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Whippet

Snap dog

The Whippet comes from Great Britain; the FCI lists it among the short-haired sighthounds. The Kennel Club standard describes a balanced combination of muscular power and strength with elegance and grace of outline, a fine, short, close coat in any colour or mixture of colours except merle, and a gentle, affectionate, even disposition; it gives a height of 47–51 cm for males and 44–47 cm for females, and the PDSA gives an average weight of 11–18 kg.

The PDSA recommends at least an hour of exercise every day, with chances to run off-lead in a secure area, and a weekly brush with a soft brush. It calls Whippets a popular choice for families because they are calm and gentle around children, but recommends a home with slightly older children; Whippets dislike being left alone and have a really high prey drive, so the PDSA does not recommend keeping them with smaller pets. A coat may help in winter, and thick, soft bedding protects their prominent bones.

Available in the 12-week PetPrep Challenge (paid breed).

Updated:

Whippet — photo (AI)
AI-generated photo

At a glance

Size
medium — PDSA S444
Adult weight
males 11–18 kg, females 11–18 kg — PDSA S444
Daily exercise
at least 1 hour a day — PDSA S444
Lifespan
median 13.4 years — Dogs Trust S123; more than 12 years — PDSA S444

Key facts from the sources at the bottom of the page. Where sources differ, each value is listed.

Who it suits

Good for:

  • family lifeS444
  • families with childrenS444

Keep in mind:

  • sensitive dog — better with older childrenS444S445
  • loves company — best with someone home most of the dayS444
  • strong prey drive — may chase small petsS444

The same tags as in the app. Each tag is backed by the sources listed at the bottom of the page.

What it needs

From breed standards, kennel clubs, veterinary charities and studies. Where sources differ, each one is shown.

Exercise

  • Daily exercise: at least 1 hour a day — PDSA S444

Meals

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • 8–12 weeks: 4 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 3–6 months: 3 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 6–12 months: 2 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • Adult: at least 2 meals a day — VCA Animal Hospitals S19
  • Senior: 2–3 meals a day, smaller portions — Dogs Trust S14

Lifespan

  • Lifespan: median 13.4 years — Dogs Trust S123
  • Lifespan: more than 12 years — PDSA S444

Life stages

  • Reaches adult size at: about 12–15 months (guidance for its size class) — PetMD S10

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • Puppy: until about 6–9 months — AAHA S11
  • Young adult: until 3–4 years — AAHA S11
  • Senior: the last 25 % of the expected lifespan — AAHA S11

Size and weight

  • Size: medium — PDSA S444
  • Height at the withers: males 47–51 cm, females 44–47 cm — The Kennel Club S443
  • Adult weight: males 11–18 kg, females 11–18 kg — PDSA S444

Training

  • No. 51 in Stanley Coren's ranking of working and obedience intelligence. — Wikipedia S35
  • FCI standard no. 162, group 10 (sighthounds); origin: Great Britain. — FCI S442

Questions and answers

Answered only from the sourced facts on this page; every answer names its sources.

How much exercise does a Whippet need?

According to our sources, the Whippet needs this much exercise: at least 1 hour a day — PDSA S444.

How long does a Whippet live?

According to our sources, the lifespan of the Whippet is: median 13.4 years — Dogs Trust S123; more than 12 years — PDSA S444. The sources give different values, so each one is listed.

How big does a Whippet get and how much does it weigh?

Size and adult weight of the Whippet, according to our sources: Size: medium — PDSA S444; Adult weight: males 11–18 kg, females 11–18 kg — PDSA S444.

Who is the Whippet a good fit for?

Our sources describe the Whippet as a good fit for: family life — PDSA S444; families with children — PDSA S444. Keep in mind: sensitive dog — better with older children — PDSA, PetMD S444S445; loves company — best with someone home most of the day — PDSA S444; strong prey drive — may chase small pets — PDSA S444.

Game rules, not veterinary advice

How PetPrep simulates it

In PetPrep one real week is one month of the pet's life. These are the rules the game uses for this breed. PetPrep chose them from the sources on this page; they are not care instructions for a real animal.

Life stageStartsMeals a dayDaily step goal
Puppyarrives at 2 months4; from month 3: 3; from month 6: 21,000 steps per month of age (2,000 on arrival), up to 6,000 from month 6
Young dogmonth 926,000 steps
Adultmonth 36 (3 years)26,000 steps
Seniormonth 121 (10.1 years)24,500 steps
  • Step goal = minutes of daily exercise × 100 steps: an adult gets 1 hour, so 6,000 steps a day.
  • Learns commands as fast as the mixed breed of the free plan.
  • Becomes a senior in month 121 (10.1 years) — the last quarter of the breed's expected lifespan.
  • Walks count real steps from Apple Health or Health Connect (with permission, read-only) and the phone's motion sensor — no GPS.
  • Combing once a week.

Each game number is a PetPrep decision recorded with its sources. — PetMD, AAHA, Dogs Trust, ASPCA, VCA Animal Hospitals, The Royal Kennel Club, Purdue University Canine Welfare Science, Wikipedia, British Journal of Sports Medicine, PDSA S10S11S14S18S19S21S24S35S45S123S444

Health

For information only, not vet-reviewed. Ask your vet about your own animal.

