Whippet Temperament

[alfie]

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What an interesting topic!

I have Alfie, the odd one out in an all plain fawn litter ( he is silver fawn, with a white blaze, white collar and white socks) by Red Robin, Poachyn/Tweseldown on his mum's side so coursing blood as well.

He has been like an old man since he was a puppy, never destructive, quiet, well behaved, very outgoing and loves everyone he meets :wub: . He is very sensitive and gets upset if the others get told off :wub: ! He is the most loyal and loving dog, and I worship him!! o He's now nearly 9 and not so much of a hunter, but when he was younger he used to go off hunting on walks, and if he was chasing you could forget him coming back till he was ready :rant:

Then there is Mabel... :- "

She is also by Red Robin, mum's side is Bluestreak/ Spyanfly. People who meet her at shows would not believe she is a lunatic at home, since she is very quiet and aloof and will back away from people who try to stroke her- not nervous, just ignorant :- " She does make a huge fuss of people she knows though.

She steals food, jumps on the counters, digs massive holes in the garden,destroys kitchen sponges- about 3 a week!! roughs up the cats

But she is SO obedient when out, she will come back as soon as she's called, even if she's chasing crows! o And she is very affectionate and responsive to me, so I suppose she is ok really :wub: :thumbsup:

Liz and the Monellis

 

[EJW]

What an interesting topic!I have Alfie, the odd one out in an all plain fawn litter ( he is silver fawn, with a white blaze, white collar and white socks) by Red Robin, Poachyn/Tweseldown on his mum's side so coursing blood as well.

He has been like an old man since he was a puppy, never destructive, quiet, well behaved, very outgoing and loves everyone he meets :wub: . He is very sensitive and gets upset if the others get told off :wub: ! He is the most loyal and loving dog, and I worship him!! o He's now nearly 9 and not so much of a hunter, but when he was younger he used to go off hunting on walks, and if he was chasing you could forget him coming back till he was ready :rant:  

Then there is Mabel... :- "

She is also by Red Robin, mum's side is Bluestreak/ Spyanfly. People who meet her at shows would not believe she is a lunatic at home, since she is very quiet and aloof and will back away from people who try to stroke her- not nervous, just ignorant :- " She does make a huge fuss of people she knows though.

She steals food, jumps on the counters, digs massive holes in the garden,destroys kitchen sponges- about 3 a week!! roughs up the cats

But she is SO obedient when out, she will come back as soon as she's called, even if she's chasing crows! o And she is very affectionate and responsive to me, so I suppose she is ok really :wub:   :thumbsup:

Liz and the Monellis

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You've just described Hero & Evie exactly (w00t) :blink:

 

[bardmand]

Hei!I think you also have to remember that many whippet owners here in UK actually use the whippet to hunt with. I guess that is a reason the prey drive is still useful to keep.

Hei Cathrine!

True. I don't know too much about hunting and coursing in Britain. Is it fair to assume that most people working their whippets use them primarily for rabbiting? As long as that is not under threat (fingers crossed), there will still be a need to maintain their original instincts.

Where in Norway do you come from?  :thumbsup:

I live in Mo i Rana, which is kind of half way between the north and south ends of Norway - a thousand kilometres north of Oslo. By the way - the spelling of your name looks familiar - are you Norwegian yourself, by any chance?

Now, this is a little off topic, but since my homeplace was mentioned in this context, perhaps a little information on our circumstances could be of interest to some. These we share with many Scandinavians, and might explain why some here are not as keen to maintain the prey drive in their sighthounds as elsewhere (note that I have heard this mainly from owners of other sighthound breeds than whippets):

Hunting with whippets is not allowed in Scandinavian countries. Even if it were, many places there is very little suitable prey for whippets. Where I live, we have no rabbits, very little rats (thankfully), but at the age of three months, my Gullet caught a mouse. Well, what really happened was she stole it from next door's cat, but she was no less proud of her catch for that!

We do have hares, but there seem to be less of them in recent years (for unknown reasons), and you often find them in locations where I suspect even the most agile whippet would have a hard time following them.

