Whippet X Spaniel... Any Good?

[darbo 4,774]

Be positive TC you never know with patience understanding and effort sometimes things come good. i know the dogs had a bad start but i wish you luck and the improvements come step by step stage by stage atb.

[boyo 1,398]

Nice to see someone taking on such a challenge for the dogs benefit & not the usual " if it don't work i'll shoot it shit". Fair play to you & i hope all works out for you & your pup. Atb

[Tiercel 6,986]

Be positive TC you never know with patience understanding and effort sometimes things come good. i know the dogs had a bad start but i wish you luck and the improvements come step by step stage by stage atb.

Thanks darbo, it is a matter of small steps at the moment, to be honest I am winging it, but a plan is in place and constantly being changed as he reacts to different stimulus. Some days I think yes we will get there and others I think we will have a nice pet.

 

TC

[darbo 4,774]

 

Be positive TC you never know with patience understanding and effort sometimes things come good. i know the dogs had a bad start but i wish you luck and the improvements come step by step stage by stage atb.

Thanks darbo, it is a matter of small steps at the moment, to be honest I am winging it, but a plan is in place and constantly being changed as he reacts to different stimulus. Some days I think yes we will get there and others I think we will have a nice pet.

 

TC

 

Once he gains trust and confidence with you things can move on maybe only small steps at first. You come across as a intelligent man TC give it your best shot and hopefully you will be pleasantly suprised.

[Giro 2,648]

 

 

Be positive TC you never know with patience understanding and effort sometimes things come good. i know the dogs had a bad start but i wish you luck and the improvements come step by step stage by stage atb.

Thanks darbo, it is a matter of small steps at the moment, to be honest I am winging it, but a plan is in place and constantly being changed as he reacts to different stimulus. Some days I think yes we will get there and others I think we will have a nice pet.

 

TC

If you can get it to a comfortable nice pet stage, I don't see why you won't get it to work, when it's natural instinct kicks in the feild..

 

Time and patience,the pup will gain your trust..

 

Its experienced a massive ajustment,for the better mind.

 

My folks have had a few rescue dogs which were nervous, however they've overcome that significantly and have a happy life..

 

Good on you and best of luck. .

[krawnden 1,036]

In answer to your original question about whether or not the cross could make a useful moocher, I'd say a definite yes; the genetic potential is there. There was a lad on here - wyang, or something like that - who's got one and was full of praise for it.

 

You've certainly got your work cut out on the socialisation front. The first 16 weeks are the most impressionable period for a puppy. Once older than that it's very hard to achieve what you're attempting. But having said that, I have no idea whether or not the lack of early socialisation would have any effect on the dogs instinct and ability to work. Maybe you'll end up with something that never really bonds with you or knows how to react to people but might still be a good worker? Or maybe if it never connects with you it'll prove impossible to harness its working potential? Time will tell.

 

But good on you for giving it a try, and best of luck with it. Keep us updated from time to time - it'll be interesting to hear how you get on...

[skycat 6,173]

The thing is that once the pup has turned somewhere between 12 and 16 weeks (depends on the individual) the window of creating neural pathways has closed, almost. If the pup hasn't been able, through intensive socialisation, build the type of brain we as humans need for the dog to be able to learn new things in our world, then it remains somewhat autistic, for want of a better word.

Having tried, in the past, to bring on such pups, I would say that for hunting, one of the most primitive and basic drives in a dog, you might be pleasantly surprised. But for anything else, such as feeling comfortable when meeting new people or going to new places, or being able to absorb the rules of training, you may well find that the dog is a basket case, only relaxed and unstressed in situations with which it has always been familiar; the very tiny arena of its earliest experiences.

[Truther 1,579]

Iv'e got a whipp/spaniel bitch TC, me and the eldest lad bred them on purpose, i wanted a certain type of busher, and thought this x would be ideal, she does everything i wanted, and more besides. If you want a dog for working thick/heavy cover a lot there's better options imo, but on mixed ground they take some beating, i don't ferret these days, but mine would make a good ferreting dog, iv'e no doubts on that at all, very obedient little bitch.

 

Its a shame yours had the bad start, although i think things could come right with patience. Both ours are a bit sensitive, even with a good start, they aren't dogs for heavy handed lads, yours could well be less nervy than you think taking that into consideration?

 

The best way to describe ours would be, obedient whippet x terrier, not much in the two imo, and i know they're all a bit different, but mine went from walking at heel to hitting cover overnight really, she accidentally put a hare from under a holly one day aged around 5 months, and that was that. She's probably my favourite dog in over 40 years of having dogs, just wish i'd had them sooner.

 

Best of luck, if things do come right i think you'll be pleasantly surprised mate.

[gnipper 6,465]

The one I had was as skycat described through lack of early socialisation, I persevered but she was impossible to live with.

[Tiercel 6,986]

Today I took another of my dogs siblings to a placement for the daughter. Last week I took one to the same place and to be honest I could not believe the transformation in the pup in a week, it certainly was a different dog to the one I delivered last week. It was far more confident and did not seem phased by a stranger stroking her.

 

I wonder if it was the fact that they had three small children and the pup played with those made a difference? I know mine does relate to women and children better than myself.

 

TC

[gnipper 6,465]

Today I took another of my dogs siblings to a placement for the daughter. Last week I took one to the same place and to be honest I could not believe the transformation in the pup in a week, it certainly was a different dog to the one I delivered last week. It was far more confident and did not seem phased by a stranger stroking her.

 

I wonder if it was the fact that they had three small children and the pup played with those made a difference? I know mine does relate to women and children better than myself.

 

TC

If i were in your position I'd leave the dog to the women and kids and let it get used to you in its own time. It will get to like the person who takes it for a mooch.

[Sighthound 49]

The first dog I had when I was 14 was a first cross springer whippet, 38 years ago!

Looking back it was shite, it opened up, couldn't catch in the open and was an ugly f**ker. It was a good ferreting dog though and an excellent ratter and busher, I probably though had more fun with her than any dog I have owned since, we would walk miles for hours and it was a success if we caught a rabbit think it was a case of the blind leading the blind

[krawnden 1,036]

Today I took another of my dogs siblings to a placement for the daughter. Last week I took one to the same place and to be honest I could not believe the transformation in the pup in a week, it certainly was a different dog to the one I delivered last week. It was far more confident and did not seem phased by a stranger stroking her.

 

I wonder if it was the fact that they had three small children and the pup played with those made a difference? I know mine does relate to women and children better than myself.

 

TC

 

That sounds really encouraging. If one of its siblings is coming good already, I'd say there's hope for the rest of the litter too...

[skycat 6,173]

Today I took another of my dogs siblings to a placement for the daughter. Last week I took one to the same place and to be honest I could not believe the transformation in the pup in a week, it certainly was a different dog to the one I delivered last week. It was far more confident and did not seem phased by a stranger stroking her.

 

I wonder if it was the fact that they had three small children and the pup played with those made a difference? I know mine does relate to women and children better than myself.

 

TC

That's why it's so important to socialise pups with men, women and children, as much as possible and right from the start. Mind you, negative experiences with any one of those can have a lasting effect on a pup as well.

[NEWKID 27,143]

Lots of good advice already TC.

But I think you'll do fine by the pup, as you haven't set some impossibly high bar for the dog to achieve, everything from now on will be a bonus.

Hope you get a lot of bonuses along the way mate, good luck.