Whippet Dog

 Cindy- Lovabledogs.info

 Three Year Vet and Dog lover. Owner of Website: Lovabledogs.info

Whippet Dog
By Cindy- Lovabledogs.info

Whippet Dog

The Whippet is an affectionate, gentle, and sweet dog. The Whippet has an amiable attitude. These breeds are devoted pets and companions. The Whippet dogs are fine with inexperienced owners as well as the more experienced. The Whippet dogs like to have a run around and play, but is also happy enjoying the doggy comforts of home. These dogs love the attention of their owners, and enjoy interactive play. The Whippet does require daily exercise, and this breed loves to play. The Whippet dogs area must be safe and secure. The Whippet dogs is very agile and will be off and away before you realize. These dogs are very in tune with the emotions of their owners, and are sensitive and sometimes timid. Early socialization is important with the whippet to promote a more confident, outgoing personality. When these dogs put their minds to something and see something that they think must be chased, Whippets are intensely focused. However, the Whippet dogs enjoys snuggling up with their owners and relaxing on the furniture.

The Whippet dogs will get on well with children. but the Whippet is fragile and should not be around younger, boisterous children that may pester and rough handle him. Some Whippet dogs may be timid around strangers, whereas others will be polite. The Whippet dogs do make good watchdogs, as this will bark when something appears to be amiss. With early socialization the Whippet dogs should get on okay with household pets. Owners however may want to be cautious around smaller, running dogs or pets that could be seen as prey. Like other sight hounds the Whippet is very sensitive breed to touch, and should not be startled with unexpected physical contact. Their intelligence, eagerness to please, and quick learning rate makes these dogs relatively easy to train, although corrections must always be verbal because of their sensitive nature.

A Whippet is a petite, graceful that resembles a greyhound. It has an arched neck, small ears that are carried folded and a long tapering tail. The coat is short and smooth that may come in various colors. Whippets were bred in Northern England by crossing greyhounds with terriers. The early owners of this breed of were mostly working class people such as factory and mine workers. It was because of this that the Whippets earned the name “poor man’s greyhound” or the “poor man’s racehorse”. The owners raced their in fields and town roads during non-working days. A piece of cloth was used as a lure which eventually resulted

to having these races to be known as “rag races”.


Whippet Skills
Whippets were bred to hunt by sight, chasing game in open areas at high speed. The working-class people then of Northern England found them cheaper to feed than greyhounds and were very handy and skillful at chasing rats and rabbits. They are exceptional running dogs and are proven top competitors in lure chasing, straight racing and oval track racing. They are considered the fastest domesticated animal of its weight reaching speeds as high as 35 miles per hour. They have also become popular show dogs due to their natural elegance and ease in grooming them.

Whippet Personality
Whippets are generally calm and gentle dogs that spend most of their day sleeping. They are quite attached to their owners and are good with young children making them ideal house pets. They are not suited as guard s due to their natural trusting nature. They do not always bark at strangers and are generally friendly towards visitors. Once outside however, they readily show their magnificent athletic skills as they pursue the lure with all the aggressiveness they could muster.

Exercise Needs
Whippets need regular exercise because they were born to run. Their lithe figures are a product of good genes and sufficient exercise. They require regular walks and occasional good hard runs.

Whippet Living Conditions
A Whippet is well suited for apartment life as it prefers to be close to its owners either lying next to them or on their lap. Nothing could make them more content than to be kept as a house pet. Its coat does not provide the insulation needed to withstand lengthened exposure to extreme temperatures especially to the cold so much so that to put it in a kennel or treat it as an outside may prove disastrous. However, ample chances to run free in open spaces should be given to Whippets although utmost care should be taken while they are on the streets.

Whippet Grooming Requirements
Whippets shed in constant trickles and may need occasional wiping or brushing. Proper dental care should also be given.

Whippet Health Issues
The Whippet is generally a healthy breed but genetic eye defects have been found, although rare. It also has some problems with undescended testicles. They are not prone to frequent ear infections, skin allergies, digestive problems and hip dysplasia which are common in other breeds.