Whippet

The Whippet is a medium-sized sighthound that started out in the north of England. It manages a rare trick: on a straight track or a coursing field it's among the fastest breeds around for its size, capable of short bursts near 35 miles per hour, yet at home it's perfectly happy dozing on the couch for most of the day.

Build-wise, the dog is smooth and streamlined: a deep chest, a tucked-up waist, long legs, and a fine coat that sits close to the skin. Adults generally stand 18 to 22 inches at the shoulder and weigh somewhere between 25 and 40 pounds. There's little spare flesh on the frame, which is normal for the breed rather than a sign the dog isn't being fed properly.

Whippets attach closely to their owners and don't respond well to harsh handling. They're gentle with kids and usually easy-going around other dogs. The chase instinct runs strong though, so a small, fast-moving animal can set a Whippet off after it in an instant. Secure fencing at home and keeping the dog on lead in open spaces both matter.

Who the breed suits

The Whippet suits people after an affectionate, low-fuss companion that's settled indoors but needs a proper hard run outdoors most days. It copes just as well in a house as in an apartment, provided it gets daily exercise and a warm, soft spot to crash. The thin coat and low body fat mean the breed feels the cold quickly, so a coat for cooler weather is often worth having. Homes with small caged pets, or without a secure space to let the dog stretch out at full speed, are a poorer match.

The Whippet took its present form in the north of England during the nineteenth century, bred down from Greyhounds and crossed with smaller terrier-type dogs to produce a sighthound that could hunt rabbits and race on the flat without eating a family out of house and home.

The breed became closely bound up with working-class life in the mill and mining towns of northern England. Owners raced their dogs down straight tracks for prize money, a pastime that earned the Whippet the nickname 'the poor man's racehorse'. Rag racing, where a dog sprinted toward a cloth waved by its owner at the far end of the track, was a regular weekend fixture.

Formal recognition came as organised showing took hold. The Kennel Club in England registered the breed in 1891, and the American Kennel Club had already recognised it in 1888. Standardisation settled the size, outline, and temperament that still define the Whippet today. In Australia the breed is registered through Dogs Australia (formerly the ANKC), the body that oversees pedigree recording and showing nationally.

Through the twentieth century the Whippet moved well beyond its industrial roots, turning up as a show dog, family companion, and competitor in lure coursing and amateur racing across Europe, North America, and Australia.

The Whippet looks like a Greyhound scaled down, built purely for speed and balance. The outline runs in smooth curves: a long head, an arched neck flowing into the back, a deep chest reaching to the elbow, a defined waist, and a strongly arched loin. The legs are long and lean, the feet neat and well padded. Left to its own devices the dog will usually curl into a tight ball to sleep.

The coat is short, fine, and lies close to the body, offering next to no insulation. Skin shows through easily over the ribs and hips, and that's correct for the breed rather than a fault.

Coat and colours

The Whippet standard doesn't restrict colour, so the breed turns up in a huge range of solids and combinations. Common shades include fawn, cream, blue-grey, black, red, and brindle, often broken up with white on the chest, feet, or face. The short coat asks for very little grooming but gives almost no protection against cold or rough going underfoot, so plenty of owners fit a coat in winter and check the thin skin for scrapes after a hard play session.

The Whippet has a quiet, gentle nature. Indoors it's settled and undemanding, the sort of dog that will happily sleep away most of the day on the couch. It forms tight bonds with its household and likes to stay close to its people, sometimes leaning or curling right up against them. The breed is sensitive and doesn't take well to shouting or a heavy hand.

With family, including kids, Whippets are patient and affectionate, though very young children need supervision since the dog is slight and can be knocked about or hurt by rough handling. Most Whippets are a bit reserved with strangers at first rather than nervous, and warm up fast once they've been introduced properly. They're not natural guard dogs and rarely bark much.

Around other dogs the breed is generally sociable and does well in multi-dog households. The main thing to watch is the sighthound chase drive: sudden movement from a cat, rabbit, possum, or small dog can trigger an instant full-speed pursuit, so a reliable recall, secure fencing, and lead walks in open areas all matter.

Day-to-day care of a Whippet is fairly simple. The coat looks after itself, but the breed's thin build and chase drive shape what it actually needs: regular bursts of fast running, protection from the cold, and a warm, padded spot to rest.

