Whippets

By Gemma A.

Whippets are a medium dog breed with a lot of personality in an elegant package.

Appearing to be a smaller version of a greyhound, whippets are actually close relatives. A British breed, whippets were created when the popularity of early greyhounds took off among the nobles. Only those of royal blood were allowed to own purebred greyhounds during this time so some enterprising ‘peasants’ created the whippet, leading to its nickname of ‘the poor man’s greyhound’.

Like their larger cousins, whippets were created to race, and are able to reach a top speed of 35mph. This need for speed makes them wonderfully athletic companions, always ready for a hike or to accompany you on a run. They are often gifted at agility and high energy sports like flyball and lure coursing. It is best to keep your whippet active for good health but these sweet little dogs also love to sleep and snuggle! After a bout of activity, you’ll likely find your whippet curled up on the sofa or under the covers, snoozing away.

Whippets are charismatic dogs with their long noses and large, soulful eyes. Elegant and affectionate,
they are also charming and funny. Whippets thrive on human interaction and seem to delight in making
their people laugh. If you are big on personal space, a whippet might not be for you; they want to be with you at all times, even when you visit the bathroom!

Whippets are a well protected breed by their admirers and so can be hard to find. Rarely appearing in rescue, most whippets are bought from a handful of breeders across the US. The American Kennel Club has a list of breeders by state, and this is a good place to start.

For more information on this delightful dog, please consider the following links:
http://americanwhippetclub.net/
http://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/whippet/
http://whippet-rescue.com/
http://www.whippetrescuesoutheast.com/