Hound Health Part 2

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Image from DaBrain at Pixabay

Welcome back to Part 2 of Hound Health where this hound mama talks about the health issues affecting our whippets, greyhounds and lurchers as well as other sighthounds.

The Eyes Have It

The fact that these beautiful creatures are called Sighthounds is a bit of clue isn’t it? It’s also a bit misleading because sometimes it seems to this whippet mama as if they see everything except the bleedingly obvious!

Sighthounds were bred to hunt mostly – to chase down prey so that their humans didn’t have to resort to vegetarianism to fill their bellies. For this, they needed to be fast and be able to see and smell animals in the wild. Now this whippet mama is not going to quibble about the amazing smelling ability of our hounds – Millie’s ability to find a discarded chicken bone in long grass is unparalleled – but vision is a different story all together.

Whippets and other sighthounds have great peripheral vision, meaning they can catch sight of their prey out of the corner of their eyes. However, put a treat on the ground right in front of them and it may as well be invisible!

This gift of peripheral vision is also why whippies get distracted and go off on little adventures in order to scare us Mama’s silly. To us there is just a sea of grass ahead but to our whippy kids, there is so much more going on – kids, birds, other dogs, chicken bones, and more.

Shortly after this photo was taken, beautiful greyhound Reuben took off down the beach and this Mama had to run like she stole something to catch up with him. He was canoodling with a blonde lady in a bikini and this Mama knew he was trying to upgrade. Unfortunately for Reuben he was not successful!

Eye didn’t see that coming

Believe it or not, the sight of sighthounds can get even worse if they are unlucky. Some hounds, such as whippets and greyhounds, can inherit eye conditions that cause gradual blindness such as cortical dystrophy or progressive retinal atrophy (PRA). There are specialist doggie eye doctors who can diagnose these conditions but alas no treatment available 😦

Like all breeds, sighthounds get old (if we are lucky) and they start to lose some vision. This Mama’s late whippet Lawson got very cloudy eyes over time but could still make his way around without help. And he could still whipnotise everyone he came across. You cannot resist……

What about their ears?

Sighthounds are famous for their curled ears that sit low back on their heads. Apparently the purpose of this was to make them more aerodynamic when racing but who the hell supports dog racing anymore? Now we just love them for their softness and and ability to communicate all sorts of feelings and thoughts. Allow this mama’s kids to demonstrate:

Millie and Lawson demonstrate the laid back ear – for casual catchups and barbecues and when you want to look nonchalant and cool.

Reuben perfectly demonstrates the alert or standing ear position – useful when trying to ascertain if the car that just drove past holds the woman who brings you food and toys.

Reuben also illustrates below the extraordinary range of sighthound ear communication with whatever the heck this is?!

Beyond the goofy

Sighthounds don’t commonly have a lot of issues with their ears although their hearing can be very selective! Recall can be an issue because our houndies get distracted or over excited by something and it causes a type of temporary deafness. Other times, just opening the fridge or picking up a bag is enough to get their immediate undivided attention.

Whatever you do, never try to clean your sighthound’s ears with a cotton bud. The anatomy of their ears is super weird and not suitable for such human treatment. Using a very soft cloth or tissue is okay but the whippy/hound will soon let you know if you have taken it too far. Cue scream of death (terrifying but not actually serious) or the (more distressing) super cold shoulder.

Things to look out for are skin irritations, or things crawling or falling into houndy ears. Whippets are, in particular, great lovers of rolling in grass (and other stuff) and rubbing their heads all over the ground, as demonstrated by the delightful scruff Ms Millie below.

Look out for excessive head shaking or rubbing of ears on floors, couches, or even your good self. A little bit is normal doggy behaviour but too much is never a good thing. This whippy mama recommends getting a good vet to do a regular check of your furry friend’s eyes, ears and teeth – better they hate the vet than their mama!

Next time we’ll look at what happens when our puppies become older – if we are lucky enough to have them for a long time. No matter how old my babies are, they are still puppies and I am still a whippet mama……

Hound Health Part 1

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Guess who obviously doesn’t know about the trip to the vet yet!

It is time to talk about looking after our whippies and other sighthounds. Now this whippet mama knows that they can look fragile – how can such fine legs not get snapped like twigs? – but actually hounds are pretty robust really. That does not mean that they won’t act like they are dying if you accidentally step on their paw or otherwise offend their sense of world order!