  • Progressive retinal atrophy, an inherited eye disease that can slowly lead to blindness, occurs in the breed; DNA tests and eye testing are available. — PDSA S444
  • Mitral valve disease, a heart condition where a weakened valve lets blood flow back into the heart, occurs in the breed; a vet can listen to breeding dogs' hearts before they are bred. — PDSA S444
  • Autoimmune conditions, where the body reacts against itself, can occur in the breed. — PDSA S444
  • Bloat (gastric dilatation-volvulus), where the stomach twists, can occur in the breed — it is an emergency that needs a vet straight away. — PetMD S445
  • Von Willebrand's disease, an inherited problem with blood clotting that can cause excessive bleeding, occurs in the breed. — PetMD S445
  • Deafness in one or both ears occurs in the breed; puppies' hearing can be checked with a BAER test. — PetMD S445

Before you buy: what to check with the breeder

Questions to settle before you take a puppy home. The points are advice from vets, welfare charities and kennel clubs; each cites its source.

For every breed

  • See the puppy with its mother, where it was born. — PDSA, RSPCA K1K2
  • The puppy should not leave its mother before 8 weeks of age. — PDSA K1
  • Ask for the pedigree. Under FCI rules a pedigree may be issued for correct parentage only. — FCI K7
  • Ask to see the health-test results of both parents. Which tests matter depends on the breed. — PDSA, British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K1K9K10
  • National kennel clubs can set breeding rules that go beyond the FCI's — ask the breed club which tests the parents need. — FCI K7
  • Ask for a written sale contract that records the puppy's background and health. — British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K9K10

Laws on the minimum age, microchipping and vaccination differ by country — check the rules where you live.

Health tests of the parents for this breed

Other screening schemes for this breed

  • Heart screening for mitral valve disease — The Kennel Club K31
  • Eye examination by a veterinary eye specialist (UK: BVA/KC/ISDS scheme; for some breeds with gonioscopy) — American Kennel Club K30
  • Hearing test for deafness (BAER) — American Kennel Club K30

These lists come from the UK's Royal Kennel Club and are an orientation; national kennel clubs can set their own, stricter rules. Ask the breed club and the breeder which tests the parents have done.

Similar breeds

Other dogs in the register with similar needs — each with sourced facts.

Sources

Every fact on this page cites one of these sources.

  1. S10PetMD — S. C. Mitchell, DVM, DABVP, 2025-05-20 — When Do Dogs Stop Growing?https://www.petmd.com/dog/general-health/when-do-dogs-stop-growing
  2. S11AAHA — 2019 AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines — Canine life stage definitionshttps://www.aaha.org/resources/life-stage-canine-2019/canine-life-stage-definitions/
  3. S14Dogs Trust (UK) — Caring for an older doghttps://www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/life-with-your-dog/at-home/looking-after-an-older-dog
  4. S18ASPCA — General Dog Carehttps://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/general-dog-care
  5. S19VCA Animal Hospitals (2025-02-21) — Feeding Times and Frequency for Your Doghttps://vcahospitals.com/pets-first/know-your-pet/feeding-times-and-frequency-for-your-dog
  6. S21The Royal Kennel Club (UK) — Puppy feeding tipshttps://www.royalkennelclub.com/health-and-dog-care/health-dog-care/health/health-and-care/a-z-of-health-and-care-issues/puppy-feeding-tips
  7. S24Purdue University Canine Welfare Science (content: Pet Leadership Council 2019, bedogsmart.com) — Dog Fitness and Exercise (PDF)https://caninewelfare.centers.purdue.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Dog-Fitness-and-Exercise.pdf
  8. S35Wikipedia — The Intelligence of Dogshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Intelligence_of_Dogs
  9. S45British Journal of Sports Medicine (2018) — Tudor-Locke C. et al. How fast is fast enough? Walking cadence (steps/min) as a practical estimate of intensity in adults. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097628https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6029645
  10. S123Dogs Trust (UK) — Life expectancy for 155 breeds and crossbred group (table of McMillan et al. 2024 data) (PDF)https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/downloads/life-expectancy-breeds-table-2024.pdf
  11. S442FCI — FCI breeds nomenclature — WHIPPET (162)https://www.fci.be/EN/nomenclature/WHIPPET-162.html
  12. S443The Kennel Club (UK) breed standard, reprinted by the Kennel Union of Southern Africa — Whippet — breed standard (KC 01/2020, PDF)https://kusa.co.za/images/HOUND%20GROUP%202025/Whippet%20-%20KC%20[01-2020].pdf
  13. S444PDSA — Whippet breed informationhttps://pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/medium-dogs/whippet
  14. S445PetMD — K. Arford, reviewed by B. J. Morrison, DVM (updated Feb. 16, 2023) — Whippethttps://www.petmd.com/dog/breeds/whippet
  15. K1PDSA — Getting a puppyhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/getting-a-puppy
  16. K2RSPCA — Buying a puppyhttps://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dogs/puppy
  17. K7FCI (copy hosted by Norsk Kennel Klub) — International Breeding Rules of the FCIhttps://nkk2023.stage22.coretrek.no/getfile.php/131987377-1520848467/Dokumenter/Registrering/FCIs%20avlsregler%202013.pdf
  18. K9British Veterinary Association — What should you consider when buying a puppy?https://www.bva.co.uk/news-and-blog/blog-article/what-should-you-consider-when-buying-a-puppy/
  19. K10FOUR PAWS UK — Questions to ask when buying a puppyhttps://www.four-paws.org.uk/our-stories/publications-guides/questions-to-ask-when-buying-a-puppy
  20. K30American Kennel Club — Hound Group Health Testing Requirements (breeder programs)https://www.akc.org/breeder-programs/breed-health-testing-requirements/hound-group-health-testing-requirements/
  21. K31The Kennel Club (statement approved by its consultant cardiologists; posted by The Whippet Club, 2023-07-03) — The Kennel Club: Statement on Whippet Heart Healthhttps://www.thewhippetclub.com/?p=11623

PetPrep is a simulation for families. This page is not veterinary advice — for a real animal, ask a vet or the breed club.

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