How Arthur the Whippet Shaped My Recall Training
How a little whippet called Arthur changed the way i looked at recall
I got Arthur as a puppy, he was my first whippet puppy. I already had two whippets living with me who had joined the home as adults, Marley and Ollie. Marley and Ollie were both relatively straightforward offlead in all honesty. Marleys underlying fears of the world meant he never strayed too far from me. Ollie was different, he would sniffle off and try and scavenge, or be on the prowl for wildlife, often pursuing a squirrel or bunny. But to his credit he was a simple boy and knew if he came back, he got a good treat.
I came to realise that in many ways I was simply spoiled! As soon as Arthur was ready for walks, I took him out offlead. After all everything I had understood was the sooner the better. All puppies follow you like ducklings…right? Arthur decided he would be the exception, he glanced at me like he had never met me and trundled off to make his own path. Almost immediately he ran, nose down across the field, more like a spaniel in disguise… The speed he flew off despite being so young set my heart racing, puzzled by what he could be going after at only 14 weeks or so...He thankfully returned within 30 seconds. Spitting out a bread roll at my feet. Proud of his prize.. This was certainly a sign of things to come!
Arthur was a working line bred tiny black whippet. His speed was like no whippet I had ever seen. His acceleration was unbelievable and he could turn so instantly! Unfortunately he lacked the braincells to go with this speed, and got himself injured countless times. He would run full pelt into walls, run and step over large drops tumbling as he went and carrying on his quest. Usually whatever had sparked this passionate chase was no longer present, or in his braincells. Running was just the goal by the end of a chase.
Marley and Ollie were quite content to recall to a vague happy calling of their names. Nothing formal, I don’t even think I had ever formally taught recall looking back. We worked with a trainer who owned whippets locally, but their dogs often took far longer to come back than my own and she just said well thats whippets and felt eventually ambling back was a reasonable recall. So I was satisfied to not do too much else.
I found myself walking Arthur early mornings, in an attempt to simply avoid Arthur running away, ignoring me and having to upset anyone else. As the owner of a reactive dog I fully understood no one wants my zippy Whippet flying into their face. In hindsight all could have been accomplished with great ease with a long line. But almost 10 years ago people really just saw them as pointless. So we continued our early morning walks.
By the time he was a teenager Arthur coud be offlead, but if i saw something I had to scramble to get him onlead. His reflexes were intense and I am sure he had the ability to read my mind. I never allowed him to get to any dog or person he should, but it meant walks were just me scanning the environment and watching him carefully read to get his attention with lots of noise and running.
Frankly offlead walks were not in anyway enjoyable. He was usually only thinking about hunting, chasing…and even chasing crows! While i was having to develop senses faster than a Whippet! I realised things weren’t working. I was calling him, giving him high value treats, rewarding him for checking in…but still his behaviour persisted. Still we had no enjoyable walks.
Over time I started to realise Arthur wasnt really clealy understanding what I was asking for when i called his name. That the rewards I was using just didn’t mean anything compared to his passions. I watched him and started to realise his passions were mainly sniffing, chasing and the perception of his that he was a master hunter (backed up by nothing but own assertion!)
I started from scratch. I started to teach a recall cue that was really clear. Helped him understand that coming back didn’t just get him a treat; it created an opportunity to return to something he enjoyed. For many years I recalled and rewarded, but would often veer off if i thought he was too intereted in something. Instead I started to recall him out of play with my other dogs, reward him and send him back to play some more.
Many of you may know the story I frequently tell, of him rolling in fox poop! One day he did it and I saw opportunity. I called him at the right time from the fox poop, he returned got a treat and i released him back to rolling in the odour he was fond of! I practices this a few times before he lost interest. Success! No more speeding off and running to fox poop and ignoring me because he thought it the end of fun. Instead he learned recall was not the end, but a quick break.
Along with this I began to teach essential skills to help us enjoy our walks together. An emergency Whistle recall for those “ oh Sh*t” moments! (which came in handy many a times!), reflex skills that meant fun and eventually adding in TeamWork and Prey games. Helping him to see me as a vluable team mate changed things incredibly. I would point out rabbit poop to him, find areas where mice were to sniff and pounce at. No longer was I the fun police, but a valuable team mate. Someone who was on a walk to support his master hunting skills.
It took some work, but Arthur became this incredible dog offlead. One who I could trust offlead and frankly his recall surpassed Marley and Ollies by a mile in the end. I began to learn more and continue to develop strategies to support Whippets and their owners. Sadly we were robbed of a lifetime of adventure offlead and Arthur was lost to cancer in 2020 at just 3yo. He ensured he enjoyed every walk to the max, perhaps he had some awareness his life was to be limited?
Arthur left a footprint though (or pawprint!) and Arkle has since enjoyed the same strategies and helping support Whippet owners online.
I am always greatful for the challenges and adventures of little Arthur! I don’t think i would be the trainer I am without him.
Recall can be challenging with Whippets, but not impossible, If you would like to get your Whippet on track, check out our recall programme with spaces available:
