Ig Companion For Whippet?

[~elizabeth~]

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Hi, new here so forgive me asking something obvious! Have been thinking about getting a companion for my (half) Laguna whippet and wondered if an IG might be suitable? I used to be a great enthusiast for IGs in my teens, although I never got around to acquiring one. My whippet LOVES all little dogs (the tinier the better), he is very gentle and submissive with them. As most people here seem to keep both, any thoughts and advice?

Ironically I went to see a Mrs Loh in Oxford some years ago about an older IG she was trying to rehome, but she wouldn't let him go to a whippetless household!

Elizabeth

 

[~Helen~]

Hi, Elizabeth, welcome to K9!

There are quite a few iggy owners on here, so I expect someone will be along to share their experience soon. Your whippet is lovely! How old is he? (and is he Moriarte? Great name!)

:thumbsup:

 

[zilloot]

hello there

I have four whippets and a baby IG (my first so I'm not really qualified) who get on just fine but his BEST FRIEND IN THE WORLD is our young labrador!!! (w00t)

Saying that, she's more gentle with him than the whippets :wacko: :lol:

 

[~elizabeth~]

Hi, no the whippet is Gelert (otherwise known as 'dog'!) Don't know why I picked such a silly username, just went for my old work login on autopilot (I'm 'Moriarty'!) He's five, his father is Laguna Liza's Link. Apparently Mrs Bond Gunning thought he might be worth showing, but she might have just been being polite! We did a bit of racing, which he took to very easily but we've never done much else as my father was very ill for months when he was a pup (he wasn't very beautiful as a young dog either, very angular and gawky, he took about 3 years to 'grow into himself'). His current 'best friend' is a lab, except they don't really get on that well as she's a bit too competitive/jealous over toys and treats.

I don't see a problem with an IG, but my husband is worried they might be too fragile for the rough and tumble of the Common. I'd like to get a young dog before my siamese gets too elderly to cope.

Elizabeth

 

[*Lesley*]

:cheers: Welcome to K9 :cheers: : Only got whippets myself but if you look through some of the threads on here you will see a few whippet/Ig combinations that seem to work very well :thumbsup:

Gelert is lovely :wub:

 

[janfiers]

All I can say is go for it, mine do everything the Whippets do including rough and tumble when they're free running. We have a reclaimed pit tip which has been transformed into a country park and they like nothing better than careering up and down the hill and round and round in the very long grass. I can honestly say that none of my Italians have had an injury resulting from being a 'Whippet' because I'm convinced that's what they think they are.

It is true that some lines are much much more finely boned but as has been said on previous topics, if you allow them to develop naturally and build up the muscles properly then an Italian can enjoy the freedoms other dogs do. I strongly disagree with them being caged up the majority of the time because of their fragility.

They are a gorgeous breed and will give much pleasure and laughter over the years.

In other words, go for it.

JanF

 

[gina]

Hi there i'm new to the breed also but think Whippets are ideal companions for an Iggy. I own 3 Lurchers that are bigger than Whippets (2 at 20kg and one at 15kg-Gucci weighs 5kg!) and my Iggy runs with them every day in the house and on walks but she is big. BTW i had to tell little fib about the size of my other dogs and lied i had no children or the breeder wouldn't have sold her to me. :- "

 

[Janimal]

Welcome to K9 Elizabeth :thumbsup:

Ive always admired these gorgeous little dogs, :wub: but Ive owned 3 whippets in my life and knowing their natures Im sure they get along fine with an Iggy.

Good luck whatever you decide. :luck: :luck:

 

[Jan Doherty]

Lurchers, whippys and Iggies, all running together

 

[Hilary & Hounds]

Fabulous Jan! :wub: :wub: Love Tally being a blur! :wub: :lol: Got any more? :thumbsup:

 

[Janimal]

Lovely picture there Jan :thumbsup: :wub: :wub:

 

[ihatemanu]

Great pic...also lovin' the one about the pack where they all look like a maypole lol...

 

[~elizabeth~]

Lovely pic, very jealous!! Lovely IG's and lovely fawn whippet too! Will ignore Other Half's views on this one - our whippet never gets into trouble with big, nasty dogs as he's faster and nimbler (and more intelligent) than they are, can't see why an IG should be any different.

