How to Identify a Whippet

The Whippet is a friendly dog, but may get very intense during sport trials or hunting. This breed is particularly attached to its owner, and is friendly to visitors. They are good with young children. They may chase after smaller house pets, such as cats or smaller dogs. Because of their coat, it does not do well with living outside or in kennels. It prefers to be inside with its family. Because of its speed, the Whippet is great for lure coursing and other racing.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Look at the general appearance of the Whippet. This is a medium-sized sighthound that is fit and elegant. It is a strong breed and is built for speed. Males are 19 to 22 inches and females are 18 to 21 inches. It is a rectangular-shaped dog, and when measured from the forechest to the rear, the measurement is slightly longer than the height measurement.

2. Make sure the head and head furnishing give the Whippet a keen, alert and intelligent expression. The large eyes can be round to oval, but not almond-shaped. They are dark brown, and in some cases, almost black. The small ears are carried folded on the neck. The long muzzle is powerful, but should not be coarse. The black nose is fully pigmented.

3. Check that the neck and body are proportionate to the dog as a whole. The Whippet’s neck is long and muscular. It arches into well-angulated shoulders and should not be throaty. The brisket is extremely deep and reaches to the point of the elbow. The long rear is quite powerful and sports muscular thighs. The front and rear feet are formed with thick, hard pads. The feet are not round, but not quite hare-like, but something in between. The tail is long, and reaches to the hock. It is carried down with an upward curve.

4. Pet the short coat. It is close to the body and has a smooth, firm texture. The coat can be any color on the Whippet.

[GreenMomma]

on 5/30/2009 Great information!