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Whippet Training Guide – Crate, Toilet & More Tips!

Dr. Cristina Vulpe
Reviewed by:
Dr. Cristina Alice Vulpe
Veterinarian

Traditionally used as a racing dog, a Whippet is an intelligent dog that should respond well to training, although being so intelligent may mean that they don’t want much to do with the silly human’s games for the first while!

It can be done, however; read on to find out lots about training your Whippet and the huge benefits it can bring to both owner and dog!

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Should I Train My Whippet?

Yes! Every dog should be well-trained and socialised. It’s better for you, the Whippet owner, and the dog. It gives the dog a much better quality of life and teaches them to be confident, amiable and obedient.

There are so many perks to training your dog, and puppy training is always preferred over trying to train an older dog. Let’s look at some of the benefits:

Your dog will learn exactly what is expected of them with their training;

It can help improve bonding;

  • Training can help minimise or eradicate any problem behaviours before they get out of hand;
  • Dog training teaches these gentle dogs to be both responsive and attentive;
  • It also helps to establish a hierarchy where you are the pack leader, and the Whippet is made fully aware of this fact;
  • It is often fun for both puppies and dog owners alike;
  • And finally, training can help a dog develop a great skill set for the future.

Are Whippets Easy To Train?

Generally speaking, Whippets are quite easy to train. But, they are very intelligent, and therefore, they don’t always take to obedience training and other forms of training as well as other dogs.

Although they have a gentle and affectionate nature, they are free-thinkers at times, and so sometimes may be a little more prone to not wanting to do what is asked of them!

With a little time and patience, however, these great family pets will start to enjoy training and be more proactive with it – especially if you make the training as fun as possible.
 

What Kind Of Training Does A Whippet Need?

Whippets can benefit from a variety of training, such as:

  • Obedience training
  • Toilet training
  • Crate training
  • Leash training

Toilet Training A Whippet Puppy

Toilet training is one of the most important training exercises your Whippet will partake in, and it could take upwards of a month to implement. While there might be slip-ups here and there with your dog forgetting the routine and doing their business indoors, you will soon start to see a difference in their eagerness to go outside.

When to start toilet training your Whippet puppy

You can begin to start house training your Whippet from the very first day you bring your puppy home. This gives them the best chance of success. Thankfully, being such intelligent dogs can work for the better, too – because of those big brains in their little heads, they tend to easily understand what the human means when they say basic commands.

Fingers crossed, then, that it shouldn’t take too long for your doggo to master the art of peeing outside.

How to toilet train your puppy

Start with taking your dog out after they have a nap and food, as well as first thing in the morning and last thing at night. Hopefully, your dog will want to go to the toilet, so you should praise them and shower them with affection.

Over time, the dog will realise that outside is where they should be going and will actively walk to the door or bark when they want to be let out to pee and poo.
 

Crate Training Your Whippet

Crate training is a great way to give you Whippet their very own space as well as somewhere safe to stay when you are out. Dogs love having a confined ‘nest’ to call their own, and it can be very beneficial for a Whippet to have this personal hideout.
 

Can I Train My Whippet To Do Tricks?

As Whippets enjoy pleasing their family, it is possible to teach them tricks such as ‘sit’, ‘roll over’, ‘play dead’, and other basic commands.

Why is it important to crate-train your puppy?

Crate training helps a puppy to strengthen its bladder and bowel muscles as they wait to be let out to go. It can also help with socialisation problems and allow dogs to be more confident in the home as they have a place to call their own. There is less territory for them to patrol in their crate, which will also make them more relaxed at home.

When to start crate training your Whippet puppy

Crate training should begin around 3-4 months old. This is a great age as a puppy will learn quicker and have these habits for the rest of their life, leading to the multitude of benefits we mentioned above.

How to crate train your Whippet puppy

You should begin by leaving the crate door open and inviting your puppy inside, perhaps by throwing a treat in there. Again, use lots and lots of praise. Over time, you can begin to close the crate door for short bursts until the puppy is completely comfortable in its new surroundings and displays happy, contented behaviour.

Pros and cons of crate training

In order to decide whether crate-training your Whippet is necessary, take a look at the pros and cons below to get a better idea of if this is right for you.

Pros:

  • It can help a stressed and anxious dog feel calm
  • It gives a dog its very own area of the home
  • Can help with separation anxiety
  • Can potentially help with toilet training

Cons:

  • Some crates can be bulky

Tips For Training Your Whippet

Here are our top four tips for training your new puppy:

Be consistent

Consistency is key when it comes to the successful training of a Whippet. The best approach to training the poor man’s racehorse, as they are affectionately known, is short, frequent sessions. Too much training, and your pup will get bored; any Whippet owners will tell you that when these guys have had enough, they’ve had enough!

Try to keep Whippet training sessions to a few short bursts throughout the day for the best results.

Positive reinforcement is key

There is no point in telling any dog off if it isn’t doing what it is supposed to be doing during training. Not only is it cruel, but it will also scare the dog and likely knock its confidence, which will affect its training and probably slow its progress.

Lots of praise and positive reinforcement in the form of treats and cuddles when it displays the correct behaviour during dog training, is best.

Avoid over-using treats

While treats are a great way to motivate any dog breed, they can often become overweight and, at worst, obese. Feeding treats to almost all dog breeds will likely put them off their dog food and have them wanting only the yummy, unhealthy things, and Whippets are no different!

Consider clicker training

Clicker training can work as well with adult dogs as it does with puppies and is a great way to condition your dog to do the right thing.
 

Final Thoughts on Training A Whippet

While training Whippets may not be the easiest job in the world, thanks to their free-thinking minds, it is possible to do so! All it requires is a bit of time, patience and know-how.

Learn more about: Whippet Breed Information

Other helpful information

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