Introduction
Whippet is an elegant, medium sized dog that resembles a Greyhound, though in miniature form. These well behaved yet powerful dogs possess great speed and balance. These intelligent, calm and quiet dogs are generally not aggressive.
The Whippet dog breed was developed in England by the cross breeding of Italian Greyhound and another now extinct terrier-type dog. They were originally developed as low maintenance hunting and racing dogs. Hence, the breed became popular as “the poor man’s racehorse”. In fact, the name Whippet is derived from the term “whip it” that is, moving quickly. They are capable of running at a speed of 35-40 miles per hour.
Physical Appearance
These agile dogs are characterized by long legs and an overall lean yet balanced muscular form. They have round to oval, large expressive eyes that are generally dark brown or black in color. They have small, rose ears folded along the neck but tend to stand semi erect in excitement.
The nose is usually dark in color, ranging from dark blue, dark brown to black in color. The low held long Whippet tail bears a slight upward curve towards the end.
Color: These dogs come in a variety of colors like white, black, blue, fawn, red, brindle and other solid or mixed colors.
Height: The average height of a male Whippet is generally 19 to 22 inches. Female Whippets are generally an inch shorter, that is, 18 to 21 inches in height.
Weight: Both male as well as female Whippets usually weigh around 20 to 40 pounds.
Health Problems
Whippet dog breed is generally considered strong and healthy with less number of health concerns. Normally, these dogs are not likely to suffer from frequent stomach problems, skin allergies and ear infections. However, these dogs are prone to sunburn because of the short and thin hair coat.
Some Whippets may be susceptible to genetic eye problems (like lens luxation, cataract, progressive retinal atrophy etc), heart murmurs, thyroid disorders, seizure disorders and other such health issues. Besides, they are known to be intolerant and sensitive to several anesthetics.
Life Expectancy: The average lifespan of Whippet dogs is 12 to 15 yeas.
Litter Size: The average litter size of these lovely dogs is 6 to 8 puppies.
Grooming Requirements
Grooming a Whippet dog is quite an effortless and hassle free task. These dogs have easy to maintain short and smooth hair coats requiring weekly brushing and combing. These dogs are relatively clean and free of doggy odor. So, they need not be bathed very frequently.
In fact, it is advised to bathe them as less as two to three times in a year. Simply use a damp chamosis from time to time to rub the coat in order to maintain the shine of the hair coat. Plus, trim their nails and clean their eyes and ears on a regular basis to avoid troublesome infections.
Temperament
Whippet breed dogs are smart, gentle, affectionate, sensitive, friendly and highly energetic dogs. They are adept at the art of welcoming their owners as well as strangers alike. Therefore, do not entrust guard dog duties to your trusting and unsuspicious Whippet. Still, these intelligent dogs do make for good watchdogs.
In general, a male Whippet dog is considered to be more loyal and reliable as compared to a moody female Whippet. These dogs are usually good with small children. However, they are generally not reliable around small animals like cats, rabbits etc but are compatible with other dogs.
They are obedient and easy to train. Plus, these introverted dogs should be subjected to early socialization to avoid extremely shy and timid behavior. When not engaged in running, they love to spend their time lying luxuriously on the couch. Whippet dogs should not be subjected to high-pitched yelling and rough handling as they are sensitive in nature.
Key Points
Whippet dogs are immensely faithful and devoted towards their owners. They tend to get bored quite easily. Therefore, while training your Whippet, make sure you provide him with plenty of variety and stimulation in order to make the task more fun for him.
These dogs are quite sensitive to cold weather. Therefore, it would be better to make them wear sweaters and coats to keep them protected. You can safely keep your Whippet dog in an apartment, preferably with a small yard for physical activity.
These dogs are quite inactive indoors and hence require daily brisk walks to keep them in good health. Security arrangements like leashes with leads and yards with fences are more than necessary in case of these diligent sighthounds.
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
Thank you. The information is very helpful for us.
I really want one of these dogs. My favorite breed of dog in the world. I want to find a good breeder who breeds them for racing. I would love to see them do wht they were meant to do. I love them sooo much!
