• The first few nights (will be Hell—you might as well expect it)

• Crate training (providing your puppy with a life-long secure retreat)

• Feeding (the little critter needs lots of small meals at first)

• Inoculations (and other ways to minimize health risks during the first four months)

• Socializing (to other dogs and to people)

• Bite inhibition (nip it in the bud!)

• Obedience training (soon, or you’ll regret it!)

• Chewing (what’s his is his and what’s yours isn’t!)

• Exercise (Whippets are natural couch potatoes, but they do need to unwind)

• Maintenance (dog ears and toenails and teeth, oh my!)

• Dog shows (or, showing off your dog)

• Books and magazines about Whippets

The first few nights (will be Hell—you might as well expect it)

During the day when you are awake and cuddling him in your arms, you are the warm puppy pile. But when he wakes up in the middle of the night he is probably just a little lonesome for his former surroundings, and he probably also needs to pee. Therefore, he will probably cry. This is normal. Unlike puppies, adult dogs do not normally sleep in a heap, and they learn to be independent and self-sufficient while growing up.

What should you do when future Champion Tivio’s Mr. Wonderful Whippet cries in the night? First, you should remember that a 7- or 8-week-old puppy must sleep in a warm place and does not have the bladder control of an adult; he can only hold himself for two or three hours. Second, dogs have an instinct to not poop or pee where they live (which in this case means their bed). Therefore, if your new puppy wakes up in the night and screams and it has been two or three hours since he last relieved himself, you should drag yourself out of bed and take the little tyke out for a whiz. After he has finished, you should return him to his bed and go back to yours. [For convenience, you may want to locate his sleeping quarters near your bed.] If he cries, harden your heart, stop up your ears, and let him cry. After 30 minutes or so, he will probably cry himself to sleep. Some puppies have a lot of stamina and will cry for hours, and some Whippets are really clever and perfect a heart-wrenching technique known as the ‘controlled sob’, which is almost guaranteed to get them the attention they want. Of course, after another two or three hours, Mr. Wonderful has earned the right to go outside for another piddle.

At this age, puppies grow and mature really fast, and their bladder control matures along with everything else. What was said in the previous paragraph about a 7- or 8-week-old puppy doesn’t apply to an 11- or 12-week old puppy. By that time, they should be able to sleep through the night ... well, for at least six or seven hours, without having to go outside for a tinkle. If you have been consistent during the first week or so, you should find that your nights are again yours for uninterrupted slumber. In fact, because Whippets are basically couch potatoes, many people find that they soon reach the stage where they are difficult to rouse in the morning.

Of course, if you intend to give Mr. Wonderful bed privileges, you will not have any trouble at all surviving pack separation anxiety; just plop him down next to your pillow the first night and he will be happy as a clam. Don’t forget that he will still need to get up and go out for a pee during the night for a week or so. In fact, the real problem here is only with owners who are such sound sleepers that they aren’t aware that Mr. Wonderful has awakened at 3 am and is staggering around the bed looking for the most distant spot from the pillow.

Crate training (providing your puppy with a life-long secure retreat)

Vari-Kennels can be bought at most pet supply stores, from vendors at dog shows, and from mail order houses that specialize in pet supplies. They come in several sizes, designated as 200, 300, 400, 500, etc. An adult Whippet will need either the 300 (for bitches and most dogs) or 400 size (for larger dogs). There is an even larger Vari-Kennel (700), which might be appropriate for a large Great Dane or perhaps a Shetland pony, but there are good reasons not to provide Mr. Wonderful with one of these King-Kong-Krates. For one thing, you will eventually want to take Mr. Wonderful on a trip and it is really convenient if his crate can go too. The problem is that it is difficult to get the Shetland-pony-size Vari-Kennel into most vehicles, so you lose out on one of the really neat features of crate training. Also, remember that the crate is a place for Mr. Wonderful to curl up for a nap, not a place to play fetch. Finally, we recommend that you put Mr. Wonderful’s crate in your bedroom, at least for the first few months, and a 400 Vari-Kennel just makes a better nightstand than a King-Kong-Krate.

The crate should be equipped with a ‘crate mat’ - something soft and comfy for Mr. Wonderful to curl up on. Most pet supply stores sell various kinds of crate mats made to fit Vari-Kennels and other crates of various sizes. We recommend against mats that are covered foam rubber. Whippets seem to really get off on shredding foam rubber and will rip through the toughest cover to get to the heart of the matter. The first thing you know, your nice new $50 foam-rubber crate mat has been reduced to rubble. [Although this is a diversion, you also want to avoid doggy beds that are filled with polystyrene beads. There is no sight quite so spectacular as a whole house full of these pesky little white beads, each magnetized with static electricity, after Mr. Wonderful has ripped up the outer cover.] Actually, you can make a perfectly serviceable crate mat by folding up a couple of old blankets so that they fit the dimensions of the crate.

