Everything You Need To Know About Whippets:
Exercise Needs, Temperament & More!
We offer a variety of great breeds here at Rosewood Pets and Whippets are just one of them.
Before making your choice on which breed to go with, it’s always worth researching and reading up on your potential new playmate! It’s important to know what you can expect the temperament of your new pup to be, as well as how much exercise they need, how they react to other animals and to small children and other useful info to keep in mind before you make a final decision.
If you think that a Whippet could be the perfect breed for you, here are a few things that you need to know first!
What Are Whippets Personalities Like?
Whippets are generally friendly, gentle dogs.
They’re an affectionate breed and like to receive lots of love and attention from their owner – attention that they will always return. They are a breed that love nothing more than human companionship and are right at home snuggled next to their owners.
They tend to be rather quiet and are usually non-aggressive when it comes to humans. However, they can be somewhat skittish and nervous around strangers, small children and other animals. However, they can certainly be socialised to children and other family pets from an early age.
Whippets are an intelligent breed and take very well to good training, making them particularly obedient pets when taught effectively.
Finally, as a loving and loyal breed, whippets don’t like to be separated from their owners, so they are always suited best to families who don’t spend too much time away from the home and can spend lots of time with them throughout the day.
How Much Exercise Do Whippets Need?
Whippets are often compared to Greyhounds due to their similar look – and the similarities don’t end there. Whippets are incredibly fast and can run at high speed, huge lovers of a game of chase in the park!
However, they need much less exercise than you’d expect. Whippets are rather calm and subdued dogs, who are generally satisfied after a daily opportunity to enjoy a wide open space for a while – after that, they usually happy to sleep the day away.
This means that Whippets can settle in quite well to a large apartment or small house, provided that their owner is willing to take them out for a decent amount of daily exercise away from the home.
One thing to note is that Whippets are relentless when chasing a target, making them unsuitable for walks off a leash or being set free in a vast area with no clear perimeter – if they see something worth chasing, their instinct will take over and they’ll set off after it, potentially ignoring all other commands.
How Big Do Whippets Get?
At full size, a male Whippet will grow to around 19 to 22 inches tall, while female Whippets tend to grow to around 18 to 21 inches tall.
In terms of weight, Whippets tend to weigh between 6.8 – 19kg. A healthy male Whippet will weigh an average of around 15kg, while healthy adult female Whippets should weigh around 13kg.
How Much Grooming Do Whippets Need?
Whippets have a very fine, short coat, meaning they don’t shed excessively – an ideal trait for owners who are looking to avoid hair all over their clothes and furniture! Gentle weekly brushing should keep them looking lovely.
It’s worth also keeping mind that Whippets have rather thin skin, vulnerable to scrapes and nicks, so it’s important not to be too heavy-handed during a grooming session.
Due to their short coat and thin skin, a padded jacket or coat is a must-have when taking your Whippet out for walks.
Is A Whippet The Right Choice For Me?
Whippets respond best to owners who are affectionate and have lots of love to give, don’t have an ever-changing home environment, can spend plenty of time in the house with their new pup and have plenty of time to take them out for a decent amount of daily exercise.
Here at Rosewood Pets, we have some absolutely adorable Whippet pups available for loving homes! If you think that a Whippet could be the perfect fit for your family, get in contact with us today.