We got our whippet puppy from Shannon Down in SC. They race and show their dogs. He’s a great puppy, better behaived than most people’s grown dogs. I highly recommend our breeder.
I have had a total of four of these wonderful dogs. I will not have any other breed going forward. They each have their own personality and will make you laugh daily – especially the pups as they discover new things. The females are picky when it comes to their food and can be a little aloof. Males claim their ‘human’ to stay close to and snuggle up by. They are very affectionate. The dogs will get over excited by small animals running nearby (instinct)…so keep a very close eye on them near streets and roads. They will keen in on the squirrel or cat and not pay any attention to your voice command or any traffic. Be sure to ‘chip’ them if you can as they will run fast and far to get the critter they are after. I will say that you must make sure you get them dental check ups. For whatever reason, they are prone to excessive tarter build up.
Whippets are beautiful, fun and easy. They are the best companion dogs. I have been living with whippets for over 13 years and I can’t imagine my life without at least one of these incredible dogs!
I have been researching a whippet for my next companion and keep reading that a male makes a better companion than a female. How true is this? My reason for asking is the female is smaller (approx 18″) in statue which, I feel, would be a better option for me living in a duplex. I am in my 60′s and walk 5klms each morning. I lost my male mixed breed constant companion to lymphoma last year and I do so miss canine companionship.
Our whippet is eleven months old. She is very bright and affectionate and keeps us laughing all the time. I’ve heard whippets referred to as “velcro” dogs and this is true of ours. If you don’t like your dog constantly in your lap or playing right next to you then this would not be a good breed for you. Absolutely the best dog I’ve had (out of five). She does require daily walks (and I do mean require) which helps to keep her healthy and her behavior in check. If we miss her walk she becomes quite the brat. I can’t imagine not having a whippet in my life. A must have dog for me!
We are completely sold on the breed. Our seven-year-old Princess is beautiful, warm and intelligent. She was house-trained in a couple of weeks, has lost none of her playfulness as she ages. Very sensitive to our moods, she cuddles when the time is right and asks for fun times when she knows our energies are up. She’s even something of a clown. Princess needs a lot of exercise, so if you don’t have time for walks and runs, maybe it’s not the breed for you. There are some safety concerns, sometimes she gets the overwhelming urge to chase after something across the road and her speed overcomes her good sense. We have to watch the road very carefully before we even open the door to make sure we don’t lose her in an auto accident.
My wife and I have been Sheltie lovers for the last 20 years. The last pup we bought from a breeder was supposed to be a Blue Merle Sheltie. After he started to mature we noticed that he was different in many ways from other Shelties that we have had and had a skinnier stature with shorter hair. I learned about the Whippet from seeing it on a cable broadcast AKC dog show and the whippet won first place. I am convinced that our BMS is part Whippet . He is more energetic and loveable than most of the Shelties we have had. I believe our next dog will definitely be a Whippet.
We got a whippet puppy about 3 years ago and I love him to death! He is so well behaved and calm but loves to play when given the opportunity! We were very sold on a girl until we met him and that was it. He is the best dog I have ever had and can’t imagine ever living without him!
I am falling in love with this dog as I read your comments. however I work all day so I could only be with my dog in the morning and in the evening, in the meanwhile they are alone in the apartment. do you think I should get a whippet though?
I would avoid a Whippet if you plan to leave the dog home alone when he/she is young. My 9 year old male is fine home alone now but he actually delayed my going back to work when he was young. They can have profound separation anxiety and are not happy when separated from their “humans”. Even now our Whippet will not tolerate being closed out of a room where one of us is located. He no longer needs to be under the covers but he does insist on being in the room.
I have always wanted a dog but I know that it won’t be possible for a while. I still go to school and I have at least 5 years of high school left. My mum and dad have a long work day so leaving a dog at home will not be possible.
When I first saw a picture of a Greyhound I knew that I had to get one when I was older. I started researching them and noticed that the name Whippet kept on popping up. I decided to do a bit of research on these smaller versions. I found out that this breed seemed to be more popular. Could anyone recommend a good website for me to look at and dream about?!
Whippets are super fun and sound energetic. I believe that’s my dream dog.