The crate serves several useful functions. First, if Mr. Wonderful gets used to sleeping in it from the time he is a little puppy, it will become his warm, comfortable retreat for the rest of his life. When he has grown up, you will occasionally find that he has curled up in his open crate for a nap, or just to get away from the noise and hubbub of the house. The value of crate training is really apparent on those occasions when you have guests who are uncomfortable with dogs (just put Mr. Wonderful in his crate for a few hours) and when you travel (Mr. Wonderful is never away from home, because his crate goes everywhere he does).

Some people have an instinctive prejudice against crates, because they equate them with cages and feel that putting a dog in a crate is like putting an animal in a zoo. What you should remember is that a Whippet (especially a young one) is going to sleep quite a bit of the time anyway, so why not have him sleep in a warm and familiar place like his very own crate.

But the really great thing about a crate is that you can use it to potty train your new puppy. Here is how you do it. As we have already explained, dogs have an instinct to not foul their living quarters. So when Mr. Wonderful Whippet wakes up from his nap in his crate and needs to go potty, what do you think he will do? You got it—he will yell to get your attention. What he is telling you is that he wants to get out so that he can go do his stuff. At this point you should take him to wherever it is that you are training him to poop and piddle and stand around with him until he does it. Then you praise him extravagantly and take him back in the house. He can stay out in the room with you as long as you are able to supervise him and keep a close eye on him. As soon as you are not able to give MWW your undivided attention, put him back in his crate. Since he is probably exhausted from all the playtime he has just had, he will probably curl up for another nap. When he wakes up again, repeat the whole process.

What you are doing is using the crate to confine the little tyke so that he doesn’t wake up from his nap and take a whiz on your Persian rug while you are on the phone or in the shower, or otherwise distracted. Since he doesn’t want to piddle on his own Persian rug (his crate mat), he lets you know when he is ready to do his stuff. Then you get to give him all the right positive reinforcement for doing it where you want him to do it. Voila! In no time at all you have a house-broken puppy.

As MWW gets the idea that the backyard is the place to do his elimination routine, you will find that he won’t have to be confined to his crate at all. In fact, he will soon go to the door and tell you in some doggy way that he needs to heed the call of Nature. But you must be vigilant! Learn his body language. Some puppies will whine or scratch at the door. Some will just pace around looking uncomfortable. The point is, if you don’t get the message, pretty soon MWW is going to make his deposit(s) on the floor by the door. Every time you let this happen you have suffered a setback in your house-breaking campaign, because MWW has learned that ‘in the house’ is an acceptable place to do his nasty stuff. Therefore, even after he has become pretty trustworthy about where he does his business, it is still a good idea to plop the puppy in his crate when you are going to be too busy to pay attention to him. Whereas he might just make a puddle on the floor by the front door (after all, it is a long way from his bed or his rug by the fireplace), he is really going to yell if he is actually in his bed. And you will hear him (I guarantee you, you will hear him) and you can excuse yourself from your phone conversation long enough to take MWW out for his constitutional.

Of course, if MWW is not going to be a sleep-in-the-bed kind of dog, the crate is where he will sleep at night. This is especially important, as you really do want him to tell you that he needs to go out and piddle at 3 am when you are soundly asleep. If he is sleeping on a mat on the floor by your bed, he will just get up and wander around until he thinks he is far enough away from ‘home’ and do his stuff in some distant corner of your bedroom.

All-in-all, effective crate training is probably the single most important thing that you can do to assure that you and MWW get off to a good start and have a harmonious life together.

Feeding (the little critter needs lots of small meals at first)

Feed MWW as much as he wants to eat at each feeding. For an eight-week old puppy, this will probably be about ¼ to ½ cup of kibble in each meal. If he wolfs it all down, licks the bowl clean, and searches all around the kitchen for more, give him another portion. Pretty soon you will have him calibrated. If he doesn’t eat all you give him after 15 or 20 minutes, pick up his bowl. Do not leave food out for your puppy all day. ‘Free-feeding’ can lead to all sorts of problems, including Oprah Winfrey-shaped Whippets and generally picky eaters. It also causes problems later when you want to travel with your pet. When it is time to eat dinner in Peoria, you want MWW to eat dinner now, not dally around for a few hours until he thinks the time is right. If the little critter doesn’t eat anything in 15 minutes, don’t worry about turning him into a Somalian-dog. He will probably be just that much hungrier at the next feeding time. Besides, we have provided him with lots of puppy fat ... he could probably get along without any chow for quite a few days. Eventually, when he is hungry enough, he will eat.

