Whippet

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Breed Details

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Breed Rating

Breed Details

General

The Whippet originated in England and is a mixture of the Italian Greyhound and Greyhound. The name came from whip it which ironically enough means to move fast. The name is perfect for this breed because they are known for their incredibly fast acceleration which reaches speeds of up to 37 MPH. This breed is most commonly used for hunting, lure coursing, racing, and agility. The Whippet looks like a miniature Greyhound and they can reach speeds almost as high as the Greyhound.

The Whippet is a skinny yet toned medium sized dog. They have muscular legs, a deep chest, and a long thin tail. Their head is wedge shaped with their ears a floppy triangular shape. The Whippets fur is hard and very short, making it easy to groom and keep maintained. Their neck is long and thick and their stomach is tight making their smallest point at the abdominal area.

The Whippet is an extremely energetic dog that will need not only daily exercise, but time spent running to tire them out. They have a very high prey drive so cats and smaller animals should never be around this breed. When walking a Whippet, a leash will always be needed because they can catch a glimpse of another animal and take off quickly.

Color

The Whippet comes in a variety of coat colours such as blue, fawn, black, brindle, white, and red. These can be either a solid colour or a mixture with different patterns and markings.

Coat

This breed has a short hard coat that will be easy to groom. They will need to be brushed about once every 2 weeks just to remove the dead fur. A hounds brush will work well as it will leave the coat shiny. The Whippet is a breed that does not have a dog smell to them. They are generally a very clean breed and will only need to be bathed every few months.

Personality

The Whippet is a loving and well behaved dog that will make a great family pet. They are great with children and interact well with other dogs but should not be around smaller pets. They are affectionate and very intelligent dogs that love to be part of the pack but enjoy their independence as well. The Whippet can be a sensitive breed especially when being disciplined so when training for obedience, the owner must be very gentle and have a softer voice to encourage this dogs confidence. This breed will need to be kept indoors in colder temperatures because they have such a thin coat. Either layering or a dog jacket will be needed and short trips outside to prevent them from becoming too cold. This breed should not be left alone often because this will have a negative effect on their well being.

Care

The Whippet has a very short coat so keeping them groomed will be quite easy. Grooming should be done every couple of weeks with a stiff brush or a ?hounds glove?. Bathing should be done every few months or at the owners discretion. This breed is prone to skin allergies, hip dysplasia, cryptorchids, and sensitivity to anesthetics.

Training

The Whippet is a highly intelligent dog but when it comes to training, will need patience and consistency. Training can be much more difficult when teaching a dog of the Hound group because they have a lot going on in their head and unfortunately obedience is not high on that list. The Whippet is a dog that can be sensitive so they will need an owner who will be able to train in a repetitive yet very gentle manor.

Activity

This breed will need a large amount of daily exercise including time where they can run around off the leash. These dogs are known for their spurts of energy and will need long daily walks as well as time where they can sprint around in a fenced in area. This breed will do well in an apartment as long as they get their daily exercise. A backyard would be excellent for this dog so they can have an outdoor area at home to explore.