Question:
I read through your website to try to find information. I need to explain a bit of my story. My daughter just adopted a 4 month old female whippet. Her name is Tilly. When we met her she had just had a bath and was really sleepy. All of her other housemates (whippets) were very friendly and outgoing. Tilly had a rough ride home. Lots of throwing up and drooling.
We have had her three days now. She is still very shy and timid. She plays a little bit with my daughter (she is 13) in the morning. She is still very afraid of the house and has not yet wagged her tail. I am more than happy to be patient. It is just that I have been around so many other puppies who never acted this way. This is unique. I want to be sure that she will come around. It is really important that she be happy in classes and showing as that is my daughters goal. However, most importantly we want a wonderful family dog. I have spoken to the breeder and she says that she is normally outgoing. This is hard to see. Can you give me any insight? We are giving her lots of love and positives. Thanks for your thoughts.
Answer
I'm sure everything will be alright. Tilly's in shock right now at the huge change in her life. She probably misses the other dogs badly and finds the new life overwhelming and quite weird and lonely without them all. Emotionally, this upheaval is a real trauma for her.
Whippets are VERY loyal and faithful and she just needs time to realize that she is NOT going to be driven home again very soon but that she IS YOURS for ever! (Part of the throwing up in the car is because of her awful fear for what was happening to her - plus car-sickness. She may have been VERY afraid. In her eyes you have stolen her away from her "pack", her mother and brothers and sisters and all the other dogs and she feels a strong compulsion to get back to them as soon as possible.) Whippets are not big tail waggers, although they do of course do it often daily. This too is all part of her uncertainty and nervousness of this is a whole new situation she has to adapt to.
She is clearly not happy right now, just bewildered and insecure - but it WILL come, you see!
Whippets ARE also different to other breeds of dogs as some can take quite a time for you to get to know them properly. I'm sure she will soon be adoring you and your daughter, (who is the perfect age for having a Whippet-friend), in no time! Give her lots of time and plenty of love, comfort and patience - you've got to woo her trust - and soon her memories of the past will fade and be replaced by her MUCH better new life. S
he just doesn't yet realise what a lucky dog she is.