The Whippet is a British breed that was created by crossing the Greyhound with a variety of terrier breeds. This dog was originally used as a mouser and vermin hunter, however, they also made a living at the dog races. Today this dog is used for both hunting and as a companion.
The Whippet is hound dog that stands between 17 and 20 inches tall and weighs about 28 pounds. They have a short, fine coat that comes in a variety of colors and patterns. When you look at this dog they look just like a miniature Greyhound.
The Whippet can be a very sensitive breed. It is very important to be fair and patient when obedience training your Whippet so as to not stress them too much.
Whippets are built for speed that they are considered the poor man’s horse. Their agility and dexterity is superb but it is their gentle and affectionate nature that make them so endearing household companions.
Origin of the Whippet
The Whippet is a breed of dog, of the sight hound family. It has evolved for over a hundred years but it was only officially recognized by the English Kennel Club at the end of the 19th century.
People made use of Whippets for racing. They were used as an entertaining form of gambling.
Whippet Appearance and Abilities
The Whippet is medium-sized dog. Its appearance shows great elegance and fitness. It also denotes speed, power, and balance. Athleticism is apparent.
Whippets weigh around 25 to 40 lbs with heights up to 20 inches. They have short, smooth, and close-lying coats that are firm in texture. Their coats can come in any color and marking pattern. Color is considered immaterial.
The Whippet is an outstanding track racer over short distances reaching speeds of up to 37 miles per hour, 60km. per hour, in seconds. Its gait is low, free moving and smooth, with reach in the forequarters and strong drive in the hindquarters. It is an efficient runner and able to cover a great amount of distance in a single motion.
Whippets have high energy when in the field. They are hardy and tough.
Temperament and tendencies of the Whippet
Lively, affectionate, and docile, Whippets are great companions. They are extremely devoted and naturally quiet and calm when at home. They are so gentle and they are great with young children. Whippets are never aggressive and very friendly and can be used as therapy dogs.
However, their instinct to chase small animals like cats is strong. Their strong prey drives kicks in quite compellingly with the presence of small animals and Whippets might kill them if caught. It can be remedied if socialized with small animals extensively and early.
In contrast to small animals, Whippets are well adapted to live with other canines.
Whippets desire companionship. They are most at home when they are beside their owners. They are amiable and very friendly even to strangers. Whippets do not make good watchdogs. They may bark sometimes to announce the arrival of strangers but don’t count on them to do it too often. They are just too welcoming to become guard dogs.
Training and Care
Training Whippets must include a lot of variety because they easily bore with repetitive training. Agility training is essential for Whippets. They like to mix mental stimulation with their physical exercises and they need it regularly.
Housebreaking Whippets differ from dog to dog. Some can be trained very easily others can be tricky. Just be consistent and follow the basic methods for house training
Whippets must be trained with consistency and gentleness but they are quite sensitive to scolding. Owners should never be harsh to them. Use only positive reinforcement. Always be a pack leader and don’t let Whippets develop small dog syndrome.
Whippets’ smooth, fine, short-haired coat is easy to groom. A regular rub all over with a damp chamois will keep the coat gleaming. Brush with a firm bristle brush, and bathe only when necessary. They do not usually produce odor and they are average shedders.
The Whippet first appeared in the Northern section of England in the 19th century. This mid-sized dog has the appearance of a greyhound and carries the speed that surpasses many of the other breeds in the hound group. Known as the poor man’s race horse because of the many competitions to showcase their speed they were recognized by the AKC in 1888 and has become a popular show dog that has won many championships in various categories.
Whippets are gentle dogs that are very loving, and enjoy getting and giving affection. The breed is calm and sweet and very rarely even barks. They will bark when they need to, but they do not make good watchdogs though. They can get snappish at times so they are not recommended for your kids. They are friendly enough though to be used around the elderly in nursing homes.
If they are not raised around cats they will chase them, often reaching speeds of up to 35 miles per hour. Both male and female Whippets are equally easy to housebreak. They are very loyal to their owners and love to be with them. They will stay close when they can. Whippets are quiet enough for even apartments.
The whippet is one of the few breeds that can remain extremely healthy if it receives the proper nutrition and grooming. This breed often lives over 15 years without health issues or problems. Some health issues that may cause concern would be genetic eye problems or heart disease, both easily avoidable if the dogs is pure breed. Undecended testicles are one problem the Whippets can commonly have.
