Blazingsaddles
Well-Known Member
Tell me about them. I owned a lovely boy many years ago and then switched to BTs and lurchers. I’m out of the loop re good lines (MIL knew all of them, but dementia has taken its toll, bastard illness).
Whippets.
- Thread starter Blazingsaddles
- Start date
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Depends whether you mean good working lines or good show lines ?
Leo Walker
Well-Known Member
I dont know anything about lines, I go for working bred where the parents aren't great workers. Gives them the working brain but without a crazy prey drive. My youngest has been a dream of a dog. Intelligent but biddable, loves learning and has done everything from scent work to flyball, yet couldnt really care less if a rabbit jumps up under his nose. Mine are both big bruisers, 21TTS and chunky with it. I do like the look of the tiny dainty ones, but I wouldnt want one as my dog.
Mine dont wear coats unless its snowing, dont have pjs or anything like that. Will walk for 20mins once a day or go out all day. They love people, all people without exception. They like to be with you at all times. I quite often have 3 squashed in the tiny bathroom with me! They love food and arent above a bit of quite clever manipulation to get it either. They sleep in the bed with me under the duvet. The oldest goes down to the bottom of the bed, the youngest lays along the curve of my back and the lurcher lays along the wall, although she quite often prefers her crate.
Since we got the lurcher I've found it interesting to see how different they really are from other dogs, and they are, even ones that share similar breed characteristics. I've never known such loving dogs. The lurcher is a very sweet sunny natured girl, and adores us, and particularly my OH, she likes to hang out with us and enjoys a fuss, but the whippets radiate this air of loving you more than anything else alive. They do this to everyone mind! IThey are master manipulators but they do it in such a charming way that not only do you not mind, you actually enjoy it!
I'm currently sat in bed, the youngest is on the sofa with my Oh, the oldest is under the duvet and the lurcher is in her bed with an antler. the whippets would rather be touching you than eating a chew.
Mine dont wear coats unless its snowing, dont have pjs or anything like that. Will walk for 20mins once a day or go out all day. They love people, all people without exception. They like to be with you at all times. I quite often have 3 squashed in the tiny bathroom with me! They love food and arent above a bit of quite clever manipulation to get it either. They sleep in the bed with me under the duvet. The oldest goes down to the bottom of the bed, the youngest lays along the curve of my back and the lurcher lays along the wall, although she quite often prefers her crate.
Since we got the lurcher I've found it interesting to see how different they really are from other dogs, and they are, even ones that share similar breed characteristics. I've never known such loving dogs. The lurcher is a very sweet sunny natured girl, and adores us, and particularly my OH, she likes to hang out with us and enjoys a fuss, but the whippets radiate this air of loving you more than anything else alive. They do this to everyone mind! IThey are master manipulators but they do it in such a charming way that not only do you not mind, you actually enjoy it!
I'm currently sat in bed, the youngest is on the sofa with my Oh, the oldest is under the duvet and the lurcher is in her bed with an antler. the whippets would rather be touching you than eating a chew.
Blazingsaddles
Well-Known Member
weirdly, after slagging off certain show line breeds I actually prefer show line Whippets. Have seen too many working Whippets that are devoid of the elegance of a Show Whippet.
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I’m with you there - and I also hate the fact that whippets are the size of a small greyhound nowadays (whether show-bred or working-bred) but that’s a personal thing ?
I like the Nevedith ones and the Shalfleet ones
Annette4
Well-Known Member
No idea on lines as both are from working parents (Fizz is a rescue to boot).
I can say don't get one mixed with Saluki....I did by accident and the difference is immense.
They are brilliant and I wouldn't be without them but they aren't normal dogs. That said mine are crated downstairs and have 'jobs'. One is more precious than the other and one is easier to train than the other but both are loving in their own way and great at home. They both do wear coats but at different temperatures.....woe betide me if Fizz gets cold!
If you're looking a puppies, I'd suggest a spring litter, Fizz came home in May and was much easier to house train than Dobby who we got in December.
My next will likely be a collie x whippet if I can find one outside of the flyball world...i want a bit more brains ?
I can say don't get one mixed with Saluki....I did by accident and the difference is immense.
They are brilliant and I wouldn't be without them but they aren't normal dogs. That said mine are crated downstairs and have 'jobs'. One is more precious than the other and one is easier to train than the other but both are loving in their own way and great at home. They both do wear coats but at different temperatures.....woe betide me if Fizz gets cold!
If you're looking a puppies, I'd suggest a spring litter, Fizz came home in May and was much easier to house train than Dobby who we got in December.
My next will likely be a collie x whippet if I can find one outside of the flyball world...i want a bit more brains ?
