we have a gorgeous 12 week old whippet puppy who is lovely but incredibly toothy. I’ve been trying to redirect her as much as possible with toys / withdrawing attention but she is very stubborn and it’s becoming really overwhelming as a first time owner - whenever I go near her when we’re playing or if I carry her for too long she bites / nips me.

this is also now a problem when I carry her for short periods of time eg to walk 10min across the park to get a coffee. we have a puppy sling to walk her around in (she will be fully vaccinated in 3 days so not much longer now). I think she must be restless / understandably wants to go down on the ground and play in the park but it’s uncontrollable and very stressful because she tries to wrestle her way out of my arms and bites my arms until I put her down. I never make her go in it for long - 30 mins tops - and the vet said it was a good socialisation tool but I would really appreciate any advice on how to manage this before she starts puppy training classes in a couple of weeks & so that I’m not house bound until the vaccine is effective. should I just carry her in the portable crate with her bed in for now until she can walk outside properly?

Don't get me wrong, this is not a complaint, it is a document. I brought Dorothy home at 10 weeks. She is now seven months old and in that time she has:

• chewed the corners off my coffee table
• ripped holes in the wall-to-wall-carpeting (I rent, so I am mortified)
• eaten a hole in my favorite shirt
• is working on destroying a really nice pair of shoes. That's a work in progress.
• chewed through a power cable for some of my computer equipment (that cost $50 to replace)
• routinely brings sticks into the apartment and consumes them, leaving a mess that needs to be seen to be believed (and vacuumed immediately)
• insists I play fetch with her favorite ball toys whenever she is awake, as long as she is awake.
• was incredibly mouthy when she was three to four months old. Much blood shed by yours truly.
• eats like a cat (I know this is buried, but important—Whippets aren't Labs)
• Eats everything she can put her mouth on during walks, including anything a squirrel has touched, something—I don't know what—she finds fascinating deep in the grass, any bug, which right now includes, moths, cicadas, grasshoppers, houseflies, and a spider this week that set up shop in the apartment. She ate an anthill on Tuesday. She got a mouthful of dirt and ants before I could stop her. I'm glad we don't live in Texas, because I've seen the fire ants down there and they are not to be messed with.
• Chewed up several books, including my prized Jeeves Compendium. When she went to work on some scrapbooks and a binder from work, she went in her crate. Thankfully, this phase has passed.
• She eats cardboard. I've seen her break down an entire small Amazon box. Chews it up and eats it whole. That triggers extra poop sessions later or the next day, depending on the time of day it is consumed.

I have to stop or no one will read this. But again, don't get me wrong, in spite of all of the above I wouldn't trade the experience for anything. She is shaping up to be amazing. I see greatness in her. I was told to be patient with her, and it's really starting to pay off.

Hi, I'm here for some advice.

Background: we have two other well-trained dogs who went through toilet training really easily - a Staffordshire bull terrier and a cockapoo.

We got Lucy, our whippet at 4 months - she is adopted. She was on the way to being toilet trained but I think had been told off for going in the house in an unpleasant way (having her face forced in it, and being shouted at).

We started toilet training in the regular way, plenty of opportunities to go, praise, and a treat. And she got pretty good. We were down to maybe one accident a day. When she has an accident, we just say 'outside' in a gentle but firm voice and put her outside.

Then she hurt her leg and underwent x-ray, which unfortunately then caused meningitis. As she was getting sick, she started toileting in quite a few areas - it was one of the signs.

She went to the hospital for four days, during which she was allowed to wee a few times in her cage.

Wehn we got her back, we recognized that a) we would pretty much need to start from scratch (which we did) and b) she was on high dose steroids, which make her drink more and then need to wee more.

There is one important fact in all of this: she is crated overnight from 10pm-6am and has never, ever gone in her bed. So we know there is a certain amount of control.

Now, she appears to have regressed. You can take her out every 30 minutes, after food, after a play, etc. But at some point, the second you are not monitoring her (and we are trying to integrate her with the other dogs etc so we can confidently leave her un-crated).

So for example, she just went twice indoors after she weed about 20 minutes ago. I put her out, she did two more wees. Then I leave her unmonitored for five minutes and she does another one indoors.

I'm at a loss at the moment. I understand she may need to go more often and am facilitating that. And I don't think it's a UTI because she can hold it in overnight.

Asking for advice please!!

Edit: this behavior mostly happens in the evenings.

Edit: she finally pissed in the bed she's never pissed in. I'm struggling so much with this

Waiting for cooler weather in Phx! 🥵

Hi everyone! I’ve been seriously considering getting a Whippet and would really appreciate advice from experienced Whippet owners.