Many of the health issues and obstacles that are faced by owners is due to the mixed breeding of t his dog. Owners are cautioned and encouraged to find as much history as possible on their family friend. Being able to provide this information to a trusted pet professional is critical when considering any health scares.
The health issues that are associated with this breed often appear due to old age if the breed is properly taken care of. Exercise is a regular part of a proper health routine for this breed. Owners unable to provide an open space for this breed are suggested to create an exercise routine that depicts the breed’s natural requirements and uses the breed’s natural instincts.
The whippet is a low maintenance dog and requires bathing only once a month and brushing to rid its coat of dead hair. The whippet is a short haired breed and does not require frequent bathing because it strips away the natural oils within the coat. Keeping the Whippet’s nails clipped is a major concern that each owner should take into account when purchasing this breed.
25 Responses to “How to Train a Whippet”
I adopted this whippet from RSPCA South Godstone, Surrey in June 2012 when it was 7 months old, although it was described as a Lurcher in the advertisement. My old dog was a Lurcher which was 16 years of age and in poor health when the vet advised it should be put down when it could no longer stand up. Although this male dog named Alfie appears to be quite docile it is inclined to chew things and cannot be left alone in a bed in the kitchen overnight as it causes mayhem and has even pulled the electric socket away from the wall, plus scratching the doors.
We took the dog to dog training classes and managed to get Alfie to sit down etc.We also took some advice and bought a crate which he sometimes uses. They suggested his behaviour was due to being left alone and advised putting the soft bed in the bedroom. Then we bought a child’s safety gate which we put at the foot of the stairs. Now he sleeps in the soft bed on the landing at the top of the stairs.
I take Alfie for a walk on Banstead Downs at the end of the road. At first he was on a lead, then I let him off the lead well away from the road. At first he was O.K. but then I could not get him back on the lead even when I took a ball with me. He ran off into the road on two occasions and I have now put him back on a lead.
My two problems are chewing and letting him off the lead as he seems to need plenty of exercise. We also cannot leave him for any length of time and leave him in the garden when shopping or locked up in the crate for two hours. Any advice would be helpful. We are both retired and do not leave him alone all day.
I have a six month old female whippet, she will be seven months at the end of this month. She does great in a crate but for us, we were slow and cautious to let her have free roam. We started in 20-30 min increments, then 2 hour. She has been left from 12-6 on and has earned her right for half days haha. As far as chewing we have not had a problem. Off leash? I started her by walking on an extensive/ long lead and I would leave it loose enough she thought she was on it. While walking next to me if she got any further than two feet I would say “heel” and gently tug the leash to her appropriate and desired distance. Then I began letting her off leash for short periods of time on walks. If she bolted I would scold her and spank her on the butt. They are very independent and can have an attitude of listening when THEY want, but after time I hardly ever leash her. Treats may come in handy to have him recall when off leash? Dog park on a cold weekday would be a good time to practice in a safe area without many distractions.
Making him run his little heart out before you leave could really help him from getting bored and destructive when you leave.
If all people had your understanding of dogs I may not have a job. Teaching small things, building on them, having patience, and not giving too much freedom too quickly are many of the benchmarks I teach. Good job.
I bought a whippet lurcher aged 2 or 3 from a rescue. At first I had a GSD cross and the whippet was devoted to the other dog, copied then other dog, not me. Then the other dog dies and whippet lurcher changed overnight to looking to me and became instantly more amenable outdoors off lead.
My whippet chewed and scrabbled at soft furnishings. I recommend those Kong toys that can be stuffed with peanut butter or treats. This is moe entertaining for the dog than ripping furniture, unless yours has separation anxiety. Mine is happy enough to be left, simply goes to sleep. Very slow introduction to a large crate may be a help for yours.
Off lead, my whippet lurcher caused me a lot of bad times by disappearing but once the GSD died she was a lot better because I was thereafter her leader. I would never let her off near a road, but she is okay enough in a large field with no rabbits etc. I always use a gundog whistle and have trained her to associate it with treats and dinners. I carry ham trimmings ()very inexpensive!) or sausages in a plastic bag when I take her for walks as she has little interest in commercial treats.
I hope this helps.
I have a six month old female whippet which I have had since 8 weeks. She is pretty good, although I am sure she would be naughty if she was allowed! She has been to puppy training, and sits, lays down and comes back to her name.
