Whippet

Coat and looks how to spot one

short, smooth

A very short, fine and close-lying coat over a lean, streamlined sighthound frame with a deep chest, arched loin and long, powerful hindquarters. The coat feels velvety and carries very little doggy smell.453

Personality what they are like

An even-tempered, soft-natured dog that loves home comforts and tends to be peaceful and low-key in the house. Whippets bond closely with their own people and like having them near, can be a little reserved with strangers, and switch into focused, joyful chase mode the moment something runs. Their gentle, sensitive nature means they respond best to kind handling.4732

Daily activity how busy a day looks

Moderate: roughly 40 minutes to an hour of exercise a day. Besides walks they need regular chances to sprint flat out in a safely fenced area, since running is what settles them. Lure coursing, racing, agility and flyball suit the breed well.632

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

Low-maintenance coat: a quick weekly going-over with a soft brush or grooming mitt is enough. With a thin coat and little body fat, they appreciate a dog coat in cold or wet weather and soft bedding to lie on.63

Home where they are happiest

Adapts well to houses or flats as long as daily running is provided. A securely fenced garden or run area is valuable, and recall can be unreliable when prey is in sight, so off-lead running is best kept to enclosed spaces. Whippets seek out warmth and soft furniture indoors.432

Food basics what goes in the bowl

A complete, good-quality diet suited to a medium-sized active adult dog (or puppy formula while growing), portioned to keep the naturally lean sighthound shape.3

Company who they like around

Very people-oriented and prefers not to be left alone for long stretches. Usually gets along with children and other dogs in the household, but its strong chase instinct means small pets need careful introduction and supervision.32

The story where it all began

Small greyhound-type dogs appear in British hunting writing from the Middle Ages, and the word 'whippet', from an old term for moving briskly, was in print by 1610. The modern breed took shape in the Victorian era, mostly among working people in the mining and mill towns of northern England and Wales, who used these compact sighthounds to catch rabbits and later to race them on straight tracks, earning the breed the nickname 'poor man's racehorse'. Its ancestry is generally traced to greyhounds, with terrier and Italian Greyhound influence also suggested. The American Kennel Club recognised the Whippet in 1888, three years before The Kennel Club in Britain (1891), and mill workers carried the breed to Massachusetts. The FCI gave it definitive acceptance in 1955. Today it is a popular companion, show dog and competitor in lure coursing, racing and agility.2561

Recognised by the official bits

FCI

Standard No. 162, Group 10 (Sighthounds), Section 3 (Short-haired sighthounds); definitive acceptance 27 Apr 1955; current standard published 4 Sep 20191

The Royal Kennel Club

Hound Group; breed recognised in 18916

AKC

Hound Group; recognised in 18882

UKC

Sighthound & Pariah Dog Group; recognised 19355

Popularity Ranked 48th of AKC-registered breeds in 2025 (50th in 2024).9