dog now, my little 3/4 whip 1/4 Beddy has been a decent enough rabbiting dog to be fair but she's getting on a bit now... I would definitely have a bit of greyhound in the next one though, maybe a grew or whip/grey/beddy... something around 22" would be perfect for him on most of our land I reckon..

He gets pissed off when we're out with the dogs that they are working with me the whole time, he wants to have one from a pup now and get the same bond.... I pretty much know it'll end up being mine lol

Edited July 9, 2019 by NEWKID

[NEWKID 26,094]

13 hours ago, two crows said:

no one breed or strain stands out, just individual dogs, and there are to many ways of using a running dog for rabbits, that's why no one can agree, and why an ultimate rabbit dog does not exist, the safe option for what you want is a whippet, to many variables in cross breds, imho with coursing dogs one type started to stand out, selective breading did the rest, be great to do the same with rabbiters but as said to many variables.

bang on that mate...

just so many ways we hunt a rabbit, lamp, ferret, bushing, hunting up etc.. then you have moorland, dales, big arable, paddocks, woodland etc etc...

[Aussie Whip 3,822]

On 08/07/2019 at 23:58, Shortstraw said:

very little difference in working whippets and show whippets....

Except working bred whippets know the game from genetic memory,which is a major factor in any working dog.

Edited July 9, 2019 by Aussie Whip

[Daniel cain 42,798]

10 hours ago, NEWKID said:

I've said Fin can have has own little dog now, my little 3/4 whip 1/4 Beddy has been a decent enough rabbiting dog to be fair but she's getting on a bit now... I would definitely have a bit of greyhound in the next one though, maybe a grew or whip/grey/beddy... something around 22" would be perfect for him on most of our land I reckon..

He gets pissed off when we're out with the dogs that they are working with me the whole time, he wants to have one from a pup now and get the same bond.... I pretty much know it'll end up being mine lol

get him 1 kevhe's a good kid

my lad wants a little whippet x or a teckel to come out and knock about with me...my old black dogs never bushed, couldn't be trustedcould do with a dedicated busher for the Wheaton x....she tries to do every job....not complaining it's brilliant to watch....but she's not really built to go where a terrier or spaniel can

[Allan P 1,126]

8 hours ago, Aussie Whip said:

Except working bred whippets know the game from genetic memory,which is a major factor in any working dog.

This is what I am trying to ascertain having never seen a whippet work. They have been bred for a few hundred years now for rabbiting so they should be top of the list. 

[Aussie Whip 3,822]

9 minutes ago, Allan P said:

This is what I am trying to ascertain having never seen a whippet work. They have been bred for a few hundred years now for rabbiting so they should be top of the list. 

Most will hunt rabbits but when you see a good one from hunting lines work and interact with the ferrets there is no comparison imo.They aren't perfect with their finer skin but once they learn to clear wire they are hard to beat and exciting to watch.

[Shortstraw 473]

On 08/07/2019 at 14:28, Allan P said:

Don’t Lurchers have more strings to their bow than working just rabbits?  I understand some whippets do other work but aren’t they really bred for rabbits? 

Allan, have you been on whippet forums....think they might be Facebook based now.......been a while since I was on the forums ( think it was nigels whippet site) If I was going down the whippet route I would be contacting him. Some of the whippet fellas on here will be able to point you in right direction.

[Shortstraw 473]

If  Nigel ( sure that’s his name) is still at it he’d  probably take you out with the whippets and when your whippet is older take it out again. Think he goes in the dales.

[Shortstraw 473]

For me though a lurcher is just better at everything a whippet does...can’t think of anything a whippet does better......anything

They bring less mud back into the house and don’t shed much.......

[Allan P 1,126]

7 minutes ago, Shortstraw said:

Allan, have you been on whippet forums....think they might be Facebook based now.......been a while since I was on the forums ( think it was nigels whippet site) If I was going down the whippet route I would be contacting him. Some of the whippet fellas on here will be able to point you in right direction.

I’ve had a look on some forums but still need to do some more research. For me getting a dog is a big decision it will be here for it’s life so I like to get a few opinions before committing. I know I only want to do a bit of rabbiting but I would like to do it well and try and find the sort of dog that will give me a good shot. 

[Shortstraw 473]

1 minute ago, Allan P said:

I’ve had a look on some forums but still need to do some more research. For me getting a dog is a big decision it will be here for it’s life so I like to get a few opinions before committing. I know I only want to do a bit of rabbiting but I would like to do it well and try and find the sort of dog that will give me a good shot. 

Any particular area of rabbiting you will be doing more of?

[Aussie Whip 3,822]

6 minutes ago, Shortstraw said:

.can’t think of anything a whippet does better......anything

For one thing whippets are quicker and not a shot in the dark as to which breed they throw to more.