Whippet

The Whippet is a mid-sized dog in the sighthound family. It shares the link with the Greyhound, Irish Wolfhound, Afghan Hound, and similar dogs. They were originally bred to hunt purely by sight, running after game at high speeds in wide open spaces. This breed was created by crossing the Greyhound with several other dogs in Northern England. They were originally used to go after rabbits, and owners even held races so that they could race against each other for sport during leisure time. As a bonus, they didn't require as much food as the Greyhound. The breeders and fanciers of the day bought the most good-looking whippets and bred them together to create small versions of Greyhounds. They come in black, white, red, fawn, brindle, cream, and blue with spots, patches, blotches, and stripes in between. They are averse to being cramped in close quarters and need lots of sunshine and exercise. They're a good farm dog and make an excellent friend on long journeys through the forest. They between 25 and 40 pounds, and they're between 18 and 22 inches tall. They were created in the 18th century, and they have a lifespan of 13 to 15 years. They're slender, efficient, vermin-hunting machines with a lot to do in a farm or ranch environment. Their sociability with other dogs is their most remarkable quality, and their affection level is very high toward their masters. They're a great gregarious dog for exchanging company with lots of other dogs on the farm. The Whippet is a sleek, medium sized sight hound. Although at first glance it may appear to be delicate, this is a powerful little dog built for speed. Whippets have traditionally been valued as house pets and companions, used to hunt rabbits and other small game, and enjoyed in lure coursing competitions. The breed is thought to be about two hundred years old, and was first developed in northern England as a smaller version of the Greyhound. The Whippet averages 17 to 22 inches tall at the shoulder depending upon sex of the individual. Whippets in the United States and Canada tend to be a bit larger. This dog is very lean, and weighs only about 25 to 40 pounds. Its movement is easy, smooth and supremely graceful. The nose is long and narrow, the dark eyes are large and very expressive. The narrow pointed ears are most often held back and alongside the head in a drop position, but when the dog alerts they stand up straight. The body is fine-to-medium boned and the skin thin, showing well-defined musculature. The Whippet has particularly powerful hindquarters. This breed can reach speeds of 35 mph; this allows it to cover 16 yards per second, and makes it possibly the fastest mammal in proportion to its size. The ribs are well-sprung, allowing for large lung capacity to assist in oxygen intake when running. The coat is smooth and dense, and is acceptable in any of a wide variety of colors, including but not limited to brindle, fawn, white with brindle, red, white with black, and gray. Many colors may occur within the same litter. The Whippet first appeared in the north of England in the early 19th century. It was likely developed mainly by exploiting the small size of specific Greyhounds in breeding programs; it is likely that some terrier was also introduced to reduce the size but maintain the hunting instinct. Breeders sought a dog that was fast on the hunt like a Greyhound, but of smaller size. The result was a dog with the soft disposition and noble presence of its larger cousin, impressive speed and keen pursuit of prey all that a Greyhound was in a smaller package. For centuries, the Greyhound had been the dog of nobility; thoughout the Middle Ages and the Renaissance it was illegal for a commoner to own one. So the Whippet soon became the pride of the non-noble classes, and was dubbed the "poor man's Greyhound"� or "poor man's racehorse"�. At a time in history when the bloodier bait and fight sorts of dog sports were on the wane, and racing and coursing was becoming widely favored, the common people all over England were soon using the Whippet in impromptu 200-yard straight races on city streets and country lanes, using pieces of rags tied to rope as the lure, and in organized "snap hound"� competitions - races in small enclosures where a live hare was the quarry. By the late 19th century Whippet racing was a national sport in England. The Kennel Club recognized the Whippet as a breed distinct from other sight hounds, in 1890. Meanwhile, English mill merchants from the north of England had brought the Whippet to America in the middle of the 19th century. Whippet popularity caught on in Massachusetts as it had in England, and that state became the first center for the popular new sport of Whippet racing. In 1888 the American Kennel Club recognized the breed. The Whippet is an exceedingly easy-care dog. Its coat requires little grooming: an occasional brush with a hound cloth or wipe-down with a damp cloth will be all that is needed to keep the coat shiny and clean. The Whippet has no natural dog odor. Its skin can be fragile and susceptible to tearing quite easily. Lacerations that are deep should be seen by a vet, so that scarring and infection can be avoided. The Whippet is not suited to extreme temperatures, whether hot or cold. It possesses little of the body fat that normally insulates the dog from overheating and from freezing. So the owner should be very careful not to allow the Whippet to become overheated, stand in the sun for long periods of time, or to be outside without a coat in cold weather. A secure, high fence is very important with this breed; the Whippet is a bit of an escape artist, and if it runs it is gone. The Whippet that is not confined within a fence should be on leash at all times. This breed is a sight hound and the smallest movement will attract its prey drive. Every year, many Whippets are killed by automobiles after running into traffic after a squirrel, a plastic bag blowing in the wind, or piece of paper tumbling across the road. Whippets are very lazy indoors, and will spend a lot of their day sleeping. Still, a good daily walk is important for their overall mental and physical well-being. This breed is friendly, sweet, and almost never aggresses. Many people never hear the bark of their Whippet, for this breed rarely barks; it does not make a good watchdog. The Whippet can live very successfully with cats given proper socialization to them early in life. It is rarely aggressive toward other canines. The owner should exercise a lot of caution however, with bringing small animals such as hamsters, rats, mice, and ferrets around the Whippet. Quick movement in a small animal can trigger the strong prey drive and the Whippet moves very quickly. This breed is not suited for small children: although it is a gentle-natured dog, it is physically vulnerable to rough play and can easily be seriously injured. Whippets have very few health issues, and individuals often live to15 years or more. Owners of Whippets will be giving themselves a treat if they participate with their hounds in lure coursing competitions and straight line races. The Whippet should first be well conditioned to run, and must be warmed up and cooled down to prevent injury. Whippets also do well in agility, and in recent years are seen more often in Canine Freestyle "dancing"� competitions.

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