Is there down-side to owning a Whippet?
Answers:
I love whippets, but how suitable they are for you depends on your life style. Whippets are lovely, affectionate, docile dogs which need minimal grooming, but they are quite energetic, so you need to make sure you're able to give them enough exercise.
While it's true that sighthounds have a tendency to have a high prey drive, it's not true that none of them can never ever be let off the lead. All dogs are individuals; some are less "keen" (inclined to chase) than others. If you get a whippet, you need to learn about its individual personality and it's tendency to chase, and make your judgment based on that. Of course you also have to train a careful recall but the same is true of any breed of dog. I have owned a greyhound, a saluki, and a currently own a whippet cross, and all have been fine off the lead. Sighthounds are very into their food, so this is a great motivator for teaching recall.
Edit: "Any sighthound who does not have prey drive like that is not a good sighthound"
It depends why you want one. You may use your dogs for coursing, MJ, but if you want a pet sighthound, the "incorrect" temperament is the best choice. If breeders deliberatley select for dogs that can't be let off the lead, I suggest the OP goes to a rescue for their whippet and gets an "incorrect" one. Our greyhound, incidentally, was a very successful racer - I went to watch her win her last race before we took her home, and she won. After she settled in with us, she walked happily off the lead without a problem for the rest of her life. Of course there are some sighthounds that can't be let off the lead, but I do think people get too brainwashed by this idea and won't even try to train their sighthounds to recall - with the result that their dogs get shortchanged on exercise. The key is careful training. Lots of work with a long line and harness, and plenty of positive reinforcement.
(Incidentally, a "longdog" is any kind of sighthound/sighthound cross, not just an afghan/greyhound. My little Whippet cross is actually a longdog - her other half is Saluki!)
they don't have a nice temperament.
lots of long walks
No!
I'm not sure about the temprement as mentioned above, i'm sure not long ago on a tv programme they were said to make good pets.
I think the Dog has an image problem, it's always been seen as the working mans dog and not really fashionable.
It's a very fickle world and these lovely dogs have suffered more from that than many others.
I think there are few people willing to take on a whippet because they think it's going to need masses of exercise but i don't think that's true either.
I hope a Whippet owner gives you an answer to put your fears to rest, it's about time that dogs like this and greyhounds didn't spend the end of their lives in a RSPCA cage just because of fashion.
Only that it will beat you home from the pub.
they are more of a hunting dog than a pet and need lots of exercise
Sure is unfortunatly people will think your from Barnsley.
they can get very excited easily and they asre not very good with children and are very wary of people at first and you will need to build up its trust before its comfortable to be handled and groomed etc.. otherwise nice dog.
Yes. You will have to wear a flat cap to complete the image. And eat black pudding.
Yes, they are bad with cats and children, if they wanted to run away from you they could. They can run up to 30 miles per hour. And they're very high-strung.
Whippets are sighthounds. This means that a Whippet must ALWAYS be kept on a leash when not in a VERY secure yard. This means that if ANYONE irresponsible could EVER come over to your house and accidentally leave the front door open, or let the dog out front without a leash to go potty, or take him for a walk without a firm grasp on the leash, your whippet could be gone forever. This problem typically occurs when housesitters, visiting family/friends, or children under 15 get in the mix. A sighthound follows what it sees, no matter the consequences. This means they will run for 2 miles, at 30+MPH, after something then turn around and realize they are lost. This means they will run full speed into traffic to get the cat on the other side of the street.
Whippets are also people dogs. If you can't be home with your dog for the majority of the day, they will go insane. They are bred from Italian Greyhounds, Greyhounds, and Terriers, all of which are family dogs. If you work 8-10 hours a day, a whippet is not the dog for you. They are velcro dogs.
Whippets are also high in energy. While they can adapt to apartment life, they love to get out and show their famous speed. They can't be a part of an inactive lifestyle. With this high energy comes a mischevious side. They can easily jump on your counter, on your tables, and essentially any place that you wouldn't expect a dog. If your home is a pristine place, or this is a proble, they are not the right dog for you.
Whippets are a type of dog needs to be from a reputable breeder. Of course, all dogs need this, but because of their special attributes (small legs, fine bones, and other things) they are more suceptable to massive illnesses and injuries from poor breeding.
Whippets usually have a high prey drive. This means that if you have a cat or another small dog, they are more likely to hunt it and kill it. If you have loads of squirrels, birds, or cats that stupid neighbors leave outside, expect to find dead ones if their paths cross.
Whippets are not outdoor dogs. As mentioned earlier, they are family dogs, but also because of their coats and lack of body fat, they should not be kept outside. They should be let out for supervised potty breaks and exercise, but never left outside. Especially in cold weather.
Despite the bad information given here, Whippets typically are fine with kids. However, they can often be cat-like and aloof. And, they do not take lightly to tail pulling, being stepped on, and other nonsense. They like to have fun, but not at their expense. Some kids may be too loud or too non-animal friendly for whippets, but they are typically great family dogs.
Whippets can be difficult to housebreak and to train. If this is ANY type of problem, either rescue an older dog with known behaviour patterns, or consider another breed. This dog is not a lab, a herding dog, or other type of dog that will do everything that you say and live to please you.