Gullet has also been on the prowl for squirrels (red ones, of course), but fortunately they seem too clever, cautious and swift for her. Also, I cannot really see any reason for hunting red squirrels.

However, we do have some other wild (and semi-wild) animals, and many of us live near woods that stretch for miles and miles. If a dog starts hunting for an animal in these woods, they can very quickly get very far away from home - and that happens quite a lot, thankfully more often with gundogs and scent hounds, but it has happened with sighthounds as well.

There can be all sorts of dangers for dogs in the wild. Apart from difficult terrain, in a very few places we have wolves, then there are of course fox, lynx, reindeer (apparently one of the most alluring beasts for any hunting dog), elk (terribly dangerous when provoked), deer.

Then there is livestock that is let out to graze in the mountains, in particular sheep. I guess you can train a dog to get used to sheep flocks in a field they pass every day. I think it is harder to train it to ignore a single sheep with her young that you suddenly come upon in the woods.

Even if you could, how could you train a dog to not respond to lynx or bears or elk?

The hunt for a hare or a rabbit will end one way or another within minutes, the hunt for an elk or a reindeer may go on for hours, or may be stopped short by a kick from the animal that could easily kill the dog or maim it for life.

Now, I still think that the whippet's prey drive is an essential characteristic of the breed, but it can sure make walks near or in the woods a little more interesting than one might like. Of course, at certain times of year you are not even allowed to let your dog off lead, and you do avoid letting them off lead in certain areas at certain times.

 

[bardmand]

thankfully more often with gundogs and scent hounds, but it has happened with sighthounds as well.

Just realised - what a terrible thing to say. I am of course not happy about any dog that disappears - "thankfully it does not happen as often with sighthounds" was what I intended to say.

 

[Karen]

Thank you for sharing that with us, I dont think sometimes we realise how different it can be in other countries.

Im not sure prey drive is an essential part of a Whippets make up in 2006. There are many many breeds that are not doing what they were bred for. Bull terrier people Im sure dont mourn the passing of thier dogs history, nor do Chows fulfil thiers and there are dozens of breeds that dont do what they were bred for anymore. There may be a tiny minority of folk working with ridgebacks, Great Dane, Wolfhounds, Nova Scotia Duck Tollers, Coon hounds, all Terriers etc. And although that behavior may be tucked away in there somewhere I for one wouldnt look for that in any breeding program. I hate telling my puppy buyers that this puppy will chase, and worse, catch and kill things in front of them when it grows up. Especially when they think they are getting a loving family pet.

I hate my Whippets chasing off after deer and Hares or anything for that matter, I cannot come to terms with being an animal lover that gets fun out of seeing a defenceless animal torn to bits. (You dont see a lot of keen Wolverine coursing clubs) I of course understand that its natural for a Whippet to do this but I will divert thier attention if I can.

Polly does not chase anything but her ball, she comes from a long line of murderers but she was a single pup and does not go out with the others because she was hand reared and I dont think she knows shes a dog, she gets a bit cross if the others get in her way. :b She will run past anything, crows, rabbits,foxes and just blanks them. I have not trained her to do this. BUT she still is 100% Whippet the rest of the time, doing all the things other people have mentioned.

Do they have live coursing in the US?

 

[jools]

My first whippet, Ras was a black with white trim, I got her at 3 years of age. She was quiet, obedient and the sort of whippet who would have a good blast round, but at the first call was back at my side. She trotted happily at my heels where ever we were. but was wary of new people until she got to know them. Folly, a grey brindle with white trim, I also got at three years of age. Naughty, arrogant and very naughty with other dogs, running up and barking in their faces, reliant upon her speed to get her out of trouble. She was already carrying the scars from not being fast enough to run from a suitably wound up GSD when I got her, but it hasn't learnt her a thing. Fern, her daughter is red fawn brindle and as good as gold. Very loyal to me, I ask her to come and she is there. She just wants to please. She got her bronze and silver Good Citizen easily, but the gold calls for a send away to bed - she was devastated, so I never asked her again!! Now we come to Sky, a fawn brindle, younger full sister to Fern and completely the opposite. Nutty as a fruit cake, comes to call - 10 minutes after you call her, still destroying my house at 12 months of age (I have just put the crate back up after 2 dining chairs have been absolutely ruined!!) She adores everyone and runs to meet people who she has never set eyes on before, greeting them like old friends.

