Whippets That Have Never Run!!!

[Jones]

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This morning whilst out with Leon and Picco I met a man on the promenade with 2 whippets we had a chat and the dogs had a sniff of eachothers bottoms

Then his wife arrived so we walked down onto the beach where I let Leon and Picco off :thumbsup: when they didn't let there's off I assumed it was because they were on holiday and didn't trust them in a strange place :unsure:

But a bit further along they told me their dogs have never been off lead they admitted they felt quite bad about it :unsure: but after reading that you couldn't call them back once they were chasing something they'd decided not to let them off :unsure:

So their dogs who are 2 and 3 years old have never run :unsure:

They looked very fit and seemed happy enough :thumbsup: but I must admit I left there feeling a bit sorry for them

So I've been thinking this morning how common it is for people to have whippets and never let them off lead :unsure: and if it is common, is too much made of their chase instinct and are new owners being scared into never letting their dogs off lead

Cheers

Steve

 

[beaker]

i have met quite a few who wouldn't dream of letting their poor dogs off leads, leadwalking is the cure all for everything, i even had one person suggest that i cage my lad and not exercise him for a couple of months as in his opinion he had too much muscle :wacko: :angry:

 

[~elizabeth~]

Yup, it's not uncommon. There are a couple of people in the village with whippet/g'hound crosses who never let them off either, and I met a Blue Cross whippet in the park whose owners wouldn't let play with ours. I don't know whether they've been advised not to do it by the rescue centres or what :unsure: It's such a shame, especially when you can see the dogs really want to play

 

[Janimal]

What a shame - what a life .... in my opinion.

 

[melanie]

i let all six of my dogs off the lead, all at the same time too i do find though that the boys come straight back when called but the girls take forever and the closer they get to me the slower the come :lol: are all girl whipps like that?

 

[gilliwigs]

Our 10 year old whippet, Josh, who died recently, was great off the lead and we let him off from a very early age and it was a pleasure to watch him run.

However, Muffin, our 10 month old is a different kettle of fish completely! He ran off from my husband when he was only 4 months old and the vet thinks he was hit by a car as he had a couple of nasty cuts on one of his legs. Because of this we are scared to let him off again. He is very headstrong and although we live in an area with lots of lovely countryside, we are also near to very, very busy roads. We are just beginning to risk it in 'safe' areas again but do feel guilty not allowing him to run, but it's better than not having him at all! And we are lucky enough to have a very large garden so he is able to have a good time running around that.

Hopefully, as he gets a bit older he will calm down a little bit and we will feel happier with him off the lead.

Gillian

This is Muffin after his accident!

 

[Strike Whippets]

i let all six of my dogs off the lead, all at the same time too   i do find though that the boys come straight back when called but the girls take forever and the closer they get to me the slower the come :lol:   are all girl whipps like that?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

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Same here ......All 8 of mine off together at once .......The boy's are more attentive, and the girl's a little easily distracted :lol: .........I alway's think it's a shame when I've heard people say they don't free run, but I guess if the dog know's no difference, they won't miss it :unsure:

 

[~JO~]

How sad

I let Stan off anywhere, he is a very good boy (will chase bunnies and some other wildlife but will come back as soon as he gives up).

But Archie is a whole different ball game, all he wants to do is hunt and he couldn't care less whether I have gone or stayed put. His love of hunting goes way beyond his love for me and he just isn't a biddable dog - VERY strong willed. So unfortunately Archie only goes off the lead in 'safe' fields that I know very well with minimal chance of any wildlife popping up!

But I ensure he usually has a run at least once a day, so not a bad life

 

[Janimal]

Can understand that fully Jo :thumbsup: I threaten Oscar & Kobi every day they will stay on lead for walks because when they scoot off after something you may as well not exist :- "

 

[noo]

I suppose it depends on the dog. My greyhound never goes off lead unless he's enclosed (parents have emormous garden so we go there as much as poss). He's a rescue with no recall whatsoever, bless him. Nelly our whippet is great off lead and I cant imagine her not running around the park ect. I know its the owners choice but I think that to never even try out of fear is sad for the dogs. Surely there must be somewhere enclosed they can try out recall?

