As soon as you even look at the door, your Whippet leaps into action, desperate to head out. Their energy is endless and their speed impressive. As soon as Dexter sees another dog on the horizon, they’re off and nobody is going to be able to catch up with them. You love watching their four legs in a blur as they travel at breakneck speeds. That’s actually part of the reason you brought them into your life. So you can train them to race!
Training a Whippet to race only brings benefits. Firstly, you’ll have a fantastic way to exercise Dexter, keeping him fit and healthy, hopefully into old age. You’ll also have a brilliant way to bond with your canine companion. But most importantly, you’ll have a racer who will hopefully be able to win competitions, prizes, and more.
Training a Whippet to race doesn’t come without challenges. You’ll need to start as early as possible when your dog is developing. Training will also consist of getting him used to the racing track, equipment, and being around other dogs and people. Then you’ll need to work on gradually building up his stamina. Of course, you’ll also need an effective motivator to get him sprinting as fast as he can.
If your Whippet is just a puppy, you’ll have the perfect racing student. He should learn and develop quickly, so you could see results in a matter of weeks. If Dexter is older and not quite the acrobatic, keen listener he was when he was younger, then you may need several months. Stick with training and you’ll soon have a prize-winning Whippet capable of winning races statewide. You’ll also find training will tire him out, so you have a well-trained and easy-to-live-with dog when you’re at home.
Before you get to work, you need to make sure you have a few things. The most essential ingredient will be access to a race track where you’ll be able to train regularly over the coming months. You’ll also need good quality food, as you need to give your Whippet the right fuel.
Time will be the other main component. Both you and your Whippet need to be willing to put the hours in if he is to compete and hopefully win. So set aside several hours each week for training. You’ll also need a friend for one of the methods.
Once you have all that, just bring patience and enthusiasm. Then work can begin!