British And American Whippets

[posh totty]

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i too have read this thread with interest form the start , and like tc i want to do all activities with my whippets, beauty combined with the ability to do a day or nights work? i can see via this thread that there is a marked divide very clearly? surely the whippet is one of THE MOST versatile breeds still capable of doing what it was bred for as well as looking mighty damn fine too ? when i bred jessies litter i wanted a pup that would be first and foremost a companion , a working partner and then still be true to type to show also, she hasnt done brill at champ shows but is constantly in the high places at open shows and has just attended her 3 lure coursing meeting, to me, i bred what i wanted but if i was ever seroius about showing i would have to come away from the other disaplines to acheive any real level of success, the sister i kept back from this litter is far more promising in my eyes for the ring , however at just under 5 mths her basic work training is coming along perfectly , strong prey drive with a good level of obedience too , this leads to me think i may have to withdraw my personal enjoyment from watching her go on to work in the field and concentrate on her showing? also i like the size my dogs throw at around 18 1/2 tops for bitches and dogs just 1 inch above that, ideally id like a 18 inch bitch but i think emma will grow just over that seeing as she is 16 1/2 at just under 5 mths

thank you all again for your input :thumbsup:

 

[Judy]

TC I well know what you mean, but racing dogs or Lure coursing dogs do not need to be of the same high quality as a show whippet,

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I'm sure this is probably a slip of the keyboard ) but the reason most people don't use a stud dog from a different discipline is because by their own standards (whether thats with working, racing or showing in mind) they aren't of good enough quality (generally speaking) ie a show dog is not of the same high quality as a racing dog for the purpose of breeding racing stock and vice versa. My point is that what is considered to be of good quality depends on what your purpose is.....and that's why there is a split.

 

[patsy]

Not at all uncommon over here for serious show people to use dual lines.
Our top male show Whippet of last year had such a pedigree. Ch. Shamasan Hound Hill Body N Soul "Handy" is a solid black dog with a pedigree which contains as many racing titled dogs as it does bench champions. A blended pedigree of old American racing lines combined with show lines is not a rare thing in the ring here. He has two brothers who finished their bench titles as well.  His breeders and handler are highly respected for their many show dogs through the years as well as for their dual-purpose emphasis.

Of course, we don't have weight class racing and that really helps people who want a dual-purpose dog. 

Dual Ch. Sporting Fields Jazz Fest was campaigned to #1 AKC lure coursing Whippet after he was #1 in the show ring.

I understand that it's more difficult in the UK because many dogs who are competitive in size and substance for the show ring are not allowed to race and course in the UK due to being overheight or over weight (by which I don't mean fat--I mean their healthy weight is above the upper limit). 

That's not the case here--another difference between British and American Whippets.  Our overlap is 100% between what is eligible to be shown and what is eligible to be raced/coursed.  While few of the showbred dogs are tops for the track, many of them do very very well in the lure coursing arena.

While I prefer your system of showing, I prefer our way of structuring performance activities.  A Whippet who is competitive in the show ring should not be disqualified from participating in performance activities designed to showcase the function and purpose of the breed.

Karen

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Karen as you say, a lot of the top class show dogs in America have their lure coursing titles, my Dollys mum has JC after her name and as I said earlier Dolly is very fast light on her feet can turn on a sixpence and I noticed when she arrived from the states her condition was hard and she has never lost it, Dolly spends her time sitting on the middle of the kitchen table, never been able to stop her, and just hops over the stable door,and she takes anything she wants that is left on units i can't tell you how much money she has cost with her naughty American ways. It has been done here with ch. dogs but not many, people like Mary Lowe, Shirley Rawlins,Gay Robertson, Susan Baird, Lady Anderson to name a few had top class cousing dogs, now coursing is illegal and the only option is Lure coursing. I don't think I can comment I have never done it or raced, and am certainly not against it, but I don't think that you can compare America with here when your top class champions also have lure coursing titles, and many exhibitors are involved.

 

[parnew]

I have raced greyhounds and the difference between show and racing is huge, but I don't see that same gap in whippets. We don't have a racing club here but early days I would put our whippets behind the lure after the greyhounds and they loved it. It is said that some racing whippets are bred with show whippets but never will you see a show greyhound bred with a race greyhound and here we have track greyhounds in the show ring but rarely do they beat the show greyhounds. Its hard to put a top show dog on the track if he has never been broken to the track as you must teach them to chase and gallop after the lure, my dogs are to smart to chase the lure as they like the real deal. Racing is about speed and if the ears are pricked or an off putting white mark who cares but these things will always play a huge part in the show ring. Its great that we can do many things with this breed, racing or showing both great fun and good luck to all members which ever way you go !!!!

