Whippet
The Whippet is the working man's greyhound of the north of England, bred in the nineteenth century for rabbit coursing and straight-line racing, and it remains the fastest breed…
About the Whippet
The Whippet is the working man's greyhound of the north of England, bred in the nineteenth century for rabbit coursing and straight-line racing, and it remains the fastest breed for its size in the world. In the house it is the opposite of its reputation: quiet, clean, and happiest curled under a blanket.
Dogs stand about 47 to 51 cm, with a fine, close coat in any colour or mixture of colours. The breed has kept a strong show and working presence side by side, and pedigree Whippets still race and course under their own rules; ask a stud owner which side the dog comes from, because the outlines differ. Whippets are thin-skinned and feel the cold, and a stud with a sound, confident temperament matters in a breed where sensitivity can become nervousness.
The Whippet is one of the healthier hound breeds and there is no long list of DNA tests to demand. What to ask about is a heart check, since mitral valve disease appears in the breed and several clubs run auscultation schemes, and a current eye certificate. Ask too about the dog's teeth and about any history of immune-mediated disease.
Health & breeding
We check every hip, elbow, eye and DNA result you give us against the Royal Kennel Club’s public records by hand, and we record who checked it and when. The Royal Kennel Club’s public records may not include all the screening a dog has had, so a dog with no Royal Kennel Club record showing is not necessarily untested.
Breed Right’s summary — under The Royal Kennel Club Health Standard
Health tests for the Whippet
This panel is Breed Right’s summary of the testing that matters for the breed under The Royal Kennel Club Health Standard. The Health Standard is the Royal Kennel Club’s guidance for breeders, not a registration rule. It describes tests to ask about — it is not a report on any individual dog. The Royal Kennel Club’s public records may not include all the screening a dog has had, so a dog with no Royal Kennel Club record showing is not necessarily untested.
Breed club schemes listed in the Health Standard
Run by the breed club, not the Royal Kennel Club, which does not record their results. The Standard lists them as schemes to be aware of.
| Test | Type | Scheme | What’s involved |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heart testing (breed club scheme) | Other | Breed club | The club scheme’s own result, e.g. murmur grade. |
Breed hip median
Too few dogs of this breed have been scored (BVA Hip Dysplasia Scheme breed statistics 2025 — 5 years: 2 dogs) to give a meaningful breed median. Source · How hip scores work
At stud now
Whippet stud dogs
No Whippet studs are listed right now
When a Whippet on the Royal Kennel Club Breed Register is listed at stud, it will appear here.
Also available
Whippet litters
No Whippet litters are listed right now
Litters appear here as breeders list them. Check back soon, or browse other breeds.
