SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR RISING AND TRAINING YOUR WHIPPET PUPPY.
Congratulations!
Finally, today you got your new whippet puppy friend, you should know, if you still don't, that whippets are "hounds", not ordinary dogs, and you will perceive this difference from the very beginning.
This small guide is intended for new owners in order to help them during the first period of cohabitation with their puppy and to get used to a new member in their family.
GET READY TO PREPARE THE NEW CONTEXT.
Now, you are arrived at home with your new puppy; he will be a little confused being in an unknown place.
We advise you do not leave him alone for a long time, no more than three hours per day, and when you have to, the puppy should be let in a proof and safe area of the house that is: a safe room from object and things that can hurt the puppy or that can be chewed by him, like foam rubber cushions, cables, small plastic objects etc.
Remove your precious carpets and all your favorite objects and get ready with the new young guest.
A bowl with fresh water and a dish of professional dry puppies' food will be essential and they have to be always let at his disposal.
Be careful to the doors: as per other dog's breeds, your whippet puppy will be tempted to scratch them.
PROTECTION BARRIERS.
We have solved this matter by using a removable children's gate.
On the other hand, if you haven't the chance to let your puppy run around his room, you can use an adjustable octagonal zinc cage, that is really useful and versatile because it can be resized and customized for your exigencies.
You can find this kind of stuff in pet shops, as well as on the internet shops; I purchased one here http://www.zooplus.it this item was created for rodents but it is the same as the ones you can find for puppies in the pet shops, but with a best price.
TRAINING TO BE CLEAN.
Your whippet puppy is for nature a clean being, in fact, unlike many other dog breeds, his coat doesn't smell and, as you will realized when your whippet will be an adult dog, he detests to get dirty, the dub, the puddle and when it is raining he only get outside for its needs.
Let's buy a hound winter coat or a pullover, because whippets are cold and in wintertime it is better to avoid thermal excursions when he get out for a walk.
Though, now it is still a puppy, his urinary apparatus is not still fully developed and even if your puppy would make you happy, he simply cannot avoid peeing when he has to.
However, there are some tip and tricks for a faster and successful training in order to foresee its needs.
Your puppy has been already partly trained by us from the very beginning and he is confident with the puppy napkin on the floor; however, we had already begun with the following step, that is to carry the puppy to the garden, on the grass, so that he can see where his mother and the other adult whippets goes and begun to realize that inside the home it is not a suitable place to evacuate.
We prefer to stop using the napkin on the floor, as soon as possible, and clean immediately after when possible, where they pee, so that the smell is completely removed and next time they will be better stimulated to go outside.
On the other hand, we never reproach them when they do not right; every kind of violence, even scream or berate, it is really detrimental with whippets, be careful!
HOW TO DEAL WITH WHIPPETS.
Be always calm and kind with hounds, if you do not want to ruin their temperament and make them afraid dogs. Bad manners are totally ineffective with whippets; they are hounds and they are noble, if they will obey you, it will be their own choice and they will do because they love you.
Once you have won their trust, they became very obedient dogs and they make everything possible to make you happy.
Always keep in mind that, until your whippet will not be adult; it happens around one year of age; he will be a lively and active youngster and you can expect some prank and surprise, especially when you will leave him alone at home too long.
Whippets are keen and even the most measured adult is often anxious when you are not with him.
Above all, they are not absolutely adapted to live outside or closed in a dog box.
Many breeders would tell the contrary; but consider that you bought a puppy from our kennel, and our dogs are used to live inside the home with us; even though they have a garden at their disposal, they prefer to stay all the time inside and they go out through the dog door only for watching the property (yes, they do!) or for their needs.
At least once a day, it is better to take them out for a walk, as long as possible, and if possible, it is healthy for them to let them run around freely, in order to exercise their muscles and athletic hearth.
A twenty minutes time running will be enough for an adult dog.
However, if there is no time to train them in a place were they can run in a proof and safe field, you can obtain good results by going for a simple daily walk and then, later, exercise them in the week ends.
