Sweet-natured and affectionate, Whippets are gentle souls who love to spend as much time with their humans as possible. Although they are built for speed, it’s more accurate to say they’re built for napping and cuddles.
Personality and temperament
The ultimate ‘velcro’ dog with their humans, Whippets have two distinct personalities. At home, you’ll find them curled up on the couch in a scene of serenity, but as soon as they’re unleashed outside their energy kevels spike and they zoom around with confidence. These speedy hounds can reach up to 56 kilometres per hour, so don’t even try and catch up to them! They may be reserved with strangers, but at home Whippets are loving, playful little things who just want cuddles (especially from kids).
Size and appearance
Whippets are medium-sized hounds with an athletic body that is built for speed and agility. They feature the classic ‘S-curve’ racing silhouette with a deep chest, long legs, narrow waist and a sleek, short coat. Males can weight around 18kg, with females weighing slightly less. Whippets have overly expressive eyes and a long, graceful neck that give them an elegance few pooches can claim.
History
Originating from England in the 1700s, Whippets were bred to be smaller, faster versions of Greyhounds. Working class families tended to use them for hunting small game to put food on the table, and a century later they were bred for racing, earning the slightly unnecessary nickname ‘the poor man’s racehorse’! Whippets came to Australia and New Zealand with British settlers who used them for hunting rabbits, racing and house pets. Today Whippets are popular house pets across the two countries.
Health conditions that can affect this breed
This agile breed is generally healthy, however they can be prone to the following common health conditions:
- Heart conditions (including mitral valve disease)
- Eye conditions (including cataracts and progressive vision loss)
- Hip dysplasia (where the hip joints don’t form properly)
- Deafness (though quite rare)
- Skin injuries due to thin skin
- Anaesthetic sensitivity (common in sighthounds)
Regular vet check-ups and care can help manage these conditions and keep your Whippet healthy.
Food and exercise
To support their incredibly lean muscles, energy bursts and join health, Whippets need to be fed a high-quality diet of nutrient-dense food. This bred is naturally slim (half their luck!) so avoid overfeeding.
While they do need daily exercise, Whippets aren’t high-energy. A brisk walk, playtime in a fenced park or a short run will keep your pooch happy. These happy dogs love a burst of exercise, before the main event of the day (napping).
Grooming and maintenance
Whippets are pretty low-maintenance as their short coat is easy to care for.
- Bathe: every 4-6 weeks or as needed
How to groom your Whippet
- Fur: brush weekly with a soft mitt
- Nails: trim every 3-4 weeks
- Ears: clean weekly
- Eyes: wiper gently with a damp cloth if needed
Training and space requirements
Training these intelligent canines can be a fun as they are intelligent, sensitive and eager to please their humans. Positive reinforcement training in short sessions work best to teach them basic cues, recall, loose-lead walking and enrichment games.
Whippets can adapt to small space living quite well, as long as they get their daily exercise needs are met, and they have the comfiest places to curl up in (preferably in the sun). They feel the cold, so this is your chance to buy adorable jackets and even hats for your pooch.
Best suited for…
These lovely souls are perfect housemates for couples, families and households looking for a gentle, affectionate hound that can run like the wind! They will be the first at the door, leash in mouth for a walk, and the first back home, ready to curl up and listen contentedly to their humans chat as they doze.
