Have You Any Training Hints

[jan@iow]

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After reading about Bev's terrible walk this evening I am feeling rather nervous that it is only a matter of time before something similar happens to us. I was wondering what other owners do about training their whippets not to approach other dogs and their owners uninvited....or is it as impossible as it seems? Fen (7 months) is incredibly sociable and in spite of my best efforts to amuse her, spends much of her walk scanning the horizon for a play mate...if I get the command to 'stay' in quickly enough she is sometimes deterred but more often than not she's off and away in spite of what I say or how I say it. 9 times out of 10 she's back pretty quickly so it hasnt yet been too much of a problem. She even invited 2 Irish Wolfhounds to chase her on the beach the other day, quickly realised she'd made a mistake and went into complete panic mode.. It hasnt put her off though... Obviously it's important to let her meet and have a quick play with consenting dogs (and owners!) but I would prefer to be up close first so that I can assess the situation or have a quick word with the owner. At the speed a whippet approaches I could quite understand a small, nervous or grumpy dog reacting, maybe with a bite or maybe a heart attack! I know our old bull terrier wasnt interested in mixing with other dogs at all and would have been very uncomfortable if approached in this way. This has made me acutely aware of the need to be respectful of other peoples /dogs' private space. I would appreciate any hints on how to teach a whippet to stay back until it is given permission to go and play with other dogs...she has had basic training but the urge to play overrides all commands and treats at the moment. I am interested in knowing what commands other people use with their dogs in these situations Luckily she is basically quite a submissive girl so most dogs would not sense her as a threat. Thanks. (and no, I cant afford a second whippet)

 

[Seraphina]

Teach your dog to come to you every time you call. It is not easy with sighthounds, but if you practice every day, first at home and then every time you go for a walk it can be done. When she comes to you reward her. Use treats she especially likes and save them only for training, so she does not get bit blase about them.

When walking keep calling her so she does not stray too far from you. If you see a the strange dog get her on a leash, approach the dog, introduce yourself to his owner, introduce the dogs to each other, pat the other dog and encourage the other owner to pat your dog, if the other dog looks OK then let them play. After while you will know many of the people and dogs in you area, and you will know who is a good playmate for Fen and who is not.

We have couple of boxer dogs in this area and if we meet them on our walk, I say hello to their owners but explain politely that whippets idea of play is not being wrestled to the ground, I get my girls on the leash and they do the same.

:luck:

Lida

 

[*Lesley*]

Although ours will come back when called(most of the time)we never let them get far before we call them back especially because of their colouring (apart from Spry) it can be hard to see them in the woods also we are ever vigilant for other dogs/people because not everyone wants to wear a whippet (w00t) .

And it would never occure to mine that another dog would want to do anything but play, if they are on the lead and other owners dogs are too I always let them sniff and say hello providing the other person doesn't mind just so they are socialised properly.

For the experience that poor bev had I would say carry a large stick and hit the owner with it :- "

 

[Janimal]

All good advice here I'd say. - My dogs are not brilliant on recall either. Oscar is getting better but I keep on wondering if Kobi is deaf :- " (Hes not really because Ive checked with the clap test) :lol: But he totally ignores you :blink: :clown:

The good thing is when Oscar runs back to use he -USUALLY does the same, but you end up hollowing right across a field - Ouch. Think I might resort to Seraphinas idea on another thread - The Whistle. :thumbsup: It will save on the voicebox. :lol:

 

[Tesa]

Teach your dog to come to you every time you call.  It is not  easy with sighthounds, but if you practice every day, first at home and then every time you go for a walk it can be done.  When she comes to you reward her.  Use treats she especially likes  and save them only for training, so she does not get  bit blase about them.  When walking keep calling her so she does not stray too far from you.  If you see a  the strange dog get her on a leash, approach the dog, introduce yourself to his owner, introduce the dogs to each other, pat the other dog and encourage the other owner to pat your dog, if the other dog looks OK then let them play.  After while you will know many of the people and dogs in you area, and you will know who is a good playmate for Fen and who is not. 

We have couple of boxer dogs in this area and if we meet them on our walk, I say hello to their owners but explain politely that whippets idea of play is not being wrestled to the ground, I get my girls on the leash and they do the same.

:luck:

Lida

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Beautifully said Lida :thumbsup:

 

[jan@iow]

Thanks for your advice..I think I shall just have to get really firm with her for a while. For the first few months her recall was unbelievably good...very responsive but as her confidence has grown so has her tendency to 'go deaf' ...her desire to socialise now outweighs her desire to please, chase a ball or eat sausage/beef jerky etc. I hope its a phase :- " ?!