I have one problem, when she sees small children, approx 2 years - 8 years, she makes a beeline for them and then starts jumping up towards their faces , opening her jaws….when called she does come back, but this is worrying me, and so I now only take her to places where no-one else goes, and I am constantly worried we will see small children when we are walking down the street. NB: She also jumps up at adults when they bend down to stroke her…help.
I don’t know the full scenario here but it seems to me like you’ve got your dog in ‘off leash’ scenarios but she’s not off leash trained.
Jeffrey, as a whippet owner for many years, I just want to reassure you that having a whippet is a wonderful experience. They learn through a combination of positive reinforcement when the right results are achieved, and firm punishment when negative results happen. Within a short period of time, the dog will quickly produce positive results and look to please as often as possible. Don’t be afraid to spank your dog within reason. It really does help them learn.
I never spank my whippet she is so sensitive she would be devasted. They are not like GSDs or terriers and cannot stand hostility from their people, or from big aggressive dogs either, for that matter.
Your Whippet needs love and respect smacking it will be it timid and it won’t have respect for you. They might respond out of fear but do you really won’t to be the sort of person to dominate your dog. A firm no and time out for naughty behaviour works much better then smacking. Most whippets learn fast and aim to please they are great dogs.
I have a 7 mo old whippet. He potty trained quickly, responds to sit and lay down well, for the most part listens well for a 7 mo old. HOWEVER, he has increasingly gotten worse as it relates to “come!” When he see’s another dog he will take off and goes nuts with wanting to play. Has become a little more aggressive in his play as he grows and can really only play with larger dogs now. He will not even here me when I say “no” or “come” or even “stop.” He seems desperate to want to play with other dogs. I have taken him to dog parks but don’t really like how other owners let their dog behave and my dog tends to go a little nuts too wanting to play with every dog in sight, running/jumping all over the place. He’s at home for approximately 6 hours by himself in a very large backyard with lots of toys. When myself and the kids come home it’s not stop entertainment for him. We play with him, run, walk him. I feel he does get a lot of stimulation exercise and mentally. We are thinking of putting him in a kennel once a week for some socialization. I have had him in doggie classes with the humane society. But it’s worrisome even with high value treats that he doesn’t listen to me when I ask him to come and he just takes off. What can I do to get him to listen to me? It’s gotten to the point where I can’t let him off leash unless I absolutely know there is no other dog around and even still I keep a look out. Do I just need to keep with it and hope he grows out of it. Do you think a kennel once a week will help?
You’ve hit the nail on the head when it comes to treat training. Treat training is only as effective as the dog wants the treat. The problem is there are so many things more interesting than a treat.
We always recommend a stabilized approach using both positive reinforcement AND correction to help the dog realize that coming when called is mandatory.
I’m quite an advocate for this as I’ve, unfortunately, trained a lot of second dogs because dog #1 got hit by a car because he was treat trained and wouldn’t come.
My whippet lurcher also loves the company of other dogs and I don’t normally tell her to come to me when she is having a good time as I love to watch her at play.
DESPERATE FOR HELP… I rescued a male whippet xmas 2012, originally I was just going to foster him over xmas to get him out of the kennels but he had his feet under the table so i have now adopted him, he is around 12 mths old and was found abandand in a house with another female whippet…He is the most loving and affectionate dog I know but I have a Big Big problem when we go out for walks, he barks at anything that moves, he does get quite annoying and I am sure it does for other dog walkers having a quiet stroll on a Sunday afternoon.. Could anyone please advise me in the best way to train him not to bark at other dogs etc..
You don’t have a barking problem, you have an obedience problem. Your dog hasn’t learned proper walking techniques, hasn’t learned to focus on you on walks, etc. The barking is simply a manifestation of a lack of leash training.
What have you done ‘leash-training-wise’ up until now?
Hiya Nothing really, I wouldn’t know where to start, he wears a leather whippet collar, but now have bought him a choker chain for when out walking.
I agree with Ty. Your dog needs to be leash trained but NOT while you are out for a walk. I would suggest first train him, if possible, in the house or if you have one in your yard. When you are first training him to a new “obedience” you want to do it without distractions, which you will always run into on a walk. Once he has the idea of what heel means and is pretty good at obeying the command, then you can take him out on his leash and practice his new task.
A whippet’s neck is too long and fragile for a choke chain. Train your whippet slowly and gently to use a Halti and your problems will be over.
