Training Your Whippet Puppy
Training Your Whippet Puppy
When you get your new Whippet Puppy home you may have already started to train them. Without even thinking about it you have probably been teaching them all sorts! House training, manners around meals, not chasing the cat in the home! Our puppies are always learning and without even trying we are training them, those little sighthound brains take everything in, watching and processing everything! Whippets are very skilled and smart learners, they just need to know what's in it for them and for us to be fair and clear.
Where To Start With Training
When you start training your Whippet puppy, you may find they’re a bit uninterested, this is normal (count yourself lucky if yours is SUPER eager to train). Whippets are not bred to be dogs who hang on our every word and they are bred to be independent when it comes to their own wants and needs. Training starts with making sure its fun and motivating.
I always start by teaching the Touch Game the touch game is pretty simple. We offer a flat sideways open palm just in front of our puppies nose and wait for them to touch it. When they do we praise (good boy) or use a Marker (yes/ nice good) and then give them a tasty treat when they do it. This teaches your your puppy to engage with you as a fun task without too much pressure and stillness. In time we can hold our hand out across the room and say Touch and they will come running! Making it an effective recall too!
Rules of training a puppy are simple. We keep sessions very short, pay them well and quit before they lose interest. Our whippets have short attention spans, so we want to make sure we finish before they decide the game is BORING.
We want them to want to do it again so we keep it short and fun and end as they enjoying themselves. This usually looks between 2-5 mins max at a time. Sticking to one skill per that session. Dotted throughout the day. Making sure we pay them with soft tasty treats for them to enjoy, so they know they did a good job and will be more likely to do it again in future.
Should I Take My Whippet Puppy To Classes?
The question I always ask is Why do you want to take your whippet to puppy classes? If it is for you to learn new skills for you to practice at home, then yes they are for you. If you think it is something they need for socialization or for them to learn, it may not be for them.
Whippet puppies can really struggle with the repetition and distraction of a puppy class, so don’t be surprised if you go and they don’t learn much! It can be information overload for them; and you! It can be ideal for you to practice handling skills, training and expose your puppy to new people, dogs and environments.
A bad puppy class can unfortunately set your puppy up for all manner of issues as they learn being around people and dogs is overly emotional and they learn to be over excited or anxious.
If you choose a puppy class be sure that the class is small in numbers, ideally around 4, definitely no more than 6 puppies in total. This ensures your puppy isn’t overwhelmed and that you can get attention from the instructor throughout.
Make sure that they use positive methods. Using treats, toys and praise through the class. Whippets do not respond well to shouting, collar corrections and similar. I’d also avoid going to sessions with offlead puppy time as this often is poorly supervised and one negative experience with another puppy can set your pup up with issues for life. Puppies are not good teachers to each other!
Do You Need Support With Your Teenage Whippet?
If you need support with your Whippet Puppy, your not alone! I work with hundreds of Whippet owners around the World. Working on their specific issues via the Whippet Puppy Support Package through video call. Ideal if you need to get tailored support on puppy problems, training setup for success and need supportive coaching. I have lived with Whippet Puppies and understand they are not always easy! . Don't feel you have to go it alone, you can get supportive coaching and a clear plan. Learn more