Who choose a whippet has to remember that the whippet is an athlete. Don't be lazy; make them happy, it will be healthy for you, too!
LEASH, BAG, CARPET AND OTHER ACCESSORIES.
Let's start early to play with your whippet at leash. At the beginning, he could behave, as it was a fish at the hook and tag backwards; do not tag the leash but encourage your puppy to follow you by showing him some kickshaws.
Leash training has to be done first inside your home until your puppy is getting confident with the leash and only later, you can let him walk (for a while) outside.
It is better to bring along a shoulder belt bag were to put your puppy when it is tired or when you are in hurry. I usually employ a simple textile bag, or an old baby's shoulder belt bag; it is not necessary to buy an expensive a dog bag as it is only used for first times.
The puppy, however, has to be trained to walk out as soon as possible, in order he gets used to the car, shopping in the city, going to the restaurant, where I advise you to bring along a small roll able carpet to put on the floor, under the table, and keep the puppy there with the leash.
In this way, when he will be an adult, he will always know that he have to sit down and stay under the table when we request it.
You should also look after some places were dogs are welcome; we prefer to choose places were dogs are allowed.
About bib or leash, it is better to use the leash to begin training, but later, we frequently use the bib to let them more freedom.
However, we have observed that leash training is really necessary because, for example, male whippets tent to tag with the bib because they think to be free of acting, and this is not nice, especially if there is a woman owner on the other side of the leash.
But this can be easily avoided if the dog has been correctly trained with the collar and the leash first.
Training a whippet is not too difficult; they are smart dogs and they understand quickly.
The say that hounds are stupid dogs it is totally wrong.
It would be really convenient to teach them with the command "Sit"," Down" and "Stay" by providing them with a food price (positive reinforce).
You can do that by moving the price backwards, from his head towards his back so that he naturally tents to move his balance and sit, than you have to price the puppy immediately after he does the exercise correctly.
The obedience exercises are very important to build a strong relationship with your puppy and you and for living with your dog, but never be rude with your puppy if he doesn't right.
BEHAVIOUR.
The young whippets are very lively and sensitive; they are athletic dogs and they have plenty of energy and you will have to bear their exuberance until they became about one year old, then, becoming adults, they turn into well mannered and elegant dogs and they spend most of the time sleeping on the sofas or on your bed.
If you will do a good training job, your guests will be dazzled about your well mannered and noble friend whippet and it will often happen that you will be stopped during your walks from other persons which will be admired from their regal beauty. This is a dog that will always catch people's attention.
Keep in mind that it will be quite impossible to take them far from your sofas and also very difficult to convince them not to sleep in your bed.
Finally, we have found an "agreement" with our Vesperinus whippets. We provided them with a comfortable and big basket let near our bed were they go to sleep as soon as we switch off light and TV but they can stay all the rest of the time on our bed.
Luckily, they are easy and quick to wash and get dry and it is quick to take them clean because they go everywhere in your home.
Concerning their coat, let's buy a rubber brush to use when you shower your whippet in order to remove falling coat and massage the dog. This operation should help you to avoid that the coat could deposit on sofas and bedclothes.
A small tip, let's use a carper beaters designated for this exclusive purpose to clean the sofas and the beds. This operation removes perfectly every trace of coat and it is a quick and safe way to remove dirty and also kill acarus.
WASHING AND CURE.
Let's get used your puppy (after three months of age) to be washed in the shower or in the bad. If your dog often gets out, you can clean his paws by washing only extremities and using basic or not aggressive products, also for human use, but soft.
If it is not strictly necessary, do not use antiparasitics but prevent infestations by checking your whippet often.
The coat is light and subtle so if there are parasites you can see them easily. Let's keep informed if there is Philarya or Leshmaniosi diseases in your area and if it is necessary, use tablets for prevention.
Nails should be cut when necessary, if they do not consume them naturally.