As he grows, your puppy will need more fuel. A four-month-old Whippet puppy will probably eat about 3-4 cups of kibble every day, and he might peak out at 5 cups per day. Although most of us like the idea of a rapidly-growing, roly-poly puppy, you want to be careful about over-loading. There really can be too much of a good thing. Too-rapid bone growth can actually cause problems, as can too much fat. For this reason, pay careful attention to MWW’s physique. If you can see ribs standing out on his side, MWW is not getting enough chow. If you see a little dimple about the diameter of a marble or golf ball just above the base of the tail, between the rear hip bones, MWW is probably getting too chubby.

The food that we use for starters, Purina Pro-Plan Chicken & Rice Puppy Food, is high in protein and high in fat - it is a rich food. We use Purina Pro-Plan Chicken & Rice Adult or Performance for our adult Whippets. We chose this because the dogs like it and because it is very easily digested (less problems with flatulence and less debris in the backyard - two really practical reasons). In addition to the kibble, we add a tablespoon or two of canned food or fresh meat just to spice things up a bit. We begin to feed our adults once daily beginning with their first birthday. This will more closely mimic the traditional hunt-kill-gorge pattern that their ancestors followed in the wild. An adult Whippet who has finished growing will eat about 2 cups of Pro-Plan daily, depending on activity level. There are many good foods out there these days. However, many foods on the market are made with "low fat" ingredients, since the majority of companion pets are over weight. These are not good choices for your whippet. Remember whippets are typically lean and harder to keep weight on then, having the need for taking weight off. Here are some other dry kibble foods I know other whippet breeders and owners have good success with: Innova, Natural Balance, Eukanuba, Blue Buffalo and Nature's Variety. There are probably some others, but I know these work well and have seen dogs do well on this food for years.

If your puppy does develop a weight problem, it is much easier to solve than your own. This is because MWW’s diet is totally under your control. Let’s say MWW is eating about 2 cups of dry food and two tablespoons of canned food every day and you decide that he needs to lose two or three pounds. What you do is cut out the canned food (which is just for fun anyway) and reduce the kibble to 1½ cups a day. Of course, all Whippets think they are perpetually underfed, and MWW won’t like the empty feeling in his stomach one bit. So you make up the missing bulk with something bulky but non-caloric, like green beans or canned pumpkin.

Inoculations (and other ways to minimize health risks)

It is not unusual for a puppy (or even an adult) to have a ‘shot reaction’, which usually appears as a lump under the skin where the shot was given. This bump usually appears within a few days of the vaccination, but it can appear up to two weeks later. It normally lasts a day or two and then subsides. If such a bump appears and persists for a week, consult your vet.

Puppies are particularly vulnerable to parvovirus, which can be fatal. It is important to keep your puppy away from unknown dogs until he has completed his full regimen of inoculations. However, parvo is transmitted in the feces so you must also be careful about taking your puppy for walks where infected dogs may have walked and defecated. Finally, there is some evidence that parvo has been carried by flies from one fecal pile to another, so you shouldn’t let MWW’s poop accumulate in the backyard - he could catch parvo from his own excrement.

If vaccination is so important, why do we wait until the pup is six weeks old to start? The answer has to do with an interesting natural protective mechanism. A new-born puppy has no natural antibodies. However, during the first 24-48 hours the milk of the nursing bitch contains colostrum, a material that provides the pups with immunity to various infective agents. We can’t vaccinate a very young puppy because the antibodies obtained from the mother would just neutralize the vaccine. Therefore, we must wait until some of the colostrum-induced protection wears off. Full development of the immune system takes several months, so there is a ‘window’ during which the level of the mother’s antibodies have declined significantly, and the pup is just beginning to be capable of making his own antibodies in response to a vaccine. This time is at about six or seven weeks of age. However, just as this is the optimum time for vaccination, it is also the time that the pup is most susceptible to infection. It is crucial to be vigilant about exposure of the pup during this vulnerable period. Also, don’t be deluded into thinking that just because the pup has had one or two vaccinations, it is safe. It takes time to build up the antibody titer, and MWW won’t have maximum protection until the whole vaccination course has been finished.

Socializing (to other dogs and to people)

However, don’t forget that MWW needs to avoid contact with unknown (unvaccinated)dogs as much as possible until he finishes his vaccination regimen. Therefore, between the time he goes home with you (about eight weeks) and the time he finishes his DA2PL-P series (about 16 weeks), MWW should have only limited interaction with others. After that, he should have plenty of buddies with whom to play doggy games.