Grooming

• Brush weekly with a soft brush or grooming mitt to lift out loose hair
• Bathe only when needed, since the coat carries little odour
• Trim nails every two to three weeks, as overlong nails throw off the gait
• Check teeth and brush several times a week
• Check the thin skin for cuts or scrapes after rough play

Exercise

• Give one to two walks a day plus a chance to sprint flat out
• Use a securely fenced area or a long line for any off-lead running
• Favour short, intense bursts over long, slow distance work
• Try lure coursing or a flirt pole to satisfy the chase instinct
• Avoid hard exercise during the heat of the day, since summers across much of Australia run hot and dry, and take care on icy ground in the cooler southern states

Environment

Whippets suit houses and apartments alike, since they're quiet and settled indoors. They feel the cold fast and go looking for warm spots, so a soft bed away from draughts and a coat for winter both help. A secure backyard, or safe space to run nearby, matters far more than the size of the home.

The Whippet does well on a complete, balanced dog food matched to its life stage and activity level. The breed is naturally lean, so visible ribs and a clear waist are normal and not a reason to top up the bowl. A dog doing serious racing or coursing work may need more fuel, while a couch-bound pet needs less. Split the daily amount across two meals and adjust by body condition rather than sticking rigidly to a set measure.

Treats and supplements

Keep treats to roughly 10 percent of daily calories so the dog stays lean. Most Whippets on a good complete diet don't need supplements on top. Keep fresh water available at all times, especially around hard exercise. Deep-chested breeds can be prone to bloat, so avoid a heavy meal right before or after intense exercise and let the dog settle down around active periods.

The Whippet is one of the healthier purebred dogs and typically lives 12 to 15 years. It carries fewer inherited problems than many breeds of similar size, though a handful of concerns are worth knowing about. The lean build and short coat also mean the breed handles cold poorly and bruises or cuts more easily than a heavier-set dog. Across much of Australia, hot dry summers bring their own risk: in tick-prone regions, paralysis ticks can affect dogs seriously, so owners should check coats after time outdoors and ask a vet about prevention.

Preventive care

• Keep vaccinations and parasite prevention up to date
• Book annual vet check-ups, including heart and eye checks
• Keep up dental hygiene with regular brushing
• Keep the dog lean to protect joints and heart
• Tell any vet about the breed's anaesthesia sensitivity before a procedure

Whippets are intelligent and keen to please, but they're also sensitive and can switch off during repetitive drills. They pick things up fast when sessions are short, positive, and varied. A harsh correction damages the bond and tends to shut the dog down rather than fix the behaviour. Recall is the hardest thing to train, because the chase instinct can override a learned command the moment the dog hits full stride. For that reason plenty of owners keep their Whippet on lead in unfenced areas no matter how solid the recall looks at home.

Basics

1. Start socialisation early, with people, other dogs, and everyday sights and sounds
2. Teach name response and a reliable sit before moving on
3. Build recall in a fenced area first, rewarding every return generously
4. Add a solid stay and 'leave it' to help manage the chase drive
5. Practise calm lead walking, since the breed pulls hard toward movement
6. Keep sessions short and finish on a win

Whippets reach sexual maturity in roughly the same window as other medium-sized dogs, with females typically having their first season between six and twelve months of age. Responsible breeders wait until the dog is physically and mentally mature, usually around two years old, and screen both parents for heart and eye conditions before mating. Pregnancy runs about 63 days from conception, and litters average four to eight puppies, though smaller and larger litters both happen.

Puppies are born helpless with their eyes closed and rely entirely on the dam for the first few weeks. Weaning starts around three to four weeks, and structured socialisation from this early stage shapes the calm, confident adult temperament the breed is known for. Because Whippets are lean and fine-boned, whelping and raising the litter should happen in a warm, draught-free space. Breeding decisions are best left to experienced breeders who can provide veterinary support and take lifelong responsibility for placing the puppies.

How to register a Whippet in Australia

Rangers and shelters can only call the number the scan hands them. Give your Whippet a free United Pet Club profile and that number is yours: dog registration takes a few minutes, costs nothing for his lifetime, and works with or without a chip in place.

A chipped Whippet without a registration is carrying a number nobody can use. File it with United Pet Club and the number works for him: free for life, open to every chip brand sold here, searchable from any clinic or pound in the country. Microchip registration now, free account while you're at it.