His popularity as a race dog began in the 1860's and continues to this day. A lure made of animal skins or rags was waved by the handler standing at the end of the 200 to 300 yard course and so begat the "the poor man's race horse", "snap dog" or "rag dog". In later years, the lure was attached to a string and reeled in by a lure operator and now it is strung along pulleys for lure coursing or continues to be dragged down the straight course or around the oval course for racing. Today's whippet comes to us a medium sized dog (25-35 lbs), well suited to living in environments ranging from a one bedroom apartment to a huge estate, and single ownership to large family life. He's intelligent, obedient, easy to care for and has few health problems associated with his breed. Americans do not know the Whippet as the British do, but are coming to recognize and love the qualities that made him so well suited to the hard-working common man of the 17th and 18th centuries. People who see a Whippet for the first time react in one of two ways -- they either think they are anorexic or elegant to the extreme! Champions at snuggling under the covers, Whippets love children and can be taught to get along with any other pets. Their strong prey instinct means, however, that you must make it clear early on that he is not to chase the family cat, bird or other small pet. It also necessitates being kept on leash when not in a safe contained area as the chance of a squirrel or stray cat could entice the focused dog out in front of a moving vehicle to his detriment. They are very clean animals and, while they vary some individually, most do not shed excessively. They are also quiet and do not bark unless there's something to bark at. Terrier-like in their determination to get whatever they set their minds to, they can be prodigious diggers and as puppies can be very destructive with their chewing. As adults, however, they are usually pleasant, well mannered, friendly animals.
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| To see two of the many famous Whippets in history, please visit Whippets In History | For more information about Whippets, Lure Coursing, Obedience Training and health
related matters, click here:
 for a list of books to read.
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 The American Whippet Club
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| <A HREF="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect-home/thesighthouofkem">
<img src="/images/findrelated.gif" align="center"></a>This
is an excellent source for <b>ALL</b> books or reference materials pertaining
to Whippets or dogs in general.<p>
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