Off-leash dog parks are dandy places for puppy socialization. Unfortunately, they are few and far between. Remember that when you use an off-leash dog park to exercise your puppy, you should be a good citizen about picking up his poop. This is generally a good idea for all public situations (keep yourself stocked with an ample supply of plastic bags for this purpose). Also remember to keep MWW under control. Although it is normal for puppies to rough-house, it is still your responsibility to be the ‘alpha’ dog and to let him know when he is out of line. We don’t want to give Whippets a bad name by letting our little honey be a bully.

Puppies also need to learn how to interact with people. Remember that the little tyke was born into the world being submissive to all adult dogs. As he grows larger and stronger, he will eventually test his rank in the pack against the adult dogs. These tests of dominance might lead to a change in pack rank. More likely, the adult will put MWW in his place and he will remain submissive to the adults. Eventually, when he is fully mature, he will probably become strong enough to establish dominance over one or more of the adults in his pack, and the order will change.

Now it is very important for you to realize that to MWW you are just another adult dog in his pack. As he grows up, he will test your strength and resolve to keep him in his subservient position in the pack. If you want to have a manageable Whippet, your job is to maintain your position as ‘alpha dog’ in your local pack. The way to do this is to maintain firm control from the start, because if you give your 35-pound Whippet the upper hand, it is the Devil’s own job to convince him to return to his ‘beta’ position in your local pack. This is why obedience classes are so important.

You can continually remind MWW that you are boss in a lot of very simple little ways. For example, we know of a house where the dogs are not allowed to eat until they are given permission. They usually have three adult dogs in the house, and sometimes four or five. They have taught them that at meal time they are to sit on the kitchen floor and wait for their food bowl to be placed in front of them. When all of the dogs are seated, with bowl to the fore, one of them stands for 5-15 seconds and just lets them realize that they can’t have it until they are given permission. When they say the word ‘chow’ they are allowed to eat (and usually manage to finish dinner in another 5-15 seconds). Sometimes they have ‘spelling tests’, by giving incorrect commands (e.g., chair, plow, chop, now, ...). If one of the dogs goes for the bowl on one of these incorrect words, they make them sit back down and wait a little longer before giving the correct command. This little trick is very easy to teach. The reason it works so well is that they do it twice a day, and dogs learn best by repetition, and they quickly learn that they always get their reward eventually.

The ‘chow’ routine is enormously impressive to guests. More importantly, it serves as a constant reminder to the dogs that who is ‘alpha’. There are a number of other everyday situations that can be turned into opportunities to remind MWW that you are boss of your local pack. For example, when you take him out for a walk, he is probably eager to get out the door. Take advantage of this eagerness and let getting out the door become a reward - to earn it he has to sit inside the door while you walk out and then continue to sit for a few seconds until you give him permission to follow you, using some appropriate command like ‘walk’ or ‘outside’.

You can further reinforce the proper pack order by locating MWW’s crate on the floor in your bedroom. In real dog packs, the alpha dog always gets the prime sleeping place in the den, which is the highest spot. MWW will instinctively recognize your family as a pack if you sleep in the same den, and he will respect your alpha role in the pack if you sleep up on the bed while he is relegated to a lower, not so prime spot.

There is one final point about socializing your dog to people. Most Whippets are very people-oriented and will freely approach strangers. You must remember that there are people in the world who don’t like dogs, or are afraid of dogs. So when rambunctious, 6-month-old, 25-pound Tivio’s Mr. Wonderful Whippet bounds across the room to greet a new person, the experience might be quite frightening for the recipient of MWW’s enthusiasm. Remember, not everyone knows that a furiously wagging tail and a crouch with front legs splayed out mean ‘be my friend - let’s play.’ Some people might just interpret this behavior as ‘how dare you come into my space; now you’re going to get what’s coming to you.’ The bottom line is that it would be better for all of us if we taught our Whippets as pups that they are only to approach a person if they are invited to do so. FYI -The authors are probably the very worst offenders - our dogs suffer from EGD (excessive greeting disorder). We plead guilty to letting our Whippets become entirely too familiar with strangers. But, do as we say, not as we do!!!

Bite inhibition (nip it in the bud!)

Puppies are also educated to inhibit their instinctive biting urge by their mother. When a puppy bites down too hard on her teat or ear, her reaction is to place her mouth over the puppy’s head or muzzle and apply gentle pressure. The message here is the same as is given by the fellow puppy: "Hey, don’t you bite so hard!" Actually, mom dog uses this little routine often to discipline her pups. It actually means something like, "Don’t you forget who is boss here!"