Sighthounds (mostly) have a few things in common:

  • long skinny legs that can be less than graceful at times;
  • thin coats that don’t protect them from the cold;
  • big eyes that have amazing peripheral vision but often fail to see things right under their noses;
  • Ears that have their own sense of direction and signify all sorts of things;
  • Noses that can appear cute or ridiculously huge depending on the angle of the viewer and which are surprisingly bendy;
  • Nails that always seem too long and make our hounds sound like tap dancers; and
  • Skinny tails that may curl up or down depending on mood and confidence.

So what is “normal” and what should a whippet mama be concerned about? Let’s look at each unique aspect in turn.

Legs Eleven

The legs of a whippet or lurcher are built to propel them at speed so they are very flexible, backed up by powerful butt muscles that the Kardiashian’s would die for (if only they would…). Whippets can tuck all their legs up to make a “paw bouquet” as the beautiful Millie so ably demonstrates below even including her snoz for added effect:

Given how fast whippets and other sighthounds move, it is surprising that they don’t break their legs more often (except poor racing greyhounds, of course, made to race on unforgiving circular tracks – but the less said about racing the better).

Hounds may have issues with their feet and particularly their claws which can get caught while playing or running or (like Miss Millie) when trying to burrow a hole into Mama’s bed! Breeders often cut the dew claws off to prevent them catching and breaking repeatedly, but dew claws have a function, which is to stabilise hounds when turning during a run or other activity. (FYI, dew claws are on the inside of the leg, just above the paw). See picture of Millie’s paws below – can you spot the dew claw?

When this Mama adopted whippet Lawson, his dew claws had been removed, whereas Millie was dumped by her breeder at 8 weeks old so still had hers. She has broken them several times but they heal quickly and she does not seem overly concerned. It is probably best to check with the vet if you are concerned about these.

The other thing that greyhounds and whippets (in particular) are prone to is cancer of the leg bones or osteosarcoma. This may lead to partial or full amputation of the limb, creating our beloved “tripods” of the hound world. Most hounds can live full, normal lives sans leg but it does depend on their age and whether it is a front or back leg amongst other things. This Mama hopes such ailments never visit the sighthound that you love.

Thin skinned for reals

Sighthounds have pretty thin skin and little fur to cover it up (not all of course, shout out to our wolfhound, deerhound and staghound friends!). This leads to two issues. First the ability of hounds to get all sorts of nicks and cuts with alarming ease while zooming around like the crazy wild kids they are. The second is their tendency to feel the cold more than other, “tough” breeds like kelpies, collies and German Shepherds.

Don’t freak out if you see small cuts on your furry friend’s skin after playtime. Most dogs will use their own saliva to clean it and it will heal up quick smart. If it looks a bit bigger than usual, clean it out with salt water and get thee to a vet. Millie got a chunk taken out of her by a dog at the local park once and I didn’t notice until later because it was winter and so dark at 5pm. By the time I got to the vet the next day, he said it was too late to stitch it because the skin wouldn’t close. It healed okay but Millie has a bald patch the size of a 50 cent piece on her rump that she is a little embarrassed about. Fortunately being half staghound, her fur has helped to conceal this blemish on her magnificence.

The gentlemanly, gentle man Lawson with a sore paw after cutting the pad

Sometimes our hounds will cut open their paw pads by, for example, running over something sharp. If this happens, the wound will bleed a lot and freak everyone out but it is not fatal – just impressive.

Keep the area clean and either bandage it up when out and about to prevent dirt getting into the wound or embarrass your pup by making them wear little booties. This whippet mama managed to keep Lawson’s bandage on for about an hour before looking so sad and dejected that it got taken off. Don’t be like this whippet mama – be strong!

Keeping a hound warm in winter, or even other seasons, can be a challenge – getting up during the night to make sure they haven’t left their blankie on the lawn for example. However, it is also an excuse to spend a ridiculous amount of money on pyjamas, coats and even snoods! Miss Millie does not wear coats because she does not like anything covering up her natural beauty but other hounds are happy to oblige (or just put up with) their fashionista mamas and papas.

Of course this may also be why the field of pet psychiatry is taking off………

Next time in Hound Health we will look at eyes and ears and try to answer the all important question – If they are called sighthounds, why can they not see what is right in front of them?!

