Rearing A Pup!

[Nubian]

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Hi there!

A bit of advice required please from anyone able to help.

I brought home my first ever whippet pup four weeks ago. He was eight weeks old and is now 12 weeks. He has had his innoculations and is beginning to enjoy his walks out.

My problem is that I am finding it really difficult in deciding how much to let him run around and play (off the lead) with other dogs he comes across. He is also increasingly active at home, usually dashing about like a madman ( when he isn't fast asleep!)

My big worry is that he will end up hurting himself and ruining any chance of a racing career which is one of the main reasons I got him. Yes he is a lovely pet and the whole family loves him but he really can be a handful and I'm getting so nervous that I feel he has to be watched literally every second.

On the other hand I remind myself that he is a whippet and that surely this is entirely natural. If I stop him running about I fear I may stifle any natural running ability and this may have a detrimental effect when the training for racing begins. I know that many greyhound pups reared in Ireland are simply left to their own devices and the rearer (unlike me) doesn't lose any sleep about the pups crashing about! They run about with dogs of various sizes, get bashed about and often go on to have dazzling racing careers.

Should I be worried and more or less wrap him up in cotton wool until until he starts schooling or can I relax a bit and not worry when he bounces off the odd labrador when letting him play about in the local park? Is the rough and tumble good for him? I don't necessarily want to turn him into the canine version of Julian Cleary! I'm sure there is a happy medium to be reached somewhere but at the moment I'm not too sure where it is!

Even at home I can be innocently mooching about be it in a room or in the garden, I turn my back on him for 2 seconds then yelp! He has come crashing into me or some other member of the family and we've accidentally stepped on his toes! He is usually perfectly OK but my blood pressure goes sky high for the next hour because I'm worried sick that I might have hurt him.

Someone please tell me this is normal! Or should I become even more neurotic and take even more care than I am?

Any advice gratefully received!!

 

[LYNCHIE]

Hi there!
A bit of advice required please from anyone able to help.

I brought home my first ever whippet pup four weeks ago. He was eight weeks old and is now 12 weeks. He has had his innoculations and is beginning to enjoy his walks out.

My problem is that I am finding it really difficult in deciding how much to let him run around and play (off the lead) with other dogs he comes across. He is also increasingly active at home, usually dashing about like a madman ( when he isn't fast asleep!)

My big worry is that he will end up hurting himself and ruining any chance of a racing career which is one of the main reasons I got him. Yes he is a lovely pet and the whole family loves him but he really can be a handful and I'm getting so nervous that I feel he has to be watched literally every second.

On the other hand I remind myself that he is a whippet and that surely this is entirely natural. If I stop him running about I fear I may stifle any natural running ability and this may have a detrimental effect when the training for racing begins. I know that many greyhound pups reared in Ireland are simply left to their own devices and the rearer (unlike me) doesn't lose any sleep about the pups crashing about! They run about with dogs of various sizes, get bashed about and often go on to have dazzling racing careers.

Should I be worried and more or less wrap him up in cotton wool until until he starts schooling or can I relax a bit and not worry when he bounces off the odd labrador when letting him play about in the local park? Is the rough and tumble good for him? I don't necessarily want to turn him into the canine version of Julian Cleary! I'm sure there is a happy medium to be reached somewhere but at the moment I'm not too sure where it is!

Even at home I can be innocently mooching about be it in a room or in the garden, I turn my back on him for 2 seconds then yelp! He has come crashing into me or some other member of the family and we've accidentally stepped on his toes! He is usually perfectly OK but my blood pressure goes sky high for the next hour because I'm worried sick that I might have hurt him.

Someone please tell me this is normal! Or should I become even more neurotic and take even more care than I am?

Any advice gratefully received!!

Hi , I personally wouldn't let the pup of the lead for a while yet .but if you do make sure ground very even and no other dogs about . But I wouldn't let pup of mine 5 months old only just been let of lead for a few minutes at a time

 

[Vicky]

:lol: You wanna try having 3 of the little buggers at it, then your nerves will be shot at :lol:

I can only speak for mine, some people have very different views on how pups should be reared. Mine are always out for a walk at the earliest opportunity once their jabs are done, then they're off lead, goes without saying that you make sure it's a safe environment etc, i feel it helps immensely with physical & mental development, out mooching and seeing different things and it's so much easier to work on training like recall with a young pup than a psyched up teenager.

