Whippets
Overview
Whippets are generally quiet and gentle dogs, content to spend much of the day sleeping. They are not generally aggressive towards other animals, and although especially attached to their owners, they are friendly to visitors. They are not prone to snapping, so they are good with young children. Because of their friendly nature they have often been known to be used in elderly care facilities. They may or may not bark when strangers arrive, and are not suited to be guard dogs due to their trusting nature. They do however tend to attack cats that stray onto their territory, unless they have been brought up living with a cat. Outside, particularly when they are racing or lure coursing, they demonstrate their superb athletic skills and will pursue their "quarry" (even when it is an artificial lure) with the heart of a lion.
Training
Unlike some other breeds, the male Whippets are as easy to housebreak and are no more aggressive than females. Both sexes make excellent pets. Males are sometimes considered to be slightly more loyal and to enjoy repetitive play. Females can be a little more complex and strong-willed, but are equally devoted to their owners.
Activity Requirements
Whippets are not well-adapted for living in a kennel or as outside dogs. Their coats do not provide the insulation to withstand prolonged periods of exposure to the cold. Their natural attachment to people makes them happiest when kept as house pets. They are most at home in the company of their owners, in their lap or lying next to them on the lounge. Whippets are quiet and thus well suited to apartment life, although they do need regular exercise. The chance to run free in open spaces should be made available to the whippet; however, care should be taken with whippets on the street as it is difficult to instill any sort of traffic sense into them.
Source: All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.
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