Lurcher? What on earth is a lurcher?!

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Given the the subtitle of my blog is “life with whippets and lurchers” I thought it about time that I show some love to the lurcher in my life and shine a spotlight on this awesome category of canines.

Mad Millie

I didn’t know a thing about lurchers until suddenly I had one. Then I wondered why everyone the world didn’t know about them and love them! Mad Millie came into my life and changed it forever just over 6 years ago. My whippet Lawson was not coping with being an only dog and had taken to eating my wicker furniture, wooden blinds and eventually even a window frame to express his dissatisfaction with having a whippet mama  who worked full time.

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Now, I’m not too precious about my furniture but the window was another story – firstly because this whippet mama was renting the place; and secondly because Lawson made such a mess of the window frame that he was able to escape! ( I suspect some passerby felt sorry for him and decided to aid and abet the crime…) Fortunately Lawson was found soon after but his mama was not taking any more chances.

The solution had to be company. Whippets are pack animals- they love the company of humans or other animals – so I decided a whippet friend would be just the thing. Months looking on Pet Rescue were unfruitful so the decision was made to look at whippet crosses.

A month later a whippet cross came up at Pets Haven in Woodend, a 12 month old female called Minnie. This was her tinder pic:

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You may notice that Minnie (as she was known then) was totally short haired so this whippet mama never suspected that a lurcher lurked within. Minnie bounced out of the cage area keen to walk and showed none of the shyness exhibited by the quiet man Lawson. Turns out she had been dumped at only a couple of months old but not abused like Lawson so her confidence was still in full effect. Lawson seemed interested but not frightened so home Minnie came. Turns out she was only 5 months old  even though she looked a year old – that should have been the first warning sign that she was going to be a bit different!

The people at Pets Haven had no idea what Millie was crossed with so the next few months were a bit like being on a mystery tour, trying to work out just what this pup would turn out to be. Like any whippet mama worth her salt, I did some research, eventually finding a picture of Millie’s doppelgänger. Success!

Lurcher Kipling and Chihuahua puppy

If the term lurcher sounds a bit ungainly it is probably because these dogs can be a bit lacking in the coordination and grace departments at times. Gangly legs tend to lend themselves to such characteristics. However, this is not the real reason for the name.

Lurchers were mixed breed dogs created by common folk for hunting at a time when purebreds (i.e. greyhounds) were only allowed to be owned by royalty and their ilk.  If a commoner was found with a purebred hunting dog then there was hell to pay – mainly for the dog who would be maimed or killed. The peasant could have his hands cut off as well, not a risk he was keen on taking! So lurchers (also known as gypsy dogs or poaching dogs) were created to get around this problem. The shagginess of their fur meant that their sleek shapes were hidden from view. I know, that kind of makes lurchers seem like a peasant version but let me tell you lurchers can be very regal looking indeed. Here is a picture of Millie looking like the queen that she is:

millie-being-reflective

Not only that, but greyhounds are not always as graceful as they appear…….ceiling view roaching

So what exactly goes into making a lurcher?

Generally speaking, lurchers are a cross between a running dog (greyhound, whippet, saluki, deerhound, Irish wolfhound, or borzoi) and a working dog (border collie, bearded collie, kelpie, Bedlington terrier, Labrador, German shepherd, German wirehaired pointer, Staffordshire bull terrier etc). Sometimes they are a cross between two running dogs (also known as “longdogs”) and there may be more than two breeds in the mix (but only ever a cross between running dogs/hounds and working dogs).

The particular mix of breeds used to create a lurcher could be decided by chance or availability but often breeds were chosen for their particular strengths or characteristics.

SALUKI

saluki duo grey and tanSaluki_in_India

Saluki’s were originally desert dogs, and they are still used across the Middle East for hunting. Benefits of including a saluki in the mix are: all terrain feet, lot of stamina, can cope with extreme heat and cold, has a strong guarding instinct and very loving. Purebred saluki’s are not usually used for hunting because they are apparently super difficult to train, being very sensitive and stubborn (sounds like my fur babies!), and they are not as fast as a greyhound or whippet.

You can tell if a saluki is in the mix by the ears (very distinctive!), large almond shaped eyes, a black mask and a coat that is black and tan, tricolour or brindle.