Your dog has to get accustomed to this operation early, when he is still young, and it has to be done in the right way so ask your vet or an expert to teach you how to do it.
Your puppy should also get used to having his tooth's washed weekly, with a baby brush and a dog tooth paste, because in this way his tooth's will always be perfect and the breath will be good. Whippets kiss their owner very often!
FOOD.
Whippets are athletics dogs, they have a fast metabolism and for this reason they have a natural tendency to maintain their perfect weight.
They are not particularly lickerish but if you will give them a balanced alimentation they will always stay very efficient.
We prefer to give them dry food and we let it always at their disposal, because we have seen that our dogs knows by instinct how much they have to eat.
Furthermore, daily we add to their meals some of our food like cooked vegetables, meat, cheese, pasta, rice or soup, depending of our meals, but we always avoid to employ fat, spices and we instead use olive oil.
You can also give them some extra dry not too sweet biscuits, when you want to price them.
Consider that dogs, and hounds even earlier, have been cohabiting with humans for millenniums eating rests of human meals, but do not exaggerate with human food, use good sense.
HARMFUL FOOD.
Be careful to avoid harmful food, like chocolate, onion, garlic, low quality thin food, chicken bones, bonefishes and remember to secure the trash basket so that the puppy isn't able to open it.
Be careful to close the chests because whippets are willing to open them if they know they can find your favorite biscuits.
Let's check not to leave around shoes spike lets, foam rubber, rubber or plastic objects and even small play balls.
In general, it is better you check your home before puppy's arrival, in order to prevent accidents.
Be careful in the garden, if they meet some wasps, bees or flying insects because hounds catch them and they can be very harmful if they bite the dog on his face or in his mouth.
GOING HOLIDAYS.
Bring your whippet with you; he will adapt himself to almost all situations.
This breed is a medium small size dog and they are athletic and adapt for trekking but also to lie on the beach behind the beach umbrella.
By now, there are many places where your dog is welcome, one above all, in Austria, where it is allowed to take your dog to the restaurant and it is very difficult to find a place where they are not welcome.
We travel a lot with our whippets and they enjoy very much traveling. Keep you informed about the rules and the documentation necessary for the stay of the dog and about different Land's rules, especially, if you decide to go by ferry or plane.
We haven't already been in Corsica, but we have been told that you can go by ferryboat bringing your dog along and furthermore, that there are many beaches where dogs are allowed.
Recently, we found online some offers for boat renting for a holiday with your dog and other news. We often visit www.dogwelcome.it before organizing our holidays.
DOCUMENTS AND VACCINATIONS.
Do not forget to register your puppy to your local city dog registration office and ask the European Passport to your vet.
Your puppy, from us, together with the pedigree, will have his own vaccination book on which it will be written vaccinations, as well as other treatments.
Our puppies will also have a small tattoo inside the ear, in a hidden place, as our Zveza Club requests.
The tattoo is done around 8 week of age, as well as the first vaccination shot. It is rapid and painless and I am there when the vet does it.
Referring to the microchip, it is inoculated after five months of age; in order to avoid it is rejected, as my vet advised us. In Italy, we usually apply it much earlier than in Slovenia.
Rabies vaccination is necessary after five months of age, in the case you travel to some places; let's ask before going.
Remember to go to the vet for the second vaccination shot if your puppy hasn't still got it by us.
Before vaccinating, puppies must be treated one week before with ant worm cure; we treat them from the second week of life on, until it has got the two shots.
Respect to the pedigree, we will send it to you as soon as we get it, but it take quite long time and this is not depending from our will. Usually, it takes more or less six months.
When you will get the pedigree, you have to go to your local dog club in your town and register the transfer. Our kennel is FCI registered, pedigree is recognized, so it can be registered in every Club and land belonging to FCI group (Federation canine Internationale).
Concluding, I want to wish you and your beloved Vesperus puppy all the best; I hope you will love him and he will have a long and happy life together with you!
Giovanna Digovic