Now, when you play with MWW, he will behave pretty much the same way as he does in playing with his mom or puppy fellows. He will chew on your pant leg, tug at your shoelaces (they really like shoelaces), and bite on your hand. As long as he nibbles gently on your fingers, that is ok - after all, you do want him to be willing to have you or the vet (or a dog show judge) open his mouth to look at his pearly whites. However, you will have to let him know what is ok and what is too hard. The most direct way to do this is to tell him in language he understands. Do it like the other pups do - by letting out a piercing shriek and pulling your hand quickly away. Then offer your hand back. If he licks it or mouths it gently, give him a big, gushy "goooood boy." If he bites too hard again, repeat the yelp, then growl and pull your hand away. If MWW still bites too hard after three of these admonitions, more drastic action is required. At this point, you can act like mom dog and place your mouth over his little muzzle and give him the "Don’t you forget who is boss here" message. However, most people find that this behavior makes them feel just a little foolish. A more polished way to handle the situation is to get up, growl and walk away. What you are doing by this gesture is telling MWW "If you’re going to bite me too hard even when I tell you it hurts, then you can just play by yourself" Then let him stew in his loneliness for awhile (it won’t be long, since the attention span of a puppy is about thirty seconds).

Obedience training (soon, or you’ll regret it!)

Puppy class isn’t actually for the puppy; it is for you. You will be taught a series of exercises for your puppy, and it is your responsibility to see that MWW is put through his paces every day for the two months of the course. Usually, you and MWW will learn a few basic commands, including ‘sit’, ‘down’, ‘stay’, and ‘come’. Sometimes you will be shown how to teach MWW a few ‘fun’ commands, such as ‘roll over’, ‘bang, you’re dead,’ and ‘shake hands.’ Puppy class is a good starting point, partly because it brings your puppy into regular contact with other young dogs (and therefore contributes to his socialization), and partly because these are really basic commands that he needs to know.

But puppy class is just a beginning. We recommend that you enroll your puppy in a normal obedience class as soon as you finish puppy class, when he is about six months of age. In any event, you should do this before MWW is nine months old. It is essential that you get firm control of MWW while he is still young and relatively pliable. Before you know it, MWW will be strong enough to literally drag you down the street if he takes a mind to. Just as there are many puppy classes, there are also lots of regular dog obedience classes. Again, they are offered through community centers, pet supply stores, and by local dog clubs. Enough said.

Chewing (what’s his is his and what’s yours isn’t!)

When the permanent teeth begin to erupt, the puppy needs to chew. If you aren’t careful, he can chew you out of house and home. You should anticipate this period by beginning immediately to teach MWW what he can and cannot chew. Observe a few simple rules.

• Do not give him old shoes or other such household items as chew toys. [How do you expect the little critter to tell the difference between your old worn-out Reeboks and your new $600 Gucci loafers?]
• Do give him some acceptable chew toys. His chew toys should not look a lot like other items found in your home that are on the non-chewable list. For example, if there are children in your home, it might be hard for little three-month-old MWW to distinguish a plastic chew toy from a quite similar child’s toy. [A compressed rawhide bone is usually a safe chew toy for a puppy, since most children don’t have one.]
• Do not give him too many toys at one time. Remember, MWW doesn’t have much gray matter on board at two or three months of age, and you want him to learn to distinguish between what is his (chewable) and yours (not chewable). If you litter the house with his stuff, he will have a hard time deciding which few things are yours. Better that he have a few chew toys at first. Once you are sure that he has them well identified, you can add some more.
• When you catch MWW chewing one of your possessions, take it away, give him a firm ‘no’ and replace it with one of his toys. When he takes it into his mouth, give him a lot of positive reinforcement (‘goooood boy’).
• Never go away and leave MWW alone in a room where he is likely to get into trouble. If you go out for dinner and come back to find your brief case, two pairs of shoes, and the coffee table reduced to items for the junk hauler, what do you do? You certainly can’t punish the poor little critter because by then he will have completely forgotten what he did. All you have accomplished is to give MWW a lot of practice in chewing up things that belong to you, and since you weren’t there to correct him, he naturally assumes it was ok.

Most dogs will get through the chewing routine by the time they are 12-18 months old. Although we had our share of disasters in the past, we are now able to give our adult Whippets the complete run of our house while we are at work(four hours morning and afternoon).