Skys' brother, Riva (red fawn with white trim) and Ferns' sister, Kady, dark brindle with white trim, live with my friend. Riva is very loving and kind, very outgoing and friendly, though easily lead by Kady - Kady, the nightmare of my babies!!! She is a real wild child, totally deaf to recall or anything else she doesn't want to hear. Adored by Brenda, my friend, but would drive me mad!!

They all have the hunting instinct, but is is far stronger in Fern than the others, she has cought several voles and the like, but walking with Kady who is also a noisey little baggage, all larger animals are warned of our arrival 5 minutes before we get there - I'm not sorry about that, I know that it is in their nature, but I wouldn't want any of them bringing me rabbits, hares or the like back!!

 

[~elizabeth~]

There can be all sorts of dangers for dogs in the wild. Apart from difficult terrain, in a very few places we have wolves, then there are of course fox, lynx, reindeer (apparently one of the most alluring beasts for any hunting dog), elk (terribly dangerous when provoked), deer.

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You know, it's really not so very different here either, there can be all sorts of risks for whippets here even with the less ferocious kinds of wildlife, as well as risks from roads, railways etc.

Foxes, badgers and even the tiny muntjac deer can severely damage a whippet very easily. I've seen a whippet turned into a patchwork quilt by the tusks of a muntjac. Walsh in the English Whippet says that 'a fox can fight like a chainsaw'. I don't even want to think what a badger could do!

Also unknown terrain can contain all sorts of dangers from barbed wire, broken glass, grown over farm machinery. It was not uncommon to see in the hare coursing results that dogs occasionally died from running into barbed wire following a hare into cover.

There is also the livestock issue here too, many of the nicest areas of the UK are covered with free-grazing sheep, which are at risks from all breeds of dog. A friend of ours had some ewes killed on the smallholding we used to share - someone had thrown a ball across the river into the lamb paddock for their dog to retrieve. It ignored the ball and just killed the sheep instead. At least most owners of whippets are aware that their dogs retain some hunting instinct, and hopefully would not do anything this stupid. I'm guessing from the width of river it had to swim it the culprit wasn't whippet either!!!

We are currently having problems with deer. We had a problem with our dog chasing a muntjac into deep cover last week, sustaining a lot of cuts and a suspected kick to the eye (he went after it unseen by OH, who couldn't distract him in time). Since then, OH has encountered two more groups of deer (in different locations, having tried to avoid the site of the first incident), both of which he was successfully called back from, and a deer carcasse near a major road, which he also left on command. :thumbsup: I think even with a dog with full coursing instinct and experience, it should still be possible to arrest them in a chase, if you can distract them early enough.

If and when I get my next whippet, I think I will be a lot more conscious of recall training. Also I think a certain amount of this is due to mild dominance behaviour (with a good tempered whippet, it's quite difficult to spot this is happening, but since having his 'on the bed' priviledeges removed, he has been a lot more compliant, and responsive to commands).

I think it would be very naive to assume that any breed has completely lost the instinct to do what it was originally bred for, whether we are talking about guarding or hunting breeds. Chasing instinct does not need to be expressed through live prey anyway, many whippets never see a live bunny but hugely enjoy racing or lure coursing, or even just coursing other dogs in play in the local park.

 

[bardmand]

You're right, I should not assume that whippet owners elsewhere have less to worry about when it comes to their dogs hunting instincts. They are just different challenges. I guess the recent disappearance of one of my friends' dogs who went chasing an elk and has never been found since made me think about the odds of something like that happening in more populated areas of the world - I suspect it would more likely be found, even if not uninjured.

Of course, traffic is probably the number one type of accident to happen to whippets anywhere. But, as I said, I personally could not imagine a whippet without at least some will to chase.