BORZOI

borzoi1-duoborzoi-running

Often confused with Saluki’s because of their long faces and large eyes, Borzoi’s are actually very different. For a start, they originate from Russia and so are have very heavy, weatherproof coats. Traditionally they were kept in large groups in kennels and so not used to dealing with humans. Of course, times change and now there are Borzoi’s lucky enough to live indoors with their human slaves.

DEERHOUND

adorable scottish deerhound hunterdeerhound face

Deerhounds and wolfhounds are most commonly mistaken for each other. They are both big, furry and awesome, so the confusion is understandable. Deerhounds are usually called Scottish Deerhounds (as opposed to Irish Wolfhounds) and they are fast and strong enough to kill deer that are bigger than them. Of course, killing Bambi is not a pastime we want to encourage so lets look at the other benefits of this wonderful hound: they are very easy to train, have a weatherproof coat and all terrain feet (likely a furry 4WD!) and live to their early teens.

WOLFHOUND

irish-wolfhound duoirish_wolfhound

Purebred wolfhounds are very large, and I mean really, REALLY large. They are so large that they often can’t run fast enough to catch prey. For this reason, they don’t tend to be included much in the mix of lurchers if hunting is the aim. Unfortunately these beautiful hounds don’t live very long, most being lucky to make it to six 😦  Benefits of wolfhounds? They are are easy to train and live with and they have a coat that can deal with the worst that weather can throw at it. Did I mention that they are beautiful?…….

GREYHOUND

black and white greyhound

Probably the best known of the sighthounds and increasingly becoming beloved pets – now that people have realised that they DON’T need a lot of exercise and are actually the biggest couch potatoes in the world.  Greyhounds were included in the lurcher mix to bring incredible speed, a low maintenance coat, and loving natures. Their drawbacks are a dislike of cold weather (due to their lack of body fat and fur) but they make excellent TV companions; not only that, greyhound mamas and papas can indulge their passion for fashion by purchasing a wardrobe of coats  that will humiliate their fur babies in front of their hound peers. Win, win!

AND NOT LEAST…..

There are other hounds that can be included in a lurcher mix such as Azawakh, Sloughi, pharaoh hounds, and Afghan hounds.  However, these are less common so not discussed in detail here. But let’s look at pictures of these exotic hounds!

azawakh

Azawakh hound (in need of a good meal in my opinion!)

Pharaoh Hound 2

Pharaoh hounds (very sensitive about their ears, so please don’t mention them)

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Sloughi (check out the floppy ears…)

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Afghan hounds (this mama has some serious hair envy!)

Oh, and whippets. See previous posts for info on these weird and awesome beings.

So what have we learned about lurchers?

  • they are a houndy bitsa’s (bits o’ this, bits o’ that)
  • they love to run (but not for money because they aren’t materialistic like that)
  • they love to sleep, preferably on your couch or Doona or carpet in front of the fire
  • they live a long time and are pretty easy to look after
  • they can bring down deer and other large animals (but mamas don’t encourage that sort of behaviour at all, we are all for cuddling not killing)
  • they are original; having a lurcher is like buying designer instead of on the high street – no one else will have one like it!

Hope that makes sense and that you are as impressed by lurchers as this mama. Millie says bye…x

millie-laughing-upside-down

 

Whippet by Nature Part 2

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It has been a long time since Part 1 of this post (doing masters takes up a lot of whippet mama time unfortunately) but here, as promised, is part two of the idiosyncrasies that make up the awesome whippet….

Burrowing

Whippets were once used for chasing rabbits and other unfortunate members of the animal kingdom. As a result they have skills in digging and burrowing that manifest themselves in one of two ways.

First is the literal presentation – digging in the  back yard, park, beach, anywhere they feel like it.

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Fortunately most whippets, unlike retrievers and other breeds, don’t tend to dig deep. Usually when they dig it is to get at some form of edible titbit (bone, worm etc), to bury treats for later consumption or to get the attention of their slave (aka whippet mama).

Second, and more notably, bed and doona burrowing. As mentioned in part one, whippets don’t have a lot of fur to keep themselves warm so they seek out comfy resting places in the home i.e. under the bed covers or under throws or other items on their couch (c’mon you know it isn’t really your couch don’t you?)

Generally this is a super cute action that results in lots of aw’s. Except when sheets or other items get ripped by burrowing paws and draw the wrath of the whippet nana! (someone has to do the disciplining)

Here is a picture of Lawson’s butt poking out from a bed burrow and evidence of previous burrowing (which Lawson totally denied being responsible for – cheeky boy!)

