Whippet
A pocket Greyhound — sweet, quiet, and astonishingly fast.
Vital stats
| Size | Medium · 44–51 cm |
| Weight | 9–14 kg |
| Life expectancy | 12–15 years |
| Energy | Moderate — daily sprint bursts |
| Shedding | Low, year-round |
| Coat | Fine short coat · any colour |
| Group | Hound · FCI №162 / AKC |
Breed traits
Friendliness
Care
Mind
Temperament
Bred by Northern English miners for rabbit coursing and rag racing, the Whippet is two dogs in one: a serene, gentle companion indoors and a heat-seeking missile the moment something runs. It's sensitive, quiet and touch-loving — train with softness, and never trust it off-lead near roads.
Habits & quirks
The croissant
Sleeps curled in an impossibly tight ring, ideally under your blanket, ideally touching you.
Zoomies, then nothing
Thirty seconds of full-throttle laps, followed by four hours of ornamental stillness.
The sighthound stare
Locks onto distant movement before you've even seen it.
Radiator seeking
Thin coat, low body fat — it will find the warmest cushion in the house.
Care
| Exercise | One or two safe, enclosed sprint sessions daily beat long slow marches. |
| Warmth | A proper winter coat isn't a fashion choice — Whippets genuinely feel the cold. |
| Skin | Thin skin tears easily on wire and brambles; check it over after off-lead runs. |
| Lead safety | Near roads, always leashed — no recall outruns a sighthound mid-chase. |
Common questions
Are Whippets good apartment dogs?
Yes — they're quiet, clean and calm indoors, provided they get one or two good daily sprints or runs to burn energy.
Are Whippets fragile?
Lean and thin-skinned rather than fragile — they feel the cold and need a coat in winter, and their skin cuts easily on rough terrain.
Can Whippets live with cats?
Often, if raised together indoors — but the chase instinct is hard-wired outdoors. A strange cat that runs will be chased.