Letting my Whippet off-leash one day?

    • Gold Top Dog
    ups double post [;)]
    • Gold Top Dog
    My friend who has whippets and belgians mentions that her whippets loose any sense of self preservation once prey drive kicks in.  She trains in multiple venues including UD whippets and her dogs are never off lead in unfenced areas.
     
    I had a hound as a kid let off lead on time during a walk, result: dead dog hit by a car.  My mother never really forgave herself for that one mistake.
    • Gold Top Dog
    ORIGINAL: mudpuppy

    You might want to check out Leslie Nelson's Really Reliable Recall DVD. She has experience training sighthounds to come when called.


    This is a great aid to teaching a good recall.  The thing to remember is that you must convince the dog that good stuff happens when he gets to you, and the good stuff is always better than what he could get on his own LOL.  Hard to do with a prey driven dog, but you can install a good recall.  The only question is, as it is for any dog, do you want to risk it?  Personally, I never do.  It only takes a split second for even the most reliable dog to make an error.  We aren't 100% perfect and neither are they.
    If you really want to see your dog run and have fun, learn lure coursing!!