25/10/2026
What I have Learned About Agility (With a Whippet)
When I chose my first agility dog based upon a family dog and my favourite breed that had the capacity to do agility, I don't think I gave much thought to the agility training process in its entirety.
Three years ago after having been advised (by my own trainer) that ‘there is a reason you don't see many (if any) whippets at Crufts, I looked at my 6-month-old aerodynamic speed demon and thought, “We’ve got this.”
Cut to today, and we have officially worked this first time handler to Grade 2! 🏆
If you’ve ever trained a whippet, you know it’s not about chaos—it’s a masterclass in negotiation. This journey has been pure hard work, mostly because whippets don't just do things to please you. Every single command is met with a calculated, side-eye glare that says, "Okay, but what's in it for me?"
For anyone thinking that they must be hard to train, they really aren't. Whippets are actually very bright, but the driver has to be the right one. We never really know what we are going to get at a training session and it can range from his ‘can’t be bothered’ attitude where he trots round or more recently,he is fast and willing and I really have to run!
At a show, without fail, he is like a rocket. The excitement of the show atmosphere takes over and it can be hard to get him to switch his ears on! So I honestly feel like I never run the same dog twice.
We have spent three years matching his natural independence with absolute persistence and evolved from negotiating for basic cooperation to actually nailing courses together as a team.
Grade 2 is a massive milestone for us, proving that you can motivate the ultimate "what's the payout?" mindset.
Huge shout out to everyone who has cheered us on through the hard work and the endless negotiations.
The biggest cheer must go to my wonderful trainer Lorna Peachey who we bless with twice weekly training sessions. We’re officially eyeing up Grade 3—just as soon as the manager of this operation approves the compensation package (cheese. It's always cheese)
