Genuine Question

[DarrenG]

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I think it's a mistake to divide whippets into 'show ponies' versus 'workers' and assume they must fall into one of the two categories.
My dogs are KC registered from working lines on one side and show on the other but I don't choose to work or show them. They are bred for function, just not trained to it. I just wanted robust, decent sized pet whippets that were up to long walks. If they were worked from pups they could probably do as well as any other whippet. Just because some people choose to work their dogs doesn't mean others are somehow less valid or authentic as owners. There's not a lot of call for rabbitting where I live, but it doesn't mean I should have to have a toy dog when I wanted a hound. If people want a whippet without working it, there's nothing wrong with that.

The original question inferred that you can't appreciate a whippet's function if you don't work them every week, but I think the argument is unsound. I'm not at all offended by the question, I just can't keep my mouth shut when people say things that I don't agree with! :thumbsup:

A genuine question should rightly attract genuine debate.

of course theres nothing wrong with choosing not to work your whippets, but how can judges with no experience know the dog is fit for function?I suppose the nearest analogy is would you let your GP carry out brain surgery?Why not he does after all have some knowledge

oh Jinny you are always there looking over my shoulder how many hours did that take you to find, and it still doesnt back up ANYTHING that you have said, Sonny WAS returned as a regect as they decided that they didnt think he would be any good for showing, why didnt you just check with Judi, wasnt you one of the ones Jinny that stated I was cruel for working the whippets?

 

[springfield]

I don't see where this thread is going.

"Corrrect for function" Someone said in this thread a show Ch won't do as well in the field. Where does this end a racer only running in straight lines with no stamina unable to fill the pot as well as dog from working lines.

I think people should just work thier dogs and enjoy it. Some of the best working dogs in the country you never hear about. If someone buys a show bred whippet and decides to race it/Work it then people should respect that.

 

[starswift]

whippets were mainly bred for racing! sunday fun for the poor man and put the odd rabbit in the pot not working day in day out!

do you race yours ???? that is the function of a whippet as with thoroughbred horses they can be trained to do other things eg dressage,eventing,jumping or just hacking around as long as they bring fun to their owners and enjoy themselves what does it matter, ps on the subject of wardrobes it took my old man 2 days to assemble a flat pack one (w00t)

 

[Esty]

I think it's a mistake to divide whippets into 'show ponies' versus 'workers' and assume they must fall into one of the two categories.
My dogs are KC registered from working lines on one side and show on the other but I don't choose to work or show them. They are bred for function, just not trained to it. I just wanted robust, decent sized pet whippets that were up to long walks. If they were worked from pups they could probably do as well as any other whippet. Just because some people choose to work their dogs doesn't mean others are somehow less valid or authentic as owners. There's not a lot of call for rabbitting where I live, but it doesn't mean I should have to have a toy dog when I wanted a hound. If people want a whippet without working it, there's nothing wrong with that.

The original question inferred that you can't appreciate a whippet's function if you don't work them every week, but I think the argument is unsound. I'm not at all offended by the question, I just can't keep my mouth shut when people say things that I don't agree with! :thumbsup:

A genuine question should rightly attract genuine debate.

of course theres nothing wrong with choosing not to work your whippets, but how can judges with no experience know the dog is fit for function?I suppose the nearest analogy is would you let your GP carry out brain surgery?Why not he does after all have some knowledge

oh Jinny you are always there looking over my shoulder how many hours did that take you to find, and it still doesnt back up ANYTHING that you have said, Sonny WAS returned as a regect as they decided that they didnt think he would be any good for showing, why didnt you just check with Judi, wasnt you one of the ones Jinny that stated I was cruel for working the whippets?

Ahhh, now I see what you mean by the question - I didn't realise you were referring to judges. I thought you were referring to people who had whippets but didn't work them.

Though to continue the debate I mark English A Level papers for a living - should I stop because I haven't written a book myself? Just food for thought.

 

[jinnyfizz]

oh Jinny you are always there looking over my shoulder how many hours did that take you to find, and it still doesnt back up ANYTHING that you have said, Sonny WAS returned as a regect as they decided that they didnt think he would be any good for showing, why didnt you just check with Judi, wasnt you one of the ones Jinny that stated I was cruel for working the whippets?

:teehee: I didn't need to look it up, Darren. I have a very good memory and I know that Judi bred Sonny. Top showing people might know at 4 months of age if a pup isn't going to make it in the ring but I personally find it takes a bit longer than 16 weeks to assess any dog's true potential.