 

[Avalonia]

Our first whippet was almost our last, because when when we met the couple who bred her -- she was by then a rescue having been taken from an uacceptable home -- they came armed with a book of photos of her ancestry so we could be suitably impressed. What exactly do you say to people who show you page after page after page of photos of a whippet standing proudly with a dead rabbit dripping blood in its jaws! My son Mick, then 14 was alternately thrilled and horrified, and I was frankly horrified, but our bitch came from a mix of Canadian showing lines bred back on English coursing lines and those dead rabbits were proof positive of the quality of her bloodline in the eyes of Tiffany's proud breeders. I am pleased to say we never coursed her after live game -- in fact Tiffany retired to a couch pretty early on -- but it was interesting at that time back in 1982 to see the attempt to marry the English live prey coursing line and the show line this breeder developed (successfully in Canada). We never bred Tiff, but she did live to be 16 years and 10 months of age which says something about the merits of her bloodline and its longevity -- perhaps inherited from the coursing field, and perhaps just a result of good genes wisely bred.

When I brought in a wonderful young Runaround whippet pup from June Cross back in the 80s sired by Chyton Triffick, a son of dual Ch. Chyton Copy Press I introduced her to coursing. Those small Jenny Wren was wily and on her first venture into coursing (also her last as I saw a dog break its leg badly in the corn stubble in the field where they were coursing) she defeated 18 signhounds of various breeds to win the puppy coursing cup at a major coursing event here in Ontario, Canada. Afraid a small dog could suffer damage in the rough and tumble coursing world we moved the Wren into obedience, and this lovely little English girl became a Canadian obedience champion (CD title) in just three trials. The Wren lived to be 17 years, 5 months and 25 days of age, and every day with her from the time we got her at 8 weeks of age was a treasure to us.

We love multi-purpose whippets. Though we breed primarily for show we also attempt to breed dogs that are sound in all disciplines. Twice we have bred the top obedience whippet in Canada, and another whippet, out of one of our males, was top obedience hound. Another was top coursing hound. The versatility of whippets is one of its true selling points, and something that I think reflects the vigor, mentally and physically, of this breed.

Lanny

 

[seaspot_run]

My half-English, half-American lines have been very very game and good in lure coursing, and some have done very well in racing. My current best running dog is out of my dual American line bred to an Australian import with a mostly English import pedigree--including some of Patsy's dogs. Although none of the dogs in his immediate background to my knowledge were raced or coursed, the sire of my Bonzer, Am.Aust.Ch. Byerley Savile Row, has not just produced good running show stock for me, but for all the breeders who have used him and put his puppies out on the lure coursing field or the track. I have two sons of Savile Row who are finished or pointed in straight racing as well as in lure coursing and they are champions in the show ring who finished their titles fairly easily. A littersister is tops in agility and obedience.

It's great to breed a top winning show dog, but there are a lot of North American fanciers who go for the multi-purpose Whippet. The big money backers who back the dogs that show up at Westminister on television obviously are going for the most glamorous show dogs they can buy, but you can make a nice little niche for yourself as a versatility breeder here in the US and Canada, and it's very respected. A lot of buyers don't have the deep pockets to back a top show dog (it's very expensive here to do that), so they are looking for a good all-around Whippet they can use in multiple venues and have FUN. :thumbsup:

There is still plenty of good racing desire, gameness, and athleticism in many show lines...but you can't really prove it's there unless you test it in a performance event or discipline. I think most Whippets are happy to kill small game to this day. They need experience hunting to get really good at it..mere desire isn't enough- you must also have experience in order to be able to anticipate and out-think the escaping prey. I think that if you want a working line in the English sense, with good kill numbers on rabbits, you do need to bring them up early to that life, or else they tend to just careen after any sighted game, willy-nilly, making such a racket that the rabbits have ample time to get back into their burrows. I've had dogs like that. They were fast and certainly agile enough to catch a rabbit, but they started screeching at it like banshees 150 yards out, and that wasn't exactly stealthy. The desire was there, but the technique was sadly lacking.