Slouch hats and other ear signals

As well as having very expressive eyes, whippets have the ability to communicate their mood and wishes through their soft and flexible ears. My personal favourite is the “slouch hat” which my Lawson does whenever he is super excited, usually when he realises we are going for a walk. This involves having one ear up and one down….here Lawson demonstrates the slouch hat for your education.

When whippets are little their ears are all floppy and hard for them to control (i.e. very cute indeed) but as they get older whippies become masters of ear semaphores. Here is my lurcher Millie at 5 months with her floppy ears. She now has a full range of  ear expressions as in the following illustration (not sure the origin of this, sorry)

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Downward Dog

Whippets are (as mentioned previously) yoga masters, able to contort their bodies into ridiculous shapes much to the glee of snap happy whippet mamas. Their favourite pose is the aptly named Downward Dog and this must be performed upon waking, whenever their human is doing yoga (show offs!!), or just willy nilly.

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A second pose or just overall weird behaviour of these hounds is the “bum-up, head rub”. In this manoeuvre, whippets rub their heads into the grass or carpet with their butts sticking straight up, hence…

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It is possible  one of the least graceful moves a whippet can pull, but very amusing nonetheless. Millie (below) makes this whippet mama laugh every time she does it.

millie-doing-hdbu

Airs and Graces

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In total contrast to this last pose, whippets can actually display a lot of dignity and poise at times. Lawson’s specialty is the daintily crossed paws; he is also great at the “staring off into the distance” manoevour, commonly seen on The Bold and The Beautiful. Millie  the lurcher has started to mimic her big brother in her own fashion

Millie has also mastered the “more human than whippet” look. Sometimes this whippet mama finds it all a bit unnerving really!

Tail tales

Whippet tails speak volumes. A whippet mama or papa can always tell if their whippy is happy, excited or scared. This involves reading the tail position – up and curled like a question mark or down between the legs as far as it can go. The former is mostly displayed while out walking or running or when food appears:

 

The latter is most common when going to the vet, being bathed or being sniffed by a scary looking bigger dog. For some whippets, the tucked tail is the default position, only altered in times of extreme happiness such as being left alone with unattended food! It is likely the tucked tail that has let to whippets gaining a reputation as being miserable looking so and so’s.  Hence…..

tail-between-legs

OF course whippets are much more multifaceted than that and I know that there are many whippet mamas and papas out there who wish their pride and joy would take a chill pill now and then!

The final point to make about whippet tails is that sometimes they  live up to their name and give their mamas and papas  a jolly good whipping. It’s painful but hard to be angry about because it just means that a whippy is happy to see you – or the dog next door, or the pizza delivery guy….

So,

I could go on and on about the characteristics and weirdnesses (if that is not a word, it should be) of this amazing breed of dog. And in fact, I have! But there are many I haven’t covered. Please let me know which ones I have missed or if you have any comments on the ones mentioned so far 🙂

 

Whippet by Nature Pt 1

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Warning: I’m about to make some gross generalisations about an entire breed of dogs. I usually try to avoid this sort of thing because some whippets are skinny and timid and others seem like they have had way too much red cordial. But…. there are some things that all whippets have in common. I’m sure that there are many whippet mama’s and papa’s out there who know exactly what I mean.

Doona lovers

There are few things a whippet loves more than curling up or stretching out under a warm blanket or doona. No self-respecting whippet mama would ever leave a whippet outside or expect his or her fur child to sleep in a dog house.No,no,no. The bed, the couch, the recliner – all belong to the whippet (in the whippet’s mind at least) and it is up to the human to negotiate a spot. To demonstrate..

bed not floor  camouflage hounds

Zoomies

Whippets are fast, really, really fast. And agile, turning corners and changing direction at speed. They can baulk and pivot like a basketball player on speed! But they are not in it for the long haul. Whippets love to take off at speed and zoom around like crazy before coming back for some pats and praise.

Whippets love to do zoomies on grass but they will happily do them anywhere there is enough space and someone to run with, from or after. Like the beach….

beach zoomies.jpg

Bitey face

Lots of dogs play and indulge in a bit of rough and tumble – it’s all part of puppydom, which can last years for some dogs!! Whippets enjoy running and trying to rumble or even body-slam each other mid run.

