# Whippet puppy with weird behaviours, normal or problems?



## Olivebea (Feb 2, 2016)

Hey guys 

Have noticed a few behaviours from my nearly five month old whippet puppy and I'm not sure if they're just general puppy traits or issues that might manifest as she grows. 
Just a note she is a very sweet natured normally well behaved girl, the most affectionate dog I've ever owned and has grown into a very confident little dog. 
The first thing I've noticed is sometimes she gets nippy with other dogs when playing, I'm almost sure it is not aggressive in anyway, she is normally fairly submissive, especially with dogs bigger than her, but it seems like sometimes she goes out of her way to be REALLY annoying, if an older dog tells her off she's circles around them and pesters them till she gets another reaction, she wants to be chased all the time. This morning we met a little sweet frenchie that we've met before, and she was nipping he's back as if to say, give me attention!! He's owner was not pleased and actually pulled olive up my her coat to stop her annoying he's dog, who wasn't interested in being chased at all or vice Versa. I wasn't sure how to react because I was sure she was just playing but I understood it didn't look that way. She gets very excited when she sees another dog and runs straight up to them, I feel like sometimes she's abit unaware and over excited and I'm worried that one day shel sprint up to the wrong dog and they won't be friendly etc she doesn't seem to gauge the dog beforehand, she can be quite full on, rubs herself over them, splats them with her paws, isn't very polite basically. Friendly but not polite? 
I'm not sure if this is just something shel grow out of as she gets used to the excitement of other dogs, a sighthound thing because I know it's instinctual for them to run etc, or an actual problem. 
I am aware I should maybe look into a long lead instead of just letting her run free, her recall isn't great, although she does stick to my shadow and she comes straight back when there are no distractions, she only comes back from playing with another dog when she's bored of them, once she sees another dog, she is not listening to me at all. The field that we walk in is well gated and not near an traffic and I love to see her run free, hence no lead. 
Advice or similar experiences would be great to hear, thanks


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## Sarah1983 (Nov 2, 2011)

Mine would tell her in no uncertain terms what he thought of obnoxious behaviour like that I'm afraid. I'd be keeping her on a long line for her own safety and the safety of others, if she does this to an elderly dog or much smaller dog she could seriously hurt them. And even without physical injury she could very well cause fear issues in a dog she intimidated with her behaviour. Or be hurt herself by a dog who won't tolerate it. 

It's not uncommon for pups to be obnoxious but she certainly needs to learn a few manners and how to take no for an answer. And that she can't play with every dog she sees. I found Total Recall by Pippa Mattinson extremely good for working on a solid recall.


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## Siskin (Nov 13, 2012)

Whereas my dog would love to have a whippet to play with, many dogs don't. The sight hounds do seem to have a play style all of their very own which is not appreciated by other breeds. They love to run and chase and grabbing bits of each other and making a lot of excited growly barks is par for the course. I feel you need to stop her playing with any old dog she comes across before she meets a dog that will take lumps out of her.
She's at a stage now where she is growing in confidence and her slightly dodgy recall will get worse unless you really work hard on it now. For the safety of your dog and for the safety of other dogs, especially ones of the small fluffy variety who might get mistaken for prey, now is the time to either invest in a long lead or a Flexi lead and work hard on the recall.
If you meet up with someone who has a lively young dog who would enjoy a play then by all means allow a short play session to happen. She needs to get used to the idea that not every dog she sees is a playmate. You need to try and see if the other dog is happy with her style of play, if not, then stop the play and put her on the lead. 

This is an age thing, as she grows up more she will be less interested in playing and more interested in playing training games with you.


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## Rafa (Jun 18, 2012)

Olivebea said:


> Hey guys
> 
> Have noticed a few behaviours from my nearly five month old whippet puppy and I'm not sure if they're just general puppy traits or issues that might manifest as she grows.
> Just a note she is a very sweet natured normally well behaved girl, the most affectionate dog I've ever owned and has grown into a very confident little dog.
> ...


Well, yes, you really do need to get a long line and start using it.

If her behaviour is such a problem that it's caused another owner to have to pick their dog up, you need to put a stop to it.

I'm afraid that, if she had been hounding my Jack Russell in that way, she would have got a very sharp nip for her pains.


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## Lurcherlad (Jan 5, 2013)

Please make sure a long line or flexi is attached to a harness, not a collar


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## SingingWhippet (Feb 25, 2015)

Siskin said:


> Whereas my dog would love to have a whippet to play with, many dogs don't. The sight hounds do seem to have a play style all of their very own which is not appreciated by other breeds. They love to run and chase and grabbing bits of each other and making a lot of excited growly barks is par for the course.


This is absolutely spot on. For all they look like delicate, dainty little things they can be very full on, even thuggish, when trying to goad other dogs into playing chase. Even with a willing playmate high speed chase games are risky, they can get out of control very quickly.

