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!

For this reason whippets make a great choice if you live in an apartment or have a small back yard, assuming that you make regular trips to the local dag park..Whippets LOVE to run and to deny them of the privilege is almost cruel . A great way to indulge them  and have a great family outing as well, is to get involved in local lure coursing matches.

In lure coursing, dogs chase an artificial lure across a field, following a pattern that is meant to simulate live coursing. A typical lure course is between 600 and 1000 yards (548 to 914 meters) long. In Europe the course length can be over 1000 meters, and may incorporate some obstacles or jumps. The course must have a minimum number of turns in order to simulate prey (the jack-rabbit or hare) changing direction in a chase. The fields can be fenced or not. If a dog is lure focused they will typically follow the lure from start to finish and not run off course. Dogs with some considerable lure experience, termed “lure-wise”, may try to anticipate or “cheat” by attempting to cut off the lure instead of trying to capture the lure using follow, speed and agility. Sighthounds  ( whippets are a member  of this group) generally have no need to be trained or enticed to chase the lure since the desire to chase is instinctual. However some breeds may require lure play at a very early age to encourage them to follow an artificial object with enthusiasm. Dogs must be at least one year old to compete; the hard fast turns are tough on a dog’s developing joints and lure coursing before the age of one can cause joint problems later in life.

Lure coursing events award points and the AKC awards titles it is a fun way to get your family involved

In AKC performance events

If you are looking for a outside only dog a whippet is not the breed for you.. 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!
Well mannered and reserved whippets are welcomed almost everywhere. However   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 but do not have the substance to protect you.
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.
They are the dog that the term couch potato was coined for.

Whippets are healthy and long lived many reaching the age of 17 with ease.

They have the beauty and elegance of the other sight hounds while having the tenancy of a terrier..
It is also important to remember that all dogs are individuals, and you may find whippets that exhibit all (or none) of these traits.