........ your memory isn't as good as mine tho' because if you look back you'll find that my whippets spend alot of their time catching fur and feather on my land and all the 1000's of acres permission which I have surrounding my home. However, I would never knowingly let them work on prey larger than rabbits as I do not want the potential resulting damage that can be caused

 

[jayp]

Just something to throw in the pot....so to speak. What about the whippets fine coat and skin, an attribute to a short sprint racer but rubbish for a working dog. After all they are working in all weather through brambles, nettles,wire and out for some time, I would have thought if thats what they were bred for the standard would have come up with a "jacket" fit for function too

 

[starswift]

well said janice that where the word lurcher comes in

 

[starswift]

we have 400 acres here to walk our dogs on ! they get t he odd rabbit and nothing goes to waste! but i know the land here no barbed wire but i dont take them out to kill if they do they do

 

[DarrenG]

oh Jinny you are always there looking over my shoulder how many hours did that take you to find, and it still doesnt back up ANYTHING that you have said, Sonny WAS returned as a regect as they decided that they didnt think he would be any good for showing, why didnt you just check with Judi, wasnt you one of the ones Jinny that stated I was cruel for working the whippets?

:teehee: I didn't need to look it up, Darren. I have a very good memory and I know that Judi bred Sonny. Top showing people might know at 4 months of age if a pup isn't going to make it in the ring but I personally find it takes a bit longer than 16 weeks to assess any dog's true potential.

........ your memory isn't as good as mine tho' because if you look back you'll find that my whippets spend alot of their time catching fur and feather on my land and all the 1000's of acres permission which I have surrounding my home. However, I would never knowingly let them work on prey larger than rabbits as I do not want the potential resulting damage that can be caused

he was returned from a show home

or are you now telling me that Judi is a liar? I ask because I dont believe so but you obviously do

 

[Strike Whippets]

Whippets were originally bred as the poor mans Greyhound ........ Racing was their main purpose with the odd rabbit here and there for the pot .......As they are so much smaller than a Greyhound they were cheaper to feed ....... ANY Whippet regardless of being show bred, race bred or working bred would work IMO as its in their nature and ALL types are capable of rabbiting ...... The great Sooty Sam that the working people go on about was just as big as alot of the show bred Whippets and he did well enough ....... The smaller racing type IMO is what the "correct" Whippet is in my eyes, but this is because they are fast, agile and graceful ..... but just my opinion ......

 

[jinnyfizz]

oh Jinny you are always there looking over my shoulder how many hours did that take you to find, and it still doesnt back up ANYTHING that you have said, Sonny WAS returned as a regect as they decided that they didnt think he would be any good for showing, why didnt you just check with Judi, wasnt you one of the ones Jinny that stated I was cruel for working the whippets?

:teehee: I didn't need to look it up, Darren. I have a very good memory and I know that Judi bred Sonny. Top showing people might know at 4 months of age if a pup isn't going to make it in the ring but I personally find it takes a bit longer than 16 weeks to assess any dog's true potential.

........ your memory isn't as good as mine tho' because if you look back you'll find that my whippets spend alot of their time catching fur and feather on my land and all the 1000's of acres permission which I have surrounding my home. However, I would never knowingly let them work on prey larger than rabbits as I do not want the potential resulting damage that can be caused

he was returned from a show home

or are you now telling me that Judi is a liar? I ask because I dont believe so but you obviously do

Don't be so daft :clown:

As I said, I personally would need longer than a few weeks to assess if a pup was going to make the grade or not but people who show whippets may probably need less time, that doesn't mean that anyone is telling porkies! It's not really of any consequence anyway, so no point in labouring the subject :thumbsup:

 

[starswift]

whippets were bred to fit in a miners pocket dont even think 16ib racing whippetscould do that now lol as long as we all enjoy our dogs thats all that matters , had we owned bull mastiffs and turned them loose on a bull to prove they were fit for function we would be arrested lol

 

[Lal]

I know this is from 1941, but there was a diversity in size and type even then

http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=12476

 

[wild whippies]

I know this is from 1941, but there was a diversity in size and type even then http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=12476

I love the Pathe vids on whippet racing! Been involved in many a heated discussion where folk have said '' I raced 20 odd yrs ago and they was all small / under 32lb etc etc'', one hell of a slap in the face when you see this link! (w00t)

What I find nice about them in particular is not one of these dogs would look out of place at a non-ped racing track today. :thumbsup:

 

[~Annie~]

oh Jinny you are always there looking over my shoulder how many hours did that take you to find, and it still doesnt back up ANYTHING that you have said, Sonny WAS returned as a regect as they decided that they didnt think he would be any good for showing, why didnt you just check with Judi, wasnt you one of the ones Jinny that stated I was cruel for working the whippets?