I've got three whippets and as a general rule I don't let them off lead to play with strange dogs. This is especially true if I've got more than one with me, they're much less likely to make good decisions when they're in a gang together 

I agree that at this point a long line (attached to a harness rather than a collar) would be a good idea and also focussing on teaching her that she can't meet every other dog she sees. Training classes are good for being in vicinity of other dogs without constantly interacting with them. Regardless of whether I intend to show them or not I always take pups to a local ringcraft class as it's a brilliant way for them to be around a huge variety of breeds/ages of dogs but not necessarily meeting and greeting with them all.

I also agree that Total Recall is an excellent book and well worth reading.


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## Guest (Feb 25, 2016)

Buddy would tell her what he thought of obnoxious rude behaviour too. Long line attatched to a harness. Or a flexi again attatched to a harness , you don't want to attatch either to the collar because if she runs to the end she will get a nasty neck jerk. You don't want to do any damage. That's why we advise a harness.


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## Olivebea (Feb 2, 2016)

SingingWhippet said:


> This is absolutely spot on. For all they look like delicate, dainty little things they can be very full on, even thuggish, when trying to goad other dogs into playing chase. Even with a willing playmate high speed chase games are risky, they can get out of control very quickly.
> 
> I've got three whippets and as a general rule I don't let them off lead to play with strange dogs. This is especially true if I've got more than one with me, they're much less likely to make good decisions when they're in a gang together
> 
> ...


Ah it's nice to hear from a fellow whippet owner! Will definitely check on this book. I've brought a flexi + harness today and let her run free until we got to the main park, actually felt much better when approaching each dog since she couldn't barrel off each time! I did let her off in the end when we met a sweet collie who is very patient with her but tells her what's what when he needs too, collies owner said he's lab was similar as a pup too. Thankyou


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## Olivebea (Feb 2, 2016)

danielled said:


> Buddy would tell her what he thought of obnoxious rude behaviour too. Long line attatched to a harness. Or a flexi again attatched to a harness , you don't want to attatch either to the collar because if she runs to the end she will get a nasty neck jerk. You don't want to do any damage. That's why we advise a harness.


I think puppies learn a lot from older dogs and it wouldn't be the worst thing for olive to get a telling off when she is pushing boundaries! I don't like to think of her behaviour as being rude and obnoxious, she just needs to learn how to play and interact which in good time she will. She gets along with 9/10 dogs we meet she just naturally has lessons to learn. Flexi and harness were very helpful today when we met a few different dogs and she played well off lead with an older collie no issues, Thankyou for your advise I will keep on learning!


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## Olivebea (Feb 2, 2016)

Siskin said:


> Whereas my dog would love to have a whippet to play with, many dogs don't. The sight hounds do seem to have a play style all of their very own which is not appreciated by other breeds. They love to run and chase and grabbing bits of each other and making a lot of excited growly barks is par for the course. I feel you need to stop her playing with any old dog she comes across before she meets a dog that will take lumps out of her.
> She's at a stage now where she is growing in confidence and her slightly dodgy recall will get worse unless you really work hard on it now. For the safety of your dog and for the safety of other dogs, especially ones of the small fluffy variety who might get mistaken for prey, now is the time to either invest in a long lead or a Flexi lead and work hard on the recall.
> If you meet up with someone who has a lively young dog who would enjoy a play then by all means allow a short play session to happen. She needs to get used to the idea that not every dog she sees is a playmate. You need to try and see if the other dog is happy with her style of play, if not, then stop the play and put her on the lead.
> 
> This is an age thing, as she grows up more she will be less interested in playing and more interested in playing training games with you.


Thankyou for such a helpful response  Flexi lead helped a lot on today's walk, agree that recall is going to be key, had a good walk both on and off lead today but the flexi gave me piece of mind when I wasn't sure ! X


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## Guest (Feb 25, 2016)

Olivebea said:


> I think puppies learn a lot from older dogs and it wouldn't be the worst thing for olive to get a telling off when she is pushing boundaries! I don't like to think of her behaviour as being rude and obnoxious, she just needs to learn how to play and interact which in good time she will. She gets along with 9/10 dogs we meet she just naturally has lessons to learn. Flexi and harness were very helpful today when we met a few different dogs and she played well off lead with an older collie no issues, Thankyou for your advise I will keep on learning!


If she does this to the wrong dog she may well get bitten. You might not realise but what you describe does sound to me like rude obnoxious behaviour.


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## Guest (Feb 25, 2016)

Olivebea said:


> Thankyou for such a helpful response  Flexi lead helped a lot on today's walk, agree that recall is going to be key, had a good walk both on and off lead today but the flexi gave me piece of mind when I wasn't sure ! X


If it is one with a cord a few words of advice, don't grab the cord when it is reeling out. Those cords can cause nasty injuries to both human and dog. Flexi for future reference also do flexis with tape instead of cord. They are preferred on here the tape ones.


