Whippet

The Whippet (also English Whippet or Snap dog) is a breed of medium-sized dog. They are a sighthound breed that originated in England, where they descended from greyhounds. Whippets today still strongly resemble a smaller greyhound. Shown in the Hound group, Whippets have relatively few health problems other than arrhythmia. Whippets also participate in dog sports such as lure coursing, agility, and flyball. Whippets were originally greyhounds that were deemed unsuitable for hunting because of their size. They were returned to their peasant breeders after being maimed so that they could not be used to hunt and break the Forest law. These maimed dogs were bred together and used to catch rats, and hunt rabbits. When the Forest law was repealed, these miniature greyhounds became popular in the sport of dog racing. This has led to Whippets being described as the poor man's racehorse. They are still frequently used as racing dogs today, as they have the highest running speed of breeds their weight: 35 miles per hour (56 km/h). Whippets are a medium-sized dog weighing from 15 to 30 pounds (6.8 to 13.6 kg).There are two height ranges for Whippets, depending on if the dog is being shown in North America or outside of North America. The F?d?ration Cynologique Internationale and The Kennel Club both call for heights of 18.5 to 20 inches (47 to 51 cm) for males and 17.5 to 18.5 inches (44 to 47 cm) for females. Whippets tend to be somewhat larger in the United States and Canada as the American Kennel Club and Canadian Kennel Club standards are larger; 18.5 to 22.5 inches (47 to 57 cm) for males, and 17.5 to 21.5 inches (44 to 55 cm) for females.[10][18] Because colour is considered immaterial in judging Whippets, they come in a wide variety of colours and marking patterns, everything from solid black to solid white, with red, fawn, brindle, blue, or cream.[16] The coat is short, smooth and close. They are the fastest dog of their weight, capable of achieving speeds of 35 miles per hour (56 km/h).[10] This is due to their unique way of running, which is referred to as a double suspension gallop. This gait results in four of the dog's legs being off the ground twice in each stride, once when the legs are completely extended and again when they are tucked under the body.[