NWCC Newsletter
Whippet Wanderings Club Newsletter
The NWCC publishes an informative newsletter, Whippet Wanderings, four times a year. Our newsletter contains regional reports, Specialty reports, coursing results, and informative articles and information of interest to whippet fanciers.
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Whippet Wanderings Quarterly Article
Small snippets from each issue of WW will be posted here... stay tuned for updates!
The Versatile Whippet - Top Ten Training Tips
Excepts by John Heffernan
1. Have a goal but be willing to modify it. Goals such as specific titles or championships can really motivate you and focus your training. But don’t be afraid to change your goals if they are not realistic. In most cases, you can modify your goals so you are making progress. Remember that your dog doesn’t know anything about ribbons or titles but just wants to be with you. Never get mad at your dog. Every error is your fault because it is an error in training, proofing, and likely your handling.
2. Always err on the side of caution when it comes to your dog’s health and safety. There’s always another trial, so if something seems wrong, call it a day. If something is just not working, excuse yourself from the ring. One time Wyatt started refusing jumps and running out of the ring. He was trying to tell me that his back hurt in the only way he knew how. Always check for a physical problem first.
3. Have infinite patience when training whippets. Some things take years to click for whippets, especially if you got them after they were puppies and/or they are your first dog. I trained Wyatt’s agility contacts and sits and downs for at least 4 years before I began to get some reliability in a trial setting. Proof, proof, proof. This is often overlooked, but a must for our visual breed. Take your dog to a lot of dog shows and trials before you compete. Do any matches and run throughs you can find. Handle the same and expect the same from your dog at a trial.
4. Never slow your dog down in agility or obedience. It’s really hard to get speed and motivation back, but you can get control on a fast and motivated dog. When something goes wrong, reward your dog if he tried. 99.99% of the time it was your fault on your level anyway. When you have a good run, reward your dog first. When you have a bad or frustrating run, don’t let your dog know but reflect on what you can try next time.
5. View each non-qualifying run as a chance to learn something. You are going to have to enjoy a challenge if you are going to train whippets. So enjoy it and don’t compare yourself to other breeds like goldens in obedience. Remember, they aren’t the greatest lure coursers or racing dogs! ...