Until I met my husband, I always considered myself as a Cat Person. Then he regaled me with funny stories about the antics of his childhood Whippet, Bess, and convinced me we should get a dog instead. Now we have our own Whippet Max (that’s him in the photo), and I can’t imagine life without him. Whippet temperament is sweet, silly, affectionate, easy going and irresistible. Obviously they are not all exactly the same, but as with all breeds, it’s possible to make some pretty reliable generalizations about what to expect. So now I’m hoping to help you decide whether Whippets’ personality is the right fit for you too.
Contents
- What is a typical Whippet temperament?
- Are Whippets affectionate?
- Are Whippets intelligent and easy to train?
- Managing that chase instinct
- Do Whippets get on well with other dogs?
- What about children?
- Are Whippets noisy?
- Problem behaviors
What is a typical Whippet temperament?
The classic line about Whippets is that they’re ‘70mph couch potatoes’. And it’s true. High speed sprints followed by 5-hour power naps make up a pretty large chunk of a Whippet’s ideal day. But in between the running and the sleeping, they do of course have some other personality traits. Whippets are:
- Goofy
- Gentle
- Reasonably smart
- Affectionate with people
- Playful with other dogs
- Patient with children
Are Whippets affectionate?
Whippets typically love human contact, whether it’s a game, a fuss or a cuddle. Even though they started out as hunting dogs (and later racing dogs) their thin coat and lack of body fat means they have never been suitable for kennelling outdoors. Which means a pleasant and companionable temperament at home has always been as much of a priority for breeders as their speed and hunting ability.
Like all dogs, every individual Whippet is a little bit different. Some take a little while to warm up to new people, whilst others eagerly embrace everyone from the get-go. Puppies from confident parents, and who were well socialized before 12 weeks old, grow up to be the most relaxed in new company. In fact, Whippets are popular candidates for pets as therapy programs. The reason is that after their daily exercise they tend to be sweet, docile, and reliably keen on snuggling up to anyone who remains still enough.
Among their human family, Whippets can be like heat seeking missiles. Since they have quite prominent bones and only very light padding from fat and fur, they always seek out the softest, warmest places to sleep. In theory you could teach a Whippet that they’re not allowed on the sofa with you, but I’ve yet to meet an owner who had the heart.
Are Whippets intelligent and easy to train?
To understand Whippet intelligence, it helps to understand their history. They were originally used for hunting small game over wide open areas, which didn’t require much teaching. Their owners just pointed them at a rabbit, and natural instincts took care of the rest. So, choosing quick and decisive hunters to breed more puppies from was more of a priority than whether they could learn and remember lots of commands. On top of this, Whippets don’t tend to be easily motivated by low value foods such as kibble. For these reasons, Whippets are relatively slow to train, compared to many popular dog breeds.
That’s not to say they’re completely untrainable though. After all, if that were the case, no one would keep them at all! They can still learn good manners such as sitting in one place when asked, coming back when called, and walking at heel. Our whippet has also learned to play fetch, show off a few basic tricks, and even shut the door behind him when he comes in from the yard. And he loves solving puzzle feeders, provided the prize is cheese and not plain old kibble. Some whippets have even triumphed in dog sports such as dock diving, flyball and disc dog.
To get the most out of training a Whippet, use force free, positive reinforcement techniques, and high value food rewards. Make peace with the fact that your progress might be a bit slower than if you had, say, a gundog or herding breed. It helps to make a list of your priorities, rather than trying to work on everything at once.
Managing that chase instinct
A common reservation people have about Whippets is their instinct for chasing smaller animals, and a general fear that they might run off and never be seen again. Whippets, like all sighthounds do have a strong chase instinct, and once they have set off, their senses are so locked in on the pursuit that they do become deaf to any other commands.
Chase drive in sighthounds is widely regarded among trainers as one of the hardest instincts to overcome. But, it can be managed. We live in an area full off rabbits, squirrels, pigeons and other chase-able critters, and Max regularly enjoys off leash walks. He generally stays close to us, and comes back when called. You can keep on top of a Whippet’s chase instinct by:
- Using a long line while they are young, to stop them learning a rewarding habit of chasing things.
- Make your recall cue a training priority.
- Teach an emergency recall cue, which is always rewarded with extremely high value treats.
- Reward them for checking in with you on off leash walks. The aim is that even if they do chase something, the most rewarding thing to do next is come back.
- Don’t poison your recall cue by using it once your Whippet’s attention is locked onto something.
- Be proactive about providing acceptable outlets for their chase instinct, such fetch or lure coursing.
Despite their chase instinct, Whippets are generally safe around cats they have grow up with. But they should always be kept separate from animals like rabbits or chickens.
Do Whippets get on well with other dogs?
Whippets from confident parents and who were well socialized as puppies are generally quite open to meeting other dogs, and love running around with them. But nonetheless Whippets do seem to have a reputation for being nervous and shy. I think this is largely because if they ever do get into a tussle with another dog, even a relatively minor one, they almost invariable come off worse. This is because they don’t have much protection in the form of fur or fat. So it’s a good idea to be proactive about managing their social encounters. Only let them approach and play with dogs you know, to avoid bad experiences. Whippets also love meeting other sighthounds, and when they do they have a very characteristic way of playing with each other which is surprisingly noisy and boisterous!
Is Whippet temperament good with children?
Like all puppies, Whippets under a year old can sometimes be overwhelming company for little kids, because they’re still learning not to bite or jump up at people. But adult Whippets tend to be placid and patient companions for children. Children, in return, tend to be fascinated by such skinny dogs, their likeness to Dobby the house elf, and the fact that they need to wear sweaters. All children ought to be supervised with dogs, and taught how to understand their body language and respect their space.
Are Whippets noisy?
Whippets, like most sighthounds, are generally regarded as being quiet dogs. But not all of them get that memo. Whippets were originally bred by crossing the smallest Greyhounds with terriers, and even all these generations later, some Whippets still have a terrier-like inclination to bark at thinks like cats and passers by. They rarely bark at nothing for the sake of it though. Lots of Whippet owners describe their dogs doing a characteristic warbling grumble when they want food or attention. Max does this, and it is far too funny to be annoyed by.
Problem behaviors
All dogs can develop problem behaviors if their emotional or physical needs aren’t being met. Since Whippets’ favorite source of stimulation is running very fast, they are usually pretty undemanding once they have had a chance to do that. So they don’t tend to be heavy chewers, destructive diggers, or noisy barkers, provided you give them opportunities to run.
(paid link) However, Whippets do form close emotional bonds to their human family, and they can be prone to separation anxiety. To overcome this, build up time apart gradually. Also, Whippets are not stoic about going out in bad weather. They can root themselves to the spot with surprising strength if you open the door and it’s raining outside.
Whippet temperament – summary
Whippets’ personalities are basically built around a love of running, and an unrivaled commitment to napping afterwards. They are also more sociable, trainable and adaptable than people sometimes realise. Max is equally happy playing fetch for an hour and sleeping for the next six on one day, as he is spending the spending the whole of the next day hiking or visiting family. Whippets probably aren’t the right choice if you’re interested in complex training activities like agility or freestyle, but they’re a fab first dog for families of all sizes. They are gentle and charming, and almost impossible not to smile at. What more could you ask?
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