I have thought long and hard about whether I should even write this blog post. The reason is that as soon as we say we like something people often automatically assume that we don't like something else that is very different from what we like. So if I say I like Whippets people may think I also mean that I dislike Bulldogs or German Shepherds. But that is far from the truth. In fact, if I only had the choice to have one dog and I could not choose the breed I would probably still want that dog.
Another reason why many whippet fanciers do not like to sing the praises of their breed too loudly is that they know that with popularity of a breed always comes a decrease in quality because people start breeding for money and profit rather than for the improvement of the breed. This happened with many breeds that were popularized through media over the last 50 years and has almost destroyed some breeds.
But Whippets have so many qualities that make them ideal companion animals that I think more people deserve to know about them. I am partly speaking as a dog trainer and behavior consultant who has seen many people-dog relationships go sour over the years because people made uneducated choices about the kind of dog breed or breed-mix to get.
Given that there are so many choices there are some breeds that I believe are much better suited as companion animals than others. When I say companion animals I mean what most people call pets. But the term pet often limits the expectation that people have to something warm and fuzzy that enjoys being petted. But companion dogs are so much more than that. The word pet also has a negative connotation as in "pet-quality" being something less than "show quality" or "pet owners" being less desirable for breeders to place their dogs with than "show" or "performance" homes.
The term companion dog makes me think of an animal that is a family member and close friend. Someone who trusts us and who we trust. Someone we truly treat like family and who treats us like family.
And for this last part it matters what the dog's emotional make-up and social intelligence is like.
I think that dogs that relate well with people, pick up their body language and emotions and respond to it with sensitivity make far better companions. And this is an area where in my experience many Hound breeds in general and Whippets in particular excel: They are sensitive, responsive, friendly, affectionate, enjoy touch, are playful without being aggressive (ok, apart from puppy mouthiness) and I would venture to say they are one of the least likely of all breeds to seriously bite people. They can adjust easily to people with different needs (seniors, children, people with disabilities). They can be very exuberant in play when outside and very calm and quiet couch potatoes in the house. They are happy go lucky without being in your face. All this adds up to Whippets being one of the breeds that are both highly intelligent and easy to train, two traits that don't often go together, because breeds that think for themselves make it hard for the average pet owner to influence them. Hounds are bred to live and hunt in groups and they have been selected to relate well with others.
Whippets, in particular racing-bred whippets that are bred for function much more than for looks, are a very healthy breed compared to most other breeds of dog. This may be in part related to their lean and well-muscled body type. Orthopedic problems, heart problems, eye problems, autoimmune problems of various kinds and allergies are fairly rare.
Because of their short and smooth coat Whippets shed very little and some people have made the experience that my whippets cause them fewer allergy symptoms than the so-called "hypoallergenic" breeds. Their coat is also extremely easy to take care of. Bathing a Whippet takes 5-10 minutes to wash and dry and brushing is not required making any professional grooming appointments unnecessary.
Because of their short coat whippets like to curl up on furniture and beds, in particular with their owners, but they leave very little hair behind.
I personally love Whippets because they are so athletic. They share this with many other breeds, including many hunting breeds and herding breeds. But as medium-size sprinters whippets do not need miles and miles of exercise. My Pointer mix and my Beagle have always wanted many miles of exercise a day. My Whippets get off-leash in a large field away from traffic once or twice a day and run hard for about 5-10 minutes (a little longer for youngsters). We have also participated in lure coursing, flyball, agility and frisbee in the past. They also love to go on hikes with us.
One last point that matters to some people more than others: I find Whippets to be one of the most beautiful and elegant breeds of dogs. But that is of course a matter of taste. You can't argue about beauty.
I was tempted to add a picture to the end of this post, but want to encourage the reader to create a picture in their mind of the dog they find most beautiful inside and out.
Another reason why many whippet fanciers do not like to sing the praises of their breed too loudly is that they know that with popularity of a breed always comes a decrease in quality because people start breeding for money and profit rather than for the improvement of the breed. This happened with many breeds that were popularized through media over the last 50 years and has almost destroyed some breeds.
But Whippets have so many qualities that make them ideal companion animals that I think more people deserve to know about them. I am partly speaking as a dog trainer and behavior consultant who has seen many people-dog relationships go sour over the years because people made uneducated choices about the kind of dog breed or breed-mix to get.
Given that there are so many choices there are some breeds that I believe are much better suited as companion animals than others. When I say companion animals I mean what most people call pets. But the term pet often limits the expectation that people have to something warm and fuzzy that enjoys being petted. But companion dogs are so much more than that. The word pet also has a negative connotation as in "pet-quality" being something less than "show quality" or "pet owners" being less desirable for breeders to place their dogs with than "show" or "performance" homes.
The term companion dog makes me think of an animal that is a family member and close friend. Someone who trusts us and who we trust. Someone we truly treat like family and who treats us like family.
And for this last part it matters what the dog's emotional make-up and social intelligence is like.
I think that dogs that relate well with people, pick up their body language and emotions and respond to it with sensitivity make far better companions. And this is an area where in my experience many Hound breeds in general and Whippets in particular excel: They are sensitive, responsive, friendly, affectionate, enjoy touch, are playful without being aggressive (ok, apart from puppy mouthiness) and I would venture to say they are one of the least likely of all breeds to seriously bite people. They can adjust easily to people with different needs (seniors, children, people with disabilities). They can be very exuberant in play when outside and very calm and quiet couch potatoes in the house. They are happy go lucky without being in your face. All this adds up to Whippets being one of the breeds that are both highly intelligent and easy to train, two traits that don't often go together, because breeds that think for themselves make it hard for the average pet owner to influence them. Hounds are bred to live and hunt in groups and they have been selected to relate well with others.
Whippets, in particular racing-bred whippets that are bred for function much more than for looks, are a very healthy breed compared to most other breeds of dog. This may be in part related to their lean and well-muscled body type. Orthopedic problems, heart problems, eye problems, autoimmune problems of various kinds and allergies are fairly rare.
Because of their short and smooth coat Whippets shed very little and some people have made the experience that my whippets cause them fewer allergy symptoms than the so-called "hypoallergenic" breeds. Their coat is also extremely easy to take care of. Bathing a Whippet takes 5-10 minutes to wash and dry and brushing is not required making any professional grooming appointments unnecessary.
Because of their short coat whippets like to curl up on furniture and beds, in particular with their owners, but they leave very little hair behind.
I personally love Whippets because they are so athletic. They share this with many other breeds, including many hunting breeds and herding breeds. But as medium-size sprinters whippets do not need miles and miles of exercise. My Pointer mix and my Beagle have always wanted many miles of exercise a day. My Whippets get off-leash in a large field away from traffic once or twice a day and run hard for about 5-10 minutes (a little longer for youngsters). We have also participated in lure coursing, flyball, agility and frisbee in the past. They also love to go on hikes with us.
One last point that matters to some people more than others: I find Whippets to be one of the most beautiful and elegant breeds of dogs. But that is of course a matter of taste. You can't argue about beauty.
I was tempted to add a picture to the end of this post, but want to encourage the reader to create a picture in their mind of the dog they find most beautiful inside and out.