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My New Puppy

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simon1974

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Hello guys,

Just got mself a new whippet puppy, hes 8 weeks old and im chuffed to bits with him.

Im a little concerned though as i have had him for 5 days now (still very early i know) but he doesnt seem to be responding at all to his name (Taz). When i call him in the garden some times he looks and comes (probably because im speaking his name followd by come on then in a really squeaky girlie voice lol), and other times he just carries on with what he fancies.

I know its very early days but i have been reading on the net and a few sites and forums say whippets are not to be trusted off lead as they tend not to come back. I have bought my whippet from good working parents ( rabbiting) so im also curious how they can be so good at working if they dont come back?

Please can someone give me some good advice as i have faith in my new boy Taz as i feel surely he can be trained to come when called and not just when he feels like.

Thanks

:)
 
Welcome to k9...and welcome to little Taz too!

My whippet has a great recall. But i think there are a lot who like to check things out before they bother to come back!

You're just going to have to make yourself more interesting to Taz than the rest of the world is...girly squeaky voce is a good start :lol: :lol: I used a little plastic pot of treats, hich rattled seems to get through the 'deafness' and then sometimes she got a reward othertimes she didn't...kept her keen though

Good luck with him

And Picures pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee :D
 
whne there young a little bribery goes a log way tiny tiny bits of cheese when the come when you cal there name and they soon get the idea good luck with Taz get some pics up
 
Thanks guys i have some pics on my camera i will upload later when i get home

:)
 
It is a little soon for him to have learned much yet .

I've never heard that whippets have any problem with recall . I have had 5 over the past 17 years and they always come back . Maybe not always right away but fairly quickly . :D

Good luck with your new puppy :D
 
Hes 8 weeks old :unsure: :unsure: :unsure: THAT SAYS IT ALL.! I never responded to my name till i was 4 YEARS OLD my Mum tells me.! :unsure:
 
Blue's recall is good too :) and I think the younger you let them off lead the better (once inoculated of course for the big wide world) but if you're in a nice safe place with plenty of room and not close to any roads then it's a good idea to get Taz used to being off lead while he's still young - he'll be a bit less sure of himself and more keen to stay close to you that way. Like everyone else has said, lots of nice tasty treats and make yourself look like the most interesting person around (which, of course will make you look like a complete loony to your neighbours :lol: ) Can't wait to see some photos of the little fellow.

Jill
 
They come when you have food! I always have food, hence, so far they've always come back haha. If I just call their name, they look up from what they are doing but stay where they are. If I say 'here you are' or 'what's this' they ALWAYS come back because they know there will be a reward. :) I only let them off in enclosed areas, nature reserves etc because if they get distracted by a rabbit my little bit of Baker's reward ain't gonna compete....and I'd hate them to be near a road when that happens.

I will say I thought whippets were not too clever but have been proved very wrong. Ours are very canny and are doing really well at training classes. They've even learned to whinge at the back door as if they want to go out, then when I get up to open the door for them, they nick my warm seat on the sofa! That's clever!
 
He has plenty of time to learn I wouldn't worry about it just now... he's just a baby. You could try just calling him when he's coming to you naturally... like when he's getting fed he'll soon get the idea.

Toys and treats are very good when they are puppies... really anything to get their attention, whatever you're comfortable with... if you always use the same treatbag then they come to associate that with good things and that can be a attention holder too I got a little leather bag you put on your wrist which is great. You also probably need to start recall training using a lead/long line so you don't overuse his name when he's not doing what you want... if he doesn't come he'll need a gentle reminder that's what you want or he'll just become deaf to you calling his name, they're pretty good at that!

Mine are pretty good... although Ruby is known to sit in the middle of a field miles away from you and do that cocked ear and head on one side and then the other side thing when you call her name though. But I always have one trick up my sleeve that my daughter taught them.... they will always come if you shout 'D' YA WANT A BISCUIT!' which is a bit of a mouthful but it works!
 
Give your pup time if you have only had him for 5 days or so he is still getting used to you. Repetition is the best way of learning. If you go to any obeience the first thing they teach is to not use your dogs name to get them to come. Use the word come if you want him to come, use his name to get his attention. Once you have his attention using his name praise him for attention when you use his name, he is 8 weeks dont expect miricales, it will happen. Iknow dogs of 9 or ten years thati'd never let off lead, so be patient my whippet is nearly 2 and almost has her trained dog certificate which basically involes her being able to heel off lead, recall, stay, sit, stand and drop on command. Also whippets from experience are a very clingy dog but also love to go and investigate things first once you feel comfortable to let your dog off lead, do it in a enclosed large park and practice recalls, and like everyone elsehas said food will work a treat. And like i said give it time things will happen, and always remember to make things fun, of its not fun why would you want to do it?

Good luck
 
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