Advise Needed Please!

[gmcborgie]

Join our free community today.

Connect with other like-minded dog lovers!

Login or Register

Hi!

I've just registered so am quite nervous!

I would like some advise on re-homing a Whippet cross. I have a 12 month dog already but am thinking about another dog.

I have been told that if whippets get loose the will kill sheep and other animals including other dogs is this true?

I live in the country so she will have plenty of space to run around in. Can anyone give me advise about owning this breed? I do not have not any knowledge of whippets or know anyone who has.

 

[Joanna]

Hi! I've just registered so am quite nervous!

I would like some advise on re-homing a Whippet cross. I have a 12 month dog already but am thinking about another dog.

I have been told that if whippets get loose the will kill sheep and other animals including other dogs is this true?

I live in the country so she will have plenty of space to run around in.  Can anyone give me advise about owning this breed? I do not have not  any knowledge of whippets or know anyone who has.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

​

Firstly, don't be nervous, every-one is very friendly here. welcome. Whippets are the same as any breed in that all will have the potential to worry sheep if loose in a field....That is a dog thing and shouldn't occur if kept leashed in certain circumstances. Whippets have lovely tempraments, and are generally good with other animals in the home, they will chase a moving object, be it crisp packet, crow or cat..that is their instinct. I would not have any other breed now, and have lots of kids in and out and a cat, and I own 2..They are fabulous but I have had them since pups.

 

[BeeJay]

Hi! I've just registered so am quite nervous!

I would like some advise on re-homing a Whippet cross. I have a 12 month dog already but am thinking about another dog.

I have been told that if whippets get loose the will kill sheep and other animals including other dogs is this true?

I live in the country so she will have plenty of space to run around in.  Can anyone give me advise about owning this breed? I do not have not  any knowledge of whippets or know anyone who has.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

​

All dogs (except really tiny ones with small mouths) will kill sheep unless they are controlled or trained not to.

Most whippets and lurchers kill nothing at all. It all depends on the opportunities that they are given by their owners.

Very, few whippets would even fight another dog let alone kill one. However I do know of some people who have had dogs turn on each other when in a state of high excitment and inflict serious or lethal injury on a pack member. So I can't say that they won't kill another dog just that it's extremely unlikely that they would do so.

You say that the dog is a whippet x what is it crossed with as that might change any advice that is given here.

 

[OEH]

My second dog is also a whippet cross, we got her when she was a year old. We walk with lots of livestock. When she was new she was fascinated by the cows and horses and would make mad dashes past them. I discovered that she was actually quite nervous of them, so if she ever ran up to them to fast or showed any signs of chasing them I walked her on a lead very close to them very slowly which she didn't like, and as a result she now does her best to advise them.

Our other whippet cross we had from a puppy and my horse babysat her while i was at the stables so she's a little too confident with them, but also regards them as friends so never chases them.

 

[Pennymeadow Whippets]

Hi little bit of advise regarding sheep & livestock with running dogs keep the dog on a lead try to introduce your dog to the sheep on its own get (permission off the farmer) then discourage any intrest your dog shows in any livestock if you have no access to sheep in fields take your dog to the local livestock market & discourage any intrest it shows in livestock keep repeating untill stock broken

(ALLWAYS ON A LEAD) :luck:

 

[Janimal]

I have 2 whippets gmcborgie -and I live in the country .. and yes they would probably chase livestock if I let them - but I dont. I train them through the fields to respect other animals and other dogs we meet to. They are off the leash quite a lot but if you are in any doubt at all keep them on the leash till they are taught to your liking. :thumbsup:

A little training every day goes a long long way :thumbsup:

I also have 3 Cats and Yes the dogs do get carried away sometimes - but I am there to tell them whats right and wrong and how far to go. They all get on very well I think most of the time.

Whippets make very good pets an are very loveable dogs and very addictive.

Good Luck :luck:

 

[gmcborgie]

Thanks for all your advise, I'm not sure what the full cross is but she seems a sweet natured dog. I was wrongly warned off by some people about the breed. I have decided I'm going tomorrow to see her and I'll be taking my"Murphy" to meet her and fingers crossed they get on well! I will keep you all updated!

 

[Seraphina]

I have never had problem teaching my Whippets and borzois to be friends with various farm animals; sheep, goats, chooks, ducks and even pigeons, and certainly no problems with cats. Of-course it depends on the indvidual dog, especially if you are getting an adult. :luck:

Lida

 

[~elizabeth~]

Hi little bit of advise regarding sheep & livestock with running dogs keep the dog on a lead try to introduce your dog to the sheep on its own get (permission off the farmer) then discourage any intrest your dog shows in any livestock if you have no access to sheep in fields take your dog to the local livestock market & discourage any intrest it shows in livestock keep repeating untill stock broken(ALLWAYS ON A LEAD) :luck:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

​

Ours has learned to ignore poultry completely, despite his initial enthusiasm for trying to throttle them - I can keep sick birds in the kitchen quite happily, but I've never managed to improve him with larger livestock, even though he had plenty of opportunities to get used to sheep and cattle when we had a smallholding (one of the reasons I gave up was the fact he kept getting in and chasing the ram). He did stop briefly, after being kicked very lightly by a foal.

I don't think any dog should be in a position to escape the house/garden and chase livestock though, and should be on a lead anyway when walking near them. Bear in mind they can jump reasonably high barriers too. Ours isn't allowed in the garden unsupervised for this reason (and the threat of theft).

On the other hand, my experience of whippets is that most are fantastic with other dogs; submissive rather than aggressive. So many people tell us our dog is the only one their nervous rescue dog will allow near them. Unlike larger sighthounds, they usually get on fine with small/toy dogs (ours really fancies Yorkies and Toy poodles, he grovels like mad in front of them). Unless you know the dog in question has issues with other dogs I wouldn't worry too much.

 

[Janimal]

Aww Lida - lovely photos there. :thumbsup:

Heres one of Oscar with my rabbits - he is more interested in the food than them. :lol:

View attachment 17739