Well, you don’t have to use a harness. Sometimes training goes a little better when you can control the head. Our whippets wear martingales, also sometimes called “limited slip” collars. Greythounds has some incredibly gorgeous collars for sale, works of art, but comfortable. You can also get regular nylon ones, Premium makes them. You should be able to find this at your local mega-pet supply store or call your local dog adoption center and see if they have recommendations of where to find them.
Also get a six foot leather lead, wide enough to be comfortable in your hand even if the dog suddenly jerks after something.
And beef liver, dried beef liver, or little pieces of beef jerky or small chunks of the dog food sausage like Natural Balance that can also be found at the mega-pet supply store. For your comfort in handling this food, and useful for when you two go to training classes, a “bait bag.” Basically, it’s a nylon clip on bag, like a chalk bag for climbing, to keep treats in so you have a supply easily and quickly available but can keep your hands relatively free. Make sure the treats you use are small since you will be treating on the move and don’t want the dog to choke. Also, if it’s a big treat and just sooo tantalising, the dog will want to stop whatever he is doing to savour the experience of it.
Okay. In the house or backyard, put the collar and the leash on. Hold the leash with slack in it and try to walk with the dog, talking in a “happy voice” to him. Have a treat in your hand, and if he walks easily alongside, give it to him. If he freaks out and pulls against the leash to get away…just drop the leash for now. Walk a couple steps away and call him to you. Give him the treat when he comes. Let him walk around dragging the leash to get used to the whole alien sensation of having weight and pressure there. Give him treats occasionally, gradually building up this notion that the collar and the leash are good things.
Next time you try to walk, hold the leash in one hand and a treat close to the nose in another and walk around the house like that, periodically feeding treats, stopping to sit and get a treat, using the “happy voice,” all stuff that makes walking while wearing a leash fun and no big deal. Lots of little treat rewards.
After you guys have walking together down, fast walking, then running. But remember, if he’s been in the backyard for the past year and a half he won’t have the greatest running stamina at first. Whippets are sprinters, so take it easy on him while he gets in shape and builds up endurance. Don’t let him eat a big meal or drink a lot of water before running, but do give him lots of little treats while you run. And if you bring water on your run for yourself, you might want to use a “sport-top” so you can squirt out a thin drinking fountain stream and share a little.
And if you decide to take an obedience class, check with your local animal adoption centers/shelters, as they often have training programs that are well priced, taught by experienced trainers, and any profit goes to keep the shelter/center running.
Good luck, have fun!
