Breeds similar to a whippet?

[paobao9]

Are there any other short-haired (aka low maintenance grooming wise) breeds similar to whippets in that they're gentle, family-friendly, small to medium sized, and not too demanding in terms of exercise?

I want something not too big or heavy, friendly with other people and dogs (I know that's training-based but still) and happy with an hour's walk a day, sometimes longer at the weekend. Fun in the garden with kids of varying ages but no tiny kids. and visiting family members, friends, etc.

I had a whippet growing up so I'm not sure if I'm biased towards them and there's actually something similar that may be better for my family.

Showing my ignorance here, i thought lurchers were always rough-coated? (I do kind of love that scruffy look too, mind you.)

I suppose it depends on what the non-sighthound part of the mix is?

The scruffly part of a lurcher can come from either side of the cross - I've had rough coated / broken coated ones who had collie, bedlington terrier and even met a lurcher at the weekend who looked suspiciously otter houndy in their heritage. From the sighthound side, deer or wolf hounds will give a lurcher with a lovely coat.
In smooth coated lurchers, there is a very common saluki x greyhound or saluki x whippet mix (and very rarely is anything a straight cross) which gives the fine sleek coat and often a goth eyeliner look too. My lurchers are both smooth - one salukish greyhoundish and the other probably doberman whippetish.

I have a lurcher - from Lurcher Link, and adopted when our son was 7yo. They had about 20 or so dogs on their books at the time (they use foster homes as well as their kennels) but only showed us 2 because those were the ones they thought would most likely work in our circumstances. 10 years on she's snoring in her basket near me.

Having been out on a walk with my friend and her whippet, I would say she's probably easier than a whippet - after keeping her on lead for 2 months when we first got her, we started letting her off and found that she was actually very keen not to lose us so would be sniffing for scents in the woods and then glance and make sure she knew where we were and what direction we were heading in so that she didn't lose us.

If you speak to rescues such as Lurcher Link or EGLR etc and say you're after a small-whippet sized dog, they'll let you know when one comes in that might suit a family home.

I wouldn’t be quite so gung ho about recommending a lurcher. Not all lurchers are whippet bedlington cross! Most I’ve met are classic sight hound temperament, but you can’t be sure depending on the mix. Working lines often have bull blood these days. Our own dear lurcher bitch who is extremely sweet and otherwise classic sight hound temperament has bull blood which might be why she is so clumsy and incautious. And destructive! Sometimes.
And also thick as mince, which means difficult to train.
@paobao9 I’d recommend a terrier breed. Jack Russells are fantastic, if you’re careful with where you get them and training.

We have a saluki deerhound and she has super smooth underneath and tatty mowhawk back!! Def not like a generic Lurcher.. Very aloof. Very tall - nose on table height which isn't great! Not as loving as her smaller 'siblings'!!

Italian greyhound is the smallest of the sighthound breed they aren't very common in the UK though!

Lurcher just refers to sighthound crossed with a working breed. They can be smooth coat or rough depending on the breed crossed with
A long dog is 2 sighthounds crossed.

We have a long dog which is a saluki greyhound cross . She basically looks like a greyhound with slightly fluffier tale and shorter nose then a greyhound

Oh congratulations you lucky thing! You are going to have so much fun! Our boy (now 7 months old) has been an absolute joy.

Thanks! Really looking forward to experiencing all the good things I heard about ETTs! The idea of having a dog who likes to snooze under the blanket on a rainy day sounds like music to my ears!

That’s exactly where my boy is right now. In fact he’s so completely buried dh asked Where’s the dog?’ when he came down for his lunch!

Blankets were actually invented with the Lurcher in mind ime.