Whippet History & Breed Notes
ABOUT THE WHIPPET
Dogs depicting the Whippet type have been seen in many art forms since antiquity.The exact origins of the modern Whippet as we know today are a little unclear.Though it is agreed the Whippet was developed in Northern England,during the mid to late 19 th century, possibly using smaller Greyhounds & Terriers to produce a fast & capable hound for hunting rabbits & other small game .These dogs were mainly owned by the working class families of Northern England.The Whippet became known as the "Poor Mans Greyhound", often living off the kitchen table scraps.( though we don't feed this way today ) During the workers day off , owners raced their Whippets in town streets & fields .These races became known as rag races.Hence the Whippet was also known as "The Rag Dog" . Whippets were first recognized as a breed in England in about 1891 by the Kennel Club of England .
Whippets make sweet delightful , loving clean companions & are just about ideal for everyone as they are a medium sized Sighthound .But like all breeds of dogs you must be certain a Whippet suits you & your lifestyle as taking on a puppy or an older dog is a large commitment .They are very gentle & loving to their owners & love to be with people . Young puppies can be a little busy at times ! They are not the breed of dog to be just left alone in the back yard as they could become very bored & what dog wouldn't ! They will greet you with open arms & lots of kisses when you return home . Most Whippets will only bark just to alert you that someone strange is about , they are not a good guard dog . How ever they can make a great watch dog !
A Whippet is a very easy to care for breed , often known as a "wash n wear dog " . They require very little grooming , a good rub over their body with a hound glove or a soft rubber curry brush , will remove any loose hairs . They will shed their coat at the beginning of spring each year . Toe nails will require a trim once every one to two weeks to keep them nice & short . Ears also require a gentle wipe out when needed .
Whippets have very little body fat & a fine short coat , so they must be protected from the cold , wind & wet weather . A well fitting warm dry Whippet coat will do the trick ! They can live outdoors part time , but you must supply them with a warm dry sleeping area with plenty of soft bedding eg a dog bed under cover or a warm dry weather proof dog kennel protection from the summer heat is also required . Whippets do however much prefer to spend time indoors with their owners curled up on the lounge or under / on the bed covers ! Most adult Whippets do not require a vast amount of dog food to keep them well fed & most are not fussy eaters .
Most Whippets enjoy travelling with their owners in the car & enjoy social outings . eg going to the park , beach , camping or outdoor cafes etc . If you feel a Whippet is the right breed of dog for you & your lifestyle. Please be certain to purchase your puppy from a ethical registered breeder with their state controlling body eg in NSW DOGS NSW members must display their membership number when advertising puppies or adult dogs. So you can be assured of purchasing a true pedigree Whippet puppy & your puppies breeder should offer you lifetime breeder support of your new puppy, if & when you may require their support !
A registered breeder with their state controlling body must register all their puppies in the litter.Breeders are then issused a certified pedigree from the Australian National Kennel Council Limited , that must be signed & passed on to the new owner .
Often non pedigree Whippets are infused with something else down the bloodline , including puppies bred from hunting & racing lines. They may look like baby Whippets to the untrained eye ! These puppies usually do not turn out in looks or nature as you had hoped for & a crossbred Whippet is not the same as a pedigree Whippet.They are also not bred for health nor soundness of body & mind or correct breed type by people who have no knowledge or thought of canine genetics .Their living conditions & diets are often not ideal either .Usually their poor mums have litter after litter for financial gain , cutting lots of corners in the process .With no consideration given to the health & well being of mum & her litter . They often will have many litters at once & may offer a personal delivery service or offer to meet you at a meeting place .Alarm bells should start to ring by now !
These poor puppies are often advertised as purebred Whippets on online classified add sites & social media, by backyard breeders and or puppy farmers.More often than not they also supply pet shops with these puppies also . By purchasing a puppy from such so called " breeders " & pet shops , you are only encouraging them to breed more unfortunate litters . These unfortunate puppies tend to be very hard to train also . Ethical Registered Breeders of Pedigree Whippets don't breed or offer for sale unregistered litters of puppies . SO BUYER BE AWARE PLEASE !!!!! In a nutshell no pedigree papers no Whippet !!!!! The ANKC now known as DOGS AUSTRALIA is the only pedigree dog register in Australia for quality dogs . MDBA ,NCPI , AAPDB,RPBA ARE NOT REGISTERED PEDIGREE BREEDERS . INFACT THEY ARE PET BREEDERS THERE IS A HUGE DIFFERENCE.JUST ABOUT ANYONE OVER 18 YEARS CAN APPLY FOR A NUMBER ON LINE & ABN IS A BUSSINESS NUMBER ,THEREFORE THEY BREED FOR A LIVING & BIN numbers are not associated with the ANKC & these dogs have no proof of pedigree .
Some puppies will be offered on the Limited Pedigree / Registration ( orange coloured paper) & are not for breeding or showing , but their owners can still compete in canine activities with them eg flyball , dog jumping , agility , dancing with dogs, tracking etc at competition level. Other puppies may be offered with Main Pedigree / Registration ( blue coloured paper ) for showing & or breeding prospects . Ethical Whippet breeders may have a puppy waiting list & will usually ask alot of questions to potential puppy buyers . Don't be put off by this , they only have the puppies welfare at heart ! As much as we would love to keep them all , this not possible or practical to do so .Therefore loving suitable homes must found for the remaining puppies in the litter .