I don't tell you any of this to keep you from getting a whippet, I just firmly belive that ANY dog should be researched before getting one. I'd hate to have you pay $1000 for one and then have it not meet your lifestyle. Both you and the dog will be miserable. Good luck to you! : )
Whippets and greyhounds make great pets, as long as you give them plenty of excercise. They tend to be lazy and sleep a lot when in the house, but are fun and energetic outside. If you get them used to kids they are great fun as they will play alot and don't mind boisterous kids, as long as they are well socialised (the dog, not the kids!). (This is based on the fact that my friend has 2 greyhounds and 2 whippets.)
they need lots of excercise, but i dont think there is any downside to owning any dog
yes if it gets of the lead you wont be able to catch him like that saying quick as a whippet lolol hope you can run fast
Everything 'acceptance' posted is true and you can find the answers you need there.
I have had numerous breeds over the years and had Whippets for 10. I will always have Whippets and will probably never have another breed. They are absolutely wonderful! Sweet, sensitive, cuddley dogs. They are also very smart and will get into the most unbelievable things so you need to be vigilant. Also not very trainable and will have there own agenda which makes them a hard dog for some people to live with. You will need to have a sense of humor and be able to appreciate their personality. They will NOT follow your every command if they don't see the point, and if you are a person who expects a consistently obedient dog, this is not the breed for you. They are MUCH happier with another Whippet in the house, and most Whippet owners have more than one I love them dearly and have 6 snoozing on my couch right now!
And NEVER, EVER to be trusted offlead!! It only takes one rabbit and you will likely never see them again, they turn feral and scared very quickly.
If you decide you want one, go to the American Whippet Club website to look for breeders. You could also join the yahoo group Whippetsanity to learn more or look for a breeder. The breeders are VERY protective of our breed, and most Whippet breeders are good breeders with a couple of exceptions.
Feel free to email me if you want help finding a puppy or have any questions.
Edit - and you should not expect to pay $1000 for a puppy, $500 is about average for a well bred pet with parents tested clear for eyes, hearing and cardiac.
Odd dog - Longdogs are Afghan Hound/Greyhound crosses. Whippets are not Longdogs.
I do not agree with your comments on leashes. I have heard of too many people who did that, sometimes for several years, only to have their dog take off in pursuit of some critter and never to be seen again.
Which brings up another point, Whippets WILL kill any critters in your backyard, so you will have to learn to 'deal' with the results of their 'hunting'.
Dogwalker - Yes, there is the occasional Whippet with incorrect temperment who does not have a high prey drive, but most do! They SHOULD go totally focused on prey when running, and if the are 'in the zone', they wouldn't even HEAR you, much less recall. I am glad you have been lucky with your Sighthounds, but there are others who are not and never see their Hounds again. ANY Sighthound who does not have prey drive like that is not a good Sighthound as they have incorrect temperment. I have one like that, and, while beautiful and physically worthy of being specialed, he will never be used for breeding because of his lack of prey drive.
I don't think any breeder would select specifically for a dog that can't be let offlead. I DO think a good breeder will select for the ability to do the job it is supposed to do, which is to course Hare independently of direction from us. I have been teaching obedience for 25 years and have gotten many titles and HIT's, but I still would not trust mine offlead (unless it is inside in the ob ring). I just don't want prospective pet owners thinking they will probably be fine offlead after taking a beginner class. I am sure the questioner has probably gotten the point though, LOL!
A friend of mine has 3 and they are absolutely adorable! She DOES let them off the lead when out on the common but only 2 at a time that way she has control of her 'pack', a lot of the time they are lead walked and are quite happy with that, they don't tend to like other breeds much, preferring their own kind/type IE.LONG DOGS as they are called, they do not need as much exercise as you think, but little and often is good, they don't bark much though they can and LOUDLY on occasion I have been visiting and 1 or all 3 will suddenly bark at something they have heard or seen and it's such a rare thing it scares the life out of you!! They are not aggressive.
So in answer to your question I would say NOPE!
lovely gentle dogs and despitwethe idea that they need alot of excercise, they don't, they are quite happy curled up on the floor, never heard a bad report about them and a friend of mine has two and they make lovely pets
no, theye will make great pets
very friendly, good with people and children, dont need a lot of exercise, they are very lazy dogs, just like greyhounds
Nope, they are quiet, well-behaved and don't need much exercise. Of course they can run like a cheetah on speed if they want to but they are very happy to snuggle down indoors.
You may want to watch certain individuals as they like to chase small animals and this could mean an early exit for the family rabbit or cat.
Some are quite frail while others are a bit meatier. All are slim but the latter are considerably tougher and will endure better in bad weather and if they get picked on by other dogs.
Some of them really are quite weedy and you don't want one of these as it will suffer badly in cold weather. The bigger strain is a better all round prospect so make sure you see the mum and dad to get an idea of what they are going to turn out like and choose the beefier pups.
Good luck.
oh no. There are a wonderful breed. silky soft to stroke, laid back, stunningly beautiful and elegant little dogs which are naturally obedient.They don't actually need a lot of excersize and are very happy with a quick run around the garden in the morning and a general potter about during the day. The rest of the time they are happy to curl up next to you and snooze. I've never met a bad one. The only small downside is that they do feel the cold like greyhounds as they have such thin fur. But that is easily solved by getting him a dog coat or doggy sweater.
Also they dislike being shouted at.
But otherwise, truly wonderful little dogs.
I would also like to add that I have fostered several for a local rescue centre and all have been 100% trustworthy off the lead and with my 12 cats and 6 small dogs.
In my area.only that they get cold in winter.
BUT..get em out HUNTIN' & they don't CARE!!
Yes - try catching it when it runs away :-)
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