Whippets: |
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The Whippet is a sighthound breed of dog; they are generally loyal, friendly, quiet and gentle, but active and playful; their social nature makes them suitable pets, but they require regular exercise and the chance to run free and care should be taken with them on the street as it is difficult to instill any sort of traffic sense into some of them. They are physically similar to a small Greyhound; they come in a wide variety of colours and marking patterns, everything from solid black to solid white, with red, fawn, brindle, blue, or cream; all manner of spots and blazes and patches are seen, sometimes all in the same litter; they are amongst the fastest of dogs running a course at 36 mph (58 km/h). They are a medium-size dog averaging in weight from 15 to 30 lbs (6.8–14 kg), with height, under the FCI standard, of 18.5 - 20 inches (47 - 51 centimetres) for males and 17.5–18.5 inches (44–47 centimetres) for females; given proper nutrition, exercise, and veterinary care, most whippets live for 12 to 15 years; they are generally healthy and are not prone to the frequent ear infections, skin allergies, or digestive problems that can afflict other breeds. Whippets were bred to hunt by sight, coursing game in open areas at high speeds; their versatility as a hunting, racing, exhibition or companion dog soon made it one of the most popular of the sighthound breeds; they have been called a "poor man's racehorse." and they are outstanding running dogs; they compete in lure coursing, straight racing and oval track racing; typically in these events, a temporary track and lure system is set up; the lure is usually a white plastic bin bag, sometimes in conjunction with a "squawker" to simulate a sort of prey sound or with a small piece of animal pelt. One can find numerous representations of
small greyhound-like hounds in art dating back to Roman times but the
first written English use of the word "whippet" with regard
to a type of dog was in 1610; however, it is believed
that Whippets were first bred in Lancashire and Yorkshire in the 18th
Century, when Greyhounds were crossed with long legged Terriers; the
result was a small, super-fast breed of dog, which was used to hunt
small game, especially rabbits. |
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On a more amusing note: A visitor to a Yorkshireman's home notices
that the Yorkshireman calls his Whippet 'Grieg': |
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