Recall For Your Whippet
Are You Struggling with Recall?
Do you feel jealous watching other owners walking their dogs offlead. Wishing you could have that with your Whippet?
Maybe you have been told its just a breed thing. Whippets can't be trusted to go off the lead, so stop wasting your time.
But you'd much prefer to be enjoying calm walks without the risk of your Whippet disappearing or someone shouting at you after they have run over to them?
Independent Thinkers
Whippets, Lurchers and Sighthounds are bred to be impulsive and react fast to changes in their environment.
This can make recall a big challenge when they can move at speed, running from you when distracted. They may chase other dogs, people, prey or be distracted in general.
Making all that dancing and cheerleading you were taught at puppy classes pointless! They can't even see you as they career off into the distance.
It doesn't need to be this way though; you can train your Whippet recall, and enjoy freedom with your sighthound.
Get Expert Help now
Can you Teach a Whippet Recall?
One of the biggest frustrations that Whippet owners have is they can be fine with that recall as a pup, but once they hit adolesence, that recall can start to fail.
As their Whippet starts to develop a stronger prey drive, or becomes more sociable with other people and dogs they may range further or run to distractions.
Many people may say you can never teach a whippet recall, however that is because traditional approaches rely on lots of dancing, and making yourself the "most exciting thing ever", which sighthounds tend to find very unappealing! And it is often ineffective!
By training with Whippet Wonders options you will learn the keys to:
-Engagement
-A Reflexive Recall (no more dancing!)
-An Emergency Recall
-Teamwork for prey drive
Whippet Expert with over 14 Years Experience
5 Star rated with clients Worldwide
Experienced and Qualified in Dog Training and Behaviour
Rapid Recall Package
Enjoy Your Walks Again
Get your recall back on track or create strong foundations!
Here's what you get:
1 x Hour consult via zoom
1x 45 Min follow Up Session
Online Recall Course (Value £42)
Notes, sheets & videos
Ongoing support between sessions
All Tailored to you and your dog
Zoom sessions to be used within 3 months of booking. Course access for life.
Only £100 One Off Payment
-Intro offer
"I really feel well supported"
"Zara was really helpful, actively listening and giving clear and useful advice." Isabel R
Review - Kerstin
"Very good whippet trainer. I am attending an self paced online course which really works amazing.
I am really surprised how fast we are seeing results in recalling our whippet.
On top the course is really affordable and there is the option of private consulting for special problems/topics.
I was sceptic with the online course at first but I am really glad that I gave it a try. I can highly recommend Zara as Whippet trainer."
Why Whippet Wonders ?
Having lived with Whippets for 14 years all 4 of my Whippets have been offlead enjoying freedom and the world around them!
I realised quickly that dancing and cheerleading wasn't going to succeed in the face of distractions, instead I taught my Whippets I am a valuable team mate.
Working with Whippet Wonders you get breed experience, knowledge and you can get that anywhere in the world, ideal if you are in a location where the breed is less popular currently.
Whippets won't do because you tell them, they want to understand "What is in it for me?"
Arkle The Whippet working on choosing to watch and turn away from prey
This has taken practice and consistency!
Recall Training Options
Recall Package
1 x 60 Min Live Zoom Session
1 x 45 Min Follow up Session
Rapid Recall Online Course
Support between sessions
£100 - Intro Offer
Live Zoom Class
Saturday feb 21st 11am-12.30pm
Live Training with your whippet
Includes follow Up Videos
Learn foundations and how to handle distractions!
£35 One off Payment
Online Course
40+ Video Based Lessons.
Login & learn anytime to suit you
Foundations up to distractions
Includes Emergency Whistle recall and more.
£42 -One Off Payment
Me and my whippet x are taking part in an on line rapid recall course. The info has helped so much as well as the engagement games. We are now starting to get a solid recall. The course was reasonably priced and you can move at your own pace and go back to it at any point. Zara is also on hand for any additional tips you may need help with. Would recommend.
My dog Betty and I attended a Whippet Wonders workshop on Zoom to work on recall. As I live in France and haven’t managed to find an educator for Whippets, this was just what we were looking for! We learnt a multitude of games, in only an hour and a half, it was super well organised and animated by Zara. We received documentation by email shortly after the session explaining everything we’d learnt as well as a cute certificate. I really do feel that this session has had positive effects on Betty and myself and I can already see a massive improvement in her recall and her behaviour in general. Thank you Zara, we’ll be back for more! Highly recommended.
Zara's self paced courses are an invaluable resource for training and for understanding the needs of whippets. Concise and informative content presented in accessible video and ebook format
Adventures of The Everyday Kind
Adventures of the everyday Kind
As I started a new site and new blog, I thought it would be a good opportunity to start blogging again. I did this years ago with Marley as we journeyed through his intense fears.
