Whippet — Breed Profile
"Sweet, dignified, gentle, alert, eager, affectionate"
Couch potato sprinter
At a Glance
Weight
25–40 lbs
Height
18–22"
Lifespan
12–15 years
Coat
Short
Group
Hound
Origin
United Kingdom
Breed Traits
Best For
Active families, apartment dwellers, lure coursing enthusiasts, dog sport competitors, experienced sighthound owners
Not Ideal For
Owners unable to secure prey drive, those needing a guard dog, sedentary lifestyles, homes without secure fencing
Health Considerations
Heart murmurs, eye problems, hypothyroidism, deafness
Estimated annual vet cost: $500-$1,000
Breed History
Developed in 19th-century Britain from Greyhounds and Italian Greyhounds, originally called the poor man's racehorse. Used for amateur racing and competitive coursing.
Fun Facts
- Fastest acceleration of any dog breed from idle to running
- Fastest speed for its weight and size class
- Nearly identical to Greyhound but smaller and more elegant
- Sometimes called the poor man's racehorse due to affordability compared to Greyhounds
Famous Whippets
Not widely documented