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They also like a bit of Bitey-face.  This sounds a bit vicious but is actually pretty harmless, good-natured play. Whippets will also do bitey-face play with non-whippets, particularly puppies with furry faces because there is more for them to latch onto!

Warning: other dog owners at the park may well be freaked out by this play and respond in this way………

scared baby

Whipnosis

This is the ability of whippets to stare into the eyes of captive humans until they are rewarded with food, hugs or declarations of undying love. Mainly food. Despite being skinny dogs, whippets LOVE food and will shadow you and stare until you are whipnotised into giving them whatever they want!

whipnosis.jpgblue whippet eyesWhippet-love-eyes

Gang ties

Whippets are like peanuts, its hard to stop at just one. I had to get a friend for my whippet Lawson because he HATED being alone. I know this, because he ate my wicker furniture, my wooden blind (three times!) and my window frame. Enter lurcher Millie and no more damage.

Whippets love to run in packs or at least duos. They love to cuddle up with another fur buddy (when they can’t cuddle with their whippet mama) and they can be very competitive for both food and affection. Lawson became a LOT less fussy about his food once Millie entered the frame.

That is not to say that you can’t have an only child; some whippets are fine that way but they do need the company of humans instead or they will get very naughty indeed!

the gang on lookoutwhippet couch stack

Roaching

Roaching is  a common sighthound behaviour, not limited to whippets. Greyhounds are artistes when it comes lying on their back like cockroaches! It is possibly the least elegant thing you will ever see but I dare any whippet mama or papa to resist the temptation to rub those smooth, hairless bellies….

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Bendy nose

full bendy nosebent snoz

Another unique sighthound manoeuver is to sleep on their snozzes so that they bend in half. It does not look comfortable at all but they love it! Whippets have odd snozzes that have a bendy end which enables them to strike all sorts of silly poses. 

I am sure that there is a perfectly reasonable explanation for this behaviour – please let me know if you have any theories!

Yoga masters

origami dog

Whippets, like many other sighthounds, are flexible. They could beat anyone at Twister and are the yoga masters of the doggy world. This makes life difficult when you have to put a cone on their heads after an injury because they can still reach! When Millie got hit by a car I had to put multiple round pillows around her neck to stop her reaching the wounds. See below for evidence…..

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Shadows

personal stalker

Whippets love company and they love to know what their mama or papa is up to at all times. Opening a door? Where you going? Opening a cupboard? what we eating now? Opening a package? Treats? Putting shoes on? Where we going? Going to the toilet? Not on your own you’re not!

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Sundogs

You  may have noticed that whippets are a little light on the fluffiness, particularly on their bellies. there is a perfectly good reason for this – as racing dogs, having a bald belly helps them to release heat quickly.  The problem is that most whippets now are not racers (except in their own minds and twitchy dreams) but rather, lazy members of the doona brigade.

This why whippets (and greyhounds) will seek out any patch of sunlight that they can find and bask in the warmth until they are in danger of melting. My whippet Lawson was so desperate to find some sun to sit in one winter that he leapt onto the laundry hamper which was in a sunny spot, and promptly fell in!

Millie and Lawson are happy to share sun beds but prefer their own where they can stretch out into a typical roach position.

Samsung pics 1 054 croppedsunlounging

 

And so there you have part one of the whippet personality and behaviour. Keep tuned for part two when I will discuss the other idiosyncrasies that make whippets so weird and awesome.

x

 

 

Whippet Good!!

Posted on by whippetweb

adorationcant have just one20160227_160426free kisseswhippet goggles

Let me start by admitting my bias – I love whippets, they are awesome!

All sighthounds are similar in some ways but totally unique in others. Whippets are one of the newest members of the sighthound group, dating from around the 1840’s and not officially recognised as a breed until 1891.

The “poor man’s greyhound”

Whippets were developed in the north of England by miners and mill workers. At the time, only royalty were allowed to have greyhounds, used for hunting. A peasant found with a greyhound would be imprisoned, his dog maimed or killed. This was to stop commoners from using greyhounds for poaching on royal land. However, there was no ban on peasants having other types of dogs.

