Whippet Breed Standard

Great Britain.

Breed originally used for hunting either by scent or by sight.

Balanced combination of muscular power and strength with elegance and grace of outline. Built for speed and work. All forms of exaggeration should be avoided.

An ideal companion. Highly adaptable in domestic and sporting surroundings. Gentle, affectionate, even disposition.

Long and lean, flat on top, tapering to muzzle, rather wide between the eyes.

Slight.

Nose black, in blues a bluish colour permitted, liver nose in creams and other dilute colours, in white or parti-colour a butterfly nose is permissible.

Oval, bright, expression very alert.

Rose shaped, small, fine in texture.

Long, muscular, elegantly arched.

Showing a graceful arch over loin but the dog is not humped.

Broad, well-muscled, firm, somewhat long.

Giving impression of strength and power.

Very deep with plenty of heart room, brisket deep, well defined. Ribs well sprung, muscled on back.

With definite tucked up.

No feathering. Long, tapering, when in action carried in a delicate curve but not higher than the level of the back.

Forearms straight and upright with moderate bladed bone, front not too wide.

Well laid back with flat muscles. Moderate between the shoulder blades at the withers.

Approximately of equal length to the shoulder blade.

Falls directly under the withers when viewed in profile.

Strong with slight spring.

Oval, well split up between toes, knuckles well arched, pads thick, nails strong.

Strong. Dog able to stand naturally over a lot of ground.

Broad across.

Well bent without exaggeration.

Well developed.

Well let down.

Oval, well split up between toes, knuckles well arched, pads thick, nails strong.

Should possess great freedom of action. In profile should move with a long easy stride whilst holding topline. The forelegs should be thrown forward and low over the ground. Hind legs should come well under the body giving great propelling power. General movement not to look stilted, high stepping, short or mincing. True coming and going.

Fine, short, close in texture. Any colour or mixture of colours, except merle.

Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.

Aggressive or overly shy. Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioral abnormalities.

Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum. Only functionally and clinically healthy dogs, with breed typical conformation should be used for breeding.