14 years on and life has taken a similar turn to where we began. Marley was my first whippet and he was originally added to the home as a companion for me to help me with my recent diagnosis of m.e. Marley ended up developing a lot of behaviour problems that would lead me down the path of becoming a dog trainer & Behaviourist.
The first photo of Marley I took!
Being a whippet he was the perfect companion for my physical symptoms, able to walk when I can manage and happy to nap when I needed to rest. He helped me out enormously as my health began to improve and life became a bit more straight forward in that respect.
After spending 12 years with 4 dogs in total, adding Ollie, Womble , Arthur life suddenly looks a bit quieter.
Left to right - Womble, Arthur, Marley & Ollie
These days it's just me and Arkle. Arkle is my 4yo whippet and my chronic illness buddy at this point, he also has some pretty complex behaviour problems in addition. I've had Arkle from a puppy, but having a dog from a puppy doesn't prevent issues unfortunately!
Arkle suffers with LTV1, start of spondylosis, a protruding disc, osteoarthritis and a history of Immune mediated polyarthritis and relapses of this. The pain associated has caused him to have a lot of very strong feelings about dogs. He is cautious, confrontational and emotional around dogs, as he has been jumped on, harassed and attacked. This has caused some reactivity issues that we continue to manage.
The link between pain and behaviour continues to grow and dogs like Arkle are the living epitome of it. A bad pain day creates an Arkle who is unrecognisable in behaviour to a no pain day.
Arkle has spent much of his life in and out of vets with me fighting to get diagnosis', in our experience unfortunately vets are unfortunately very inexperienced with sighthounds and don't understand their shut down at vets and are poor at reading their gait, it's a story for another day! But it has taken 4 years to get many answers, and I still suspect we don't have them all. We have started to acccept and deal with what he has for now though.
At the start of the year I ended up hospitalised due to a diagnosis of Ulcerative Colitis. During this time I became very weak and had to close my local business, Wagging Wonders. Life feels very much like where it was with Marley originally, me being weak, unwell and looking after a complex little Whippet with it.
Arkle likes to be the centre of attention!
Since being in hospital, life has been quieter, as we get back to some normality. Arkle has needed his exercise rebuilt as much as mine, he's found me being ill quite stressful too. If I return from a frequent hospital drs or hospital visit with bloods taken it distresses him and he'll stalk me with concern for hours.
As he's spent much of his life in and out of vets and off and on restricted exercise, there will be much focus on the average stuff pups and teens deal with, as much as the more complex reactivity and fears.
He was put on immunosuppressives young and had impa for a long period before diagnosed, which seems to have effected him mentally with maturity. Unlike my other whippets at the same age he's often mistaken for a puppy with his mannerisms and conduct and he's not particularly mature at all!
So what are we blogging about? Well I'm taking a slower pace at life and work, and focusing on my health and Arkles, so I have the time to post more about Arkle and his “everyday adventures”.
I'll be posting about his progress with his Reactivity, his general training and enjoyment of the world around him. As well as what lead Arkle to some of his behaviours and how we manage or modify them ( and why we might decide to manage Vs modify some of them) I'll also post about the realities of living with dogs with anxieties, reactivities, pain and such, as I believe there's alot of silence on the topic and how it effects us humans as well as the rough journey it can be for us to handle.
I'll try and update this regularly , I hope you enjoy the blog 🐾
Arkle offering some eye contact on our walk!
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers To Frequently Asked Questions
I live in another country, can you work with me?
Whippet Wonders has worked with clients around the world. Everywhere from USA, Australia, Denmark, Italy, Spain, France and more! Zooms can take place from anywhere in the world and you can buy courses from anywhere too.
Don't you need to see my dogs "bad behaviour" In person?
During a zoom I don't need to see your dog doing the wrong behaviour, our goal is to set your dog up for success. This would be the same as if I were in person. If you have any relevant video clips, that is handy, but our focus is on solutions and moving forward!
Do you work with other Breeds?
I work with Whippets, Whippet mixes, Italian Greyhounds, Lurchers, Bedlington Whippets - anything that is a bit "sighthound-y". I can be persuaded to work with other breeds in some circumstances.
Do you charge extra for multi dog households?
There is NO extra charge for households with multiple dogs. We can cover the most pressing issues for your multidog household in each session.
What if my dog is not food motivated?
If your dog is not a super foodie, don't worry! Motivation is a tricky topic, but very often it is about how we use food and we will cover strategies during your 121 zoom session.
Would a course or 121 suit me best?
Self paced courses or the School For Whippets are ideal if you are motivated and able to work on your own. Perfect if you are pressed for time. While 121's can be ideal if you need a plan, structure or help with a specific problem. Get in touch if you are unsure.