Perhaps more interesting is the question someone in this thread has hinted at: Is prey drive linked to other personality traits? My first whippet was perhaps the one I have had with the most ferocious prey drive - but she was otherwise the most docile, slightly aloof character, and also very dominant (in a quiet way) towards my other whippet bitch at the time.

 

[~elizabeth~]

I guess the recent disappearance of one of my friends' dogs who went chasing an elk and has never been found since made me think about the odds of something like that happening in more populated areas of the world - I suspect it would more likely be found, even if not uninjured.

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Well, I thought ours had gone for good too. It took us over an hour to find him in dense scrub. If he'd been seriously injured (rather than just catching his breath from the chase) there would have been little hope. It is something I worry about, the downside of living in a lovely place with abundant wildlife. We are in a highly populated area as well, but it's still almost impossible to search in dense cover.

If I get another whippet, it will be from a coursing line, preferably Laguna again. From my own experience I'd say there seems to be a link as you note; however I know a lady with two full Nimrodels, a line which has coursed successfully in the past (this pair too would be keen on hunting, but are not given the opportunity, as their owner is anxious about the risks, having lost a couple of previous Nimrodels as a result of chases), and they have a very different temperament; a lot more reserved with both people and dogs, and slightly nervous. They have been so since they were quite young, always mildly annoyed by the friendly enthusiasm of ours, who even in middle age still rushes up to them like a puppy . :wacko: :b

 

[Sidewinders]

What an interesting topic! :thumbsup:

I suppose my dogs have a little bit crazy character than others :teehee: ... but I love it! Though Pollie behaves at home like a cat, and it's very nice to travel with her. Also Pollie likes to do every kind of sports (but the best for her is to make all cats fit ). She obeys very well and can without any problems pass obedience program, even better than most of working dogs. :thumbsup: She loves to play with children of all ages and can play carefully with them. She can do several tricks (I taught her). Only one moment when she becames angry - when she sees GSD. :angry: Just because she was several times badly biten by GSD, so she hates all GSDs now. She could be very good hunting dog, but I'm afraid to take her to the filed trials (we've been there only once) because it's rather dangerous. This year Pollie have caught a crow's tail :teehee: and little sparrow But in general Pollie is very outgoing and friendly person, never afraids, I like her character very much! She is not showing for already two years (there is just no sense), but I take her to the shows together with her son and when I go with her to the ring she tries to show she also can do everything not worse than son and she becames so happy and wags her tail.

Baton (Pollie's son) is a very serious boy at home and rather lazy. On the walks he tries to protect his gang. He obeys well too, but it takes more time to teach him than Pollie, he knows only main commands. But on the shows... he is quite different! He likes showing very much and I have to run with him several minutes before the ring as he could be even too much happy in the ring and will jump and wag his tail instead of standing still. Most of judges note his good temperament as he is always in a good mood on the shows. He knows very well when we're going to the show and when he sees that I take his show-leash (I don't know how it is called in English ) he becames very happy! Also Baton is a talkative person, he likes to express his opinion in different kind of noises (not barking) and to comment everything (he can even "sing" when he likes the music he hears). Only problem with him - he doesn't likes to travel by car or by bus. By train - no problems.

Pollie's puppies from the second litter (by Cobyco Call the Shots) all have very nice characters. Girl is just like Pollie, playful and active and very outgoing, her owners say she is a pleasure to own. Boys are more calm, but also nice persons. Black boy is a leader from the very birth and prefers to be first everywhere. Brindle boy is gentle and likes to play with ball most of all . Boys' owners are satisfied with their characters (and it's a pleasure for me to know!).

As for me - the main thing that whippet must never be aggressive and cowardly and must to communicate normally with other dogs and people (children and adult) and... with cats (though I can't teach my dogs to... :- " ).

That is about my dogs' characters.

 

[malin]

My experience is: more prey drive => more biddable & a better family dog. We once had a Whippet that wouldn't chase anything, totally unreliable as a pet. I still avoid those lines. If it doesn't chase and (given the opportunity) makes a clean kill it shouldn't be bred from in my opinion. We can't really test the last bit here in Scandinavia, but the world isn't a perfect place (and dead hares are vile :x )

 

[Karen]

If it doesn't chase and (given the opportunity) makes a clean kill it shouldn't be bred from in my opinion.