CorriegarthJ
Well-Known Member
Spotherisk
Well-Known Member
As usual I cannot work out how to attach a photo... mine was 21”, his dam was an unregistered whippet (a working type) and sire was Shoalinham Sovereign x Poachyn Camellia. Finn was a very loving boy, well behaved and with a depressed prey drive as he knew he never caught much although he was an excellent ratter. He is sorely missed - frankly, with labs and cocker whilst lovely just don’t cut the mustard. I hope you find the perfect whippet soon.
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Oh it’s a small world ? my first whippet, who I got in 1987 when I was 17 years old, was Shoalingham Sheer Fun - she was from the first litter that Elaine Walker bred, Sovereign was obviously a later litter ?
Poachyn was also an excellent line, they had a gorgeous boy registered as Silver Flyer I remember!
I had Isobel for just short of 15 years, there was only one of her siblings left when I lost her.... she was absolutely my world, I loved her so much
This was her when I went to see her the first time....
Spotherisk
Well-Known Member
Aw, such a beautiful face. Finn would have been 15 years old yesterday, a Valentine’s Day litter. I picked him as he picked up a brush from a dustpan and brush set, brought it to me and let me take it. He was a good retriever all his life and OH would take him shooting where people often had to swallow their rude words when he eyeballed a bird, shot off and brought it to hand super fast! He also graced the cover of Countrymans Weekly 10 years ago, and did very well in his brief showing career,which he found very boring.
Chiffy
Well-Known Member
Lovely to find a whippet thread! They were my first love, my first breed after marriage and the first dogs I bred.
Definitely show lines but they they still retain their hunting instincts or rather their speed round the garden! They can be perfectly tough little dogs if not wrapped in cotton wool.
I haven’t followed breeding for a long time....is Shalfleet really still going Lev? I would need to look up my dogs lines. My first whippet was white and called Dalstar Snow Queen. She was so beautiful inside and out.
Hope you find a lovely one.
Definitely show lines but they they still retain their hunting instincts or rather their speed round the garden! They can be perfectly tough little dogs if not wrapped in cotton wool.
I haven’t followed breeding for a long time....is Shalfleet really still going Lev? I would need to look up my dogs lines. My first whippet was white and called Dalstar Snow Queen. She was so beautiful inside and out.
Hope you find a lovely one.
CMcC
Well-Known Member
Oh no wish I hadn’t started reading this thread and looking at pictures.
I have 2 lurchers and a Saluki and I want a Whippet, friend recently had a litter from her beautiful bitch and I resisted.
Is four dogs too many?
I have 2 lurchers and a Saluki and I want a Whippet, friend recently had a litter from her beautiful bitch and I resisted.
Is four dogs too many?
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Yep Shalfleet is now the daughter’s (???) prefix (drags through memory banks.... originally Barbara Wilton-Clark?? Now it’s Jane) And Nev Newton sadly seems to have passed away as Nevedith is just Edith Newton.
My second whippet was by Ballagan Whipcord.... now there was a stunning dual purpose whippet ? I also loved the late Susan Baird’s Sound Barrier, she was so helpful to me as well
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Absolutely not, I’ve had four greyhounds/lurchers for years! I genuinely find it a real surprise when people comment that there are a lot of dogs, as they are so well mannered walking on the lead etc ?
Five IS too many when one of them is a terrier mind you ??
Spotherisk
Well-Known Member
. Gosh no four isn’t too many, I have two separate friends with in excess of 14, one has toys the other gun dogs, and neither have kennels!
Evie91
Well-Known Member
I love whippets and would love to have one, one day. Currently have collie, cross breed (labxcollie),cat, chickens and rabbits so have always been put off. Plus I have to work.
If I’m ever lucky enough to retire I want a whippet - they are always my first port of call at the world of dogs bit at crufts and absolutely loved the brindle winner with four white paws!
If I’m ever lucky enough to retire I want a whippet - they are always my first port of call at the world of dogs bit at crufts and absolutely loved the brindle winner with four white paws!
Snowfilly
Well-Known Member
I've had three whippets and they are the best best dogs.
Bitch was a childhood dog, she was given to me as a 5th birthday present! Very kind, gentle and softly protective of me. She did growl at my first boyfriend, and I should have listened to her. Never ever put a foot wrong. She was show bred but spent all her life down the yard hanging around with horses. No health issues aside from a broken leg and she made 13, was also a lovely mum to a purebred litter.
Second was a working bred dog, who had a variety of health issues and didn't make old bones, dying at three. He had retained testes for a start. He was again, very tough regarding cold weather etc but wasn't so great with other dogs - his prey drive was insane and small terriers could set it off. He spent a lot of time on a long line when exercising. He was incredibly smart and trainable but only if it suited him.