Whippet_BDL
All about dogs; a book for doggy people New York,J. Lane,1900. http://biodiversitylibrary.org/item/75529

The whippet was created to be as fast as a greyhound but more sturdy than an Italian greyhound which was seen as too fine-boned and unable to chase down bigger prey. Whippets originate from a blend of dogs – greyhounds, Iggies, and terriers. They could not look too much like greyhounds or they would be maimed.

There is a bit of debate about the origin of the name. Some believe that it was based on the work “whip” and referred to their speed and sleek appearance. Apparently whippets were also known by other names in the early days including Wappit and Snap Dog. If anyone has better information about this, please let me know!!

That Whippet Look

The Coat – fine and short, can be single coloured or a major colour with patches. The patches can be brindled or a solid colour. Whippets come in many colours including fawn, white, black, blue and brindled.

When  I first adopted Lawson, he was quite pale; over the years his coat has deepened in colour and his muzzle has darkened. This is not uncommon I believe:

Young Lawsie!

The Body – the chest is very deep (giving them lots of room for a massive heart so they can race like the wind) and the back well-muscled. Whippets have a graceful tapered shape with legs that appear too small but which work like springs. Their tails are long and short haired; they are also renowned for causing pain if humans get in the way of their enthusiasm!

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The face – could melt any heart. Whippets have lean, flat heads that are not as long as a greyhounds. The nose only comes in one colour (black) and their eyes are oval and most often (but not always) a deep brown colour. Whippets have incredibly soft ears that speak volumes. Want to know what your whippet is thinking? Read the ears…

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The paws – Whippets have paws that are long like those of a hare except with long nails that can be a mix of white and black. Due to the fact that whippets are exceptionally flexible, they will often present their mother with a paw bouquet..

origami dogpaws

The wardrobe – Whippets have extremely thin skin and very little fur (particularly on their tummies). This helps them to regulate their temperature when running but it makes life pretty tough for Whippets in winter. No self-respecting whippet mama would let her fur baby out in the cold and wet without a warm and stylish outfit to keep him or her toasty.

That being said – a whippet mama or papa must show their fur baby some respect and make sure they look cool and not silly when they hit the ‘hood to roll with their homies.

greyhound-coat-sb4frou frou

Yes                                                                 No, no,no, just no.

 

NEXT TIME….

Hope you have enjoyed this post. Next time I will talk a bit more about the whippet personality (or personalities as may be the case).

 

 

Look kids, its a greyhound!

Posted on by whippetweb

This must be one of the most annoying things a whippet mama or papa can hear. Whippets are the hidden treasure of dogs, mistaken for greys all the time. Not only that, but people often think that Italian greyhounds are whippets! As a proud whippet mama I have taken upon myself to educate the good people of the world to recognise and adore this beautiful breed.

Here is a great pic that demonstrates the difference between greyhounds, whippets and Italian greyhounds (better known as Iggies). ‘Nuff said.

size comparison

So, what is a whippet? Whippets are part of a class of dogs called sight hounds. Sight hounds were used in hunting and were able to find and bring down their prey using sight alone. This sets them apart from bloodhounds that rely more on smell. Historically, sighthounds were found in North Africa, Arabic countries, Afghanistan, Russia, Ireland and Scotland.

Whippets aren’t really used for hunting anymore, although other sight hounds still are. I find it hard to imagine my boy Lawson as a hunter but then I remember his obsession with trying (and sometimes succeeding, much to my horror) to catch birds.

Sight hounds include:
Whippets

five brindle whippets

Smaller than greyhounds but with a similar temperament, whippets are a hidden treasure being discovered by people now who realise that they make great city dogs. They don’t bark, rarely shed, don’t need grooming, sleep a lot and are happy  with a run in the local park each day. Did I mention that they are freaking awesome?!

Greyhounds

black and white greyhound

The original and best known. Gorgeous creatures with the souls of poets and the body of athletes, greyhounds are unfortunately exploited for their speed and abused in terrible ways. Thankfully there are organisations such as the Greyhound Adoption Program to rescue “failed” racers from death or worse. Greyhounds are not, as most people think, high maintenance, exercise wise. A quick burst of speed at the park  and they are ready for their bed!

Italian greyhounds

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A lot of people think that whippets and Italian greyhounds are one and the same. However, that is like confusing Jack Russell’s with Staffies. Italian greyhounds have the faces of Chihuahuas and are more highly strung than whippets. They are fast and seem to have inexhaustible energy.

