Whippet
Medium
Great Britain
The origin of the Whippet is somewhat obscure, although dogs of whippet type and shape have been known in England for may hundreds of years. In medieval days both large and small greyhounds were kept, and the latter would obviously be the ancestors of the modern Whippet. The word whippet was generally used to describle any quick moving little dog, and it is only in the late nineteenth century that the Whippet was recognised as a separate breed.
Whippets are generally quiet and gentle dogs in the house, content to spend much of the day sleeping on the couch. They are not generally aggressive with 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. They may or may not bark when strangers arrive, and are not suited to be guard dogs due to their trusting and unsuspicious nature. Outside, however, 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.
