Whippet Breed Description

An Owner's Whippet Description
What's my Whippet's most favorite place in the world? The Bill Archer Bark Park in Houston, Texas. I take my kids out with our Whippet, Laney, to this 35-acre dog park nearly every day. Generally, Laney is a quiet and gentle dog UNTIL we get to the Bark Park! He goes absolutely nuts when he gets out there. It's probably the effect the whole environment has on him--lots of other dogs, agility equipment, wide-open spaces, lots of playing around, etc. We have a blast and it's why we go there so often. Laney gets to do his thing to the ultimate degree. As they say in Vegas, What Happens Here, Stays Here!

When Laney is not at the Bark Park, he is content to spend most of the day resting and is happiest when he's indoors close to us. Because he's a quiet dog when he's home and tons of fun when we take him out for play, he's perfect for our family. Laney is so attached to us that he hates to be left outside if we're at home, even for five minutes, and boy, does he ever express his grief. So we do what we can to be sure someone's around for him. In fact, we hire a dog sitter when we can't take him on vacations. I really can't think of a better breed for an active family.

 

 

Introduction

A member of the greyhound family, the Whippet has evolved into a great family pet. This dog was brought over from England during the industrial revolution. Its slender body stands an average of 20 inches at the shoulder. The breed has a short coat which comes in a variety of colors.

History

The Whippet derives its name from 'whip it' meaning move quickly because of its agility and speed. This breed was created towards the end of the 18th century through crossing the Greyhound with the Italian Greyhound and the Terrier. Whippets are outstanding track racers and this made them to be widely used for gambling by the lower classes in England. The Whippet is still used for both hunting and guarding.

Description

The Whippet closely resembles a small greyhound and is slender, well-balanced, graceful and strong. The whippet's short, dense and smooth coat can be found in a variety of colors, spots and markings. These colors include black, brindle, fawn, tigered white, slate blue or red. The coat can either have a solid or a mixture of colors. The dog's muzzle is slender and long giving it an overall impression of sleek elegance. One outstanding feature of the Whippet is its delicate lean, thin body shape together with its wedge shaped head. Its eyes are dark colored and often varies with the color of the coat. The dog's upper jaw teeth fit nicely onto those of the lower jaw forming a scissor bite. The Whippet has small rose shaped ears that folds elegantly along its neck. It also has a broad and long back and a deep chest. Its well-defined hindquarters are powerful with muscular and broad thighs while its tail is long and pointed.

Temperament

Whippets are quiet, gentle and docile and will be content with lying around the home with the family. They are very lively, intelligent, affectionate, and highly loyal to their masters and due to their temperament, they make good companions in the home. Due to their sensitivity mentally and physically, the dogs should not be taken through rough training. They get bored easily with routine training, so ensure to introduce a variety of training techniques. Whippets get along easily with children so long as they are not teased or treated in a rough manner. Whippets also make excellent watchdogs since they are reserved towards strangers. This breed is unsurpassed in terms of speed and its ability to accelerate to very high speeds.

Health and Care

Like the majority of the hounds, this breed is not susceptible to hereditary diseases though some may suffer from skin conditions, eye infections and stomach upsets. The dogs perform exceptionally well in warm weather and are very sensitive to cold conditions. They are also clean and easy to take care of and this makes them adapt very well to living in apartments, though they need to be taken through regular exercises. The Whippet dogs should be given opportunity to freely run on open ground and be taken out for long walks. They are likely to go after small animals thus they should be kept in fenced yards.

Grooming

The dog's coat is smooth and sort haired making it easy to clean. This can be done by brushing the coat using a soft bristle. Washing should only be done only when necessary.

Colors

According to the American Kennel Club standards, the color of Whippets is immaterial, but they come in different colors and patterns including solid black, solid white with red, fawn, blue, brindle (an appearance like tiger striped) and cream. It is not unusual for one litter to have a mixture of spots patches, stripes or blazes with no two pups looking the same. The Whippet dog comes in almost every color imaginable for a dog.

Living Area

The Whippet is a dog that needs to be kept indoors for most of the time. While they enjoy playing outside and getting exercise, they are not physically and psychologically fit to be outdoors for any length of time. They have a very low fat content in their body and therefore overheat quickly as well as not being able to stand the cold. Their shorthaired coat does not grow an 'insulation' coat like some dogs so they get uncomfortable in a short amount of time outside. They don't need a large home or yard and are most content when in the home with their family, so apartment life would suit them great. Because of their thin coat and low body fat content, they will not be able to lie on a hard floor for any long period. They do need a chance to go for a good run outdoors as they have a lot of pent up energy.

Recognized By

CKC, AKC, ANKC, NKC, NZKC

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