Our Australian import, Delta, has killed untold quantities of varmints. She is a silent and deadly assassin of any small game that comes near her, and will stalk it with infinite patience until the advantage is hers. My Pea is an excellent ratter and mouser, also silent and stealthy. :ninja:

Oh, and yes, Patsy the American dogs can be very naughty--I continually find Pea's footprints on my smooth top range, but I could certainly tell a few tales about the sneakiness of my English bitch, Mabel, as well... :devil: not to mention what a slapper and a tart she is with the boys.

 

[devo12]

  I think racing whippets & showing whippets are 2 seperate issues & wish both sides best of luck. I would never be involved in racing though.

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When what we consider to be the "correct" type of a Whippet cannot keep up with the racing dogs then there is something wrong. The only way to prove that we do really breed a dog made for speed is to test them. No need to get involved long term.

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But we dont breed for speed, do we ? Dog shows are a beauty competetion. Why on earth should a show Whippet have to test itsself against a racing dog? Racing Whippets by and large are not like show Whippets and what would it prove? Whippets run at least mine do and as much as I hate it have caught and killed a rabbit or two. No Im sorry but I think the whole idea is ridiculous. Going on from that idea, then Irish Wolfhounds would have to hunt Wolves, Deerhounds Deer and lets not even consider what Rhodesion Ridgebacks would have to do!

Nicky

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"dog shows are a beauty competetion" and what does the KC bred standard say-

"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."

it may be ridiculous in your opinion to have to "test" your dogs but it is incredulous to think a dog bred for a specific task and used for those traits for many years should then be seen to have two seperate "types" the standard say's it all a whippet should be able to do the tasks it was bred for wether showing or not and it is very sad to think this versatile proud athletic breed going the same way as many other working hounds - carpet shufflers!

 

[TC]

There is still plenty of good racing desire, gameness, and athleticism in many show lines...but you can't really prove it's there unless you test it in a performance event or discipline.  I think most Whippets are happy to kill small game to this day.  They need experience hunting to get really good at it..mere desire isn't enough- you must also have experience in order to be able to anticipate and out-think the escaping prey.  I think that if you want a working line in the English sense, with good kill numbers on rabbits, you do need to bring them up early to that life, or else they tend to just careen after any sighted game, willy-nilly, making such a racket that the rabbits have ample time to get back into their burrows.  I've had dogs like that. They were fast and certainly agile enough to catch a rabbit, but they started screeching at it like banshees 150 yards out, and that wasn't exactly stealthy. The desire was there, but the technique was sadly lacking.

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Absolutely right Karen about the training. As well as being taught how to stack, Badger was being 'broken' to ferrets, learning to retrieve, and ragging on the lure from eight weeks. He had his first rabbiting trip at 5 months and made his first catch. He has been out once or twice a week since then to keep up with his training in the field and had his first puppy run (25yards) on the lure at six months. Now the hunting season is over for us I shall be concentrating on his racing to get him cleared and passported.

I found your information about racing in the states very interesting regarding no height/weight limits as this does make it easier to campaign a dog in both disciplines, but I'm wondering how the dogs are graded/handicapped in order to run fairly but I think that is a completely different topic lol!

I've been thinking more and more about this champions class and I think I quite like the way we do it here. Having read the comments posted from here and abroad I personally prefer the idea of all dogs competing equally for the CC, as opposed to the seperate class where it could be intimidating for a judge to not place the Ch, and also I think dogs winning multiple CC's over and above the required 3 is a huge achievement and should therefore be achievable.

TCx

 

[TC]

this leads to me think i may have to withdraw my personal enjoyment from watching her go on to work in the field and concentrate on her showing?

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Can I ask why would you think that as surely that is just contradicting all you have said?

I have no intention of letting the racing, lurecoursing and working go by the wayside as that is the whole point of having a versatile breed is it not. The last 3 weekend shows we've attended we've been out working either the day before or the day after.

Historically, it was always coursing on a Saturday and showing on a Sunday. Pretty perfect life for a whippet in my opinion....

TCx

 

[seaspot_run]

I found your information about racing in the states very interesting regarding no height/weight limits as this does make it easier to campaign a dog in both disciplines, but I'm wondering how the dogs are graded/handicapped in order to run fairly but I think that is a completely different topic lol!

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Yes, it is.

Here, we have graded racing based on past performance. So, if you have a Whippet who is very small and this is the reason it's slow, it won't be showing up in high point races with the fastest dogs except at very very small meets, and then only in one program.

I don't think size really is a handicap over 200 yards at the size range we allow to race here. A lot of our small but quick dogs can beat much bigger competition on the straight track. Now, on the longer oval track, it seems the closer you are in size and build to a small track greyhound, the better, but again, not always.

