Reasons *NOT* to Get a Whippet

If you want a dog to be an OUTDOOR ONLY DOG, don't get a whippet. Whippets have very little body fat and don't have an "all weather" coat. Even with adequate shelter, whippets do poorly in that type of environment. They are very attached to people and are miserable if they don't have a lot of quality time with their family!

If you want a dog to be a GUARD DOG, don't get a whippet. Whippets do not have the size or temperament to be a "guardian". Like most dogs they will probably alert you to the presence of strangers.

If you have visions of sitting in your easy chair with a dog quietly at your feet, think again! Most whippets are affectionate and enjoy close physical contact with their people. They are more likely to be in your lap than at your feet. Similarly, if the idea of a dog on the furniture gives you hives, you should probably look at another breed. While I'm sure a whippet could eventually be taught to stay off the furniture, they would be quite unhappy about it.

If you have cats (especially indoor/outdoor cats) and/or other small furry pets, you might want to reconsider whippets. Whippets generally have a lot of prey drive. Even dogs who are fine with the family cat indoors may view the same cat in a different light in the yard. Especially if the cat runs! If you neighbors have outdoor cats, how would they (and you) feel if your dog killed them? I do know people who have cats and whippets that peacefully coexist, and I also know people who had the combination end badly. This is an issue to consider carefully, and I would never leave the two loose, unattended.

If you are looking for a dog to accompany you off leash in various settings, I implore you to think carefully about getting a whippet or any sighthound. Sighthounds tend to have very high prey drive, and will take off after small furry creatures. During the chase they go "deaf" and won't even hear you calling them. Many whippets and other sighthounds have been hit by cars and lost because their owners trusted that they would not run off. The refrain is all too common, "But he was so attached to me I never thought he would leave my side..."e; or "I had done it a million times and he never did anything like that before!" Some sighthound owners (myself included) successfully engage in off leash activities with their dogs, but only after intense recall training and in controlled areas.

As a companion to the above, if you are planning to use an invisible fence, please reconsider. Sighthounds are so fast, they can be through the containment system before they even realize they have been shocked. It just isn't enough of a deterrent in the face of great temptation (a squirrel, the neighbor's cat, etc.) Not to mention the fact that whippets are medium-sized dogs, and could be at the mercy of larger animals that wander into the yard. Even if the invisible fence keeps your whippet *in*, it doesn't keep the neighbor's 110 lb mutt *out*. I do know a few IG/whippet owners who successfully use invisible fences, but they are extremely dedicated owners and only use the system when they are outside WITH the dog.

Contrary to what many of the breed selector websites say, whippets DO SHED!

Some whippets have issues with moderate to severe carsickness. Many outgrow it by the time they are around a year old, but some don't.

Some whippets engage in copraphagia (eating feces) which is a complete gross out to some people. If you have a cat, you should make sure the dog doesn't have access to the box. There are products on the market designed to discourage a dog from eating dog feces, but they have limited success. The only foolproof method of dealing with the problem is picking up waste immediately.

Some whippets have issues with claustrophobia, severe crate anxiety and/or separation anxiety. Though I wouldn't call it "common", it does bear mentioning and can be very difficult to deal with.

Finally, if you expect perfect, automatic obedience, don't get a whippet! While whippets learn quickly with positive training methods and can be wonderfully well-behaved house dogs, they do not obey like a mindless automaton. People who want top obedience competitors choose breeds that don't mind lots of repetition and can be trained to a high level of precision. While a Golden Retriever might practice the same exercise 50 times in a single session, a whippet will do it twice and then look at you as if to say "Haven't you had your fun? Let's do something else already!"

If you have read all the way to this point, you may be wondering why anyone would want a whippet if all these things are true. Whippets are sweet and affectionate, as well as being beautiful and athletic. They have a dry mouth and require minimal grooming with little or no "doggy odor". They get along with most dogs and well-behaved children. They are generally clean and housetrain much more easily than their smaller brethren (IGs). They can be superb housedogs! It is also important to remember that all dogs are individuals, and you may find whippets that exhibit all (or none) of these traits.