I will tell Polly this, Im sure she will be delighted. :thumbsup: She has got the most adorable temperement especially where people/children are concerned shes just not into live prey.

I worked at the Greyhound kennels for some years in the 70s and if the youngsters came into trial and wouldnt chase the lure they were taken away and put to sleep, people can be very unforgiving in persuit of perfection

 

[malin]

If it doesn't chase and (given the opportunity) makes a clean kill it shouldn't be bred from in my opinion.

I will tell Polly this, Im sure she will be delighted. :thumbsup:

Polly is a rather special case (and a lovely girl she is :wub: ).

Our non-chaser lived until she died of old age. It had all the opportunities in life but it was a Whippet with a bad temperament and had there been smaller children in the household it wouldn't have worked. The mother was put to sleep because of temperament issues (and incidentally didn't chase either).

 

[nina]

If it doesn't chase and (given the opportunity) makes a clean kill it shouldn't be bred from in my opinion.

I will tell Polly this, Im sure she will be delighted. :thumbsup: She has got the most adorable temperement especially where people/children are concerned shes just not into live prey.
I worked at the Greyhound kennels for some years in the 70s and if the youngsters came into trial and wouldnt chase the lure they were taken away and put to sleep, people can be very unforgiving in persuit of perfection

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One of my whippets was bought up on a stud farm where by from an early age was taken out on the land & would chase & kill anything in an instant. This stayed with her ALL her life BUT i could neither trust her with smaller dogs (my own ) or children as she could be very "sharp" in temperament.

I still have her today at 8 years old BUT i watch her like a hawk "just incase".

I also had a little rescue who had not the slightest inkling to chase anything. Infact she would run indoors if a cat landed in the garden. Out on walks if she saw a fox she would run in the opposite direction, yet the sweetest most biddable little person you could ever wish to meet AND i could trust her 100% with my littlies & she would even snuggle up with the hamster!!

Only from MY personal experience, the keener the hunt instinct the sharper the temerament can be & i am NOT saying this in EVERY case just my own personal experience & to not breed from such a beautiful sweet natured whippet all cos it wouldn't hunt IMHO would be quite ridiculous. (If she had been a show specimen & thats what you had been planning, which in my case didn't enter the equation as she was a rescue & a pet only FULL STOP)

 

[Karen]

I think what I have gleaned most from this topic is that there is absolutely no pattern in the way our Whippets behave they are as different as humans really. And allthough we know some things are passed down from the parents sometimes the puppies are just different.

As a show person mainly, what must be the most heartbreaking thing is to have a good show specimen with any sort of temperement problem that you think may breed on.

 

[lalena]

I think what I have gleaned most from this topic is that there is absolutely no pattern in the way our Whippets behave they are as different as humans really.  And allthough we know some things are passed down from the parents sometimes the puppies are just different.
As a show person mainly, what must be the most heartbreaking thing is to have a good show specimen with any sort of temperement problem that you think may breed on.

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that would be awful hard as it would be, i personally wouldnt breed from that animal

 

[Claire]

I have mainly owned fawn and paler brindles until recently ( all Show Bred) . When I have become the owner of a Red Brindle and white Girl. All of my whippets have been quiet But Roza is a very " loud" Girl she is very vocal at play and much bolder than any other whippet I have owned.

 

[midlanderkeith]

I have mainly owned fawn and paler brindles until recently ( all Show Bred) . When I have become the owner of a Red Brindle and white Girl. All of my whippets have been quiet But Roza is a very " loud" Girl she is very vocal at play and much bolder than any other whippet I have owned.

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Hi claire this is collooney knock on wood

 

[maggymills]

the only thing i have to add is- whenever theres a fawn whippet in the kennels- they are a LOT more quiet and biddable than a blue/brindle or black, more relaxed definitely.

 

[masta]

the only thing i have to add is- whenever theres a fawn whippet in the kennels- they are a LOT more quiet and biddable than a blue/brindle or black, more relaxed definitely.

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Colour has no impact on temperement the line and genetics are responsible