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## colliemerles (Nov 2, 2007)

my whippet is 14 months old, and I am glad he has good recall because he is a big boy, standing at 22 inches to the shoulder, and he is strong. he loves playing with dogs, but does get excited leaping about and chasing them. so when I take him over the fields I keep a look out, if I see someone coming I call him back and put him on the lead, as not all dogs would be willing to put up with him chasing and jumping all over them. he does has another whippet to go out with so that's a help to.


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## Siskin (Nov 13, 2012)

danielled said:


> If it is one with a cord a few words of advice, don't grab the cord when it is reeling out. Those cords can cause nasty injuries to both human and dog. Flexi for future reference also do flexis with tape instead of cord. They are preferred on here the tape ones.


I've used the corded variety for years and not had any problems with them to myself or the dogs. But you are quite correct in mentioning not to grab the cord in an ungloved hand


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## Olivebea (Feb 2, 2016)

danielled said:


> If she does this to the wrong dog she may well get bitten. You might not realise but what you describe does sound to me like rude obnoxious behaviour.


There will be patient dogs who will play with her and dogs who rightfully have no time for it, she is a harmless puppy, at the moment, and I will take the steps to make sure she becomes a well balanced adult. I guess we can agree to disagree.


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## Guest (Feb 25, 2016)

Siskin said:


> I've used the corded variety for years and not had any problems with them to myself or the dogs. But you are quite correct in mentioning not to grab the cord in an ungloved hand


Yes I was thinking safety with that comment. I have seen injuries caused by grabbing the cord with no gloves. A few neighbours have made that mistake at least once.


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## Rafa (Jun 18, 2012)

Olivebea said:


> Ah it's nice to hear from a fellow whippet owner! Will definitely check on this book. I've brought a flexi + harness today and let her run free until we got to the main park, actually felt much better when approaching each dog since she couldn't barrel off each time! I did let her off in the end when we met a sweet collie who is very patient with her but tells her what's what when he needs too, collies owner said he's lab was similar as a pup too. Thankyou


I'm not sure I would do that.

What you're trying to teach her is to ignore others dogs and focus on you. You want to get her to a point where you can let her offlead and she will recall to you, rather than running up to other dogs.

I appreciate that you know the Collie you did let her go to, but you're really allowing her to practise a behaviour you want to correct.


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## Guest (Feb 25, 2016)

Olivebea said:


> There will be patient dogs who will play with her and dogs who rightfully have no time for it, she is a harmless puppy, at the moment, and I will take the steps to make sure she becomes a well balanced adult. I guess we can agree to disagree.


I'm just concerned about your dog being bitten as a result of her behaviour which I'm sure you can understand. They don't stay puppies for long.


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## Olivebea (Feb 2, 2016)

colliemerles said:


> my whippet is 14 months old, and I am glad he has good recall because he is a big boy, standing at 22 inches to the shoulder, and he is strong. he loves playing with dogs, but does get excited leaping about and chasing them. so when I take him over the fields I keep a look out, if I see someone coming I call him back and put him on the lead, as not all dogs would be willing to put up with him chasing and jumping all over them. he does has another whippet to go out with so that's a help to.


Omg beautiful boy :Shamefullyembarrased I think this is a good idea for Olive too, what age approx did you start to notice a good recall? I bribe her with lots of chicken which has worked well but would Defo love to hear how you've done it


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## Siskin (Nov 13, 2012)

Olivebea said:


> Omg beautiful boy :Shamefullyembarrased I think this is a good idea for Olive too, what age approx did you start to notice a good recall? I bribe her with lots of chicken which has worked well but would Defo love to hear how you've done it


Practice, then more practice.

Really, it's the only way. If you are getting a good recall with no distractions then start trying with distractions, but with your dog on the flexi so that you have the ultimate control. You need to make yourself the most wonderful thing in the world, which is flipping difficult when you dog wants to play with another dog, but if it means jumping up and down on the spot, or running backwards calling excitedly and having the most wonderful tastiest treats ever, then that's what you need to do.

And then practice again and again


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## Olivebea (Feb 2, 2016)

Sweety said:


> I'm not sure I would do that.
> 
> What you're trying to teach her is to ignore others dogs and focus on you. You want to get her to a point where you can let her offlead and she will recall to you, rather than running up to other dogs.
> 
> I appreciate that you know the Collie you did let her go to, but you're really allowing her to practise a behaviour you want to correct.


Well it worked really well for us, She only played for a few minutes whilst I chatted to the owner and she was on the lead and sitting down before I let her off, it was a very calm meeting and I left feeling really happy with it. She also followed behind me when we parted ways, for me I couldn't of asked for more !


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## colliemerles (Nov 2, 2007)

I started in the house, before he had even had his vaccines and was able to go out. I praised him and made a real fuss every time he came to me, and gave him a treat. then when he started to go for walks, I would let him off, and practice calling him back, I got down to his level and called him, making lots of fuss and giving him a treat and he allways came back wagging his tail and happy. I gradually stopped the treats, and now when we are out, if I see horse riders, other dogs ,joggers, etc I put his lead on, if the other people say there dogs are friendly I let him sniff them but with his lead on, I can keep him calm then and under control. then once they have passed, I tell him good boy, make a fuss and let him off. Dogs want to please you, so talk to them in a happy voice and praise them a lot. I have seen people shouting and getting angry with their dogs, but a dog isn't going to come back to someone who is screaming and shouting at it.