At least we don't disqualify any of the dogs who are eligible for the show ring from running in our racing and coursing events.

 

[aslan]

Now I am on my high horse I don't like to see baby puppies taken away  from their mums to be photographed, their time with their babes is so short, some people tend to forget the puppies belong to the proud mum not them. I don't mind seeing pictures of them lay with mum,but it tells you nothing seeing the poor little things posing for the camera.

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I'd just like to respond to this as I am one who has recently put individual pics of 1 week old pups on k9. I know it's an aside from the crux of the topic but the above really does make us sound like horrible people.

I would just like to say that mine were not "taken away" from mum to "pose" for the camera.

I waited until she had decided to take herself away from them for a break and they had full bellies and were sleepy. I popped each one of them on the pretty purple rug immediately outside the whelping box, went 'click' and then put them back in with their siblings. They were away from each other for about 60 seconds. Nobody squeaked or cried. Mum continued to lay on her pillow outside the whelping box for another 20 minutes. It was less stressful than clipping their nails (so they don't tear up her belly with those sharp little talons) or giving them a dose of worming syrup!!!! both of which must be done with regularity in the coming weeks.

And if we're talking about stacked photos of pups from 4 - 10 weeks old I'm sure we all know that mum takes herself away from the pups far more often at this age than we "take them away" from her for photos.

 

[UKUSA]

  I think racing whippets & showing whippets are 2 seperate issues & wish both sides best of luck. I would never be involved in racing though.

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When what we consider to be the "correct" type of a Whippet cannot keep up with the racing dogs then there is something wrong. The only way to prove that we do really breed a dog made for speed is to test them. No need to get involved long term.

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But we dont breed for speed, do we ? Dog shows are a beauty competetion. Why on earth should a show Whippet have to test itsself against a racing dog? Racing Whippets by and large are not like show Whippets and what would it prove? Whippets run at least mine do and as much as I hate it have caught and killed a rabbit or two. No Im sorry but I think the whole idea is ridiculous. Going on from that idea, then Irish Wolfhounds would have to hunt Wolves, Deerhounds Deer and lets not even consider what Rhodesion Ridgebacks would have to do!

Nicky

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"dog shows are a beauty competetion" and what does the KC bred standard say-

"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."

it may be ridiculous in your opinion to have to "test" your dogs but it is incredulous to think a dog bred for a specific task and used for those traits for many years should then be seen to have two seperate "types" the standard say's it all a whippet should be able to do the tasks it was bred for wether showing or not and it is very sad to think this versatile proud athletic breed going the same way as many other working hounds - carpet shufflers!

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The fact of the matter is that for the most part the breed in this country IS split in two, thats just the way it is. I dont know whether you race or show or do both, whatever you do , if you have observed the other discipline you would have to agree( or not, up to you) that in type the breed is split, whether rightly or wrongly. For me, I prefer the show Whippet, each to their own. My dogs go over the downs and run and as I mentioned in a previous post on occasion have killed the odd rabbit, "carpet shufflers" they are not and when I lived in the U.S, when time permitted I would go lure coursing and really enjoyed it. I did not say that I thought it was ridiculous to "test" your dog only that I didnt think that it should be a requirement to make a dog a champion. Because I feel that if you take that to its logical conclusion, would you then require bull breeds to bait or fighting dogs to fight to fulfill their show titles after all those were the things they were originally bred to do?

Nicky

 

[posh totty]

i too have read this thread with interest form the start , and like tc i want to do all activities with my whippets, beauty combined with the ability to do a day or nights work? i can see via this thread that there is a marked divide very clearly? surely the whippet is one of THE MOST versatile breeds still capable of doing what it was bred for as well as looking mighty damn fine too ? when i bred jessies litter i wanted a pup that would be first and foremost a companion , a working partner and then still be true to type to show also, she hasnt done brill at champ shows but is constantly in the high places at open shows and has just attended her 3 lure coursing meeting, to me, i bred what i wanted but if i was ever seroius about showing i would have to come away from the other disaplines to acheive any real level of success, the sister i kept back from this litter is far more promising in my eyes for the ring , however at just under 5 mths her basic work training is coming along perfectly , strong prey drive with a good level of obedience too , this leads to me think i may have to withdraw my personal enjoyment from watching her go on to work in the field and concentrate on her showing? also i like the size my dogs throw at around 18 1/2 tops for bitches and dogs just 1 inch above that, ideally id like a 18 inch bitch but i think emma will grow just over that seeing as she is 16 1/2 at just under 5 mths
quote Tc

Can I ask why would you think that as surely that is just contradicting all you have said?

