|
| Height |
18-22 inches |
| Weight |
20-30 lbs. |
| Life Span |
12-15 yrs. |
| Overview |
The adaptable whippet can fit in anywhere--city, apartment, suburbs, or country. These gentle, mild-mannered, and affectionate dogs respond enthusiastically to obedience training. Neat, clean, and easy to train, they make great family dogs.
They are friendly with children, get along with cats and other dogs, but need to be watched around pet rabbits or rodents. Some are very sensitive to sounds (such as squealing children) so should be exposed to urban noises at a young age if they are to live in a city.
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| Appearance |
The whippet's long, lean head tapers to the nose; its small ears, called rose ears, fold over and back to reveal the inside of the ear. The whippet carries its long, tapering tail straight down or between its legs when not in motion.
The coat is short, close, smooth, and firm in texture. All coat colors are seen; common ones include brindle and white or white and fawn.
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| Grooming & Exercise |
Whippets shed minimally and need only a weekly brushing with a rubber brush or hound glove.
They need several brisk walks and the chance to run in a secured area daily. Whippets should never be allowed to run off-leash in unsecured areas, as they can disappear in a flash, traveling at up to thirty-five miles an hour.
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| Origins |
In the 19th century the whippet, probably a cross between terriers, small greyhounds, and Italian greyhounds, was used in England for the popular gambling sport of rabbit coursing (racing) in which it would "snap like a whip" around a small field, snatching up and killing live rabbits. |
| Other |
Breed-related health concerns: undescended testicles, Demodex mange, weak digestive tracts. |
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