Irish wolfhounds

irish_wolfhound

The biggest dogs that exist. They are bigger than a lot of humans but have the soul of greyhounds and are very affectionate. The original gentle giant.

Scottish deerhounds

adorable scottish deerhound hunter

Like a cross between Irish Wolfhounds and greyhounds, deerhounds have the speed and strength but without the  huge mass of the former.

Staghounds

staghound

Staghounds are made for hunting. In America they are called Staghounds, in Australia they are called Kangaroo dogs. Staghounds are essentially lurchers – a mix between sighthounds and working dogs. From the picture above you might think that staghounds are not the kind of dog you could cuddle with on the couch – however, my gorgeous girl is a staghound and the most affectionate dog I have ever known. Stereotypes be damned!

Salukis

Salukis

The glamour models of the sighthound world. Saluki’s come in a range of colours, all of them gorgeous. To be honest, whenever I see Salukis out and about they always seem to be a bit skinny for my liking but maybe that’s just me…

Borzoi (aka Russian wolfhounds)

Borzoi-large

They are a bit gorgeous really but require a lot more grooming than most other sighthounds. They come in different coats – some more fluffy than others. Essentially, borzois are very regal in appearance but similar in temperament to other sighthounds.

Azawakh (African)

azawakh

I just want to give them a big bowel of potato and gravy! However, I know that they are this weight for a reason. They are refined in appearance;their personality relies a lot on how they are trained. They have the potential to be as affectionate as their fellow sighthounds if allowed.

Ibizan hounds

ibizan-hound

An off-shoot of pharaoh hounds, they have the distinctive ears of pharaoh hounds but with white and red colouring and amber coloured eyes. Ibizan hounds come in smooth and rough coated varieties. They are stockier than greyhounds, very intelligent and expert escapologists.

Pharaoh hounds

Pharaoh Hound 2

Despite their Egyptian sounding names, pharaoh hounds are the national dog of Malta. It’s native name is Kelb Tal-Fenek – In Maltese, it’s name means “rabbit dog”. Like the Ibizan hound it is a smart, agile and athletic dog; however, unlike the Ibizan dog, it only comes in the smooth coated variety.

Galgo’s

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Galgo’s are an ancient breed, from whom the greyhound is descended. Galgo’s tend to be smaller, lighter in breed, with a longer tail and streamlined head that makes the ears look much bigger. Galgo’s chests are not as deep chests as greyhounds and their coats come in both rough and smooth varieties.

Galgo’s are gentle creatures, very much like their greyhound relatives. They are used for hunting in Spain and are one of the most abused animals in the world. Spaniards often keep Galgo’s emaciated to encourage them to hunt; if they fail to be good hunters, their death is long and brutal.

And there are many more sighthounds not mentioned here…

They all have in common a graceful, tapered form with a long neck and long legs holding up a muscular body. Sighthounds use a bounding gallop when they run, similar to that which a cheetah uses. Sighthounds can reach 45 kms per hour from little or no run up.

Sight hounds are more known for speed than stamina, so a quick run in the park is usually following by a long sleep on the couch!

I will talk more about these awesome dogs over the course of this blog and I look forward to any contributions you might choose to make.

Cheers, Maree

Well hello….

Posted on by whippetweb

My life was changed forever about six and a half years ago when a whippet entered my life. A devoted cat person, I had never been interested in getting a dog – too boisterous, too much hard work – while cats are notoriously self-sufficient.

I identified with cats – moody, tactile, independent and fond of soaking in the sun. Dogs were a part of my childhood on the farm but not as pets. On a farm you learn not to get too attached to animals because you never know when they might disappear or fall victim to some ill fortune.

Whippets I knew nothing about. I knew about greyhounds (we had one when i was a child but it fell victim to misfortune on the road) and how gentle they were. I knew about working dogs –  kelpies and border collies and blue heelers. I quite liked the look of Staffordshire terriers and thought a Staffy might be a good choice – rough and tumble, friendly, outgoing and cool.

But fate stepped in and suddenly I was the confused and ignorant mother of a whippet, Lawson. My life took a direction I would never have expected and I am forever grateful to fate for introducing me to the wonderful world of whippets.

In this blog I want to share what I have learned about whippets, lurchers, human nature and myself through accidentally getting a dog. I hope people will find it interesting and will share some of their own thoughts an experiences.

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Above: Lawson assuming his favourite position