Whippet

[Jomummy1013]

Hi, can anyone give me their experiences of having a whippet?
I am considering getting one, but I have cats and children.
I know I can look online but would be nice to have some personal stories xx

My friends have one and he’s a lovely dog. Seemed to be born toilet trained and a nice dog, not the brightest spark (sighthounds rarely are) so didn’t need loads of stimulation, the train off that training is a bit limited as he gets confused and gives up.
However sighthounds chase, whippets were bred to chase hares and rabbits, if the cats run away they will chase them and the cats running away is positive reinforcement as the chasing is fun.

Also all puppies go though a mouthy bitey stage, something to consider very carefully if you have children.

@Lastqueenofscotland2 thank you. Maybe not the right dog for me then....I was wondering about rehoming an adult but I think for it to have any chance of being ok with cats I would have to get a puppy xx

Our family dog is a whippet and we got her when my younger siblings were still in primary. Also have two cats. Apart from that annoying puppy teenage stage she's never really been any real bother and we are not the most experienced dog owners at all!
She has been known to chase the cats and has chased them outside before when she was younger and will still occasionally try and chase them now but they're big cats and can stand their ground. She's quite nervous and can be quite reactive towards other dogs when on the lead due to being attacked but we live in a small rural town so it doesn't really cause too much bother. She spends most of the day finding different spots to lie in the sun or by the fire sleeping and when it's cold we have to drag her out of bed to go for a walk. She's so much fun to watch when we take her to a big open space as she is just so fast.
Her only real fault is that she likes to bury (which is apparently a sight hound thing) so a blanket over the armchair did not end well as she kept trying to bury! Lesson learned though
She's a brilliant dog and we absolutely love her. She's been such a great edition to the family and I couldn't imagine going home and her not being there now. When I get another dog in the future I will definitely go for another whippet!

My 13-year-old whippet has been a delight all his life: an absolute snuggle fest in the house who spends a lot of time curled up asleep, but still playful even at his age and when he was younger an amazing thoroughbred out in the countryside. Watching whippets run is an absolute joy. Doesn’t smell, barely moults, doesn’t slobber, doesn’t bark. I love siamese/oriental cats because of their dog-like qualities; similarly, whippets are lovely because of their cat-like qualities. My whippet has always chased my cats, but always judges his speed so as never to catch up with them, so that in the end they just trot calmly away and sometimes even chase him instead, which he enjoys just as much.
Not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but he quickly grasped essential commands and even learnt to ring a bell to be let out into the garden. Excellent recall UNLESS he’s chasing something, in which case you just have to wait.
I could sing his praises for ever. I think whippets are lovely dogs.

@Jomummy1013 Whippets are wonderful.
My one is a ''Therapy'' dog, extremely intuitive and loving.
They aren't really like dogs at all, more like cats.

They tend to not like being left very much, so if you work from home, or can take him or her with you to work, that would be ideal.

They are extremely loving.
Mine especially loves people, but in a very calm way.
Please don't buy one from an online advert.

{Puppy farmed dogs}
Whippet rescue have incredibly long waiting lists, so if you can't wait years, go via a Breed club.

Agree with everything you have said!
Whippets are like Oriental cats..Or Arab horses.

I have one and honestly she's just amazing. Best dog ever. Funny, great with kids and other dogs, so cuddly, I could go on for pages. Definitely get one.

Wonderful, affectionate, gentle dogs. Best thing we ever did!

Ohh and we have 3 cats and she plays with them. Never chased them. The cats were here first though in fairness so she has never known the house without them no and we got her at 4 months.

You might get one that is an utter darling with cats , if they;ve never been urged to chase they might not have a strong prey drive .
But what if it does .
It's nt really fair on the cats and (as a CatSlave to 2 moggies ) they are here first !

We rescued a whippet cross. Very gentle and affectionate with people and loves to cuddle up on the sofa. He is generally very calm around the house and rarely barks. He does have the occasional zoomies session where he will run about the house and play (he loves a cuddly/squeaky toy). We do keep ours on a lead for walks unless in an enclosed field (where he loves to chase and fetch a ball) as he was previously used in lure coursing so will chase anything small and furry without second thought! He manages well being left for a few hours during the day if needed. They are a brilliant breed of dog!