I have no intention of letting the racing, lurecoursing and working go by the wayside as that is the whole point of having a versatile breed is it not. The last 3 weekend shows we've attended we've been out working either the day before or the day after.

Historically, it was always coursing on a Saturday and showing on a Sunday. Pretty perfect life for a whippet in my opinion....

TCx

thank you all again for your input  :thumbsup:

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no wasnt what i meant that i would give my working up , its by reading the whole thread the marked divide is becoming clear :thumbsup:

if a choice was to be made im afraid working my dogs be it my whippets or lurchers , wins hands down every time , i get pleasure from watch dogs i have trained doing well in their work, showing is a more social event , winning or losing isnt in it , its a chance for me to see other whippets and show my pooches off? :thumbsup:

great thread still btw , excellent reading and very informative :thumbsup:

 

[devo12]

  I think racing whippets & showing whippets are 2 seperate issues & wish both sides best of luck. I would never be involved in racing though.

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When what we consider to be the "correct" type of a Whippet cannot keep up with the racing dogs then there is something wrong. The only way to prove that we do really breed a dog made for speed is to test them. No need to get involved long term.

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But we dont breed for speed, do we ? Dog shows are a beauty competetion. Why on earth should a show Whippet have to test itsself against a racing dog? Racing Whippets by and large are not like show Whippets and what would it prove? Whippets run at least mine do and as much as I hate it have caught and killed a rabbit or two. No Im sorry but I think the whole idea is ridiculous. Going on from that idea, then Irish Wolfhounds would have to hunt Wolves, Deerhounds Deer and lets not even consider what Rhodesion Ridgebacks would have to do!

Nicky

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"dog shows are a beauty competetion" and what does the KC bred standard say-

"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."

it may be ridiculous in your opinion to have to "test" your dogs but it is incredulous to think a dog bred for a specific task and used for those traits for many years should then be seen to have two seperate "types" the standard say's it all a whippet should be able to do the tasks it was bred for wether showing or not and it is very sad to think this versatile proud athletic breed going the same way as many other working hounds - carpet shufflers!

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The fact of the matter is that for the most part the breed in this country IS split in two, thats just the way it is. I dont know whether you race or show or do both, whatever you do , if you have observed the other discipline you would have to agree( or not, up to you) that in type the breed is split, whether rightly or wrongly. For me, I prefer the show Whippet, each to their own. My dogs go over the downs and run and as I mentioned in a previous post on occasion have killed the odd rabbit, "carpet shufflers" they are not and when I lived in the U.S, when time permitted I would go lure coursing and really enjoyed it. I did not say that I thought it was ridiculous to "test" your dog only that I didnt think that it should be a requirement to make a dog a champion. Because I feel that if you take that to its logical conclusion, would you then require bull breeds to bait or fighting dogs to fight to fulfill their show titles after all those were the things they were originally bred to do?

Nicky

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it's not a case of whether i race, show,or work a whippet it should be in the words of the standard "Built for speed and work" i'm not expecting anybody that shows to take their dogs and race etc but what i would expect is for any whippet to have the attributes available to do that ie the reason why the breed was perfected in the first instance, not to have a "show type" but to have "type" full stop.

to address your last point, i would expect any breed bred for a specfic purpose to at least look as though they were capable of performing those tasks, sadly you only have to look around any dog show at Hound class to realise that is not the case, i think Basset hounds prove this point

 

[patsy]

  I think racing whippets & showing whippets are 2 seperate issues & wish both sides best of luck. I would never be involved in racing though.

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When what we consider to be the "correct" type of a Whippet cannot keep up with the racing dogs then there is something wrong. The only way to prove that we do really breed a dog made for speed is to test them. No need to get involved long term.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

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But we dont breed for speed, do we ? Dog shows are a beauty competetion. Why on earth should a show Whippet have to test itsself against a racing dog? Racing Whippets by and large are not like show Whippets and what would it prove? Whippets run at least mine do and as much as I hate it have caught and killed a rabbit or two. No Im sorry but I think the whole idea is ridiculous. Going on from that idea, then Irish Wolfhounds would have to hunt Wolves, Deerhounds Deer and lets not even consider what Rhodesion Ridgebacks would have to do!

