Indoors, curled up on a blanket; outdoors, a sprinter. The FCI standard describes the Whippet as built for speed and work, while calling this an ideal companion in the same breath. Both are true, and this very combination makes the breed special to many people.
| FCI | Group 10 (Sighthounds), Section 3 Short-haired Sighthounds, Standard No. 162, without working trial |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Great Britain |
| Size (height at the withers) | desirable males 47 to 51 cm, females 44 to 47 cm |
| Weight | not specified in the FCI standard |
| Life expectancy | median 13.4 years in a UK analysis of 584,734 dogs (McMillan et al. 2024) |
| Coat | fine, short and close-fitting |
| Colours in the standard | any colour or mixture of colours; merle not permitted |
Origins
The Whippet is a British sighthound in the short-haired section. The standard includes the breed among dogs originally used for hunting by sight or scent. It requires a balanced combination of muscular power and elegant outline, expressly avoiding all exaggeration. Whippets still race today.
Temperament
According to the standard, this is an ideal companion, highly adaptable at home and in sport, gentle, affectionate and balanced. In daily life, usually a sensitive, quiet dog who needs no raised voices.
Exercise and activities
These dogs need regular opportunities to run properly: in fenced areas, at lure coursing or on a racing track. Take the hunting instinct seriously; off-lead running often works only where nothing runs away. After a sprint, they are remarkably content at home.
Grooming
The fine, short coat is easy to care for. Because it is so thin, a winter coat is appreciated, along with a soft resting place at home.
Health
The Whippet is among the longer-lived breeds: a median of 13.4 years, compared with 12.0 for crossbreeds in the same analysis (McMillan et al. 2024). A myostatin gene change is known: dogs with one copy are more muscular and faster at racing, while two copies produce the extremely muscular Bully Whippet (Mosher et al. 2007). In older dogs, pay attention to the cervical spine. In an Italian owner survey covering around 280 Whippets, 7.2 percent had cervical disc disease, rising to 29 percent among dogs over nine (Dell'Apa et al. 2026). The authors recommend examinations before sport and breeding.
Who does the Whippet suit?
People wanting a gentle, quiet housemate and able to provide safe running opportunities. Also first-time owners who plan around the hunting instinct.
Who are they less suited to?
Anyone wanting to let their dog run freely everywhere at all times, and households where the dog spends many hours alone.
Our breed quiz helps you assess whether a sighthound fits your daily life; our book “Which Dog REALLY Suits You?” (book in German) offers more detail. For a new puppy, there is the free Puppy Starter Pack. Capture your Whippet as wall art through our dog portraits or as a poster in a wooden frame.
Further reading
- Dog pulling on the lead: 5 mistakes almost everyone makes
- Puppy training: the 5 rules that really work
- Older dog, new rules: how to give your senior their best years
Sources, accessed on 20.10.2026: FCI Standard No. 162 Whippet (fci.be, English version dated 06.10.2026); Mosher DS et al., A mutation in the myostatin gene increases muscle mass and enhances racing performance in heterozygote dogs, PLoS Genetics 2007; Dell'Apa D et al., Cervical disc disease in whippets: Results of an online survey involving Italian owners and breeders, Research in Veterinary Science 2026; McMillan KM et al., Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death, Scientific Reports 2024.
Links to our books are affiliate links. Buying through them supports us at no extra cost to you.