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## Sarah1983 (Nov 2, 2011)

Olivebea said:


> I think puppies learn a lot from older dogs and it wouldn't be the worst thing for olive to get a telling off when she is pushing boundaries! I don't like to think of her behaviour as being rude and obnoxious, she just needs to learn how to play and interact which in good time she will. She gets along with 9/10 dogs we meet she just naturally has lessons to learn. Flexi and harness were very helpful today when we met a few different dogs and she played well off lead with an older collie no issues, Thankyou for your advise I will keep on learning!


Whether you like to think it or not her behaviour IS rude and obnoxious. And the more she practices it the better she'll become at it. A lot of dogs aren't appropriate teaching dogs for a youngster. My last one would have sent her to the emergency vets, one before that would have just gone belly up and cried, neither of which would have taught her anything you'd want her to learn. My current one would tell her but people don't like their dogs being roared and snapped at, usually ending up on their back with mine standing there showing every tooth in his head before moving off. And it's not fair for her to be putting other dogs in a situation where they need to react badly to get her to back off. If mine gets to the snapping and roaring stage his buttons have been being pushed for a long time and I do step in before we reach that point, I don't want him to learn that's what he has to do to be heard. And other owners don't like that either.


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## Rafa (Jun 18, 2012)

Olivebea said:


> I think puppies learn a lot from older dogs and it wouldn't be the worst thing for olive to get a telling off when she is pushing boundaries! I don't like to think of her behaviour as being rude and obnoxious, she just needs to learn how to play and interact which in good time she will. She gets along with 9/10 dogs we meet she just naturally has lessons to learn. Flexi and harness were very helpful today when we met a few different dogs and she played well off lead with an older collie no issues, Thankyou for your advise I will keep on learning!


It's your job to teach her about what is unwanted behaviour, not a task you should leave to other dogs.

It may end up being a lot more than a telling off she gets when pushing boundaries with dogs. I once saw a Cocker puppy badly injured by a Staffy bitch who had simply had enough.

If someone ended up having to pick up their dog because of your pup, then her behaviour is becoming rude and obnoxious.

Don't leave it to older dogs to sort it out for you.


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## SusieRainbow (Jan 21, 2013)

My dogs are intolerant of bouncy pups barging up to them, they have no interst in playing with them and will tell them so. It's quite stressful for them, they're small and obviously feel vulnerable. My 12 year old was chased to the edge of a park adjoining a very busy road last summer, she could have been killed or caused a serious accident to say nothing of the exertion in an old dog. 
Young dogs need to learn the signals from other dogs, it's up to us to train them, not rely on other dogs to do it.


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## Guest (Feb 25, 2016)

Sarah1983 said:


> Whether you like to think it or not her behaviour IS rude and obnoxious. And the more she practices it the better she'll become at it. A lot of dogs aren't appropriate teaching dogs for a youngster. My last one would have sent her to the emergency vets, one before that would have just gone belly up and cried, neither of which would have taught her anything you'd want her to learn. My current one would tell her but people don't like their dogs being roared and snapped at, usually ending up on their back with mine standing there showing every tooth in his
> head before moving off. And it's not fair for her to be putting other dogs in a situation where they need to react badly to get
> her to back off. If mine gets to the snapping and roaring stage his buttons have been being pushed for a long time and I do
> step in before we reach that point, I don't want him to learn that's what he has to do to be heard. And other owners don't like
> that either.


Exactly what I was trying to say. You said it better.


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## Olivebea (Feb 2, 2016)

SusieRainbow said:


> My dogs are intolerant of bouncy pups barging up to them, they have no interst in playing with them and will tell them so. It's quite stressful for them, they're small and obviously feel vulnerable. My 12 year old was chased to the edge of a park adjoining a very busy road last summer, she could have been killed or caused a serious accident to say nothing of the exertion in an old dog.
> Young dogs need to learn the signals from other dogs, it's up to us to train them, not rely on other dogs to do it.


I have never once said or even thought of 'relying' on other dogs to teach her.


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## Olivebea (Feb 2, 2016)

Sarah1983 said:


> Whether you like to think it or not her behaviour IS rude and obnoxious. And the more she practices it the better she'll become at it. A lot of dogs aren't appropriate teaching dogs for a youngster. My last one would have sent her to the emergency vets, one before that would have just gone belly up and cried, neither of which would have taught her anything you'd want her to learn. My current one would tell her but people don't like their dogs being roared and snapped at, usually ending up on their back with mine standing there showing every tooth in his head before moving off. And it's not fair for her to be putting other dogs in a situation where they need to react badly to get her to back off. If mine gets to the snapping and roaring stage his buttons have been being pushed for a long time and I do step in before we reach that point, I don't want him to learn that's what he has to do to be heard. And other owners don't like that either.