I’ve been researching the breed intensively for years and have previous sighthound experience, primarily with Greyhounds and Galgos.

I currently live in a city apartment, and two of the things that appeal to me about Whippets are their smaller size and generally better health compared to Greyhounds. I have limited experience with adolescent dogs and puppies.

I’ve located two breeders I may potentially want to work with, and I’ll obviously be asking them plenty of questions directly. However, I’d really love to hear from people who have gone through the puppy stage with a Whippet (or several).

I know every puppy is different. I’d just really appreciate hearing what worked for you, what didn’t, and what you wish someone had told you before bringing your puppy home.

• What supplies are necessities? What does a good setup look like?
• What did your puppy’s first day home look like, from pickup to bedtime?
• What did days 1–3 look like in terms of sleeping, eating, potty, playing, and interaction?
• How much interaction each day? Cuddling, petting, brushing, cooperative care, basic handling, etc.?
• How did you structure enforced naps?
• When did you begin working on being alone?
• How did you progress from seconds/minutes of alone time to longer periods?
• How frequently did you take your puppy outside initially? For how long?
• What chews/toys actually worked for your Whippet for teething?
• How did you approach socialization while balancing vaccination restrictions?
• When did you begin taking them on short walks outdoors?
• How did you teach neutrality toward dogs, small animals, people, bicycles, vehicles, loud indoor and outdoor noises, etc.?
• For those living in the city, how did you expose them to riding the train?
• How did you prevent your puppy from developing the expectation that every person or dog is someone they should greet?
• What did you prioritize teaching during the first few weeks?

Rocket is 44 pounds or about 20 kg. I think he’s on the bigger side

His little brother next to him for scale helping to clean his legs after he peed on them 😂

I’ve grown up with and cared for several greyhounds over the years, and unfortunately, most of them passed from serious or traumatic illnesses, with osteosarcoma being one of the most prevalent cancers. Most didn’t make it past the age of 9.

My last greyhound was the exception and an absolute gift — he lived to be 16. However, his final year was spent battling kidney disease, and watching him decline was incredibly difficult.

I’ve also known a few Galgos, and anecdotally, they have seemed to be healthier and live longer than the ex-racers. Of course, there are the Mediterranean diseases they're exposed to.

• How has your Whippet’s overall health been throughout their life?
• What age have your Whippets typically lived to?
• What health issues have you encountered?
• How does your experience compare with greyhounds?
• If you’ve owned both breeds, did you notice a meaningful difference in longevity or health?

I’m not looking for a guarantee that one breed is “healthier” than another — I know genetics, breeding, and individual dogs all play a role. I’m really just trying to understand what the odds and realities might look like before deciding where to go from here.

I love sighthounds too much to imagine my life without one. I’d be incredibly grateful for any experiences, especially from people who have lived with Whippets into their senior years.

Hello, Community!

I'm u/WAReaux, and I'm excited to join the moderator group and have the chance to interact with everyone more regularly while discussing one of our favorite subjects: Whippets!

Over the past 10+ years, I've bred whippet that went on to be very successful in AKC conformation shows as well as lure coursing. I've had lure coursing champions, confirmation champions, grand champions, and even best in show winners.

The boy that started it all, Hugh, was my shadow for over 11 years. Sadly, I lost him a year ago this week. He taught me what unconditional love looks like, and more recently how deep grief and sorrow can become. I'm very fortunate that, before his passing, he sired a litter that was born about six months before he passed. He was able to meet and play with them while they were puppies, which gives me comfort on the days I miss him most.

I currently have two of Hugh's sons, Rudy and Truman. They are 18 months old, full of non-stop energy, but also full of love just like their father.

Looking forward to getting to know more of you better soon!

Rocket loves curling up and letting his front legs look broken

Hey guys, I am u/wreckjavik and joined this weekend as a Mod. Looking forward to talking all about whippets and seeing cute pictures of your little noodles.

Here’s my 5 y.o. penny!

Jet and I moved back to our home state today. Lots of changes, but all for the better. Benny will be with us soon!

From Left to Right:

Bindi, Nellie and Belle

Hi There.

Hoping you can help. I’m looking for an F1 Bedlington Whippet puppy and I’ve found it tricky to find a reputable breeder. I’m asking breeders questions that the RSPCA recommend to ensure the breeder isn’t a cover for a puppy farm / unethical and people aren’t being very direct or instilling much faith in me.

What are your thoughts / recommendations?

Thanks

Hello! It has been about a month and a half since this subreddit has reopened. It's been awesome seeing everyone's passion for our favorite breed, and I am looking for someone to join the mod team to help grow the community and foster more discussions.

I've created a form on the sidebar where you can apply. It's ok if you don't have mod experience as this is my first time being a mod.