 

[Hilary & Hounds]

I can well understand Gillian and Jo taking care with their respective dogs, especially after what happened to Muffin at such a young age. :huggles:

I'm fortunate enough to have a large garden that the dogs can run around in, so I've stopped letting the greyhounds off lead unless I know it's a safe area! For greyhounds they're pretty good, but if they see another dog they're off! I know they only want to play, but other people and their dogs can see it quite differently! :- "

 

[Janimal]

Suppose I do live round some very open and large fields, have to be careful there are no sheep, but on our walk this morning, Oscar and Kobi have had several runs with a Rottweiller (w00t) and they are fine with Chester hes called, then later a boxer called Ollie, then 2 crossbreeds who love their run round with my two - so suppose we are very lucky :thumbsup: oh nearly forgot then Gyp the sheepdog puppy - so my two very well socialised.

 

[anslinmcg]

It is sad that whippets etc are not allowed to do what they love most

i let all six of my dogs off the lead, all at the same time too   i do find though that the boys come straight back when called but the girls take forever and the closer they get to me the slower the come :lol:   are all girl whipps like that?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

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Macey is a bugger to come back 8) , but Byron is back before I know it :blink: , but then again he is a mummy's boy?? :- "

 

[Janimal]

It is sad that whippets etc are not allowed to do what they love most

i let all six of my dogs off the lead, all at the same time too  
Macey is a bugger to come back 8) , but Byron is back before I know it :blink: , but then again he is a mummy's boy?? :- "

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

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Mine are both boys, but ditto anslinmcg, but its Oscar thats mummys boy and comes back and Kobi wanders off after anyone :- " :lol:

Im starting a puppy class tomorrow night with Kobi by himself for a few weeks then may take Oscar along too. :thumbsup:

 

[fallenangel]

most of mine go off lead but in ones and twos incase they run into eachother 2 greyhounds head on can coues some serious damegs lacey goes off lead everywere she can ahs is a star but 2 of mine only go off in encloesd relads as they have no recall what so even and would be off at the slightest thing moving. I do think you should get to know your dog as all sight hounds are very differnt

 

[JoJess]

Same here Fallenangel I used to let them off in two's but found one would always dissapear (chasing bunnies no doubt) now I let them off in one's and usually give them a gallop from me to peter or visa versa

 

[pamalkie]

I suppose we're really really lucky that we have plenty of places round about that we can let the dogs run off lead. Couldn't imagine just walking them on leads all the time

 

[*Lesley*]

Thats why I tend to run mine in the woods, no roads Sienna is a bugger for dissappearing but i know she's never too far away, Callie and Spry just tend to run about and keep coming back to check I'm still there,the good thing when we got Spry was that Callie and Sienna were used to it so she just followed them I couldn't imagine them not being able to free run they love it so much

 

[colliecrew]

I've known several people with greyhounds and also a deerhound cross that haven't ever let them off, and I've helped a couple of them to find secure areas.

It's always worth ringing around your local dog rescues and sometimes boarding kennels to see if they'll hire you a secure area to let your dog run, and to train recall. :thumbsup:

 

[Joanna]

I think that it is a complete tragedy for a dog never to experience that feeling. Mine free run every day, I couldn't ever imagine keeping them on leads. I only ever pop them on a lead in dodgy situations or near roads. Archie is fab at recall, Fynn is naughty, but we are persevering. I find ignoring him works best and walking off.....I know a lady with two rescue GHounds who will not let one off. He slavered over Fynn as a pup. I can understand common land, but I do so wish she'd let him go in a safe area. It does take nerve the first time, and I undersatnd rescue GH's are slightly different. If you let them off as a pup, it shouldn't be a problem to teach... Just my opinion