Whippet Help

[ferretman89 68]

Hi guys I have a 1 year old whippet and need a little help. I have had him out the back end of last year ferreting and catching the odd rabbit. Seems to know what he is doing but getting him to retrieve rabbits is a bit if a problem.

 

I have been doing some work throwing balls and toys when out walking with him and he will bring them back and gets a reward. Yesterday though he got a rabbit and he would bring it so far back then just stay with it and not get closer.

 

After a while he eventually gave it. I then chucked it a few times and he brought it back??? Think he will eventually twig what to do as its only his 5th rabbit or so???

 

Any help/ ideas

[paulus 26]

if hes only had 5 rabbits i would say hes doing rather well, keep at it and all will come good in the end

[The one 8,524]

Only a year old and his fifth rabbit sounds like your doing well mate

[hillbilly boy 109]

it will come with age its still a puppy yet just keep at it

[Dewclaw69 484]

i think a rabbit is a bit more interesting than a rubber ball or toy . always started mine with a rabbit skin stuffed for a bit of weight as soon as they could pick it up. that way there's not so much difference to em

[Vicky Steadman 328]

in the same position with my little 15months bitch lurcher, she fetches and retrieves in the garden with a toy or ball but in the field she takes a bit more convincing when she has a rabbit.... in her training classes early on I learned to teach her a "STOP" command - it involved throwing a treat across the hall, then calling her to me with another treat and hand feeding her that. i'd throw another treat away for her but this time as she ran back i'd raise my arm high in the air and chuck a treat behind her, so she stopped and went back for that one. i'd keep practising this until she saw my hand go up and would stop immediately, then i'd tell her to sit and walk to her with treats. I practise it out on walks, calling her to me then stopping her anything from 5-25 meters away and walking to her, and I've found it works when she has a rabbit.
she doesn't like bringing them straight to me and tries to wander off with them but if I raise my arm and tell her to stop and sit, she does, so I can pick them up!
you could maybe try this method with yours? i'm new to it all too, so i'm clueless really lol, but this works for me and she gets the odd bunny, 1-2 a month atm (maybe more when i'm not looking).