I wouldn't let mine off with other dogs though tbh especially strange dogs and that goes for my adults too, if you take them to the track from a young age there's lots of other dogs for them to meet and interact with whilst on the lead.

All mine have been totally bombproof and i believe getting them out walking early & at the track from an early age has always played a big factor.

It sounds like you're doing the best you can, and as you say sometimes they're more scary running through the house like a tornado than they are out off the lead, it's impossible to wrap pups in cotton wool.

Best of luck :luck:

 

[JOHNG]

pups are like kids they run blind they don't see the dangers around them,my advice keep it on the lead ,it saves a trip to the vets.

if you do let it off find a place that's quiet and no other dogs about.

my dogs were never let off the lead ,only to race )

 

[sherry]

:lol: You wanna try having 3 of the little buggers at it, then your nerves will be shot at :lol: I can only speak for mine, some people have very different views on how pups should be reared. Mine are always out for a walk at the earliest opportunity once their jabs are done, then they're off lead, goes without saying that you make sure it's a safe environment etc, i feel it helps immensely with physical & mental development, out mooching and seeing different things and it's so much easier to work on training like recall with a young pup than a psyched up teenager.

I wouldn't let mine off with other dogs though tbh especially strange dogs and that goes for my adults too, if you take them to the track from a young age there's lots of other dogs for them to meet and interact with whilst on the lead.

All mine have been totally bombproof and i believe getting them out walking early & at the track from an early age has always played a big factor.

It sounds like you're doing the best you can, and as you say sometimes they're more scary running through the house like a tornado than they are out off the lead, it's impossible to wrap pups in cotton wool.

Best of luck :luck:

i agree with everything vicky has said.

 

[uggybugs]

Its rough and tumble in my house im afraid as i have 4 young dogs and despite lots of exercise they still rush round like looneys at times. I am careful when i have them off lead ,if i see a dog i dont know i always stick them back on lead. One of my youngsters is only 14lbs and when she has a mad five minutes dashing around my heart is always in my mouth . Wish you all the best with your pup.

 

[fallenangel]

my first pup i wraped in cottone wool never let her of lead and she had bone problems since then there off as soon as they have there jabs and they have all been nice and strong but I am pretty new at this just decied i wanted them to be dogs first

 

[Nubian]

Thanks for the replies so far!

I can see that I am not alone! It goes without saying that I am extremely careful when I let him off the lead. If I see a dodgy looking dog I make sure he is back on the lead before anything can happen. I even pick him up when out walking if I see a giant approaching!

I can see that some would think 12 weeks is too young to let a dog of the lead in public but I am careful and I find that he will run up and down exploring while still more or less following me. I can't see how he could really stretch his legs if I didn't let him off the lead and the way I see it is that if that is what he wants to do I feel I should let him (within reason of course!).

It is very useful to find out about the differing approaches though and I suppose it is all a matter of personal preference but I am encouraged to see that Vicky seems to be even braver than I thought I was!

It is all very new to me and with me having just the one dog I was just looking for reassurance that I am not going over the top!

 

[DavidH]

when they jabbed up, this time of year, on the lead walking and we go to the cricket field first time i sit down play with him, then sneak the lead off,and they ussually just puppy run around you. if they go to daft would shout them back to steady them up a bit.

i think they run at there pace gaining in confidence and balance getting faster as the weeks goes on.

not keen on throughing balls as if they are very aggressive they could pick up an injury going in for the ball.

my dogs are rapped in cotton wool,our bentley will have his first slip tomorrow at 121/2 month,he is well balanced and runs round the cricket field must be running 200 yards. he has had a couple of niggles that has set us back, but hopefully he will be ok.

not a lover of starting schooling. early like them fully grown and ready.

