whippet and greyhound (1)

THE WHIPPET AND GREYHOUND

ANDREW BURT

WHIPPET HISTORY

• The Whippet is a breed of dog, specifically a member of the sighthound family. They are active and playful and are physically similar to a small Greyhound.

• Whippets were bred to hunt by sight, coursing game in open areas at high speeds. 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

• The age of the modern Whippet dawned in 1890 when the English Kennel Club granted the breed official recognition, thus making the Whippet eligible for competition in dog shows, and commencing the recording of their pedigrees. Early specimens were taken from the race track by dog fanciers of the time and exported all over the world

GREYHOUND HISTORY• The Greyhound is a breed of dog that has been primarily

bred for providing food for their owners but also for companionship, coursing game and racing

• The Greyhound is the second fastest accelerating land mammal, beaten only by the cheetah; a combination of long, powerful legs, deep chest and aerodynamic build allows it to reach speeds of up to 39.15 mph in less than one and a half seconds, or within 6 strides

• Historically, these sight hounds were used primarily for hunting in the open where their keen eyesight is valuable. It is believed that they (or at least similarly-named dogs) were introduced to England in the 5th and 6th centuries BC from Celtic mainland Europe.

THE SIGHTHOUND• Long heads and often rose ears• Long boned, slim bodied, strong muscles• Strong, long necks• Musculation• Sighthound angulation• Deep ribcages with good capacity• Long limbs• Powerful loins• Feet tend to be more hare-like• Their working gait is the double suspension gallop

(flexibility and relatively wide rear and pelvis)

SIGHTHOUND BREEDS

Afghan HoundAzawakhBorzoiDeerhoundGreyhoundHungarian GreyhoundIbizan Hound

Irish WolfhoundItalian GreyhoundPolish GreyhoundSalukiSloughiSpanish GreyhoundWhippet

JUDGING THESE BREEDS

• TYPE: - The required characteristics of a breed. Meaning those features that make each breed an individual

• BALANCE: - Each portion of the dog in balanced relationship with each other and in harmony with the whole.

• SOUNDNESS: - Sound in hearing, sight, movement and mind

WHIPPET MAJOR CHARACTERISTICS

• Muscle, power and grace• Series of graceful curves• Stands over a lot of ground• Sighthound angulation• LONG head, neck, body and tail• Soft expression (with dark, oval eyes)• Rose ears• Spring of pastern• Graceful arch over the loin, flanks well cut up• Oval feet, well knuckled and arched• Daisy cutting action

WHIPPET ON THE MOVE

GREYHOUND MAJOR CHARACTERISTICS

• Symmetrical, muscle, power, suppleness, with capacious body• Sighthound angulation• Long (head, neck, body, thighs, tail) • Rose ears, oval eyes• Spring of pastern• Moderate length feet, well knuckled• Loin powerful and slightly arched• Neck elegantly arched• Low reaching, free striding gait with

stamina and endurance

THE GREYHOUND….

A head like a snakeA neck like a drake

The feet of a catA tail like a rat

A back like a beamThe sides of a bream.

Greyhound fore and aft ….

Greyhound side on ….

Greyhound on the move …

Whippet on the move …

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO BREEDS

• Overall shape …1. Topline2. Underline3. Length

• Head to body balance• Width of skull• Size.

WHIPPET BREED TYPE

THE WHIPPET HEAD

• Long and lean• Flat on top tapering to muzzle• Rather wide between eyes• Jaws powerful and clean• Nose black – in blues, bluish permitted. In livers,

liver nose. Butterfly permitted in particolours• Eye oval, bright, very alert• Ear small, fine, rose

THE WHIPPET HEAD

GREYHOUND BREED TYPE

THE GREYHOUND HEAD

• Long• Moderate width• Flat skull• Slight stop• Jaws powerful, well chiseled• Eye bright, intelligent, oval and obliquely

set. Preferably dark• Ear small and fine, rose

THE GREYHOUND HEAD

Best Whippet Type?

Best Whippet Type?

Best Whippet Type?

Best Whippet Type?

Best Greyhound Type?

Best Greyhound Type?

Best Greyhound Type?

Best Greyhound Type?

PURE WHIPPET TYPE

PURE GREYHOUND TYPE

THE END