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Mouthing Whippet Puppy

We have a gorgeous 6 month old male, Dash, who is mouthing when he's excited and as he is in a family with 4 young children (4-12), that's quite often!

We are doing all the text book things (substituting limbs with toys, screeching out loud, etc) to no effect. When I hold him calmly & say leave he does but the children aren't big enough to do that.

The situation was highlighted last week on holiday in Norfolk when, on the beach, he ran through a group of school children jumping at them & mouthing. Obviously, he's not vicious at all but they didn't know that and some were understandably scared.

We have done puppy training and have got some new contact details from our vets for more training but it feels as though we're failing miserably at the moment.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

ANSWER:

Do not despair and don't give up, your dog is still very young and… puppies will be puppies.

Stick to the all the usual safety rules: don't leave children and dog unsupervised and keep your whippet on leash if there are kids running about.

Reward good behavior with attention and treats and ignore unwanted responses.

Keep up with consistent training, have faith in the method and in the fact that your puppy soon will mature, calm down and will one day become your kid's best friend.

Lots of walking and exercise in a safe area will help him relax and focus on your commands.

Here is a video to review how to handle a mouthing puppy.





All the best for your new whippet!

Puppy Biting

by Kate
(Sydney)

We have a 9 month old whippet, who has had two owners before us. We adore him but he is barking at people and nipping them when excited. What is the best way to discourage this behaviour?


ANSWER

Yelp loudly when your puppy bites you and ask your guests to di the same. This is a strong signal to your pup. For more tips check out my training and puppy section.

Puppy Coats for Winter Pups?

by Summer
(Cumbria, UK)

My whippet is due to have her litter in 3 weeks, I tried to breed her at her earlier heat this year but no pups resulted, so I tried again.

Now she is getting rapidly fatter and after a scan at the vets we know its definitely pups (not a false pregnancy).

We live on a farm and the pups will have plenty of room to run around and play, however due to the unfortunate timing of her heat the pups will need to be doing that running and playing in November and December.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to winter coats suitable for whippet puppies that will grow with them? As I think I will need to buy them coats while they are still with me before going to new homes.

ANSWER:

I don't think it is a good idea to leave puppies run around with coats,
the pups could get caught and get seriously hurt.
In any case puppies would make rags of their new and expensive coats in minutes.
Whippets have a special knack for house redecoration and creating new trends in fashion… whippet style, that is.
I am afraid you'll have to create a safe area inside when the weather is too cold to play outside.
To keep both your puppies and the house safe, you can use an exercise pen (or X-pen) to confine them.
These playpens are like transportable, folding pens designed especially for pets.
You can cover the floor with thick plastic (an old shower curtain would do) and use towels and papers for absorbency.
The pups will have enough space to play and relieve themselves on paper in a corner but they will be safe and warm.

Whippets as Puppies

by Andy
(Silver Creek, GA)

I have a Whippet puppy that is 4 months old and she has a belly on her.

I was wondering around what age are they supposed to start looking really skinny in the stomach?

What are they are suppose to even look like when they are at this age?

ANSWER:

At 4 months, whippets still look like long legged puppies.

In the picture above you can see my Lola at that age, alone and close to an adult whippet.

I added another picture of a four months puppy, Lily. Click here to see more pictures of whippet puppy Lily

Only at around one year of age whippets tend to look like skinny sighthounds but they need more time to fill up and look like a well shaped adult whippet.

New Whippet Puppy

by Vicki
(North Ayrshire)

I have just brought home a whippet pup, he is 11 weeks and is genuinely amazing.
However when it comes to being alone, he whimpers and cries the whole time. It is unbearable to listen to.
He is also quite bad for venturing outside, he stands at the door yelping the full time and will then come in and relive himself inside :(
Please help!

ANSWER:

For a young puppy the transition to a new home can be difficult and it may require some of patience and dedication from the new owner.

Right from the beginning you have to set the rules for your pup and lovingly but firmly guide him in his new life.

A crate would be an invaluable help for toilet training but do not expect to leave your puppy outside and become toilet trained on his own, you would have to stay with him to praise success.


It is not unusual for puppies to cry when left alone, after all they just left their pack and are alone for the first time.


Be calm, consistent, have faith and you'll succeed in training your whippet puppy!

