Whippets And Car Chasing

[Innova]

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We are considering getting a Whippet as our next pet. They seem like the ideal breed for our family, but we have one concern. We live just off of a county highway. This road receives quite a bit of traffic, most of it traveling at 55+ mph.

We do have a big yard, but the highway is visable from the front yard.

Here is a link to a satellite photo: Satellite Photo

The road running east/west receives very little traffic, but the one running nw/se is what worries me.

I have been reading about the breed in general, and realize that the sight hound instinct is strong, but am looking for opinions from owners if they have been able to stop their whippets from chasing cars.

The last thing we want to do, is see the dog get hurt doing what it was bred to do.

Any opinions are appreciated.

Thanks,

Buck

 

[chelynnah]

We are considering getting a Whippet as our next pet.  They seem like the ideal breed for our family, but we have one concern.  We live just off of a county highway.  This road receives quite a bit of traffic, most of it traveling at 55+ mph.
We do have a big yard, but the highway is visable from the front yard. 

Here is a link to a satellite photo:  Satellite Photo

The road running east/west receives very little traffic, but the one running nw/se is what worries me.

I have been reading about the breed in general, and realize that the sight hound instinct is strong, but am looking for opinions from owners if they have been able to stop their whippets from chasing cars.

The last thing we want to do, is see the dog get hurt doing what it was bred to do.

Any opinions are appreciated.

Thanks,

Buck

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Whippets have NO road sense. They won't necesarrily chase the cars, but they will run across the road in front of the car if they see something on the other side. I would NEVER walk a whippet off lead ANYWHERE near a road. Maybe a deserted road that gets traffice once an hour or two, but otherwise NEVER by a road of ANY kind!! Whippets are not labs or collies, whippets are sighthounds, and if they see somethign they will go for it without thinking - boom - under the car.

If you are wanting a breed you can walk offlead on the road near you please re-think - a whippet is NOT the breed for this. If your yard is unfenced and you're talking about letting it out in the yard unfenced - again - no way!! Your whippet will be GONE either under a car or off chasing something.

I'm not trying to be harsh - just realistic.

Wendy

 

[dawn]

I have been reading about the breed in general, and realize that the sight hound instinct is strong, but am looking for opinions from owners if they have been able to stop their whippets from chasing cars.

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Its not the chasing that's the problem but what they do when they catch the cars.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooohh such a mess....

Wheels running all over

Petrol flaring up

Bodywork chewed and spit out.

And if the driver doesn't escape - well somene else can tell you waht happens then - NOT a PRETTY SIGHT

 

[chelynnah]

I have been reading about the breed in general, and realize that the sight hound instinct is strong, but am looking for opinions from owners if they have been able to stop their whippets from chasing cars.

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Its not the chasing that's the problem but what they do when they catch the cars.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooohh such a mess....

Wheels running all over

Petrol flaring up

Bodywork chewed and spit out.

And if the driver doesn't escape - well somene else can tell you waht happens then - NOT a PRETTY SIGHT

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Would that be the effect of the HYENA blood in your latest litter Dawn??

Wendy

 

[Karen]

Im sure people DO have Whippets without having a well fenced yard but it really isnt a good idea. And as Wendy says they have no road sense even if they are quite well trained and see something they cant help but run after it.

I will tell you a funny story though about traffic. One of my first Whippets (on a lead) used to lunge at cars as they were passing us in the quiet lane I walked in. I could'nt seem to stop him doing this on my own so enlisted some help.

I arranged for a couple of mates to drive past really slowly, one in the passenger seat with a bucket of water. They were meant to draw level and as Polo lunged at the car the bucket of water was going to be thrown at him so he left the cars alone in future.

Well I guess we should have perhaps had a bit of a dry run or practice. I got absolutly drowned, (w00t) Polo was sort of under the stream of water so was quite dry, :- " Sally with the bucket was soaked because the lip of the bucket had caught on the window of the car and the car door compartment was full up as well (w00t) .

It did work, Polo didnt lunge anymore but I thik it was my horrified screams that scared him :wacko:

 

[»Tina«]

Binx stops dead and stares at the cars going past, I'm 100% sure that if he wasn't on a lead he would chase them :blink:

but as we are passing our own parked car he lunges to get away from it, he hates going for a ride, it's a real struggle to get him in! he gets really car sick also :x

and I do agree with Wendy on this subject :thumbsup:

 

[Juley]

Im sure people DO have Whippets without having a well fenced yard but it really isnt a good idea.  And as Wendy says they have no road sense even if they are quite well trained and see something they cant help but run after it.
I will tell you a funny story though about traffic.  One of my first Whippets (on a lead) used to lunge at cars as they were passing us in the quiet lane I walked in.  I could'nt seem to stop him doing this  on my own so enlisted some help.

I arranged for a couple of mates to drive past really slowly, one in the passenger seat with a bucket of water.  They were meant to draw level and as Polo lunged at the car the bucket of water was going to be thrown at him so he left the cars alone in future.

Well I guess we should have perhaps had a bit of a dry run or practice.  I got absolutly drowned, (w00t)   Polo was sort of under the stream of water so was quite dry, :- "  Sally with the bucket was soaked because the lip of the bucket had caught on the window of the car and the car door compartment was full up as well (w00t) . 

It did work, Polo didnt lunge anymore but I thik it was my horrified screams that scared him :wacko:

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Sorry, I know I shouldn't laugh.......... :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Tesa]

Have whippets, have fences. It is your responsibility. End of story.

 

[Seraphina]

Whippets and other sighthounds have a very strong instinct to chase a small fury things. From my experience they do not have any inclination to chase a car, if anything mine would more likely run away if a car would go close past us. But that doesnt mean they would not run across the road if there was a cat or rabbit. Whippet is so fast ; if he takes off you'd have no chance to open your mouth and he is already acros the road - with bit of luck. Generaly it happens so fast the driver has no chance to do anything. Therefore good Whippet fence is a necesity. I do not know how far your house is from the road and if you can ALWAYS supervise your dog when he is outside etc. But living near busy road without an effective fence would be a nightmare for me.

Lida

You can always get friends with buckets to teach your dog not to go outside of your garden! :lol: