Are Whippets Easy To Train? The Truth + Mistakes & Tips

Pawscessories is reader-supported. When you buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more.

One of the first things someone wants to know before bringing a whippet into their home is whether or not whippets are easy to train. Having a four-legged family member can be one of the best additions to your home or it can be an absolute nightmare.

And it all depends on training. So..

Are Whippets Easy To Train:

Whippets have a slightly above average intelligence which makes them a rather easy breed when it comes to training. On average it will take a whippet 25-40 repetitions to learn a new trick or behavior and they will listen 50% of the time, or better, on the first command.

In this post you’ll discover:

3 reasons why whippets are easy to train
3 reasons why whippets aren’t easy to train
How long it takes to train a whippet certain commands
3 common mistakes whippet owners make when training (Your life will be much easier if you can avoid #3!)
And much, much more

Let’s jump right in.

3 Reasons Whippets Are Easy To Train

1) Intelligent

When it comes to training, how intelligent the breed you’re working with has a big impact on their ability to be trained.

Thankfully, whippets have a slightly above average intelligence which helps them learn and follow commands easier than many other breeds.

A study was done in the 1990s where they looked at the intelligence of 131 different breeds.

They based how intelligent a dog was on how many repetitions it took for the dog to learn a new trick as well as on their ability to obey the first command.

Whippets placed 51st out of the 131 breeds.

So while they aren’t the absolute smartest breed, they’re smarter than many others and only require roughly 25-40 repetitions to understand a new command.

And, they obey the first command 50% of the time or better.

2) Desire To Listen

Because of whippets’ background, they have a desire to listen which makes them easier to train.

Whippets were bred from greyhounds which is why they’re so quick.

They were used to race as well as hunt small rodents.

Both activities require whippets to not only be fast, but learn certain behaviors and follow them when instructed or without needing instruction at all.

Which is common with breeds that were used for hunting or herding when first bred.

They have a strong desire to please their leader and want to listen to their commands to make them happy.

Whippets thrive with structure and training which helps make them easier to train.

3) Calm Yet Energetic

Many whippets have such a funny, almost split, personality.

When indoors, many are these calm, chill dogs but once they get outside and are free to run around, they let loose.

So because they are able to behave more calmly when inside it’s easier to get and hold their attention for training.

It may mean that training outside your home will take a little bit longer.

But, teaching them the basics when inside shouldn’t be as challenging as many other breeds.

3 Reasons Whippets Aren’t Easy To Train

1) Strong Prey Drive

As already mentioned, whippets were commonly used to hunt small rodents when they were first bred.

Which means it was encouraged and rewarded for them to chase down these critters and get rid of them.

So when you’re outside with a whippet trying to train them how to walk nicely on a leash it may be challenging if they spot any critters.

They have a strong, natural instinct to chase after them as soon as they spot one.

2) Need Lots Of Exercise

Whippets need a good amount of exercise each day to ensure they don’t have too much pent up energy.

Because they’re such lean dogs and have a history of racing and hunting, they need at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day.

Without enough daily exercise they will likely have a hard time sitting still and wanting to pay attention to you.

They’ll be more interested in burning off their extra energy which can make training difficult.

3) Need Consistent Training

Without consistent training a whippet may not properly learn who’s the leader in your pack.

As mentioned earlier, whippets thrive with structure.

When they don’t get consistent training they won’t learn their place in your family.

Which may sound bossy, but it’s important for their mental health to know they’re not the alpha.

When a dog isn’t sure who the leader is, they take it upon themselves.

This means feeling uneasy in more situations because they have no leader to look to for guidance, possible aggression and outright disobedience as they get older.

How Long Does It Take To Train Whippets Basic Commands?

While each whippet is different, and the quality of training also plays a big part, training a whippet basic commands doesn’t take terribly long.

The most important thing is to start training them with basic commands as early as possible.

Once your whippet reaches 8 weeks old, this is when you’ll want to start training them consistently.

If you put off training them too long they’ll create bad habits which are much more difficult to train out of your pup rather than starting them on the right path.

Below are several common commands with a rough estimate of how long it may take for your whippet to learn them.

Sit – One, or a few days.

Lie down – A few days.

Stay – A few days.

Shake a paw – One, or a few days.

*Important note: Learning these basic commands while inside your home will be much easier as opposed to when outside with many possible distractions. Learning them indoors can be quick and easy but may take longer when in public.*

Off/down – A few days up to a couple weeks.

No biting – A couple weeks up to a month or two.

Potty training – Two weeks to many months. Consistency here is super important to help them learn where is okay to go to the bathroom and where isn’t.

Crate training – A couple weeks up to a couple months.

Loose leash walking – A couple weeks up to several months. The more diverse situations you’re able to put your whippet in when training them to walk nicely on their leash the better.

Male Or Female Whippets – Which Are Easier To Train?

There are exceptions to all rules, but in general, female whippets will be easier to train than males.

PetMD says this is largely to do with the fact that females mature quicker than males.

The smaller size also helps.

When a whippet matures faster it means they’ll have a longer attention span sooner.

Which means they’ll be better able to focus on you when training them new tricks/behaviors.

If it’s your first time owning a dog, going with a female whippet may give you less difficulty.

However, if you’ve owned dogs in the past and have a better understanding of how to train them you should be completely fine with a male or female whippet.

Top Tips To Help Make Training a Whippet As Easy As Possible

Positive Reinforcement

Using treats and affection is a much better technique for training than abuse.

More and more studies are being done that show how ineffective negative reinforcement is when trying to get a dog to behave how you want.

Instead, giving them lots of praise through love and treats when they successfully follow a command makes them much more interested in listneing when you say the command.

Overtime you can slowly reduce how often you reward them with treats and extra affection when they follow a command.

This helps teach them to always listen because they know sometimes there will be one of their two favorites things to follow.

A tasty treat or some lovin’ from you.

Walk Before You Run

You always want to start with basic commands before moving to more complex ones.

Simple commands like sit, lie down, off, and stay are super important for your pup to know in general but it also teaches them how to learn.

Once they’ve learned how to learn, it will make training more complicated tricks & behaviors easier.

Make Sure They Know You’re The Leader

While this sounds bossy to many people, it’s super important for your whippet to understand the dynamic of your family.

This doesn’t mean being their ‘boss’ or ‘alpha’ which some people take as being aggressive.

It means showing them you’re the leader of this family and giving them someone to rely on when they feel uneasy.

If your whippet isn’t sure whether they’re the leader or you are, many undesired behaviors can come from this.

Making it known that you’re the leader means being calm but firm with your training and commands.

Ignore Bad Behavior

One of the more difficult things to do when training a whippet is ignoring bad behavior.

Many times people give a big reaction when their pup does something wrong.

Whether it’s rushing over to them to get them to stop or yelling their name and starting to tell them that what they’re doing is bad.

Unfortunately, when you respond in this way you’re indirectly showing them that misbehaving gets them your attention.

Which is why it’s best to make it look like what they’re doing isn’t a big deal. Simply remove them from the situation and calmly yet firmly say ‘no’ and move on.

Then when they’re randomly behaving the way you want them to, shower them with love and affection.

This helps show them bad behavior doesn’t get them what they want (your attention).

Desensitize Certain Areas

Certain areas on your whippet are more sensitive than others.

Which means as they get older, if they aren’t used to people touching these areas, they might react aggressively when they’re touched.

Areas like their paws, tail, ears, underarms, etc.

Of course you want to be gentle when touching these areas. But, it’s important to touch them often when they’re a young pup to get them used to it.

Then in the future when these areas need to be looked at by either you or a vet, they’re much more comfortable with the inspection.

Lots Of Socializing

Socializing is possibly the most important thing to do when your whippet is a puppy.

Giving them many experiences with new dogs, people and places helps make sure they know how to behave in unfamiliar situations.

Without socialization many bad behaviors can show up like excessive aggression or overprotectiveness.

Get Them Used To a Crate

Getting your whippet used to a crate is a great idea when training.

Not only can it become a safe place for them to go to if they’re feeling scared or anxious.

It also prepares them if anything bad were to happen and they needed to stay at a vet clinic.

If they were to stay at a vet clinic they would have to be put in a crate.

And if they aren’t used to being crated it can make an already stressful situation even worse for them.

3 Biggest Mistakes When Training a Whippet

1) Using Force When It Isn’t Working

It’s easy to get frustrated when trying to train your whippet to do something and they’re outright refusing.

While it might feel like using force is the only way to get them to listen, it creates a bad relationship dynamic.

When you use positive reinforcement it creates an obedient doggo that listens because they respect you.

Not because they’re afraid of you.

Eventually fear tactics wear off where respect only grows stronger.

2) Not Enough Socializing

Lack of socialization can be one of a whippet owner’s biggest mistakes when it comes to training.

If your pup learns that they’re the only one who should get your attention and no other people/animals exist, being around other people and dogs will always be hard.

Your whippet won’t be able to settle, they may become overly clingy during these times or they may even become aggressive.

Socializing a whippet when they’re 2-12 months with many different situations, dogs and people makes sure they’re well behaved no matter their environment.

3) Accidentally Rewarding Wrong Behavior

Unintentionally training bad behavior is another one of the most common things whippet owners accidentally do.

It’s difficult to understand that a pup isn’t too concerned about positive or negative attention.

That they only really care about the fact that they now have your attention.

Which means reacting in a big way whenever they do something bad instead of correcting their behavior is a surefire way to accidentally reward the behavior.

Always remember to give no reaction/response to bad behavior and overly praise whenever they do something good.

Other posts you might find interesting:

Do Whippets Smell? The Truth + Common Reasons They Do

Can Whippets Swim? 7 Facts, 5 Dangers, & 4 Helpful Tips

Can Whippets Live & Sleep Outside? 6 Dangers + 5 Tips

Sources:

Whippet

Stanley Coren’s dog intelligence ranking