Whippet Dog FAQ: Training 2 Whippet pups at a time.

by Roger Tranowski
(Bolingbrook,Il. USA)

Abby and Cloe

I recently adopted two 12 week old female whippet puppies but I have never owned a whippet before.
All suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks

ANSWER:

Training two puppies at the same time can be quite a daunting task.
Suddenly 1+1 seems to add up to a lot more than 2.
Patience and firmness are your best allies.
Whippets are willing to please and need a gentle hand for their training.

Give your puppies separate training sessions until they learn to respond to commands and try to give them single attention whenever possible.
All the best for your new puppies!

Whining Whippet!

by Cate Harvey
(Brisbane, QLD, Australia)

My whippet, Chuckie is about 12-13 weeks old and we've had him just over a month now. Lately we've been struggling with two thing, biting and whining!

He seems to get into everything, and although I can handle this by just moving everything out of his reach the one thing I can't handle is his insistence on biting our hands and faces!

I don't know if it's because he's teething or because he's hungry but it's getting out of hand.

I now have to hide my hand in my pockets or under blankets but it's getting really frustrating constantly having to punish him for the same behaviour, this has probably been going on for about 4 weeks and we really haven't made any progress.

The next thing is his constant whining.

It's driving me INSANE! I'm studying physiotherapy and in the midst of my exams and I can't study because of this constant whining!

I don't know what he's whining for! Ive tried feeding him, putting warm clothing on him, petting him, getting him water, giving him chew treats, fixing his water and I've tried playing with him but as soon as I go to sit at my desk it starts again.

He'll whine sitting on our laps, on the floor, in his bed, walking around, everywhere!

I don't know what to do! I've tried telling him "NO" every time he starts to whine and ignoring him till he stops whining before I'll pay him any attention but it's not working because as soon as I turn my attention away he'll start up again.

It's getting to be so annoying. I can't put him outside, close the door and ignore him because he just starts whining there!

Please please please help!

ANSWER

First of all I would make sure with your vet that your puppy doesn't whine for a good reason.

If the vet visit confirms that everything is OK with your pup, I would consider the possibility that your dog is looking for attention because he is bored.

Are you sure he is getting enough exercise?

Try to set a daily routine that includes plenty of walking and playing. A tired dog is relaxed and always happy to sleep close to his humans.

To stop your dog from biting you, yelp when he does. This will send a clear signal that he will understand.

Rising a puppy requires a lot of work and commitment but I am sure that if you find a routine that takes into account yours and your puppy's needs, your days will be more relaxed and pleasurable.

Aggressive Puppy

I have a three month old puppy. Recently she has started to bite everything, including me.

Also, when we correct her she gets angry and starts barking and growling. I would like to know what can I do about this and if this is common or what can be happening with her.

ANSWER:

Whippets are not usually biters but it is typical of any young puppy to work his teeth into everything, after all it is their way to get to know the world. Nevertheless puppies have to be taught their limits.

Click here to train your puppy not to bite with easy to follow videos and click on this link for an effective and fun dog training book

My Naughty Whippet Beau

by Ellie
(Perth Australia)

My name is Ellie and I have an 8 month old whippet who destroys everything when we aren't home.

We leave toys cardboard, shredded paper, bones, the list goes on but no matter what we do, he still destroys everything.

Most recently (today) he has destroyed the new couch and his bed. I have no idea what else to do, we are on the verge of having to find him a new home which we really don't want to do as we love him so very much.


ANSWER

First of all find a place in the house where he can't destroy anything such as a bathroom or the kitchen.

Train him to stay in his crate for increasing amounts of time. Let him sleep in his crate close to your bed at night, this should ease his anxiety.

Exercise vigorously your whippet before leaving him and get him used to being alone few minutes at the time.

A training program will help him feel more relaxed and adjusted.

Door frames

by David Pollock
(Motherwell Scotland)

We have a 14 week whippet called Pete.

The training is coming along good but he's started chewing the door frames.

Is there anything we can do for training him on the lead as he does not like this.

He was late in getting his jags so we have not had him out yet.

Thanks for any advice.


ANSWER

To stop your puppy from chewing at the door frames your can try a Bitter Apple Spray. It is harmless but it tastes horrible and it should discourage your whippet from chewing.

To jump start his leash training while he is still at home you can put on him a small, nylon collar or puppy harness and, only under supervision, attach a light puppy leash to it.

Let him drag the leash around and play with your puppy just to get him used to the feeling of it in a pleasant setting.

Once he is ready to go out, start with the leash training exercises you'll find under the whippet training section of my website.

It will take a while but once your puppy will associate the leash with going out for a walk he will start loving it!

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