Exercise (Whippets are couch potatoes, but they need to unwind)

As your dog ages, you will find that he doesn’t require vigorous exercise quite as frequently. In fact, the favorite activity of all adult Whippets is lounging on the sofa or bed watching television. However, for brief periods every day they still like to have the opportunity to race around and kick up their heels like deer. Our three adults spend most of every day curled up on something soft. However, there is a time every afternoon, usually when the sun sinks low and the day begins to cool, when they become banshees.

We road-work the dogs that are regularly showing. Since we are not joggers, we do the road work with a bicycle (the dog runs, of course). We go out early in the morning or early in the evening. We start a dog out with short runs for the first few weeks, then gradually extend the distance to a mile or two, which takes 15 minutes. We try to give each dog two or three such workouts each week. It is important to work the dog on a loose lead, and bike at such a speed that the dog trots. Don’t encourage him to break into a full-out run, and don’t let him pull you and the bike. Wear a helmet and keep a firm grip on the lead in case MWW sees a squirrel or cat! If you use the city streets for your bicycle road work, be careful to slow down and look both ways at every intersection, even if it is 6 am!

Caution! Neither jogging nor serious roadwork should be started until the dog is at least 12 months old, because activity of this sort can cause problems for developing bones (we do bike our young dogs up and down the street in front of the house just enough so that they learn to reach and drive at a trot).

Other Whippet owners enjoy jogging, in-line skating, or hiking with their dogs. Again, you shouldn’t jog with a puppy. Even long hikes are not a good idea. A dog’s bones continue to fill out until he is about twelve to eighteen months old, and you don’t want to put undue stress on them too soon. Finally, if you jog or hike in the woods, and you let your dog accompany you off leash, be sure you have taught him a strong voice recall. Whippets are hounds and have an instinct to chase small animals. If MWW sees a rabbit or squirrel, he is likely to chase it far enough and fast enough to actually get lost.

Maintenance (dog ears and toenails and teeth, oh my!)

The second item of maintenance is toe nails. If MWW plays outdoors and is on gravel or a cement patio quite a lot, his nails may stay pretty much under control. However, most Whippets need regular nail trims. For a little puppy this is best done with sharp nail clippers, which can be purchased from pet supply stores, through the pet supply catalogs, or at dog shows. The nail clippers come in several sizes, and what is appropriate for a three-month old pup will not be large enough for an adult dog. Get in the habit of taking a small snip (1 millimeter) off of each nail weekly, and reward MWW with little treats after every few toes. In this way, he will grow up with nail-jobs being a normal part of life. However, he will never really like it - when our older dogs see the nail clippers and the bag of treats, they usually remembers all of a sudden that they have business way out in the back yard behind one of the shrubs.

A better way to do adult nails is with an electric grinder (we use a Dremel Tool). The grinder is much faster and you can use it to round off the nails so you aren’t left with sharp edges. It is also more difficult to ‘quick’ a nail with a grinder. However, if you are going to use a grinder, start at a fairly young age - four to six months, and start gently. Most dogs aren’t fond of the buzzing sound. Just take off a little the first few times and give frequent ‘bravery rewards’, and he will soon get used to it. We have found our dogs prefer the grinder to the nail clipper. I assume it doesn't hurt as much??

A dog nail consists of a living inner part called the ‘quick’ and a dead outer part. The thickness of the dead outer layer is on the order of 2-3 millimeters (only about 1/10 of an inch) on an adult nail. In trimming nails, you want to cut or grind away the dead outer part of the nail without cutting into the quick. If you get into the quick, MWW will yell (because it hurts!) and he will bleed like a stuck pig. If you happen to quick a nail, don’t panic - it isn’t uncommon for a dog to do it to himself by playing too hard on gravel or concrete surfaces. However, you should have on hand a supply of Kwik-Stop, which is a powder that you dab on the end of the nail to stop the bleeding.

As with most any dog, MWW’s ears will need to be cleaned occasionally. The problem is that wax builds up and this can lead to infections. There are various products that can be used for regular ear cleaning. Ask your vet for a recommendation, establish a regular schedule of cleaning, and you shouldn’t have any trouble.

The final item of regular maintenance with any dog is teeth. Buy a doggy toothbrush and toothpaste and get in the habit of polishing MWW’s chompers weekly. This little routine (which they generally love) will minimize the risk of periodontal disease and also helps in socialization. However, even if you are really responsible about brushing, you may need to scrape off the tartar every few months or so. This is another activity most Whippets don’t really groove on, but if you are regular about it, they will get used to the routine. The primary cause of doggy halitosis is tartar buildup, usually on the molars. Since most Whippets like to show their affection by giving you big licks on the face, it is in your best interest to keep their teeth clean.

