First Time Owner

[zappa]

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Hi, we are considering getting a pup and after some research feel that a whippet ticks many of the boxes we are looking for in terms of temperament and care. Our (myself and partner, no children at home) situation is as follows - i can be at home full time between now and mid April, when i return to work we will both be at work at the same time for 4 days.

So, is the 3 month period when i am full time at home an adequate period for initial training ? I would intend to attend training classes during this period.

From mid April the intention for the 4 days would be to use a full time dog minder or a dog walker (or mixture of both, based on recommendations).

At least one of us is at home in the evenings

We know an experienced dog owner who lives nearby and has offered advice/help (her dog is part whippet). We also have other dog owning friends.

We have a small to medium garden and 2 largish open parks 2-3 minutes from the house.

Would appreciate any comments/advice.

Thanks.

 

[Suerose]

My first reaction is that while you might get an incredibly well-behaved pup, my own experience is that it takes until about 2 years old before you can expect a young whippet to be half way sensible And even now, at over 2 years old, Grace has moments of being horribly destructive. Just the other week she tore a strip off a beautiful cashmere pashmina that I put out on my pillow for 5 minutes while I did something else :angry: .

However, if you are going to use a full time dog sitter after you return to work it sounds as though you will have things covered. Just expect to guard/hide anything you really care about!

The other side of the coin is that you will fall in love with him/her and forgive them anything!

 

[zappa]

This is Cal !!

 

[jinnyfizz]

How gorgeous :wub: :wub:

Welcome to Cal ....... it will be lovely to see him/her(?) grow up

........ I can see that Cal has a black and white brother/sister too :lol: :thumbsup:

 

[Suerose]

What a beautiful little soul, good luck :luck: :luck: :luck:

 

[~Annie~]

:wub: :wub: and :luck: !! If Cal brings you as much joy as our whippy boys bring us you won't regret your decison for one moment

 

[Sarah86]

Awww Cal is gorgeous :wub:

 

[glennSKii]

hi!

you are going to do just fine.

you are planning well, keep this up and it will go pretty smooth.

important things to note:

1) short and frequent training sessions

2) get some good books on training.

3) take advantage of this free-time between now and going back to work.

4) take the pup everywhere, even at a young age... (of course within reason)

i suggest dog-friendly cafes, to friends' houses, outdoor events (if you get the weather for it), etc.

5) keep in mind. that if you are taking the pup , everyowhere, at some point , you need to train him/her to avoid separation anxiety.

one of the best ways is to leave the room when the dog is VERY exhausted from play/long day.. then coming back in and giving a treat or affection.

repeat this often. after a few days, leave the house, and if you are sure he/she didnt howl/scream while you were on the other side of the door, come back in and reward.... extend this time period till it becomes going to the shop on the corner... etc. try to do this when you know the pup is tired and contant and snuggled with some object they like. if they cry loud, dont reward when you come back in.

6) when you DO go back to work, the first few days are most crucial. this sets the tone. you will manage if you follow the above points and have someone come every few hours (or more often if you want to ween slower). AND you GET UP WELL OVER AN HOUR EARLIER THAN USUAL TO PLAY WITH THE PUP AND SPEND TIME OUTDOORS BEFORE LEAVING FOR WORK. nothing helps more then a contented, exercised to sleepiness pup in this situation. What happens is, the pup first experiences with being seperated from you are like a lazy dream, he/she is content with the stuffed toys and blankets. Then he/she learns that it is not a negative experience, that you do come home.

the same goes with urination. if you make sure it doesnt happen early, it is really easy to train completely. i.e. constant walks, praise for going outside. when in doubt, take them out. if you leave them home too long during the trianing period, that they go in the house, it starts to form a habit. and Whippets dont have the strongest bladders in the world... especially the little IG-style ones... and the ones with bladder problems.

i have 2 VERY well-behaved whippet boys. i always made sure i had free-time at the time of adoption.

 

[glennSKii]

he's awesome.

you are gonna have SO MUCH FUN together... the 3 of you... and your friends.

if and when you look for help with care, and you plan to pay.. talk about the price just after you hand Cal to them...

i'm sure you can negotiate a really cheap price... cuz he's too cute to charge for care

 

[belle]

Another word of warning... One is never enough! :teehee:

 

[sue burton]

no one is never enough I have got two in 6months :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[eve]

I have some reservations about a puppy.

You will be going back to work in the middle of teething and whippets can be very chewy as youngsters. This can become a habit long after the teeth finally grow in.

My Toddy is still destructive sometimes at 14 months especially if left on his own for more that a couple of hours.

Whippets are not generaly renown for their trainability and can be easily distracted.

Your dog may get very lonely on its own and full time daily dogcare can be expensive.

Have you costed it? I would think 4 days with a repuitable company would cost you about £60 - £120 per week.

Are you prepared for that kind of outlay for the next 14 years?

Day kennel boarding is an option for some dog owners but kennels are generally too cold for whippets if they are used to a warm house.

Many dog minders and walkers will only take neutered dogs and dogs over a certain age and will not take bitches in season.

Have you considered whippet rescue or rehoming a older dog of 2+

It sounds like you have already decided on your whippet and I know that plenty of k9'ers go out to work and have whippets with no problems.

I hope that all goes well for you :luck:

 

[turb065]

It sounds like you have thought well about the situation. With any pup initial training will go along way. The more toys you can give the dog the better. From personal experience, I had no problems with my whippet pup chewing any of my prized posessions, the main thing you have to do is prevent boredom when you go to work or when your whippet is alone. As previously said, before you go to work, play/train your pup, but with training always end on a fun note. Whippets can be trained dont let people tell you they cant, they may be more head strong/stubborn than other breeds but they can become as good as any working dogs. Socialisation is also a key part to any pups growth progression, take your dog to parks, shops, anywhere that there are people but also be wary of other dogs and people running up to your pup. If your pups get freaked especially in puppy stage they can develop some very difficult mental scars to repair.

Basically it all comes down to having as much fun as possible with your whippet while they are still growing, this will lead to a much easier and fun life for you and your whippet.

You have chosen a very affectionate breed they love being with people and having company.

Best of luck

 

[JAX]

Im sorry , but anyone who works full time on a regular basis shouldnt be having any puppy , what ever the bred IMO

Having the first three months off to be with it is fine , but then it has a shock when you arent there at all !! Dog sitters / walkers are fine but not like th `real thing `

Any chance of someone having him in their home during the day , pups needs loads of stimulation , at 12 weeks they still sleep a lot , but at 6 months they are real `live wires `

I know some on K9 work full time and have dogs , but IMO thats selfish and the dogs are for them .( how ever much they love them )

I never sell to anyone who works full time , not even 2 days a week

Why not try for an older dog eg rescue ?

as I said JMO

just like to add I was lucky enough to finish my full time job and get a part time one ,when I decided I was going to be a dog owner . I realise times have changed but the dog MUST come first

 

[TillynPip]

Whenever I have to go out for a long time ie anything over 4 hours, I make sure that it's on a Monday or a Friday when my husband is home all day to walk my two and be in the house with them. I never leave them for more than about two hours although Tilly (4yrs) would be fine but I think it's unfair, and Gracie (10 months) would not be. She would have to be crated as I am sure she would be destructive, no matter how many toys she was given, and crating for this amount of time, is a no go for me. I do think all dogs are different and it depends to some extent on what they are used to. I wonder if a puppy used to having you home with them would find it difficult to adjust to you suddenly not being there when you go back to work. However, most things are achievable and perhaps you know someone who could go in and break the day up for the little guy. Good luck.