Whippet
The fastest accelerating dog there is, and it was called the poor man's racehorse in the north of England. It sprints for a minute and sleeps out the day.
Overview
The Whippet was developed in the north of England by working people who wanted a coursing and racing dog they could afford to feed, and it is essentially a Greyhound scaled to a size that fits a terraced house. It is the fastest domesticated animal for its weight.
Some Whippets carry a myostatin mutation that produces heavily muscled bully whippets when inherited in two copies, and dogs with one copy are actually faster, which is a rare case of a visible genetic trade off in a breed.
Temperament
Quiet, gentle and remarkably undemanding. Whippets are affectionate with their families, good with children, and they are calm to the point of inertia indoors.
They are sighthounds and a moving animal overrides everything, so recall in open country is unreliable and cats are at risk unless raised together. They are sensitive and respond badly to harsh handling, and they are notably quiet, rarely barking.
Care and grooming
A short close coat, a weekly rub down, minimal shedding. The easiest coat there is.
Sighthound anaesthesia sensitivity applies. They have very little body fat, so they feel the cold badly, need a coat, and need soft bedding to protect the bony points. The breed is otherwise unusually healthy.
Living and exercise
Two twenty minute walks a day plus a sprint in a secure space a few times a week. That genuinely covers it.
They are among the best large dogs for a flat and one of the easiest breeds to live with overall. Twelve to fifteen years.
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