:teehee: I didn't need to look it up, Darren. I have a very good memory and I know that Judi bred Sonny. Top showing people might know at 4 months of age if a pup isn't going to make it in the ring but I personally find it takes a bit longer than 16 weeks to assess any dog's true potential.

........ your memory isn't as good as mine tho' because if you look back you'll find that my whippets spend alot of their time catching fur and feather on my land and all the 1000's of acres permission which I have surrounding my home. However, I would never knowingly let them work on prey larger than rabbits as I do not want the potential resulting damage that can be caused

he was returned from a show home

or are you now telling me that Judi is a liar? I ask because I dont believe so but you obviously do

Don't be so daft :clown:

As I said, I personally would need longer than a few weeks to assess if a pup was going to make the grade or not but people who show whippets may probably need less time, that doesn't mean that anyone is telling porkies! It's not really of any consequence anyway, so no point in labouring the subject :thumbsup:

Maybe it's my memory that's failing but I thought he was rejected by the show home as at the time he didn't have both his balls (which generally does tend to rule out a show career), not because of anything to do with his conformation. Happy to be corrected if I've got that wrong though.

 

[starswift]

I know this is from 1941, but there was a diversity in size and type even then http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=12476

I love the Pathe vids on whippet racing! Been involved in many a heated discussion where folk have said '' I raced 20 odd yrs ago and they was all small / under 32lb etc etc'', one hell of a slap in the face when you see this link! (w00t)

What I find nice about them in particular is not one of these dogs would look out of place at a non-ped racing track today. :thumbsup:

they look huge some of them, they might struggle to get a racing pasport lol

 

[DarrenG]

oh Jinny you are always there looking over my shoulder how many hours did that take you to find, and it still doesnt back up ANYTHING that you have said, Sonny WAS returned as a regect as they decided that they didnt think he would be any good for showing, why didnt you just check with Judi, wasnt you one of the ones Jinny that stated I was cruel for working the whippets?

:teehee: I didn't need to look it up, Darren. I have a very good memory and I know that Judi bred Sonny. Top showing people might know at 4 months of age if a pup isn't going to make it in the ring but I personally find it takes a bit longer than 16 weeks to assess any dog's true potential.

........ your memory isn't as good as mine tho' because if you look back you'll find that my whippets spend alot of their time catching fur and feather on my land and all the 1000's of acres permission which I have surrounding my home. However, I would never knowingly let them work on prey larger than rabbits as I do not want the potential resulting damage that can be caused

he was returned from a show home

or are you now telling me that Judi is a liar? I ask because I dont believe so but you obviously do

Don't be so daft :clown:

As I said, I personally would need longer than a few weeks to assess if a pup was going to make the grade or not but people who show whippets may probably need less time, that doesn't mean that anyone is telling porkies! It's not really of any consequence anyway, so no point in labouring the subject :thumbsup:

Maybe it's my memory that's failing but I thought he was rejected by the show home as at the time he didn't have both his balls (which generally does tend to rule out a show career), not because of anything to do with his conformation. Happy to be corrected if I've got that wrong though.

 

[DarrenG]

oops sorry dont know what I have done there

yes sonny was returned because at the time he only had 1 but it appeared a few weeks later :thumbsup: but he would still never win a show infact Debs has seen him up close and I am sure she would agree with me

 

[~Annie~]

oops sorry dont know what I have done there
yes sonny was returned because at the time he only had 1 but it appeared a few weeks later :thumbsup: but he would still never win a show infact Debs has seen him up close and I am sure she would agree with me

Well clearly he is the dog you want him to be Darren, whether he would ever have won a show or not :thumbsup:

 

[alsh]

I started Rabbiting on our farm when i was just 12 (20 years ago) ,all i had as a guide was my book the Ferret & ferreting handbook by James Mckay till i was about 15,the only dog i had for a while was our young Blue merle she WAS a great cattle dog till i ruined her when she followed me on my rabbiting trips,although she couldnt catch them she'd give chase n mark where they went & she'd also let me know if a warren was occupied or not!

I did'nt get my 1st whippet X Collie till i was 16 when a whippet lined meg without my dad knowing so he was expecting pure collies.......I however was'nt lol

When Gem(yes i reversed her mums name lol) was 5 months old got some local lurcher lads to teach me the ropes.

If your using ferrets then yes you can DIY but with dogs you need an old hand to help or the preverbial is gonna hit the fan!