So your last dog would've sent her to the emergency vets and your current would be standing over her showing every tooth in his head. ? Sounds perfect


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## Rafa (Jun 18, 2012)

Olivebea said:


> I think puppies learn a lot from older dogs and it wouldn't be the worst thing for olive to get a telling off when she is pushing boundaries! I don't like to think of her behaviour as being rude and obnoxious, she just needs to learn how to play and interact which in good time she will. She gets along with 9/10 dogs we meet she just naturally has lessons to learn. Flexi and harness were very helpful today when we met a few different dogs and she played well off lead with an older collie no issues, Thankyou for your advise I will keep on learning!


Well, what does this mean then?


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## Rafa (Jun 18, 2012)

Olivebea said:


> So your last dog would've sent her to the emergency vets and your current would be standing over her showing every tooth in his head. ? Sounds perfect


This statement is so wrong, it's ridiculous.

Some older dogs won't or can't tolerate pups bouncing at them. My JR is one of them.

If those dogs are onlead and under control, how are they at fault if you allow your pup to try and climb all over them?

You said some woman had to resort to picking her dog up because she was so fed up of your pup's behaviour.

You won't change anything until you take responsibility.


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## Olivebea (Feb 2, 2016)

Sweety said:


> Well, what does this mean then?


I've always been told that socialising a puppy with adults is a great way for them to learn, and it's worked with every dog I've ever been around. I've never said I would rely on it, nor it be the only way for her to learn.


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## Rafa (Jun 18, 2012)

Olivebea said:


> I've always been told that socialising a puppy with adults is a great way for them to learn, and it's worked with every dog I've ever been around. I've never said I would rely on it, nor it be the only way for her to learn.


Well, you've been told wrong.

Socialising a puppy with older dogs in a controlled fashion can be good, but allowing your pup to run to older dogs and pester them is not socialising.

How can it be a great way for them to learn? If they do it to the wrong dog, they could be badly hurt, or worse.

Dogs do not have to socialise. Your pup should be focused on you, not other dogs.

I don't know how many other dogs you've "been around", it's not relevant, this pup is your responsibility.

I'm walking a ten month old pup at the moment, she can be excitable and would love nothing more than to run over and introduce herself to every dog she sees. Not allowed, I'm afraid. If another person felt compelled to pick up their dog because of my pup's behaviour, I would be very embarrassed.


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## Olivebea (Feb 2, 2016)

Sweety said:


> This statement is so wrong, it's ridiculous.
> 
> Some older dogs won't or can't tolerate pups bouncing at them. My JR is one of them.
> 
> ...


I didn't say that, Olive was trying to instigate play and the man picked her up, he's frenchie five seconds before had been galloping around with her, but she was nipping at the dog as they were running, something NOT uncommon for puppies. Or dogs playing for that matter, sometimes it's looks rougher than it is. And maybe for sighthound Specifically.

Gosh I've seen you on nearly every thread just trying to shoot people down and wade in with bitchy cold responses. I thought this forum was for advice and knowledge and to share insight, not just sitting at your computer trying to make everyone feel like they're making the worst choices possible for their dogs. 
Well done have a biscuit you are the fairest best dog owner of them all


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## SingingWhippet (Feb 25, 2015)

Olivebea said:


> I didn't say that, Olive was trying to instigate play and the man picked her up, he's frenchie five seconds before had been galloping around with her, but she was nipping at the dog as they were running, something NOT uncommon for puppies. Or dogs playing for that matter, sometimes it's looks rougher than it is. And maybe for sighthound Specifically.


No, puppies nipping isn't uncommon but that doesn't mean it's not rude and it's certainly not something she should be getting the opportunity to do. If the play has got to the point where she's nipping then it's gone too far, you should be intervening _before_ she starts so she doesn't get the opportunity to practise the behaviour.

It would be completely understandable if a dog took exception to being nipped and the result could potentially be your puppy getting hurt or becoming fearful of other dogs. It's also very easy for a playful sighthound nip, even from a puppy, to break the skin or tear an ear.


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## Mrsred (Oct 23, 2013)

And it's also very easy for a telling off to break the very thin skin of a sighthound pup, but hey, what do we know?


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## SusieRainbow (Jan 21, 2013)

I'm sorry you feel got at Olive, but you do seem to be contradicting yourself and justifying your pup's behaviour, even though you've come to ask for advice on managing these unwanted traits. As I see it the advice has been unanimous in saying this boisterous behaviour and nipping should NOT be allowed and will be interpreted by other dog owners as rude and obnoxious. Yes, it's puppy behaviour, she's learning, but you need to teach her that it's unacceptable.
Don't forget fellow dog walkers only see her when she's annoying their dogs, not curled up cuddly and loving at home !


