How To Discipline A Naughty Whippet

Whippets are known for being playful yet gentle dogs, making them great family pets. However, they can get up to no good every once in a while.

Like humans, the personalities of different whippets vary, but one thing is common amongst all: they are a very relaxed breed of dogs, and they love to sleep most of the day in the comfiest place they can find.

Whippets are also known as “velcro dogs”, and they are a great company. If you go out of your room for just five minutes, they will greet you upon your return as if you had been gone for weeks.

As much as we love whippets here, every whippet owner knowns that they can be naughty every once in a while, especially as puppies.

In this post we’re going to look at how to discipline a naughty whippet correctly, without harming or stressing out your pooch.

Let’s get to it..

Table of Contents

Personality Traits Of Whippets

Whippets are very mischievous dogs, and you will often find them jumping on the kitchen counter searching for food, or tearing up the sofa to make it softer, especially when they are young.

When they are young, you would never want to leave them alone at home while you are gone outside to run errands.

However, despite being quite naughty as puppies, they tend to calm down as they grow older.

Whippets are famous for being sighthounds, and they are bred with the urge to chase the game they see.

The most interesting games for whippets could be racing or lure coursing in which they are required to chase a plastic bag pulled by a string. They are also very good at agility and fly ball contests.

Most whippets are not very stubborn, but at the same time, being independent makes them difficult to train.

Thankfully they are intelligent and are very good at learning basic manners such as sit down or stay etc. Which means you shouldn’t need to discipline your whippet too much before they get the message.

It is strictly advised not to handle whippets roughly, and to get the best training results; you must give them treats and praise them.

Whippets are among the most loving breeds that will shower you with kisses and hugs once they have known you well and become attached to you.

What Are The Naughty Behaviours You Should Look Out For

Whippets can exhibit several behaviours that may be quite disturbing for you, but there may be times when they are actually trying to tell you something about their behaviour.

Below is the list of the most common naughty behaviours that you should look out for:

Food Theft

This behaviour is widespread among whippets, which may sound really funny but should never be allowed.

It won’t be wrong if we say that food theft is in their blood. You will often find them grabbing pizza crust from the plate or snatching anything on the counter they can reach.

Worst case, if you let your trash bag sit open, they will tear it apart, and before you know it your floor will be covered with mess.

It may seem like that there is absolutely no food that is off-limits to these little pups.

Therefore, it is advised not to offer them any food other than what is in their diet, even if they are begging for it.

Also, try to keep food at a place where they are less likely to reach. They may try to find it for a few days, but ultimately they will get tired of searching.

Jumping Up

In all my years I have rarely come across a whippet that does not love jumping.

Jumping is their way of showing their excitement and happiness. No doubt, jumping whippets look really cute, but this action can be dangerous if they accidentally jump on a small child or an older adult who may lose balance.

It is therefore always advised to discourage these kinds of behaviours that may result in accidents or injury.

In fact, they almost always jump to gain your attention, so if you ignore them, they will eventually stop, as they realise that you are not noticing them.

Please keep in mind that it means both good and bad when I say they want your attention, so simply ignore them.

Chewing

Just like babies, puppies start chewing as a result of teething; however, this behaviour may persist even when they grow into adulthood, which is not acceptable at all.

Chewing means they may ruin your precious belongings, which can be very painful.

There are several ways to keep your whippet from chewing, such as scolding, or you may also use a non-toxic spray to keep them away from things they might find tempting.

Nontoxic sprays are used very commonly, and they give a bad taste to your whippet, causing them to leave the item immediately.

Digging

Digging is inherent in almost every dog, and they love doing it.

So if your whippet is crazy about digging as well, then you should designate a special area which could be a load of mud off in the corner of your backyard or garden where they can dig.

It is recommended never to allow your whippet to dig in your flower beds or anywhere else in your beautiful garden.

You can make use of nontoxic sprays here too, to protect your flowers. Another way to distract their attention could be to play with them as they mostly dig out of boredom.

Separation Anxiety

Separation anxiety cannot be categorised as naughty behaviour, but it will most likely to lead to bad behaviour in whippets.

Some whippets are more vulnerable to separation anxiety than others, and they cannot stand being alone.

If you leave them alone for too long, they become anxious and aggitated, which leads to bad behaviour such as chewing, tearing, or digging as they cannot control their emotions in that anxious state.

If your puppy is prone to separation anxiety, it is essential for you to treat this before leaving them alone to avoid their panic behaviour.

Whining And Barking

Whippets are not at all considered to be big barkers. However, they do whine.

There could be several reasons behind barking or whining of whippets, such as excessive energy, boredom, separation anxiety, or they may simply be looking for your attention.

Once you know the reason behind their whining or barking, you can treat them appropriately to avoid the behaviour in the future.

Pulling On The Leash

Your anticipation of a lovely walk could actually turn into agony or frustration if your whippet keeps pulling the leash.

It is therefore your job to properly train your whippet to walk on a leash.

Aggression

Whippets rarely become aggressive, but when they exhibit such behaviour, there is usually a reason behind it.

The various types of aggression could be aggression related to food, aggression towards anonymous animals in your home, or they may also get aggressive by seeing children, strangers or other dogs.

Whatever the reason may be, you must train this aggression out of your whippet as their aggression is not acceptable.

The Importance Of Training Your Whippet Early

It is essential to train whippets at an early age because it is much easier to teach them to be well mannered and respectful when they are young, rather than trying to train when they have already developed bad habits.

You should start setting boundaries from day one and not let your whippet run around the house without limits.

If you do not set boundaries, they will be too excited to have that freedom and will start jumping, chewing, digging, or whatever they may feel like.

So, just like you set boundaries for your child, you need to set boundaries for your whippet too.

Disciplining Your Whippet

Following is the list of few things that you need to do to discipline your whippet correctly and to prevent bad behaviour:

Ensure that your whippet gets plenty of daily exercise, which is not only good for its health but also keeps it from becoming bored, which may lead to bad behaviour.
You should treat your whippet often and do not forget to praise them, but only when they have done well to let them know they have earned this reward.
It is better to avoid their bad behaviour like jumping, whining, or pulling on the leash rather than scolding them. When you scold or yell at your whippet, you are actually giving them attention. This can also cause your whippet to become fearful of you which means you’ll lose the connection you have with your pet.
You should never get physical, no matter what! Frustration is not an excuse to harm your whippet. Instead, it is recommended to step away and calm down. Physical punishment will only make things worse.
Always correct your whippet while performing the act so that they know what they are being corrected for. Correcting your whippet after the act will not affect you at all.
Use a firm and assertive tone to correct your whippet. Whilst your whippet is committing the bad behaviour, assertively say “No!” or “Stop that”.

Final Thoughts

Although whippets can sometimes be naughty, you can train them early to avoid any bad behaviour in the future.

I hope after going through this guide you now know exactly how to discipline a naughty whippet correctly without causing harm or stress to your furry friend.