Whippet

The medium-sized breed is also called the “Poor Man’s Racehorse” and “Lightning Rag Dog.” Although it is thought of as a small Greyhound, it has a unique deep chest and slim waist, and it is not known which breed was used to create the Whippet. Bred in Victorian England for coursing in rabbit hunting, the Whippet was later used for lure coursing, amateur racing, and dog shows, and eventually made its way with the coal miners to New England. The quiet, gentle, affectionate, and intelligent breed makes an excellent family pet or city companion.

3 Pros and Cons of Owning Whippets

Evolution and Origins

For centuries, the Greyhound has been the model for other fast-running sighthounds, and the gentle Whippet is a successful descendant. The breed originated in England during the Victorian era, when coal miners in the north of the country enjoyed dog racing and rabbit hunting in their free time. Since they could not afford to maintain large Greyhounds or have the room to exercise them properly, the miners developed a smaller version of the breed. The exact breeds used to produce the Whippet are unknown, but the result was effective: it can run at speeds up to 35 miles per hour, making it the fastest breed of its size.

In the past, the Whippet breed was called the “Poor Man’s Racehorse” and the “Lightning Rag Dog” because they would chase a rag along a straight track. The name Whippet likely came from the word “whappet,” which means a small barking dog. At the start of the 20th century, textile workers from Lancashire moved to New England and brought their Whippets with them, and this breed quickly became popular in America. People from all backgrounds enjoyed racing Whippets for fun or money, and the American Kennel Club registered its first Whippet in 1888. Nowadays, lure coursing is used to satisfy the Whippet’s need for speed.

Size and Weight

The Whippet is a medium-sized short-haired dog with an average height of 22″ for males and 21″ for females. Males weigh about 40 pounds fully grown, while females weigh 35 pounds fully grown. Whippet puppies weigh 5.5 pounds on average at 12 weeks of age and are considered fully grown at 12 months.

Health Issues

These dogs have excellent health due to their breeding for coursing, working, and racing, activities that combine to provide well-rounded physical exertion. As a result, they are not prone to many of the conditions that the Greyhound and other sighthounds and purebreds have. Genetic eye defects, hip dysplasia, congenital deafness, and hypothyroidism rarely occur.

Cancer and cardiac problems are the two leading causes of death, followed by epilepsy and autoimmune hemolytic anemia. Whippets are also prone to chronic diarrhea due to stress, food intolerance, colitis, or bloat. All sighthounds have low body fat and are extra sensitive to anesthesia, particularly barbiturates, and require an experienced vet to follow the Sighthound Anesthesia Protocol.

Temperament

The temperament of these dogs is laidback and nonobtrusive. It has an affectionate personality. As a snap dog bred by the English to have similar traits to the Greyhound without the large size, its intelligence, obedience, and athletic body enabled it to learn a variety of tasks. It is relatively easy to train, but with an independent streak and a strong prey drive, which makes it given to chasing.

In the home, however, it only needs moderate amounts of exercise and stimulation to avoid boredom and destructiveness. It also enjoys the company of other dogs, and as it can experience separation anxiety, it is helpful to have another dog for its company while the family is gone. The Whippet only barks as a warning and rarely whines, sighs, or growls.

Care

These are medium-sized dogs who are unique in their skin sensitivities and emotional and physical needs. They make great dogs for first-time dog owners or families, as they are very social and seem to grow more quickly than many other breeds. They are also good for people who live in apartments or small houses.

The Best Dog Food

The puppies are as active and demanding as puppies of other breeds, but with more sensitive digestion. When they mature, they calm down and have different dietary needs. Remember that whippets are naturally thin dogs, so weight gain is harmful to their lean frame.

Whippet puppy food: If you’re getting your puppy from a breeder, you should gradually change it to the new food within a week. It will need high-quality puppy food made specifically for the breed. Dry or wet food is fine, but during puppyhood, whippets should be fed 3 to 4 meals a day for a total of 990 calories. Continue to feed them puppy food until they reach 90% of their adult size.

Whippet adult dog food: When the dog has reached a year old, you should feed them twice a day. It needs an ounce of food for every two pounds of weight, for a total of 894 calories. As older whippets remain active, seek out an active adult dog food or an adult dog food made just for whippets. Grain-free, gluten-free, and raw diets are possibilities for reducing digestive issues.

Maintenance And Grooming

Whippets do not shed much except during spring and autumn when they change their coats. They only need a weekly brushing. For the home, you only need to keep up with regular cleaning as usual to remove the fur left behind. They are very low-maintenance, but during the winter or for older dogs with arthritis, they need sweaters for warmth and comfort. Although they are not hypoallergenic, they do not tend to trigger people with asthma or allergies.

Training

Whippets are very intelligent, but they do have an independent streak, so you can expect some rebellion. Being sighthounds, they have a strong prey drive to chase anything moving that they see, so even with obedience training, they shouldn’t be taken off their leads. They also see cats as prey animals to chase unless they are mature or have been raised with a cat. Compared to other breeds, they are very obedient and intelligent and relatively easy to train. They are very sensitive and a little stubborn, so they respond well only to positive, calm training methods that focus on praise and food.

Exercise

Whippets can do with an apartment or small home as long as they have a fenced-in yard to run around in. They also need toys and games. When left alone for hours at a time, they need to be kept stimulated, so they don’t become destructive or have separation anxiety. Barring that, they need another dog for companionship. They are given to bouts of sprinting, after which they will happily collapse onto the sofa or bed with the family. The adult Whippet needs about 40 minutes of exercise with several chances to run. The breed also enjoys mental stimulation with games.

Puppies

Whippet puppies need free play like any other puppy, meaning that it shouldn’t be too strenuous while they’re still growing. A 3-month-old needs 15 minutes of play twice a day. Puppyhood is also a great time to start obedience training and socialization. Without enough early socialization, whippet puppies can become fearful and timid.

With Children

Whippets are excellent with children. Perhaps the most important trait Whippets have that allows them to get along so well with children is patience. The dogs are also gentle, quiet, and calm. They also get along well with other dogs and even strangers.

Similar Dogs

• Greyhound: The larger ancestor of the Whippet, the Greyhound runs faster and has a shorter lifespan.
• Italian Greyhound: The smallest compared to the Greyhound and Whippet, the Italian Greyhound is a toy breed meant for companionship rather than hunting.
• Whippet Hound Mix: The mix is commonly a cross between a Whippet and Doberman (called the Whipperman), but other hybrids include Labrador Retriever (Whipador), Golden Retriever (Golden Whiptriever), Pit Bull (PitWhip), Pit Bull Terrier (Pippet), and many other purebred mixes.

Whippet vs. Greyhound

There are a few key differences between the Whippet and Greyhound. The first is size, with the Whippet being medium-sized and the Greyhound large. Another is running speed; the Whippet can reach 35mph, while the Greyhound can reach 40 to 45mph. Lastly is lifespan; the Whippet lives 12 to 15 years, while the Greyhound lives 10 to 12 years.

Famous Whippets

A Whippet named Jim had a central role in a canal travel book trilogy by Terry Darlington in which he was described as a “narrow dog.” Hence, his name was in the books’ titles of Narrow Dog to Carcassonne, Narrow Dog to Indian River, and Narrow Dog to Wigan Pier.