Dog shows (or, showing off your dog)

Here is how a conformation show works. The object of every show is to select the ‘best’ dog entered, who receives the award Best in Show. This selection is done by a process of elimination, something like the NCAA basketball tournament. First, all of the dogs entered in the show compete within their breed (Whippets against other Whippets, Poodles against other Poodles, etc.). Within each breed, there are two basic kinds of entries - those animals who are working on their ‘championship’ and those who have already obtained the title of Champion. The dogs and bitches who are not yet champions first compete in the ‘classes’, dogs against dogs and bitches against bitches. You may enter one of the following classes (there is one of each of these classes for dogs and for bitches):

6-9 Month Puppy

9-12 Month Puppy

12-18 Month Junior

Novice (This is for animals who haven’t previously won a blue ribbon; this class is almost never used.)

Bred by Exhibitor (The animal must be shown in the ring by the breeder, who must also be an owner or co-owner. Members of the immediate family of the breeder are also allowed to handle the dog in this class.)

American Bred (This class is a throw-back to a much earlier time when many purebred dogs were imported; the class is not used very often.)

Open (Any dog or bitch may be entered in this class, even puppies and Champions. However, it virtually never happens that a Champion is entered in this class.)

At a normal show, there will be entries in two to four classes, with most of the entries being in the Open class. The Bred-by-Exhibitor class usually has only a few entries, but it is not uncommon for the eventual winner to come from this class, as breeders are showing their best stock - the dog or bitch that they liked enough to keep. The order of judging is dogs first, with the classes being judged in the foregoing order.

During the class judging, the entries in each class are evaluated and ranked by the judge. The judge will examine each dog and have you trot him back and forth across the ring, and then around the ring. Ribbons are then awarded for first (blue), second (red), third (yellow), and fourth (white). The winner of the blue ribbon gets to advance to the next level of competition; the other entrants are through for the day.

When each of the dog classes has been ranked, the winners of each class are called back into the ring so that the judge can select the ‘Winners Dog.’ Since the judge has already ‘gone over’ the dogs in awarding class ribbons, the detailed examination is usually not repeated. However, you will probably be asked to put MWW through his paces by trotting across and back and around the ring. The judge will then select one dog for the purple ribbon that denotes ‘Winners Dog’ for the day. This is the first really important ribbon, because with it MWW also earns some points toward his championship (more on this later). After awarding the Winners Dog purple ribbon, the other blue ribbon winners remain in the ring and the dog that was second to Winners Dog in his class goes back in the ring to be judged for the Reserve (blue and white) ribbon. That is, suppose that the judge picked the winner of the Open Dog class for Winners Dog. The blue-ribbon winners for the other classes would stay in the ring and the dog who got the second place (red) ribbon in Open Dogs would join them. The judge will then decide which dog he likes ‘second best’ of all the class dogs for that day and give that dog the Reserve ribbon. This award is like a ‘consolation prize’; it carries no championship points.

After judging of the dogs has been completed, the whole routine is completed with the bitches and the judge selects ‘Winners Bitch’ and awards a Reserve ribbon. Again, Winners Bitch also earns points toward her championship.

The number of points awarded in a given show is related to how many entries there are. The point schedule is established by the American Kennel Club and is related to the popularity of a breed in given parts of the country. The schedule is updated annually on the basis of entry statistics for the foregoing year. For example, the 1997 point schedule for Whippets in Division 8 (Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming) is as follows"

This means that if there were only two class dogs entered in a given show, MWW and some other nice fellow, that the one selected as ‘Winners Dog’ gets 1 point toward his AKC championship. To earn two points, MWW must beat 5 other dogs, and to earn three points, he must beat 10 other dogs, etc. When the entry is large enough that the winner gets 3 or more points, that show is called a ‘major’. To become an American Kennel Club ‘Champion’, a dog must earn a total of 15 points, with at least six of these points being majors. The two majors must be under different judges, and at least one additional point must be awarded by a third judge.

Now, back to the show. After the judge has completed the class judging and selected the Winners Dog and Winners Bitch for the day, the judging for Best of Breed is conducted. All dogs and bitches who have already earned the title Champion are eligible for this competition. They are joined by the Winners Dog and Winners Bitch for the day. The judge eventually makes three awards to this group. First, he or she decides which one dog and one bitch who most nearly epitomize the breed standard. One of these two entries is then named Best of Breed and the other is given the award Best of Opposite Sex. In addition, the judge selects either the Winners Dog or the Winners Bitch for the award Best of Winners. It is possible for two of the three awards to go to the same animal. For example, the judge might think that his Winners Dog is also the very best specimen of the breed and give him both the Best of Breed and Best of Winners ribbons.

