Whippet
The Whippet is an elegant medium size sighthound. They are considered the Ferraris of lure coursing. Whippets are athletic, versatile, well balanced dogs, with a passion for running. They are considered sprinters and are capable of speeds up to 35 m.p.h.
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Whippets make good family pets with soft handed children and are well adapted for indoor life. They have extremely short coats so they do not do well being left outside as a kennel dogs. Whippets are bright and independent thinkers. As long as proper exercise is given whippets are mellow dogs inside the house. Their size and temperament makes them excellent dogs for smaller homes and apartments.
Consistency and patience is the key to training whippets. Harsh, physical training techniques does not work with this breed. Whippets are very emotionally sensitive and will respond badly if they are hit or kicked. Never use a choke chain or shock collars. These methods can injure a whippet along with other sighthound breeds.
Expect to give extra time to house training. It will take some whippets a little longer to catch on to house training methods. A good recall is critical for this breed. Training to come when called is one of the first thing you should teach any whippet. They have a high prey drive which means they love to chase. They do well with cats and small animals they’re raised with however they may still chase or kill an outdoor critter. Never have them off leash near roads for this reason.
Whippets require good quality food for an active dog lifestyle. It’s recommended that a whippet be walked 2-3 miles 5 or more times per week. You will also need to find a safe fenced area for your whippet to run off leash at least 3 times a week. If proper exercise is given they become quite the couch potatoes during the day. If they lack in exercise they can become destructive with chewing and getting into mischief.
Whippets make fantastic companions. They call them Velcro dogs because they always want to be close to their owners. There is also something contagious about whippets. It’s a rare thing to see only one whippet in a household.
If you’re interested in a whippet always consider rescuing first. There are so many Whippet mixes that need good homes.
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For more Whippet Information
Whippet Rescue
American Whippet Club
Utah Whippet
If you would like to talk with a local Utah Whippet owner, contact
Liz Campbell