We have recently (about 2 months ago) adopted what we were told was an Aussie mix. She is about 1 1/2 years old and just the sweetest, most loving dog we have ever had! Her eyes suggest she doe have some Aussie in her genetic makeup.
We lost two of our wonderful companions recently. One was a16 year old Chow mix who died of old age in November and the other was a 12 year old Shepard/Chow/ Retriever mix who died in early February when an undiagnosed tumor on on her adrenal gland burst. We still a 10 year old Chow/hound/retriever mix with whom our new companion (Daisy) gets along fairly well. Our problem is we have 3 cats who have always had access to the inside of the house and the outside 1/2 acre yard. All our animals use a dog door to go in and out. The cats also have access to the garage so it is a “safe” place.for them.
As you can imagine the cats NEVER come ito the maid part of the house and we almost never see them because Daisy has chased them quite often. We can’t even get the cats so we can try to introduce Daisy to them. I realize this is very late to be training her to the cats, but we really love Daisy and don’t want to give her up, but I am afraid she will kill one of them one of these days.
Can anyone help?
Hi
i have recently adopted a whippet who is now 7 months old. we have had him just over a month. i have 3 children who are 6,3 and nearly 2. Sid the whippet is the most loving friendly dog who most of the time is a joy to have, however he seems to have developed a very unhealthy habit of eating nappies! clean dirty you name it, he even tries snatching them as your changing the babies bum!! he has been known to eat the whole thing! any suggestions as to why he does this and how to stop it? he also has the same fetish for wires…of the electrical kind! hence we have no sky TV or phone line thanks to Sid! he is walked 4 times a day and is quite an active dog, living above our pub with us we are permanently around, am clueless as to why he has developed these habits???!!
The ‘why’ on why he eats diapers is simple. He likes them. They taste good to him.
The ‘how’ on fixing the problem is a few fold:
- The dog needs to understand the word ‘no’. It’s apparent he doesn’t understand that command as I’m sure you’ve told him ‘no’ as he tries to grab them yet he continues to grab them. He needs to be corrected in a way that is effective as he tries to steal them.
- He needs better supervision. He shouldn’t be in a position where he’s alone with diapers for now.
I quite agree with the above advice. Don’t have conversations with the dog. Keep commands simple, one word only and speak as if you mean it.
We adopted a pup in June that was ~ 11 months old. Aftr researching around we found that the lab mix pup we rescued is actually a whippet… she runs like the devil when given the slightest window.. usually out the front door. we live about 3 blocks in from a very busy road so this is a huge danger and we fear whe will get hit by a car. I don’t know what to do with her.. but we recently added a shock collar to her preventative measures. So far we have been able to catch her… but I really thought this weekend would be her last.
Super friendly
super loving (except the cats are not thrilled…that’s a whole other worry)
great with the kids
Can’t identify any large fenced in areas to let her go once a week… and any large field…she just won’t stop.
Our 6′ fenced yard has room for her to run… (she sails over anything lower) but it just doesn’t satisfy her.
Any other suggestions? I can’t run with her on a leash b/c of asthma..
If you’ve got an e-collar yet still have the problem it sounds like you may not be using it right. Check out our e-collar programs-
https://www.dogbehavioronline.com/advanced-ecollar-obedience-p/
I have loved reading everyone’s comments. I have a gorgeous 10 month old whippet called Flora. She is our first dog so everything is a learning curve for us. Our biggest problem is keeping washing on the clothes line! She is getting better with towels but won’t leave anything white, particularly my husband’s cricket whites. Thank goodness the cricket season has ended, the weather is wet, so everything is being tumble dried! I have found her extremely hard work, but she is adorable. My husband and two teenage sons didn’t want a whippet, but are completely won over by her. She waits in the window for them to return from work. We are waiting for her first season. Her mum’s was at 10 months. We have been told by our vet to wait three months after that before getting her spayed. Then we will start agility classes which I know she will love.
A couple things:
1- You want to prevent this behavior. I know, too late in this case, but I’m mostly saying it for others who read this. We teach TONS of supervision when the dog is young so that the dog can grow into freedom. In almost all cases like yours it is a result of too much freedom too quickly.
2- You need ‘lock down’ supervision. Crate training while you are gone. On a leash while you are home. With time you give a TINY bit of freedom and then build on that.