A Whippet is a very easy to care for breed , often known as a "wash n wear dog " . They require very little grooming , a good rub over their body with a hound glove or a soft rubber curry brush , will remove any loose hairs . They will shed their coat at the beginning of spring each year . Toe nails will require a trim once every one to two weeks to keep them nice & short . Ears also require a gentle wipe out when needed .
Whippets have very little body fat & a fine short coat , so they must be protected from the cold , wind & wet weather . A well fitting warm dry Whippet coat will do the trick ! They can live outdoors part time , but you must supply them with a warm dry sleeping area with plenty of soft bedding eg a dog bed under cover or a warm dry weather proof dog kennel protection from the summer heat is also required . Whippets do however much prefer to spend time indoors with their owners curled up on the lounge or under / on the bed covers ! Most adult Whippets do not require a vast amount of dog food to keep them well fed & most are not fussy eaters .
Most Whippets enjoy travelling with their owners in the car & enjoy social outings . eg going to the park , beach , camping or outdoor cafes etc . If you feel a Whippet is the right breed of dog for you & your lifestyle. Please be certain to purchase your puppy from a ethical registered breeder with their state controlling body eg in NSW DOGS NSW members must display their membership number when advertising puppies or adult dogs. So you can be assured of purchasing a true pedigree Whippet puppy & your puppies breeder should offer you lifetime breeder support of your new puppy, if & when you may require their support !
A registered breeder with their state controlling body must register all their puppies in the litter.Breeders are then issused a certified pedigree from the Australian National Kennel Council Limited , that must be signed & passed on to the new owner .
Often non pedigree Whippets are infused with something else down the bloodline , including puppies bred from hunting & racing lines. They may look like baby Whippets to the untrained eye ! These puppies usually do not turn out in looks or nature as you had hoped for & a crossbred Whippet is not the same as a pedigree Whippet.They are also not bred for health nor soundness of body & mind or correct breed type by people who have no knowledge or thought of canine genetics .Their living conditions & diets are often not ideal either .Usually their poor mums have litter after litter for financial gain , cutting lots of corners in the process .With no consideration given to the health & well being of mum & her litter . They often will have many litters at once & may offer a personal delivery service or offer to meet you at a meeting place .Alarm bells should start to ring by now !
These poor puppies are often advertised as purebred Whippets on online classified add sites & social media, by backyard breeders and or puppy farmers.More often than not they also supply pet shops with these puppies also . By purchasing a puppy from such so called " breeders " & pet shops , you are only encouraging them to breed more unfortunate litters . These unfortunate puppies tend to be very hard to train also . Ethical Registered Breeders of Pedigree Whippets don't breed or offer for sale unregistered litters of puppies . SO BUYER BE AWARE PLEASE !!!!! In a nutshell no pedigree papers no Whippet !!!!! The ANKC now known as DOGS AUSTRALIA is the only pedigree dog register in Australia for quality dogs . MDBA ,NCPI , AAPDB,RPBA ARE NOT REGISTERED PEDIGREE BREEDERS . INFACT THEY ARE PET BREEDERS THERE IS A HUGE DIFFERENCE.JUST ABOUT ANYONE OVER 18 YEARS CAN APPLY FOR A NUMBER ON LINE & ABN IS A BUSSINESS NUMBER ,THEREFORE THEY BREED FOR A LIVING & BIN numbers are not associated with the ANKC & these dogs have no proof of pedigree .
Some puppies will be offered on the Limited Pedigree / Registration ( orange coloured paper) & are not for breeding or showing , but their owners can still compete in canine activities with them eg flyball , dog jumping , agility , dancing with dogs, tracking etc at competition level. Other puppies may be offered with Main Pedigree / Registration ( blue coloured paper ) for showing & or breeding prospects . Ethical Whippet breeders may have a puppy waiting list & will usually ask alot of questions to potential puppy buyers . Don't be put off by this , they only have the puppies welfare at heart ! As much as we would love to keep them all , this not possible or practical to do so .Therefore loving suitable homes must found for the remaining puppies in the litter .
Whippets do not have that doggy smell & are very clean , almost cat like in their own grooming . A good wipe over with a damp cloth is usually all they need to keep them clean & only a warm bath & dry if they are really dirty .
Most Whippets will live a healthy life of around 12 - 15 years & sometimes longer, providing they receive a good diet of quality food & proper vet care .On the whole they are a very healthy & robust breed ,that do not require major health testing in Australia at present !
Your adult Whippet will require exercise of a good 20mins per day in a safe secure 4 foot min fenced area . This allows them to stretch out & burn off some energy & then they usually crash out for a sleep . Whippets will often self exercise themselves , if they have the room to do so . They also enjoy nice brisk walks on a secure Whippet collar & lead .Please note the they are a Sighthound ( eg they hunt by sight & will chase most things that move ) They also have no road sense at all . Whippet puppies can be brought up with cats & they will often curl up with them to sleep !