Whippet

A Whippet
Photo: Canarian, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Hound Group
AKC RecognizedBest for active families
📏 Size
Medium
⚖️ Weight
11 - 18 kg
🕐 Lifespan
12 - 15 years
🌍 Origin
England
🐕 Shedding
Low
✂️ Grooming
Monthly
Energy Level
moderate
Exercise: 1–1.5 hrs a day
A guide for a healthy adult. Puppies, older dogs and flat-faced breeds in the heat need less.

Good to know

  • Sprinting sighthound: bred in England to chase rabbits, they are built for explosive speed and love a chance to run flat out in a safe, enclosed area.
  • Chase instinct: they will take off after small, fast-moving animals, so recall can be unreliable and secure fencing or a leash is important.
  • Calm at home: after their exercise, they are usually quiet, gentle couch-lovers indoors.
  • Feels the cold: the thin, short coat is easy to groom but gives little warmth, so many need a coat in cold weather.
  • Gentle and sensitive: affectionate with their people, they respond best to soft, positive training.

Getting out with a Whippet

Daily walks and some play keep them content. A mix of park time and easy trails suits them.

Explore more breeds in the Hound group

Browse Hound Breeds
BarkParkBarkPark.

The social layer for dog life. Find parks, track your dog's health, and celebrate your pack — all in one place.

© 2026 BarkPark, Inc. All rights reserved.