Being chosen Best of Winners can have important consequences with regard to championship points, because Best of Winners gets as many championship points as the dog or bitch who is defeated in this round. For example, suppose there were four class dogs and 14 class bitches. Winners Dog gets one championship point and Winners Bitch gets three championship points - a major! Now, if the dog is selected for Best of Winners, he also gets three points and is credited with one of his required majors.

The dog or bitch chosen as Best of Breed for the day gets to go on to the next round of competition - the Group judging. The 170-odd AKC-recognized breeds are organized into seven variety groups:

After all of the breed competition is complete, the Best of Breed winners compete for awards in these seven groups. Each group judge awards first-, second-, third-, and fourth-place rosettes. Finally, the seven Group winners compete for the Best in Show award.

How do you know when and where the dog shows are being held and how do you enter? Online is the best place for information. You can access these sites for show information:

Infodog.com

akc.org

Or Google/search any of the Superintendents listed below.

If you subscribe to Purebred Dogs /American Kennel Gazette, you will also receive Events, the supplement that lists upcoming shows (more on this magazine in the next section). Also, once you have entered a few shows, you will get on the mailing lists of the Show Superintendents, who organize the details of various shows.

Shows are run by various local clubs. Entries are accepted and other details organized by Show Superintendents. There are a number of these, including:

Jack Bradshaw, Superintendent; P.O. Box 7303; Los Angeles, CA 90022

BaRay, Supt.

Jack Onofrio, Superintendent; P.O. Box 25764; Oklahoma City, OK 73125

Info Dog, MB-F Supt.

The first step in entering a conformation show is to obtain the ‘premium list’ for the show. You get this from the Superintendent by writing to ask for it. After you have entered a show, you will be on the Superintendent’s mailing list, and will get premium lists automatically. However, superintendents do purge their mailing lists periodically and remove the names of exhibitors who have not entered for some time. The premium list gives all the details about when and where the show will be held, which breeds are judged indoors and which are judged outdoors, and includes a complete list of judges with their assignments. It also contains two entry forms for the show, which specify the entry fee for various classes. Some Superintendents offer reduced entry fees for Puppy classes and also for the Bred by Exhibitor Class. Each show has a ‘closing date’, which will be published on the premium list (and in Events). Entries must be received by the Superintendent by the closing date (usually noon on Wednesday about two-and-one-half weeks before the date of the show. If your entry gets there late, it will be returned to you and you are just out in the cold for that show. For an additional fee, you can send entries by FAX or even by telephone, right up to the closing date (and hour).

After you enter a show you will receive a ‘judging program’. This will be mailed to you so that it arrives about one week before the date of the show. The judging program tells you what time of day and in which ring your competition will be held. It also tells you how many entries there are, for example:

Ring No 3 - Judge Mr. Raymond McGinnis, Jr.; 1200 Scenic View Street, Upland, CA 91786

11: 15 AM - 18 Whippet 4-9-(4-1)

This means that Mr. McGinnis will judge Whippets starting at 11:15 am in ring 3. There are a total of 18 entries, four class dogs, nine class bitches, four Champion dogs, and one Champion bitch.

How do you learn how to present your dog to the judge? One way is by visiting dog shows and observing how others do it. Also, there are lots of handling conformation classes available for novice exhibitors (and even experienced ones). These are usually held in the evening, often at a Community Center. Friends and acquaintances can direct you to their favorite handling class. Don’t forget that handling class is not only for you - MWW also needs to be shown how to behave in the ring and must learn what is expected of him. Actually, it isn’t much. He will need to learn to ‘hold a stack’ for a minute or two (this means keep his feet where you put him and to stand there looking alert, proud, and handsome while the judge looks him over. He will also need to be taught to let a stranger approach, examine his teeth, feel his bones and muscles and (for boy dogs, handle his privates to be sure everything that is supposed to be there really is there). Finally, he needs to know how to run across the ring and around the ring (majestically, we assume). That’s really about it. Of course, it doesn’t come naturally, and some training and lots of practice will be necessary before MWW will be routinely bringing home the purple ribbons. However, it really isn’t difficult and thousands of dogs learn how to do it every year.

Finally, you want to remember that dog shows are fun and, for most of us, an opportunity to show off our pets and socialize with other Whippetfolk. Each person can compete at their own level and derive pleasure from seeing their dog strut his stuff. It is possible to derive a great deal of pleasure from winning a blue ribbon in the 6-9 Month Puppy class while one of your friends may be trying for Best of Breed or even a Group 1^st.