Any breeders in the Oxfordshire area? I should probably re-join the IG club to find out more. I'm in no great hurry, just thinking ahead - must find something to distract me from the joy of being 40 soon

Elizabeth

 

[Jan Doherty]

i had to tell little fib about the size of my other dogs and lied i had no children or the breeder wouldn't have sold her to me. :- "

Gina, I have to say if I was the breeder of your Iggie I would be furious that you didnt tell me the whole story.

Why did you feel it necessary to say you had no children and only small dogs?

I have no problem letting pups go to multi dog house holds as well as children(although the children would have to be very carefully vetted!!!)

There may be a reason that the breeder would not let you have one of their Iggies with children and other bigger dogs and that would be Broken legs. Some Iggies by their breeding alone are just not suited to a robust household, all I can say is that you have been lucky that Gucci is a bigger type, however bigger does not necessarily mean no broken legs.

People frequently complain about the breeder but it sounds to me that your breeder was trying to do the best by her pups. Within reason I always home check myself or at the very least get to know the person super well as I did with Zillott.

When breeders set conditions of sale it is usually for a good reason

 

[~elizabeth~]

Are broken limbs a for-gone conclusion in Igs? I'm a bit worried about this aspect (although I know a whippet that broke it's spine running, although he was awfully barrel-backed).

Elizabeth

 

[Jan Doherty]

No they are not but some lines are very vulnerable to them and so tend to be kept in cages and have restricted free running.

Any breed can break a leg, it is the circumstances in which they do it that counts for example just jumping off a settee or jumping up at feeding time.

Personally I think it is appalling that there are still breeders out there who are still breeding Iggies who so easily break their legs but there you are.

 

[~elizabeth~]

Presumably lines/breeders to avoid can't be mentioned here, but I assume we're talking very toyish strains here?

 

[gina]

In response to Jan's comments-Gucci's breeders were obviously not as open minded as yourself as one of their first questions was "you don't have any children as IG's are not suitable as they jump up and nip alot" then "you don't have any other dogs bigger than Whippets as they are too rough and can break IG's legs" in which case they were certainly not gonna let me have one. In any other circumstances i would have loved to have put them straight that all puppies jump and nip and why would that make me return the pup to them, and that why don't they come and meet my Lurchers at my home and see how laid back and obedient they are, then come for a walk to see how under control they are etc etc. Before this i'd had so many phone calls with the same response and had become so fed up i thought sod it if they cannot be bothered to listen to my circumstances and come and meet me and my family, then i'll tell them what they wanna hear. I knew i could give an IG a super home and had researched the breed before making enquiries. (BTW no home check was done)

Even then i had to wait several weeks for a positive reply as the breeder wanted them to go to show homes but thankfully there were 5 in the litter and enough show homes could not be found. I got last pick of the litter, the show people got first choices, which is a shame that that seemed more important than the loving home i was so eager to offer a pup, showing or not.

I am aware that just coz Gucci is a stronger build that broken limbs could still happen but obviously the chances are reduced, that is what i meant. Having owned and fostered Lurchers and Greyhounds since my school days i am aware that every time they run free serious injuries can occur at any time (my Woody broke his neck just by falling over whilst playing) but i would never deny a dog the chance to run free every day of it's life just coz they might break their leg. Gucci has been reared like any dog should be, not kept like a china doll.

 

[Lolcoe]

After reading this thread i am feeling a little disheartened!!!

I have racing greyhounds, a whippet and a child of three and been interested in purchasing an Ig for a while. But as it sounds which breeder will sell one to me???

My little boy is at school, so my whippet keeps me company in the day and would like an Ig as they are soooo cute :wub: and a lot smaller than whippets as i dont wanna run out of sofa space.

Will have to get to know breeders at shows and put my name down on a couple of waiting lists and pray. :luck: :luck: :luck:

Denise

 

[Jan Doherty]

Yes you will have to look around for a breeder who will let you have an IG with children and bigger dogs. There is a reason for that and that is they are not confident that the puppies they are breeding will withstand the rigours of normal daily life, simple as. And in all honesty if the breeder is thinking that way would you really want to take a chance just to prove them wrong?. Personally I would walk away and keep searching. The cost of repairing a broken leg is about £1300 now and even then not many are good repairs.

There are good breeders out there but being good breeders they dont breed for the market so there is not always puppies available like some commercial breeds . There are on average just over a hundred IGs born each year. I have had people wait for up to 2 years for a puppy and most breeders having found a good owner will sell to them again rather than to someone new who they dont know.