Whippet Information

A lot of times when people look at a Whippet they tend to think it is a fragile and nervous breed of dog. Nothing could be further from the truth! Whippets are a friendly, outgoing breed of dog that are a lot tougher than they may look.

The Whippet is a medium sized dog, with males measuring between 19-22 inches at the withers and females between 18-21 inches. They come in wide variety of colors and combinations of colors including, brindle, black, fawn, blue, brindle and white, red and white, fawn and white and black and white. Female Whippets tend to be more independent than the males, who are usually more loving and willing to please. Whippets are very loyal and become very attached to their owners, but most are extremely friendly with strangers.

Whippets like all other dogs require a good quality dog food and plenty of fresh water. They need regular exercise, a good run 4 or more times a week. Depending on the region you live in it may be difficult to do this during the winter months. Whippets are not outside dogs, due to their short, fine coats and lack of body fat, care must be taken that they are not left outside for long periods of time in cold weather. Care must also be taken in the summer as whippets can easily sunburn.

Grooming requirements for a whippet are minimal, regular gentle brushing, nail trimming and the occasional bath is all that is generally required.

Whippets are one of the healthiest breeds around. With proper feeding, regular exercise and routine veterinary care a Whippet can live a long, healthy, happy life. It is not uncommon for Whippets to live well into their teenage years. Whippets are not prone to a lot of ear infections, skin conditions, PRA, hip dysplasia, slipped stifles, and other genetic problems that plague many other breeds. It is recommended to have you dogs eyes checked because eye problems are becoming more common.

Whippets like to be comfortable, they dislike laying on hard and or cold surfaces and much prefer to lay on things that are soft and warm. This makes it nearly impossible to train your whippet to stay off your furniture. They also like to curl up under blankets and cuddle with you, which is great on a cold, winter night. Whippets tend to be couch potatoes most of the day, but they will gladly leave their resting spots for the opportunity of a good run.

Whippet puppies need to be provided with plenty of toys to chew on because Whippet puppies like most other puppies will chew just about anything they can get their teeth into. They tend to be sneaky about taking things to chew on, so if you have children with toys they will have to learn to keep them out of the puppies reach. Their chewing habits usually disappear as they mature.

Whippets are a fairly easy breed to housetrain, of course some will be more difficult than others and others will be much easier. As it is with all breeds of dogs supervision is required or accidents will happen. One item that aids in housetraining any dog is a crate. A crate provides the dog with a safe place to be in as it becomes their den, and even their wild cousins don't like to relieve themselves in their den. A crate also protects your home while you are away, that way nothing can be destroyed and you won't come home to unsightly mess in the middle of your carpet. Unfortunately Whippets can be prone to separation anxiety, but with time and patience many separation anxiety problems can be solved.

Supervision is also required while your dog is outside. There are many Whippets that could easily clear a 6 foot fence or crawl over top of one, so it is not a wise thing to leave your whippet outside without supervision for long periods of time.

The Whippet is a very versatile breed, even though they spend a lot of their time sleeping, there are many activities that Whippets can excel at. Lure Coursing, racing, agility, flyball, scent hurdling, & obedience are just a few activities that can be enjoyed by a Whippet and their owner.

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