Whippet Training Tips
What is in it for me?
When training dogs people often think of dogs happy to please and work for their human families. An eager companion who will love training for the sake of it. Having grown up with a collie and GSD mix I always assumed the same. Bonnie & Monty were happy to be involved in anything and picked up training with ease.
Getting Whippets it soon became apparent they would need a bit more help to be motivated, Ollie’s life motto was “ok..but what is in it for me?” Trying to convince Ollie to do anything meant learning to be alot more engaging, making food fun and keeping sessions very short.
Whippets DO love to train, and they ARE trainable…but..they need to know the game is worth their while. If it is not, they may just opt out and maybe go back to their rest!
Top Tips For Training Your Whippets
DO use rewards
Do make sure your paying your Whippet for their hard work. It is very important that they know when they have done a good job by paying them for a job well done. Without rewards they can't know what it is you are looking from them. Their preferred reward may vary. For some it may be tasty treats, while others may prefer a good game of tug of war with a fluffy tuggy toy. Using rewards tells them "good job", which will help them to do that behaviour more in future. Sighthounds tend not to get a whole load of out just praise and fuss as they are very environmentally sensitive dogs.
DO keep sessions SHORT
Short sessions help them to keep engaged and enjoying the training. You always want to leave them wanting more! Quit your session before they opt out or get frustrated. The time will vary dog to dog, but 3-5 mins is all your dog needs to stay motivated. If you over train you risk your Whippet learning that training is boring, or that they can opt out of training. Motivation is the key to good training and a whippet who is learning it is boring, will learn to ignore treats and rewards regularly. Always try to quit before they lose that interest.
DO set them up for success
Your dog is not a mind reader, make sure you are thoroughly clear in what you are asking and how they earn that reward. Don’t ask for more than they can handle. " He knows what I'm asking, he's just being stubborn" Is what I am often told. However what is often going on is that the dog is too distracted, they actually haven't practised in enough places or we haven't been using a clear enough hand / verbal cue. We often they get frustrated at our poor Whippets who simply didn't understand because we hadn't set them up for success with careful enough training!
DON’T use physical punishment
Whippets are sensitive dogs and do not respond well to old fashioned training techniques. Don’t use harsh techniques with them. Harsh techniques involve shouting, scruffing, spraying, choking, shock collars etc. These techniques are only harmful and don't teach them what you do want from them. They only rely on fear, which on such a sensitive breed often creates more fear in different situations or even surrounding you.
If you use anti bark collars or sparys, dont be surprised if your dog ends up with fear or anxiety issues as these tend to create insecurity and confusion. Instead we need to structure training so they can learn the right skills effectively.
DON’T have unsuitable expectations
You can train your Whippets, but dont expect them to have the same drive potentially as other breeds. You will need to put more time into training with certain skills with your whippet. That is completely normal, and one of the joys of whippets is shaping that interest in you, training and motivation. Just don't expect them to respond instantly to your every whim (though i'd argue not to expect that of any dog! Make sure that training with your whippet is fun and engaging. My Whippets love games that involve movement , chase and food play.
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