Whippet won't let go of rabbits

[SportingWhippetdog 21]

Got a 3 yr old whippet dog that I've started lamping properly with recently. We've a couple now on the lamp, which is ok going around us for 30 minutes work in a couple of fields behind us. But when he does catch them he tends to shake and kill and won't retrieve. I run up to him and have to pry his jaws open to get the half dead thing out his mouth. He a good retriever with dummies. I just want to know if this is a sign of inexperience or if it's not normal, thanks.

[Black neck 15,989]

Next 1 he catches run off instead 

[poxon 5,741]

Worst thing to do is go to the dog. if it’s returning dummies to hand regular it can do what your asking but I guess it’s down to experience /excitement next time it has a catch call the dog show how excited you are with the catch An how happy you are about the catch f**k all this bullshit about making noise your at the beginning an learning a dog the ropes You do what it takes to get what you need from the dog if the dog picks the catch up an starts to walk towards you start walking Backwards away putting distance between you an the dog 

[shaaark 10,787]

Like poxon above said, as soon as he makes a catch, quick whistle and walk away, and crouch down to get him in to you. If he stops on the way back to you, whistle and walk away again until he comes to you, praising him quietly while you take the rabbit off him. Might take a few sessions to get him out of his current behaviour.  BUT, I've had four pure whippets, and only one would retrieve live to hand, the others being VERY hard mouthed lol. I think it's a whippet thing lol. 

Good luck with it

[JAE B 550]

11 hours ago, SportingWhippetdog said:

Got a 3 yr old whippet dog that I've started lamping properly with recently. We've a couple now on the lamp, which is ok going around us for 30 minutes work in a couple of fields behind us. But when he does catch them he tends to shake and kill and won't retrieve. I run up to him and have to pry his jaws open to get the half dead thing out his mouth. He a good retriever with dummies. I just want to know if this is a sign of inexperience or if it's not normal, thanks.

Would rather that than a dog that doesn’t mouth at all

[fred90 3,234]

2 hours ago, shaaark said:

Like poxon above said, as soon as he makes a catch, quick whistle and walk away, and crouch down to get him in to you. If he stops on the way back to you, whistle and walk away again until he comes to you, praising him quietly while you take the rabbit off him. Might take a few sessions to get him out of his current behaviour.  BUT, I've had four pure whippets, and only one would retrieve live to hand, the others being VERY hard mouthed lol. I think it's a whippet thing lol. 

Good luck with it

I have always had beddywhippets and none retrieved. put it down to Bedlington in them but not sure now. this one has Jaws like a gin trap. 

[Aussie Whip 4,100]

The whippets I've seen and had vary wildly with retrieving,my best bitch now brought her first rabbit back and never has since,just holds them until I pick them up,she likes them going in the bag so isn't possessive.She does everthing else better than any other dog I've had.I had a male whippet lurcher that was to me useless in every respect except retrieving,as good as any gun dog but faster.I don't believe you can train every dog to retrieve and to me it's not that big a deal.

[shaaark 10,787]

22 hours ago, Aussie Whip said:

The whippets I've seen and had vary wildly with retrieving,my best bitch now brought her first rabbit back and never has since,just holds them until I pick them up,she likes them going in the bag so isn't possessive.She does everthing else better than any other dog I've had.I had a male whippet lurcher that was to me useless in every respect except retrieving,as good as any gun dog but faster.I don't believe you can train every dog to retrieve and to me it's not that big a deal.

Agree with that to a large degree. I've had dogs that were a doddle with retrieve training, others would drive you to distraction lol. My best retriever of totally unharmed rabbits and hares, my old collie/mongrel x lurcher, wouldn't retrieve anything, and I mean anything, balls, dummies, shot birds, nothing, other than rabbits and hares.

Dogs eh, drive you mad

Edited February 15, 2020 by shaaark

[JAE B 550]

14 hours ago, Dougal McGuire said:

have you tried hitting it a dig on the head

[green lurchers 16,668]

Does dog retrieve rabbits  during day ? 

Edited February 15, 2020 by green lurchers

[bird 9,916]

4 hours ago, JAE B said:

lol

[bird 9,916]

On 14/02/2020 at 12:32, Aussie Whip said:

The whippets I've seen and had vary wildly with retrieving,my best bitch now brought her first rabbit back and never has since,just holds them until I pick them up,she likes them going in the bag so isn't possessive.She does everthing else better than any other dog I've had.I had a male whippet lurcher that was to me useless in every respect except retrieving,as good as any gun dog but faster.I don't believe you can train every dog to retrieve and to me it's not that big a deal.

you are right regards retrieving  , some running  dogs never will bring back it quarry. most of my colliexs were not bad retrievers  , bryn brought back from  80-100yds or more , but as he got older it  dropped few yards, my best retriever ever got to be Buck , he never really had much training i think it was natural in him. i had lurcherx lurcher bitch  90% greyhound  drop of whippet/ collie   she bring back  but put rabbit down  5 yrds  short, i do think me self with pure  sight hounds  , it dont come natural to them, some do  but  lots dont. most it just catch/kill  .

[SportingWhippetdog 21]

On 14/02/2020 at 10:06, shaaark said:

Like poxon above said, as soon as he makes a catch, quick whistle and walk away, and crouch down to get him in to you. If he stops on the way back to you, whistle and walk away again until he comes to you, praising him quietly while you take the rabbit off him. Might take a few sessions to get him out of his current behaviour.  BUT, I've had four pure whippets, and only one would retrieve live to hand, the others being VERY hard mouthed lol. I think it's a whippet thing lol. 

Good luck with it

Thanks so much

[wilbur foxhound 480]

As poxon says as soon as she picks up the rabbit either whistle or call on her and run the opposite way carry on calling/whistling when she catches up with you take the rabbit off her if she don’t let it go tell her leave it then gently stand on her foot and slowly apply pressure until she lets it go,hope this helps,wf

Edited February 16, 2020 by wilbur foxhound

[BobDown 786]

Iv an old beddy whippet lurcher bitch that didn’t like giving up her catch, oddly she would retrieve as well then refuse to let go. she was worse when had hold of one of them big bunny’s I nearly lost my fingers a time or two trying to pry her mouth off it. Other than that a belting little bitch we had some great outings