 

[milly]

Bring them up like you would your kids, lots of free running in a safe environment, thats how they learn how to control their coordination, afew knocks and bangs are part of growing up. :luck: with your pup nubian

 

[friggsy]

Bring them up like you would your kids, lots of free running in a safe environment, thats how they learn how to control their coordination, afew knocks and bangs are part of growing up. :luck: with your pup nubian

WELL SAID JUST LET THEM BE PUPPIES

 

[LYNCHIE]

Bring them up like you would your kids, lots of free running in a safe environment, thats how they learn how to control their coordination, afew knocks and bangs are part of growing up. :luck: with your pup nubian

That don't mean chicken nuggets & mcdonalds for tea though lol

 

[weathergirls]

I'm a great believer in letting them do what comes natural but allways under supervision and you can shift or pad every obstacle you can see but they will find something to bump into usually a human we just stand around with knees bent at our house when the pups are having their mad hour, would never let them off together or with another dog in an open field though , I do let them off together when going down the penine trail as there is plenty to keep their minds occupied ( instead of each other) up and down the banks and hedgerows. You can't beat free running nail biting as it is its how they learn their balance, confidence and recall IMO anyhow :luck:

 

[davbow]

When i first got my two girls i was scared to death, i was so worried about stepping on them. I used to keep my eyes on them every second until i realised that they will always find a way of getting into trouble, whether you watch them or not. I remember running out into the garden cuz one of them was screaming like mad only to find them running about like nothing was wrong a second later. Now that they are older they have realised that running into a glass door when it is closed hurts. I guess that if they didn't get all those knocks and bumps they wouldn't learn to be more carefull next time.

 

[weathergirls]

When i first got my two girls i was scared to death, i was so worried about stepping on them. I used to keep my eyes on them every second until i realised that they will always find a way of getting into trouble, whether you watch them or not. I remember running out into the garden cuz one of them was screaming like mad only to find them running about like nothing was wrong a second later. Now that they are older they have realised that running into a glass door when it is closed hurts. I guess that if they didn't get all those knocks and bumps they wouldn't learn to be more carefull next time.

is it my eyes or are those ears getting BIGGER

 

[Nubian]

When i first got my two girls i was scared to death, i was so worried about stepping on them. I used to keep my eyes on them every second until i realised that they will always find a way of getting into trouble, whether you watch them or not. I remember running out into the garden cuz one of them was screaming like mad only to find them running about like nothing was wrong a second later. Now that they are older they have realised that running into a glass door when it is closed hurts. I guess that if they didn't get all those knocks and bumps they wouldn't learn to be more carefull next time.

Well I must say this makes me feel a bit better!

With this being my first dog I have been worrying myself sick to the point when the tension was beginning to rub off onto the family! Every time he bumps into something or takes the slightest knock he screams like a banshee! I suppose at the end of the day he is a dog and he should learn that life involves taking a few knocks and bumps.

I think I should be able to relax a little more from now on!

 

[friggsy]

Bring them up like you would your kids, lots of free running in a safe environment, thats how they learn how to control their coordination, afew knocks and bangs are part of growing up. :luck: with your pup nubian

That don't mean chicken nuggets & mcdonalds for tea though lol

thats what ive got tnight again :lol: lol

 

[nicky12]

well iit was rough and tumble in my house when our tia came at 8weeks old never done her any harm ,i already had to very mad boys and even though i wanted to wrap her in cotton wool you havent got eyes n the bk of your head lol and she did just fine racing around with them out on walks at 12weeks old ,had a few close shaves and few bumps and scratches but i think its made her harder

her she is with no brakes :lol:

 

[fallenangel]

mine lot got off togethere but firest they each have there mad 5 minets one at a time to to let there crazynes out once they have all done that i let them of togethere and they have a more gentle play and just a good mooch about. I do ahve the added advantegd of 2 of the pups mum lacey who soon steps in if there getting stuped and puts all 3 pups in there place so my jobs a bit easer.

 

[sharon whincop]

Always let mine off the lead in a field on there own from 10 weeks. never let them off with other dogs even though they in the house with my other dogs. most of my dogs are under 20lb so fine dogs but it never hurts them help them get their legs. Makes it easier on my nerves schooling them knowing they have there legs from a young age. And the field I run them on isn't flat infact most people wouldn't use it but Non have ever hurt them selves. Good luck with your pup.