Whippet breeders

[CommunistLegoBloc]

Hello, just wondering if anyone can recommend a whippet breeder, preferably but not essentially in the SE of the UK? I don't want this to become a rescue vs puppy debate - I have the rescue that no one else wanted and whilst I love him very much and will have another rescue in the future, a whippet puppy is right for us at the moment. TIA!

[moochew]

Whippet puppies are monsters! I got mine from someone who no longer breeds but they are crazy busy, not sure I'd ever be ready for another!

[picklesdragonisawelshdragon]

Are whippets particularly challenging pups? What about greyhounds, are they challenging pups?

[moochew]

Don't know anything about greys but whippets are a bit hyper - difficult to train, just want to do what they want to do, perseverance is key and you end up with a lovely relaxed dog - I did get the recall eventually and it's worth it but omg the puppy year was hard.

[CMOTDibbler]

I've had two pure greys as foster pups and they were bonkers. Adorable, but bonkers. The whippety pups actually did bounce off the walls though, and around 7pm it was like the wall of death in the sitting room.

OP, you are best going through the breed club and asking for contacts

[SutterCane]

The whippet puppy wall of death is truly something to behold They do tend to be utterly bonkers as puppies (they need lots of roomies to learn how to control those legs...) but mine always start calming down round about six months of age and by a year to eighteen months are absolutely lovely, chill little things.

I can't recommend any specific breeders but I definitely would recommend reading up on inbreeding coefficients (this article is a good one to start with) and keeping an eye on the inbreeding levels of any litters you're interested in. The breed isn't in the best state in terms of genetic diversity (see the KC's population analysis from 2015 and the breed information from MyDogDNA) and there do appear to be increasing rates of various cancers and particularly autoimmune diseases.

Looking at the breed record supplements (a booklet from the KC containing details of all litters registered in a particular year) for recent years it's the showing and working breeders that tend to produce higher COI litters than racing, pet or multipurpose (crossing dogs from different types such as show x racing, working x pet, etc.) breeders but it's certainly not a hard and fast rule.

[Wolfiefan]

Definitely what CMOT said. Go through the breed club.

[picklesdragonisawelshdragon]

Damn. I really want a grey/whippet pup now.

[PencilFace]

My whippet is KC reg so pedigree but very very hard work and very prey driven. So I would research 'lines' carefully and make sure you get a purely show bred one if it is just being used for a pet.

[Mner2000]

I called the whippet club and they gave us some breeders names when we were looking for our loon...

[Mner2000]

He’s 4 now so fairly chilled

[moochew]

Mine has a high prey drive but I taught him a special recall - a call I make when he can't see me - he really doesn't want to lose to me and finding me when I "hide" is super exciting - so when he chase something - I make a very unique sound and he's back very quickly.

[eatanazurecrayon]

Whippets are amazing! We've got two Crosscops and previously had 1 Hammonds. Amazing companions who will happily walk and play all day or sleep 23 hours of it. Will never get another breed! Recommend Crosscop and Hammonds highly. Hammonds rarely breed but our boy Arthur from them was a total dream. Peter and Jules are from Crosscop and about 15 months old. Easily trained, great temperament and the sweetest boys. Both housetrained within a week, Peter in 2 days! Both breeders kept in touch and offered support and advice when needed. Hammonds will be closer to you, Crosscop in Scotland but have a partner further south. Best of luck 🍀

[oakleaffy]

So glad to find this... Had a Nimrodel years ago, a partner with a rescued Lurcher, and they were a superb pair..Similar in age, so could loon around the fields, and grew older gracefully.
The older 'Coursing' types {Nimrodel} were very robust and bold..very healthy too..
But expect things have changed a fair bit now. I too have heard worrying things about autoimmune conditions and heart probs in whippets.

I'll look at the info given here. Cheers.

[Girlwhowearsglasses]

Look on Champdogs.

They have all the pedigrees and health tests and great detail about each breeder and how many dogs they have etc etc.

By far the best

Whippet pups aren't as and as all that. Mine is four now but he really wasn't as bad as I'd been led to believe. I had good friends with other breed puppies at the same time who really wanted to re-home them (looking at you border terriers). Ours has virtually no prey drive and loves the cats - as do so many whippets if the many FB groups with whippets and cats are evidence of. I think of you have two they may egg each other on to chase more.

[Girlwhowearsglasses]

Oh also to add - he's pretty bombproof and isn't nervous of anything. And he hasn't had any tummy upsets or illness at all. When I think of the inbreeding and extreme characteristic-based health problems so many breeds have I think whippets are a world away. Breathing, heart, eyes, joints, weight: you'll never worry about those

[IKEA888]

we have a wiggy. Italian Greyhound whipppet cross. brilliant dog

[RunningFromInsanity]

I can highly recommend Selinko whippets in Cambridgeshire