Nipping Whilst Chasing

[mydannyboy]

Join our free community today.

Connect with other like-minded dog lovers!

Login or Register

Just been on our evening walk. We didn't take the ball as it is too hot for crazy running. However the ball does distract Barney from chasing and "grabbing" Dylan. Mistake. They were chasing each other and I heard Dylan yelp. Barney nipped a chunk of skin from Dylans rear end.

Is this a whippet thing? Dylan doesn't feel the need to nip Barney when they run always the other way round.

Anne

 

[AnnSa]

One of my girls will try to take the others down when she

get's excited when out running with all of them together.

As she punctured the same place twice on one of the others

i decided that it was enough and she now has to wear a

muzzle when the 4 are free running but she is fine if i take

her out with just one of the other girls.

 

[FeeFee]

Not just whippets, a lot of sighthounds seem to 'course' other dogs and nip at them while they are running - not usually with any bad intent but of course it can cause injuries.

If I run all three of my lurchers together I tend to muzzle them as they get very excited and can start nipping at each other.

 

[pippywhippet]

Hi, I am always very cautious of letting my 3 run and chase each other, all have had injuries caused by nipping and getting over excited when they are playing.

They are fine if there is something else to attract their attention like a ball, or rabbity smells, lol!! :lol:

 

[wild whippies]

We can be free running anything up to 10 whippets at a time. None of them are allowed to nip at each other and they're not allowed to run in opposing directions either. It's probably one thing we won't tolerate because it is so dangerous. Dogs can get killed doing this.

All ours are racing dogs, if they did this on the track they'd be disqualified so we're on their case when they're pups. We have 4 pups in training at the moment and we do a few things that might help (although I appreciate you may not have the ability as we do with having other dogs)

1. We don't take out balls, basically because there would be rivalry for the toy. If they're fetching toys or playing with a lure for training it is done individually.

2. Recall. If they're good enough at it, they'll come back from a chase with another dog.

3. Rewards, the pups will get treats throughout their walks to persuade them it's in their best interests to stay close by.

4. Reprimand. I've probably got the biggest gob on the moss if someone starts misbehaving! and while some K9er's don't agree with physically chastising their dogs, I will if they barge or nip at another dog because the repercussions far supercede any damage I could do if I don't intervene. Another thing will be to keep the bully on the lead for the rest of the walk.

5. We don't let certain dogs go out with other certain dogs. For instance the pups do not go running together, they'll run with either the elderly dogs or my pedigree dogs who are a very passive.

6. Some dogs just need to blow off. These are usually allowed off first to tear round on their own before anyone else is let off.

Additionally there may be some merit is taking a whippet club racing, they get to do what's instinctive in a controlled situation. It's good for their heads and it can be a deterrant from competitive behaviour at home.

Whist I can see the merit of muzzling as a last resort, some dogs can start barging instead. If we had a dog with such habits, they'd have to be free run on their own because it's too much of a liability to me personally.

Hope you can knock it on the head, there's nothing worse than to look forward to a nice walk with the dogs and coming home angry and frustrated when they're misbehaving. :luck:

 

[eve]

Whippets and sighthounds do sometimes tend to 'course' their running mates.

I have to muzzle Bella when she is off the lead. She attacked a dog a few weeks ago. Something in her brain stwitched from running about playing to hunt mode. She was worked before she came to me and has a very strong hunting instinct.

Very different from excited nipping but.... Since Bella has been muzzled when off lead, little Lilly has started nipping her when they run together and taking advantage of Bella's muzzle. I have decided that Lilly will now wear a muzzle until the inital rushing around like mad things and letting off steam at the start of the walk is finished. Hopefully a few weeks of this may break this new habit.

I use lightweight racing muzzles available at http://www.midlandgreyhound.co.uk/index.html

They do whippet, lurcher and Greyhound sizes. I advise buying two at the same time as sometimes they get damaged when the dog is trying to remove it when they are in the early stages of getting used to wearing a muzzle. The whippet size is quite generous and although Bella has quite a large head, I find the whippet size better than the Lurcher size. They should not be too loose fitting as if they are, they will rub and may injure the dog.

These muzzles allow the dog to pant (some dogs even master drinking with them on) and are much kinder than the soft nylon type that most pets shops sell and lighter than the basket muzzles made by Baskerville. It can take a week or two for the dog to get used to a muzzle but after a while, they associate it with being allowed to run free.

 

[mydannyboy]

Thanks so much for your replies. One reply mentioned barging. Yes this happens too. I will take on board all suggestions and take it from there.

Anne

 

[jeffmack]

I have 2 whippets and Jake often tried to nip other dogs on the rear while chasing/playing with them. It was never hard enough to cause injury but obviously some owners were not amused. Fortunately he has grown out of it now he is 3.5 years old and only rarely tries to nip his sister but never other dogs.

Thanks so much for your replies. One reply mentioned barging. Yes this happens too. I will take on board all suggestions and take it from there.
Anne