Third was another working dog, who was just a delight. He wasn't very smart and to the day I lost him, would stand in confusion if he got tangled in his lead until I rescued him. He once crossed a stream, sunk and panicked and then crossed it again in the same spot a few minutes later and sunk again. He was the friendliest dog I've ever known, always polite and was a dream to walk. No health issues until he was 10 and I lost him soon after.
They are very adaptable, they'll walk 20 miles in a day or camp out on a bed and watch a film with you - they do love their people and are sociable little dogs. They're also generally fairly quiet and not barky which is nice.
I've lived with various terriers, labs and lurchers over the years and a whippet is far far superior in every way!
Bitch was a childhood dog, she was given to me as a 5th birthday present! Very kind, gentle and softly protective of me. She did growl at my first boyfriend, and I should have listened to her. Never ever put a foot wrong. She was show bred but spent all her life down the yard hanging around with horses. No health issues aside from a broken leg and she made 13, was also a lovely mum to a purebred litter.
Second was a working bred dog, who had a variety of health issues and didn't make old bones, dying at three. He had retained testes for a start. He was again, very tough regarding cold weather etc but wasn't so great with other dogs - his prey drive was insane and small terriers could set it off. He spent a lot of time on a long line when exercising. He was incredibly smart and trainable but only if it suited him.
Third was another working dog, who was just a delight. He wasn't very smart and to the day I lost him, would stand in confusion if he got tangled in his lead until I rescued him. He once crossed a stream, sunk and panicked and then crossed it again in the same spot a few minutes later and sunk again. He was the friendliest dog I've ever known, always polite and was a dream to walk. No health issues until he was 10 and I lost him soon after.
They are very adaptable, they'll walk 20 miles in a day or camp out on a bed and watch a film with you - they do love their people and are sociable little dogs. They're also generally fairly quiet and not barky which is nice.
I've lived with various terriers, labs and lurchers over the years and a whippet is far far superior in every way!
Blazingsaddles
Well-Known Member
Husband & MIL bought me my boy when I was 22. He was an ex stud/show dog. Did well in the ring before I got him - pedigree showing wasn’t my thing! He was the easiest dog I’ve ever owned. One day, not yet though, I’m sure I’ll get another.
Leo Walker
Well-Known Member
I've got 2 and a lurcher. I've also got a cat who is definitely the boss and a garden full of small fluffy bantam chickens. We all co-exist nicely. I think they may well chase and hurt a random chicken if they found one in the park, but they know the difference and that these are our chickens. Mine are all happy to stay home alone. I wouldnt want a single dog to be left, but a little group and they are happy enough. They just go to bed as usual and get up when you get in!
Leo Walker
Well-Known Member
Who could resist this little face!
or this one!
or this one!
paisley
Well-Known Member
Taken form Whippet Snippets, regarding a big monthly walk near me on West Wittering beach- if it doesnt make you want a whippet, nothing will 
Blazingsaddles
Well-Known Member
Oh
oh, I do miss them.Taken form Whippet Snippets, regarding a big monthly walk near me on West Wittering beach- if it doesnt make you want a whippet, nothing will
splashgirl45
Lurcher lover
this is my border collie/whippet,looked like a whippet but behaved like a collie,very easy to train .
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Taken form Whippet Snippets, regarding a big monthly walk near me on West Wittering beach- if it doesnt make you want a whippet, nothing will
“Many hours later, all the whippets involved in this filming had been retrieved” ???
I have absolutely the best of both worlds.... a huge ex racing greyhound who takes ages to get up to speed but has to be seen to be believed at full pitch, and a whippet lurcher who is the fastest little thing I have ever seen on four legs (incredibly prey driven and bred to hunt)
I may love terriers too now, but I could never not love sighthounds and I’ll never ever be without one
paisley
Well-Known Member
"And some of the whippets were almost a bit tired and ready to go home to sleep fully stetched out on their owners comfy beds, and refuse to budge up even one inch to let anyone else on the bed"?
Annette4
Well-Known Member
Exactly what I'm after! I have promised OH a terrier next (god help us) but after Dobby I'm desperate for something pointy but more trainable.
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The important bit there is “almost tired”.... Millie might only be a whippet lurcher but she is Never Ever Remotely Tired ????
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You haven’t had many lurchers have you? ? such a thing does not exist.... where pure sighthound breeds exist, lurchers are more one-thousand fold.... ??
Annette4
Well-Known Member
Dobby isn't either, recently because of my spectacular diary skills he had toss and fetch, flyball and agility on one day and still threw his toys around like a brat when me and Fizz wouldn't play with him ?
paisley
Well-Known Member
The whippet "Get up, I want Outdoors, a wee and breakfast!"
Me "Its 6am, Sunday, you're 10, so technically a pensioner, you did an 8 mile walk yesterday and s** off!"
The whippet "I'll just shove my pointy nose right up your...oh good, you're up!"