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## Sarah1983 (Nov 2, 2011)

Olivebea said:


> So your last dog would've sent her to the emergency vets and your current would be standing over her showing every tooth in his head. ? Sounds perfect


Which is exactly why I say people don't like their dog being told off. Ruperts response to dogs approaching was inappropriate and over the top and he was muzzled in public at all times. But there are lots of dogs who are just as inappropriate who aren't muzzled. And even a muzzled dog can cause a lot of harm, physical and psychological.

Spencers responses however are perfectly appropriate and he has never hurt another dog, he goes through a whole range of polite "knock it off" signals before he reaches the stage where he roars, snaps and generally ends up standing there with every tooth on show. Unfortunately most dogs, like you say yours does, ignores the more polite warnings. Which is why I step in and will remove the other dog if it's pestering him. And since other owners don't like that either I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't so I choose to protect my dog.

Too many people think a friendly but rude dog is harmless. It's not. Far more damage has been caused to my dogs and others I know through "friendly" dogs running up and "wanting to play" than has been caused by aggressive dogs.


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## Mrsred (Oct 23, 2013)

Your pup isn't exhibiting anything remotely abnormal, my own whippet was OTT dog friendly and had to be watched like a hawk and trained that actually, we are far more exciting than any passing dog. Can you find out if there are and kennel club Good Citizen puppy classes in your area? They are very cheap and cover teaching the basics of dog ownership and allow your dog to meet other dogs in a controlled way and to focus on you. 

One of my dogs cannot deal with rambunctious dogs or pups, I have no problem in stopping another dog from pestering him, because that is what it boils down to. 
Yes, I've heard the old 'another dog telling them off will teach them' but that scenario will only work if the adult dog is able to do so in an appropriate fashion and you can't guarantee a random dog is capable of this. Worst case scenario is your pup gets attacked, his 'puppy licence' is just about worn out at this age and what you really don't want is your pup to get such a scare that he in turn becomes dog reactive.


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## Sarah1983 (Nov 2, 2011)

An article well worth a read.
http://suzanneclothier.com/pdfs/He Just Wants To Say Hi.pdf


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## Dogloverlou (Dec 8, 2013)

I really sympathise with you @Olivebea. My Whippet x boy as a youngster was forever running off up to dogs. He never really instigated play, but he HAD to say hello before I could get any response from him. I was young, I was less knowledgeable on responsible dog ownership back then, and like you I was very much of the opinion dogs had to socialize with each other and it was the way to go, especially as my older dog was dog aggressive so I feel I over compensated on socialising Ty. We never had any real bad encounters, but I did have one couple with a very elderly Spaniel call over to me to recall him, and of course I couldn't......I raced over to them, the elderly gentleman was trying to capture Ty for me who was running rings around us, the spaniel was in the lady's arms, and I was mortified about the whole situation and close to tears which is when this couple kindly told me not to worry and that these things happen even though they were obviously upset themselves. The man got Ty in the end and I think that was the one encounter that changed my perception of his behaviour in how it impacted on others. I started a training club and really worked hard to instill good general lead manners and working under distractions. Sadly to this day given half a chance Ty is off if he spots a dog....I've never been able to teach him a solid enough recall away from distractions and these days he's only off in areas we know and where no other dogs are present.

I guess I'm telling you all that as a warning really that continued allowance of your Whippets behaviour will make it increasingly hard, if not impossible, to retrain out of her so to speak. Sighthounds don't have the most reliable of recalls to begin with so you're fighting a bit of an uphill battle. Are you in any training clubs? I'd really recommend you do so if you're not already as a good starting point, and yes using her flexi/long line in the mean time is the way to go to keep control. If she's a foodie using her favourite treats to regain focus on you will help also.


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## Guest (Feb 26, 2016)

Have a read of this that was posted on my facebook.

https://www.facebook.com/VictoriaSt...188975.143027413824/10154048636813825/?type=3

What Victoria said imo.


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## MiffyMoo (Sep 15, 2015)

Sweety said:


> Well, you've been told wrong.
> 
> Socialising a puppy with older dogs in a controlled fashion can be good, but allowing your pup to run to older dogs and pester them is not socialising.
> 
> ...


So true. When I first got Dex he had zero training and was desperate to play with every single dog we went near. Unfortunately this resulted in a hole in his lip and a scar near his nose from a Staffy who had had enough. Our training is ongoing and it's not easy to break this dreadful habit, but we're getting there (slowly). I have absolutely no desire to see my dog getting bitten again


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## MiffyMoo (Sep 15, 2015)

Sarah1983 said:


> Too many people think a friendly but rude dog is harmless. It's not. Far more damage has been caused to my dogs and others I know through "friendly" dogs running up and "wanting to play" than has been caused by aggressive dogs.


And the owners backing it up by saying "it's OK, he just wants to play"


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## Sarah1983 (Nov 2, 2011)

MiffyMoo said:


> And the owners backing it up by saying "it's OK, he just wants to play"


Yup. Which is really what you want to hear when your elderly and infirm dog is being knocked down and trampled or your nervous dog is in a panic because there's this strange dog jumping all over them.

