Whippet Breed Information

 The sleek, sweet-faced Whippet, the 'Poor Man's Racehorse,' is lightning quick. He is an amiable, dignified, and gentle soul, but give him something to chase and he's all business. The name Whippet is synonymous with streamlined grace. At somewhere between 18 and 22 inches at the shoulder, the Whippet looks like a Greyhound, but smaller. The Whippet exhibits the classic 'inverted S' lines of the sighthound. The deep chest and trim waist; a lean head supported by a long, arched neck; and slim but sturdy legs combine in a picture of an agile, fleet-footed athlete. Between bursts of intense pursuit, Whippets love to stretch out and relax for long hours, enjoying the role of a loving, and loved, companion. Whippets like a fenced yard to run in, but they do nicely in cozy apartments too'as long as they are exercised properly. Another plus for city dwellers: Whippets rarely bark. Despite the breed's elegant looks, the Whippet is a robust, low-maintenance dog. 

 The Whippet frame is not well suited to carrying excessive weight. While young Whippets may appear gangly and have difficulty keeping their ribs covered when they are in the period of rapid growth, a mature adult should not appear ribby but should have two to four visible vertebrae, and the hipbones should not appear sunk into dimples of fat. A Whippet at a healthy weight will likely appear 'skinny' to those accustomed to heavier-bodied, less fleet breeds, but maintaining your Whippet at the correct weight through lifelong portion control will extend his life and avoid many of the orthopedic problems that are both painful and expensive to repair. Responsible breeders screen their stock for health conditions such as cardiac disease, deafness, and eye disorders.