DEAR WHIPPET LOVERS,

 

I hope you have all been making the most of our fairly mild summer so far. There are still a few more weeks to go and the beginning of autumn is usually still fairly warm. Puppies are starting to appear again but still pretty light on the ground. There are a few more litters around. Always check the reputation of any breeders with me or one of our other committee members before committing. Also, from time to time our ethical breeders will have their litters listed on our website so always check the “PUPPIES AVAILABLE” page as well.

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News is a little better on the “puppy front” and fortunately there are a few more puppies around from our reputable ethical breeders that I know of at the moment. There have always been one or two but you need to be quick and get onto a waiting list. Our bitches don’t come into season when WE want them to. THEY decide when it’s convenient for THEM. Those of you who know something about animal reproduction will realise this. Please be patient but all the same please contact me as I may have news “tomorrow” or “next week” about a litter coming up or being planned.

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I do believe there are a few whippet breeders either planning or expecting puppies in the next few months. If you do some research yourself please pass any breeder’s names by myself or any of the committee members who appear on our website to confirm that these breeders are ethical and reputable. The fact that they are “registered” with their state controlling body doesn’t always mean they are.​

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I am not sure if you, “Joe or Jane Public” understand the whole point of breeding a litter is for the betterment of the breed NOT to breed puppies for sale to make a profit.  Of course out of a litter of say 6 puppies there might be 4 for sale as “pets”. Two puppies will be run on as prospective show/breeding stock. SO you will have to be very patient or simply choose another more popular and prolific breed. Shows are happening again so possibly more puppies will be around in the not too distant future.

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All of a sudden whippets have become very popular and as I’ve said to some of the people waiting I’ve been involved with the breed for almost 30 years and all that time there has never been many whippet litters around.  Breeders who have been involved with whippets even longer than me will attest to this. “We” (Dogs Vic members) receive a magazine/gazette monthly and in all that time the most you might see is 4 or 5 litters listed and that’s a lot.  Other times there might be one, or at times none at all.  Unlike all the really popular breeds like Labradors, golden retrievers, Staffordshire bull terriers, French bulldogs, etc. there will be column after column of these breeds listed.  Our ETHICAL breeders have always only bred a litter when they have a couple of spaces in their kennels to keep another dog.  It’s been like this for as long as I can remember and is not going to change any time soon. 

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Whippets feel the cold any time the temperature drops, it’s a fact of life with this breed so you should be always thinking about a nice warm coat for your whippet. We now have two coat designs, the usual one with ties and another style that is completely reversible, comes up under the chest and fastens over the back with Velcro. The new design is slightly more expensive but beautifully finished. You can see images of the two designs on the merchandise page. Please don’t be fussy about colours for the either of the designs though because each batch comes in different colours. They are made of double polar fleece with a polo collar. My boys lived in theirs, on and off all year round really. The wonderful thing about them is that they wash and dry so easily. If I don’t have your size I can easily get one made up and posted out to you. If you are looking for a waterproof coat Elise Brown of Fair Dinkum Dog Coats from country Victoria contacted me to say, she makes fleece lined oil skin coats at a VERY REASONABLE price tailor made especially for each whippet. Follow this link to contact Elise for more details. www.fairdinkumdogs.com.au or We all like to support Australia owned and made companies don’t we?
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​If you are considering buying a puppy, please go through the correct channels. If there are no litters available on our website at the time of your search please contact me or another of our committee members as there is bound to be litters being planned so please try to be patient. It will pay off in the end. Registered Breeders do not necessarily advertise their puppies on our website but on other websites such as Dogsonline and Dogs Victoria but be careful all the same. Even though these breeders are registered with Dogs Vic some are not necessarily reputable. Just pass their names by me or any or any of the other contact people on our website to check their integrity before making a definite commitment.

All breeders should allow you to visit their premises and view their puppies at around 6 weeks of age. This will also give you a chance to view how the puppies are being raised and see the puppy’s dam and older dogs as well. At this stage if you decide on a puppy (or a puppy picks you) it would pay to leave a deposit after you have visited to ensure you don’t miss out. Our ethical breeders will NOT ask for a deposit before your visit so be well aware of this. Whippet puppies are very few and far between.
 

You may see puppies advertised on Gumtree, the Trading Post or FB and other mediums. These people are NOT REGISTERED BREEDERS. And they are charging $1500- PLUS for a puppy which they cannot guarantee to be free of any hereditary diseases or other health issues. They are breeding purely for monetary gain. It’s generally a matter of “what you pay for is what you get”!!!! They will simply take your money and not want to talk to you again if you have any concerns or queries at all. Some of these “puppy farmers” even have websites advertising that their puppies are “registered”. Ask the question “with whom, Dogs Victoria”? Ask for their membership number and if you are not sure please pass their details by me or one of our other committee members before making a commitment.
 

Check out all the pages on our most informative website. There is interesting information there for all to read, reinforcing the importance of what I have just said. Hopefully the new legislation that has come into effect now will close down some of these establishments. But I am sure there will still be those who go “undercover” and will still breed indiscriminately. 99.9% of whippets that end up in pounds and shelters come from these sources, the “back yard breeders” and the “puppy farmers”.

You don’t need to spend a lot to feed your whippet. Whippets really don’t need a lot of food to keep them looking trim taut and terrific. There are reputable brands of dry food available at supermarkets, some Aust owned and made. Wet food!! What about chicken necks? Chicken shops and the supermarkets sell these very cheaply. Or for red meat, buy from a reputable pet supplies. NOT one that sells live creatures including birds and reptiles!!! Lamb (not beef bones because these are too hard on the teeth) offcuts can be purchased cheaply from Woolworths and Coles and are great for teeth. I know Vet bills can be very expensive but shop around, make some phone calls. You will be surprised at the difference. Speaking to various people, I am shocked by the cost some folk pay just for vaccinations and neutering operations. Don’t forget that some dog shelters have Vet services available for a very reasonable price and, at the same time you are helping to support the shelters.

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If you are going away and don’t wish to leave your whippet in kennels I have a few fantastic options. There are people who mind whippets in their own homes or will come to your home to stay. Please contact me by email for more info.
 

As I have said before if you are finding it hard to contact me during the week it’s because I don’t work normal shifts but please try the weekends or Mondays and Tuesdays (my days off doing whippety stuff) as I am home most times then.. If you can’t catch me on the phone send me an email or text message and you can also leave a message on my mobile number and I will endeavour to get back to you as soon as I can. The email might be the middle of the night but at least it won’t disturb your sleep. Thank you for your patience lovely people; cuddles for all your whippets and until next time stay safe and “HAPPY WHIPPETING”!!!!!!

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Rae Mitchelson,
Life Member,

Breed Information & Membership Officer

The Whippet Association of Victoria Inc

Email: raemitch@hotkey.net.au