Calling All Breeders

[dragonfly]

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[SIZE=14pt]I would love to know what other breeders think of this as a situation for a puppy (As it happens this enquiry was for a 7 month bitch). [/SIZE]

 

The lady wanting the whippet called me and I did my usual routine of a good lengthy chat to try to ascertain the suitability of the home. It seemed perfect, they have a 5 year old whippet already and love the breed. Someone is at home and they have a giant garden...well 6 acres as it happens. They clip nails, brush teeth, take the dog for lovely holidays on the coast and in the hills. I then came to the matter of fencing and security. They live in the deepest country (Sussex) down an unmade lane and most of the garden is well fenced except for a bit at the bottom near a tiny stream where there are woods that their dog likes to hunt in. He gets pheasants, rabbits and squirrels. It transpires from gentle questioning that the wood is unfenced and the dog can therefore get into neighbouring fields & farmland, but he is only ever away for 10 minutes at a time , "He always comes back, & after all he isn't on the lead on walks in the country" she said. The dog has free access to the garden, there is no area that is enclosed. He just comes and goes as he pleases.

 

Would you let a dog go to this home?

 

Cathie

 

[T Hoare]

The short answer is NO

 

[maggie217]

Very difficult Cathie. I hope they would be looking after a puppy very closely, but it sounds like paradise for the whippet. I lived in an area like that once and wouldn't have worried, although I would not like my dogs to be out of sight or sound for very long. Can understand your worry, but sounds a heavenly place. Would they keep a puppy in a confined area at first? Very difficult.

Pauline

 

[fable]

I'm not sure that I would consider myself a breeder , but I wouldn't be happy with that home . The lady seems to lack a real understanding of dog behaviour - in the ten minutes it's away it could get in a field of sheep or other livestock, encounter people walking dogs or riding horses etc. , possibly run onto a road. My dogs are allowed out on their own in a securely fenced part of the garden - they only run in our paddocks when I am with them - there's always a chance they could find a way out if a fox was around - a risk I'm not prepared to take.

Val

 

[nina]

No, end of. :thumbsup:

 

[Windsdream]

Afraid not, my friend had a whippet who used to go off hunting, 3 years she did this for, one day she NEVER CAME HOME. and was never found.

 

[wilfred]

Hmmm. I wouldn't be happy about the fact that the dog is roaming about unsupervised (for however long he is away).

Yes, when we go for a walk our dogs are off-lead when we go for walks - but we check the area first to make sure it is safe for a dog to be off lead. We don't just let them off anywhere, and we don't let a dog come and go as it pleases!!

It worries me that the lady (who sounds lovely in all other respects) thinks this is OK.

The dog could be up to anything while it's out on its own. Either causing harm, or coming to harm itself.

 

[aslan]

I never let my whippets go to anyone who doesn't have a fully fenced, secure yard.

And with 6 acres of his own "garden" that dog doesn't need to be allowed to roam free in neighbouring paddocks.

 

[alfyn]

It's a definite no from me!

I'd be worried sick that one day her dog/s didn't come back due to injuring themselves or being shot as they'd got in with livestock.

 

[dragonfly]

I am very happy that I am not alone in my bad feelings about this situation. There is NO WAY she would get a puppy from me, I was concerned for the whippet she already had, because I don't feel that she truly grasped what a whippet can can get up to in 10 minutes, or indeed where it can get to. Aside from damage it may do to itself it could cause an accident to another user of the countryside. She also admitted to having Muntjack deer on her land. We all know the damage they can do to a dog of any breed.

Just remember that somebody sold her the first whippet!

What really worries me is that next time she won't tell the breeder about her "garden" in detail, but may fabricate a nice walled area!

I explained that I really wouldn't want one of my dogs living in that sort of situation and was promptly hung up on!

I can guarantee she will get another whippet because too many breeders out there make no enquiries about the home whatsoever.

Cathie

 

[jayp]

I also think that 1 whippet may well come back after 10 mins but once they are a pack of 2 i dont think so. Jan

 

[masta]

its a difficult one, if you had a call from a retired couple living in a bungalow with a fenced garden etc that would be ok? but from your post it reads that you go by what someone tells you as being the truth i would think home checks are not always possible? or even if you have a home check theres nothing to stop ill treatment after the purchase etc, what you have with the people your describing is a whippet savvy home in the country with a huge garden that they have admitted to not being totally fenced so sounds as though they are being truthful re the rest they take their dog on holiday not left in boarding kennels freting etc the pup would be brought up in an enviroment which would probally curtail them from running off maybe thats a trait of whippets that are kenneled for long periods of time or cooped up in safe secure gardens? sometimes its best to look at the bigger picture and offset some risk against a lot of obvious benefits

 

[Seraphina]

Whippet running at quite slow speed of 30km/hour will in 10 minutes cover 5 km. Although I do not believe that dogs go away just for 10 minutes. When my dogs went off hunting on my securely fenced acreage they would go for at least an 1/2 hour. I would not let the dog go to people who think that lowing dog to roam a countryside is OK.

Of-course, the problem is that if you told them why she cannot have your girl, she will modify her story for the next breeder.

 

[ladyp]

No,No,No from me. (w00t)

 

[JAX]

It would be a def NO from me too , Id sooner sell to a couple ( or single person ) with a small garden , but taken on good walks with secure free running .

We all know what the biggest killer of whippets is , TRAUMA !! eg running into trees and cars " (w00t) "

 

[wild whippies]

I'd consider it, the reason being I have a freind who have nonped racing whippets who do live on acres of land and their dogs don't stray into neighbouring fields worrying animals. (probably because they routinely have so much freedom like Masta suggests) Would I give him a puppy? Well knowing him I'd have to say yes.

If the potential owners are experienced dog owners coming from such a rural background then I'd suspect it wouldn't be an issue. I suppose the only way your going to be able to judge this is by vetting the home which would probably give you a better insight.

 

[seaspot_run]

One Whippet unleashed and unfenced is quite a different matter from two.

 

[05whippet]

One Whippet unleashed and unfenced is quite a different matter from two.

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Especially if they are hot on the heels of prey!

 

[maggie217]

One Whippet unleashed and unfenced is quite a different matter from two.

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Agree here with above quote. And I have also been having second, or further thoughts, to my first reply. In essence I agree with Wild Whippies, and my first thought was having lived in a similar situation, I can understand ONE dog not running off. However, after further thought, I would want am enclosed area and would only allow the dogs free running outside of that area if I was outside with them. I am also a bit concerned that a dog kept such a situation as that described may not be given controlled exercise, either on a lead or in different sitiuations. both of which I consider as essential as free exercise.

 

Pauline

 

[masta]

It would be a def NO from me too , Id sooner sell to a couple ( or single person ) with a small garden , but taken on good walks with secure free running .
We all know what the biggest killer of whippets is , TRAUMA !! eg running into trees and cars  " (w00t) "

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so the couple with the nice secure garden takes the dog on good walks with secure free running so all boxes ticked, bit sad really a dog is deined a great home out in a country home with caring loving parents a fantastic enviroment were the dogs can live a life doing what love ok there is risk but there is risk with many things its how its weighed against the very obvious positives.

my dogs are taught recall and are given free running from a very early age none of them run off for anything longer than a few mins and yes they hunt which carries risk but i bet if they were kept in a secure garden and only walked on a lead they would clear off at the first chance off freedom.

it is obviously the breeders discrension were dogs are placed,but personally i would be happy to place a pup in the home mentioned