I've had run ins with 3 genuinely aggressive dogs in all the time I've been walking my dogs but can have that in 20 minutes with "friendly/soft/just want to play" dogs. They're not a huge problem with Spen as he's confident and sociable but for Shadow as he got older and infirm and for Rupert who was extremely nervous and became aggressive because of out of control dogs it was a massive issue :/


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## marasmum (Jun 12, 2013)

My Mara was sooo tolerant of puppies. One of her favourites was a whippet, that is until he got bigger and he launched himself at her. She had terrible arthritis and he hurt her, she told him in no uncertain terms that he was out of order. Frankly it looked and sounded awful, Mara was a big girl with big teeth (she would never use them), but if he - the pup - had done that to another dog it could have been very different.

Now we have a Casper. An untrained, illmannered 30kg dog obsessed standard poodle. He wants to greet every dog he see's and even better, play. It is going to be a long haul with him as he is 3 and a half and here's what I always keep in the back of my mind; what if he had approached my Mara in the way he boings enthusiastically up to every other dog? What damage could he have done?

So even the most tolerant dogs have their limit and dogs who will play are not necessarily the ones you want him to play with. If a pup came dancing around Caspers feet, nipping and inviting him to play I would have shoulders out of my sockets and the pup would have 30kg of over excited poodle clonking him.....not good either way eh?


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## MiffyMoo (Sep 15, 2015)

marasmum said:


> My Mara was sooo tolerant of puppies. One of her favourites was a whippet, that is until he got bigger and he launched himself at her. She had terrible arthritis and he hurt her, she told him in no uncertain terms that he was out of order. Frankly it looked and sounded awful, Mara was a big girl with big teeth (she would never use them), but if he - the pup - had done that to another dog it could have been very different.
> 
> Now we have a Casper. An untrained, illmannered 30kg dog obsessed standard poodle. He wants to greet every dog he see's and even better, play. It is going to be a long haul with him as he is 3 and a half and here's what I always keep in the back of my mind; what if he had approached my Mara in the way he boings enthusiastically up to every other dog? What damage could he have done?
> 
> So even the most tolerant dogs have their limit and dogs who will play are not necessarily the ones you want him to play with. If a pup came dancing around Caspers feet, nipping and inviting him to play I would have shoulders out of my sockets and the pup would have 30kg of over excited poodle clonking him.....not good either way eh?


A very long road. Unfortunately Dex doesn't understand why he can't go and play with whoever he wants, but he does know that I'm not happy about it, so he is more restrained now. Interestingly, when he is off leash at Doggy Day Care he behaves perfectly. He has a Beagle best friend who he does laps of the field with when they first arrive, and then there's another best friend who is a Boxer - they do the rough and tumble play together, but the other dogs pretty much get ignored (even poor Lola sometimes, which breaks her heart, as Dex is her whole world)


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## Siskin (Nov 13, 2012)

Puppies need to learn their own language I feel, when it comes to meeting new dogs. Usually pups are so overexcited that they are oblivious to the signals the other dog is giving. It's almost as if they need to be held back for there own good so that they get to see the signals the other dog is giving. Some of those signals are so subtle that they are easy to miss such as turning the head slightly away which means, I am no threat, but the glance away can be so slight right down to just the movement of the eyes, not actually moving the head at all. There are many other subtle movements that a dog will give us that humans often don't see let alone a young pup hurtling towards the dog.
You need to hold your pup back to allow her to learn what the other dog is 'saying' to her in that subtle language so that she learns to behave appropriately. If your pup keeps throwing herself onto unsuspecting dogs, that correction that you are hoping will teach your dog manners could actually turn into a nasty bite


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## Sarah1983 (Nov 2, 2011)

marasmum said:


> My Mara was sooo tolerant of puppies. One of her favourites was a whippet, that is until he got bigger and he launched himself at her. She had terrible arthritis and he hurt her, she told him in no uncertain terms that he was out of order. Frankly it looked and sounded awful, Mara was a big girl with big teeth (she would never use them), but if he - the pup - had done that to another dog it could have been very different.
> 
> Now we have a Casper. An untrained, illmannered 30kg dog obsessed standard poodle. He wants to greet every dog he see's and even better, play. It is going to be a long haul with him as he is 3 and a half and here's what I always keep in the back of my mind; what if he had approached my Mara in the way he boings enthusiastically up to every other dog? What damage could he have done?
> 
> So even the most tolerant dogs have their limit and dogs who will play are not necessarily the ones you want him to play with. If a pup came dancing around Caspers feet, nipping and inviting him to play I would have shoulders out of my sockets and the pup would have 30kg of over excited poodle clonking him.....not good either way eh?


