If you aren’t familiar with the Whippet, this dog is often mistaken for the Greyhound, is one of the most athletic canines in the world, and makes a sweet and gentle pet. There’s so much more to these pups than just their athleticism and delightful temperaments, though! That’s why we’d like to share 14 surprising Whippet facts.
Here, we tell you more about this breed’s speed skills, how they’re built, and why they can’t always live with cats. Keep reading to learn more about these fascinating pups!
The 14 Facts About Whippets
1. There used to be two types of Whippets.
When the breed was being developed, there were two types of Whippets: one having a smooth coat and the other a rough one. During the breed’s early years, the Whippets with smooth coats were favored and especially popular in Yorkshire and Lancashire. Whippets with rough coats were preferred as working and sporting dogs. Eventually, the smooth-coated Whippet is the one that became the modern breed.
2. Whippets can run as fast as 35 mph!
The average top speed for a Whippet is 35 mph! Some of these canines can even reach 40 mph while running at full stride. This means the Whippet is one of the fastest breeds in the world.
One of the reasons the Whippet can run so quickly is that it has a double suspension gait. When this dog runs, they have an asymmetrical gait, wherein the back legs overtake the front ones. This means Whippets can go airborne twice in a gait cycle, which helps them reach top speeds.
3. A Whippet is the fastest dog in America.
The Greyhound is considered the fastest breed in the world, but the quickest dog in America is a Whippet. In 2024, a Whippet named Revenant finished the 100-yard dash for the Fastest Dogs U.S.A. competition in 5.712 seconds!1 Just for reference, that beat out Usain Bolt’s best time in the 100-meter dash (9.58 seconds). That’s one fast dog!
4. Whippets are so fast because of their body shape.
The Whippet’s body shape is one reason that they can run so quickly, beyond the double suspension gait. You’ve probably noticed that the Whippet has an arch in their back. That’s not just for show. This arch means more flexibility for them to pull their hindquarters right under their chest when running. This allows for huge stride length, propelling them forward. Without this arch, the Whippet couldn’t run nearly as fast as they do.
5. One incredibly athletic Whippet has earned the nickname, “Michael Jordan of Dogs.”
Running isn’t all these athletic dogs can do. Spitfire is a Whippet who has earned the nickname, “Michael Jordan of Dogs,” from ESPN for his extreme athleticism. Spitfire can jump 31 feet, has been the world record holder for “speed retrieving” (where a canine jumps off a dock into the water, swims to the far side to get an object, and brings it back), and can jump 8 feet vertically! Spitfire is also a 21-time holder of world records. It seems like that nickname is well-earned!
6. The fastest balloon popper in the world is a Whippet.
“Canine balloon-popping” sounds like a made-up sport, but we promise that it’s real! A Whippet named Toby holds the Guinness World Record for it. In 2017, this Whippet popped 100 balloons in only 28.22 seconds. That’s a lot of balloon-popping! Toby beat out the previous world record holder, Twinkie, a Jack Russell Terrier, by just under 10 seconds.
7. A Whippet is the was the frisbee catcher in the world.
Davy the Whippet set a Guinness World Record in 2012 for “longest flying disc catch” by catching a Frisbee thrown 402 feet! Even more incredible than that, Davy reached a speed of 40 miles per hour, enabling him to catch the Frisbee in only about 10.5 seconds. This Whippet became a bit of a star in the dog community after that and was even the star of a children’s book called The Davy Rule.
8. Whippets were known as “the poor man’s Greyhounds” in 1800s England.
Dog racing was a big thing in Europe in the 1800s and primarily used Greyhounds as the racing dogs. The sport was taken seriously and was an occasion to both be sociable and make money. But only the wealthy could afford to participate in Greyhound racing, so the working class decided to make their own version of dog racing using Whippets (because they were cheaper to breed than Greyhounds). This is how Whippets got their nickname.
9. Whippets are known as “sighthounds.”
These canines use speed and sight for hunting rather than endurance and scent. Sighthounds have sharp eyesight for movement, making hunting by sight a breeze. Since the Whippet has that arched back that enables them to be so flexible and the double suspension gait that makes them so fast, they’ve got the speed-hunting thing down pat. This breed is known for their skill in snapping up prey they’ve caught sight of, so they used to be referred to as “snap dogs.”
10. Whippets and cats are often not a good mix.
If you’re currently a cat parent considering getting a Whippet, we should warn you that it’s not usually a good idea. Since Whippets are sighthounds, their natural instinct is to chase when it comes to running animals. While some Whippets can live harmoniously with resident felines, especially if they are introduced as puppies, others can’t resist the urge to chase them.
11. Whippets have large hearts.
The Whippet, along with other sighthounds like Greyhounds, have a large heart in relation to their body size. It is not clear in studies whether this is due to genetic influences, training, or both! They also generally have slower heart rates.
12. This breed can be extremely sensitive to barbiturate anesthetics.
If you plan on owning a Whippet, know that these dogs can be more sensitive to anesthetic drugs. This is due to their lack of body fat, and most anesthetic drugs are “lipophilic,” which means they are distributed in body fat. Therefore, more of these drugs remain in the bloodstream in lean Whippets, meaning more of a clinical effect compared with dogs with more fatty tissue.
13. These dogs are prone to the shivers.
Some think Whippets are extremely fretful or fearful because they shiver a lot. But this usually isn’t why they’re shivering (though they can shiver when afraid). The main reason Whippets tend to be shivery is that they don’t have that much body fat, only have a single coat, and are thin-skinned. So, if your Whippet is shivering, most likely, they’re cold! This will be worse in the winter, of course, especially when outdoors, so you’ll need to wrap your pup up in a coat or sweater.
14. Whippets require a special collar.
The Whippet’s body is slim, graceful, thin, and muscular. They also have a deep chest and long neck, which means they need a collar that’s different from the one that many other breeds wear. Instead of a thin dog collar, Whippets need a wide one. A narrow collar can injure a Whippet’s neck and throat and put too much pressure on those areas. A wide collar helps reduce that pressure and the risk of injury.
Conclusion
Whippets are unique and lovable dogs that are incredibly athletic. That athleticism has made them some of the world’s fastest dogs and top world record holders. Whether it’s jumping, balloon-popping, or catching Frisbees, the Whippet is impressive, and now that you know so many facts about the breed, you can decide if one is right for you and your family!
Featured Image Credit: Dora Zett, Shutterstock
Contents
- The 14 Facts About Whippets
- 1. There used to be two types of Whippets.
- 2. Whippets can run as fast as 35 mph!
- 3. A Whippet is the fastest dog in America.
- 4. Whippets are so fast because of their body shape.
- 5. One incredibly athletic Whippet has earned the nickname, “Michael Jordan of Dogs.”
- 6. The fastest balloon popper in the world is a Whippet.
- 7. A Whippet is the was the frisbee catcher in the world.
- 8. Whippets were known as “the poor man’s Greyhounds” in 1800s England.
- 9. Whippets are known as “sighthounds.”
- 10. Whippets and cats are often not a good mix.
- 11. Whippets have large hearts.
- 12. This breed can be extremely sensitive to barbiturate anesthetics.
- 13. These dogs are prone to the shivers.
- 14. Whippets require a special collar.
- Conclusion