Nicky

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"dog shows are a beauty competetion" and what does the KC bred standard say-

"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."

it may be ridiculous in your opinion to have to "test" your dogs but it is incredulous to think a dog bred for a specific task and used for those traits for many years should then be seen to have two seperate "types" the standard say's it all a whippet should be able to do the tasks it was bred for wether showing or not and it is very sad to think this versatile proud athletic breed going the same way as many other working hounds - carpet shufflers!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

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The fact of the matter is that for the most part the breed in this country IS split in two, thats just the way it is. I dont know whether you race or show or do both, whatever you do , if you have observed the other discipline you would have to agree( or not, up to you) that in type the breed is split, whether rightly or wrongly. For me, I prefer the show Whippet, each to their own. My dogs go over the downs and run and as I mentioned in a previous post on occasion have killed the odd rabbit, "carpet shufflers" they are not and when I lived in the U.S, when time permitted I would go lure coursing and really enjoyed it. I did not say that I thought it was ridiculous to "test" your dog only that I didnt think that it should be a requirement to make a dog a champion. Because I feel that if you take that to its logical conclusion, would you then require bull breeds to bait or fighting dogs to fight to fulfill their show titles after all those were the things they were originally bred to do?

Nicky

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it's not a case of whether i race, show,or work a whippet it should be in the words of the standard "Built for speed and work" i'm not expecting anybody that shows to take their dogs and race etc but what i would expect is for any whippet to have the attributes available to do that ie the reason why the breed was perfected in the first instance, not to have a "show type" but to have "type" full stop.

to address your last point, i would expect any breed bred for a specfic purpose to at least look as though they were capable of performing those tasks, sadly you only have to look around any dog show at Hound class to realise that is not the case, i think Basset hounds prove this point

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Yes when judging we are all aware of the standard,(Built for speed and work) and many show whippets are very capable their are some show whippets that are very good specimens that do both, the divide comes, I have seen more racing whippets that just could not be shown. It does not matter that they have not got the finer show points as Nicky says they would be bred for speed only.

 

[dragonfly]

the English title is the most prized title in the world

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I rather like the system they have in France, where dog has to be certified he can run fast enough before his championship title is ratified.

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That is so French, they make all ski instructors prove that they can "beat the clock" in a downhill to a very high level before they can teach skiing in France, even to beginners!

How fast must the whippets run in this test?

I believe there are very few show whippets who couldn't catch dinner. All of my show dogs have snaffled a speedy wild snack on occasion. Some of them have been excellent rabbiters. I would love to have the US system for multi purpose achievement, and I was really proud when Mabel got her lure coursing championship for Karen.

How about a triathlon day folks

Cathie

 

[Judy]

Whilst any show dog can chase a lure and any racing dog can stand in a show ring, its a rare racing bred dog that could win in the show ring and a rare show bred dog that can win races at anything other than club level and then only if given a favourable handicap or running against other non racing bred dogs. I think that its down to conformation. The kind of conformation that wins in the show ring does not win races and vice versa. Certainly most show breds have a very different running action to the race breds. Many a time I have heard the comment that race bred dogs look like the old fashioned type of whippet, which is understandable as many of the original show dogs at the end of the 19th century were the better looking ones taken off the track.

 

[Strike Whippets]

Same old, same old ....... There are racers out there that would be good enough to be shown if they'd ever gone to ring craft ......Though they would look silly being the correct size against most of the show dogs (so already they'd be on to a loser) .......You say .....

I have seen more racing whippets that just could not be shown.

We can't gage as puppies if they are "pet" quality, so don't ship them off away from the showers and don't pass them on if they don't have 2 testicle's, don't show properly or just don't make the grade in the ring ......So there's no difference really, as there are plenty of show dogs out there that aren't good enough to be shown .......

And just for the record common to belief us awful racers don't always breed speed to speed ......It would be stupid to do so ......I must say though that we must be doing something right as the racing bred Whippets are a lot healthier, but then they'd have to be to race at such high speeds up to 5 times in one day !!! ...... Sorry rant over ....I just get fed up with the racers getting slated all of the time ......

 

[fable]

As a relative newcomer to whippets, I'd be very interested to know in what respect racing whippets are healthier than show ones - and I hope I'm not treading on sensitive ground here - it's a genuine desire to know. :thumbsup:

Val

 

[JAX]

Some may be fitter , but not healtheir . that would be very hard to prove .

Now , lets not let this get into a slanging match , so far its been really good .

Some of us prefer show , some racing , as long as we all love our whippets lets leave it that way IMO