Spen is also ridiculously tolerant of young puppies. They can do anything they want to him and he'll just move away and look to me to rescue him. Once they get to about 5-6 months though it all changes. He starts laying down the law about what is and isn't acceptable. It's all noise and slobber if the more subtle signals aren't heeded but it looks and sounds horrendous. And of course my dog then gets labelled vicious


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## Ladypenny (Dec 24, 2015)

A lot of common sense in the above posts - I am finding puppy/dog ownership a very steep learning curve and have had to rethink a lot of "presumptions" about behaviour (both my pup's and my own !!) . Thanks for the links (love the one with the husband, wife and sloppy stranger !).


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## Wee T (Dec 6, 2015)

Sweety said:


> Well, you've been told wrong.
> 
> Socialising a puppy with older dogs in a controlled fashion can be good, but allowing your pup to run to older dogs and pester them is not socialising.
> 
> ...





Mrsred said:


> Your pup isn't exhibiting anything remotely abnormal, my own whippet was OTT dog friendly and had to be watched like a hawk and trained that actually, we are far more exciting than any passing dog. Can you find out if there are and kennel club Good Citizen puppy classes in your area? They are very cheap and cover teaching the basics of dog ownership and allow your dog to meet other dogs in a controlled way and to focus on you.
> 
> One of my dogs cannot deal with rambunctious dogs or pups, I have no problem in stopping another dog from pestering him, because that is what it boils down to.
> Yes, I've heard the old 'another dog telling them off will teach them' but that scenario will only work if the adult dog is able to do so in an appropriate fashion and you can't guarantee a random dog is capable of this. Worst case scenario is your pup gets attacked, his 'puppy licence' is just about worn out at this age and what you really don't want is your pup to get such a scare that he in turn becomes dog reactive.





Dogloverlou said:


> I really sympathise with you @Olivebea. My Whippet x boy as a youngster was forever running off up to dogs. He never really instigated play, but he HAD to say hello before I could get any response from him. I was young, I was less knowledgeable on responsible dog ownership back then, and like you I was very much of the opinion dogs had to socialize with each other and it was the way to go, especially as my older dog was dog aggressive so I feel I over compensated on socialising Ty. We never had any real bad encounters, but I did have one couple with a very elderly Spaniel call over to me to recall him, and of course I couldn't......I raced over to them, the elderly gentleman was trying to capture Ty for me who was running rings around us, the spaniel was in the lady's arms, and I was mortified about the whole situation and close to tears which is when this couple kindly told me not to worry and that these things happen even though they were obviously upset themselves. The man got Ty in the end and I think that was the one encounter that changed my perception of his behaviour in how it impacted on others. I started a training club and really worked hard to instill good general lead manners and working under distractions. Sadly to this day given half a chance Ty is off if he spots a dog....I've never been able to teach him a solid enough recall away from distractions and these days he's only off in areas we know and where no other dogs are present.
> 
> I guess I'm telling you all that as a warning really that continued allowance of your Whippets behaviour will make it increasingly hard, if not impossible, to retrain out of her so to speak. Sighthounds don't have the most reliable of recalls to begin with so you're fighting a bit of an uphill battle. Are you in any training clubs? I'd really recommend you do so if you're not already as a good starting point, and yes using her flexi/long line in the mean time is the way to go to keep control. If she's a foodie using her favourite treats to regain focus on you will help also.


Agree completely with these posts (and many, many others but I'd be here all day if I were to quote them all).

I have a dog who was dog reactive and under the (poor) guidance of 3 "fully qualified, professional behaviourists" have inadvertently ingrained excited behaviours around other dogs because I was led to believe that she 'needed' to socialise with other dogs.

She did not need that. She needed to learn to focus on me on walks. She needed to learn to be calm around dogs and neutral around dogs.

Now we have our hands full fixing this ingrained behaviour and I cannot tell you how hard it is.

Please don't make the mistakes I did or you could be making a rod for your own back.

If your dog practises play behaviours over and over you may end up with an adult dog like I have who thinks walks are all about meeting dogs and thinks she has a god given right to meet every dog she sees. "OMIGOD THERE'S A DOG. I LOVE DOGS. LET ME AT 'IM!!!" and cannot cope and gets frustrated when they cannot meet for whatever reason.

People are less forgiving of adult dogs in that way. Avoid that now by training your dog to focus on you and recall to you not practise these uber fun play meetings over and over.

If I could go back in time I would have trained her to be dog neutral rather than dog friendly. Much, much less problems ahead that way.

Honestly, I can't say it enough: dog neutral. Obviously you want your dog to be friendly but I honestly think, from our experience, neutral and calm is much more important.

Train focus on you, recall, calm around other dogs. I have learned the hard way that not all dogs *need* socialising that involves playing with any and all dogs on walks. She needed that like she needed a hole in the head.

We've got a great behaviourist now who is helping us with all the above but you've no idea how much I wish I was in your position to have a pup I could have trained this way from the off instead of inadvertently training her to think dogs are the bestest thing ever and me chopped liver in their mere presence.

It's done her no favours and she's an unhappier dog on walks as a result of all that uncontrolled 'socialisation' that she apparently 'needed'.


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