The Whippet originated in England and is a mixture of the Italian Greyhound and Greyhound. The name came from whip it which ironically enough means to move fast. The name is perfect for this breed because they are known for their incredibly fast acceleration which reaches speeds of up to 37 MPH. This breed is most commonly used for hunting, lure coursing, racing, and agility. The Whippet looks like a miniature Greyhound and they can reach speeds almost as high as the Greyhound.
The Whippet is a skinny yet toned medium sized dog. They have muscular legs, a deep chest, and a long thin tail. Their head is wedge shaped with their ears a floppy triangular shape. The Whippets fur is hard and very short, making it easy to groom and keep maintained. Their neck is long and thick and their stomach is tight making their smallest point at the abdominal area.
The Whippet is an extremely energetic dog that will need not only daily exercise, but time spent running to tire them out. They have a very high prey drive so cats and smaller animals should never be around this breed. When walking a Whippet, a leash will always be needed because they can catch a glimpse of another animal and take off quickly.
