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Have nt we just said that? And do you think that the miners in the north of England read Darwin's Theory of Evolution?Seraphina said:
Nicky
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British And American Whippets
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WOLVES INDEED
THE HISTOEY OF THE BREED
Without doubt, the whippets rise in popularity took place with the advent of whippet racing circa 1860. Most of the industrial towns of England and Wales had whippet tracks, and enthusiast would meet on Sunday mornings to race, and in the afternoon they would retire to the local hostelry to debate the pros and cons of their respective charges. The sportsmanship of some of these owners may have been debatable, but the honesty of their little dogs had no equal. The charms of the whippet have melted many a heart, and once you have fallen for this breed, you will want no other.
For its sheer elegance and grace, this great member of the canine race is unmatched-and the sight of a whippet in full flight is truly awe inspiring. This small sight hound has an amazing turn of speed, and even as the dog displays such quickness of foot, it is calculating twist and turns, and how long it takes to come to a stop. All this done in a flash-the whippet seemingly, in perpetual motion.
WHIPPET ANCESTORS.
There are many theories regarding the genealogical history of the whippet. Most authorities agree the Greyhound being crossed with a terrier and Italian greyhound, and of the small greyhound kept by the Greeks and Romans, Romantic as they sound, I believe the whippet is more likely to be Celtic in origin. The Celtic tribes in Ireland, who eventually came to Britain, kept all types of hunting and mastiff-type dogs. These great warriors , who were renowned for their love of hunting, both in forest and in open spaces, were also renowned as great tacticians in the battlefield. This ability was probably learned from watching their hounds take down a quarry on the hunting field. Some of the most beautiful Celtic brooches depict these hunting hounds killing hare and small deer-and all this took place five hundred years before a Roman set foot in England. I personally think that this small hound has come through the centuries, changing and developing, but basically this is the whippet as we know it today.
Just to put the record straight, there is no doubt that the Greeks and Romans had a small greyhound.The Greek Pollux, the protector of the hunt, is represented on numerous amphora's (dating from the 6th century BC) with his small greyhound on some fresco's of the classical age. There are also representations of rich Athenians lying on individual couches for communal drinking bouts, and under each coach is tied a dog of the small greyhound type, wearing wide ornate collars.
The Romans also had a great love of the hunting hound. The great Oppian (200AD) whose work, Cynegetics, was to earn him payment of twenty thousand pieces of gold from two Emperors,, favours the smaller dog that can run small game to earth. The "vertagus" (little Greyhound). Arrian wrote."The Gauls of the Cumbri and Celtic tribes have used their hunting dogs from the time of the Canis Palustris (Peat Dog) and they (the Gauls)have never ceased to treat them with understanding gratitude and friendship.
The Celts and Gauls were masters of what may be called "the canine sport".The quest for meat was no longer a primary aim; this type of hunting was pursued form pleasure. Favourite pastimes were to hunt stag until it was exhausted, or to capture a hare by letting loose two small greyhounds at the same moment. "The Gauls", wrote Arri-an. "do not hunt in order in order to capture the game, but to watch their dogs perform with ability and speed. If the hare should escape their pursuit, they recall their dogs and rejoice sincerely in the luck or superiority of the adversary.
The chieftains of Gaul took pains to send the best examples from their packs to their conquerors. For example, Bituit, King of Averne offered his own small greyhounds as gifts to the Consul Domitius in (122BC). So no one can deny that ancient Gaul had a spirit of generosity and pride in sport- and fifteen hundred years later, hunters and huntsmen of Britain and France still continue this tradition.
Just wish I could Scan.
The picture is of a scene from the Gizimani Breviary (1515) St Marks library Venice,
depicting small hounds so like the present day whippet.
Whiipet like dogs, even nearer to the present day whippet in a painting of St.Euastace appearing as a stag to the huntsman.
An example of Greek ceramic art.(433-483 BC)
It is so fascinating these dogs if seen today are definitely true to the whippet.
COPYRIGHT 1994 PATSY GILMOUR
If anyone out there can scan the pictures you have my permission, I would be grateful
THE HISTOEY OF THE BREED
Without doubt, the whippets rise in popularity took place with the advent of whippet racing circa 1860. Most of the industrial towns of England and Wales had whippet tracks, and enthusiast would meet on Sunday mornings to race, and in the afternoon they would retire to the local hostelry to debate the pros and cons of their respective charges. The sportsmanship of some of these owners may have been debatable, but the honesty of their little dogs had no equal. The charms of the whippet have melted many a heart, and once you have fallen for this breed, you will want no other.
For its sheer elegance and grace, this great member of the canine race is unmatched-and the sight of a whippet in full flight is truly awe inspiring. This small sight hound has an amazing turn of speed, and even as the dog displays such quickness of foot, it is calculating twist and turns, and how long it takes to come to a stop. All this done in a flash-the whippet seemingly, in perpetual motion.
WHIPPET ANCESTORS.
There are many theories regarding the genealogical history of the whippet. Most authorities agree the Greyhound being crossed with a terrier and Italian greyhound, and of the small greyhound kept by the Greeks and Romans, Romantic as they sound, I believe the whippet is more likely to be Celtic in origin. The Celtic tribes in Ireland, who eventually came to Britain, kept all types of hunting and mastiff-type dogs. These great warriors , who were renowned for their love of hunting, both in forest and in open spaces, were also renowned as great tacticians in the battlefield. This ability was probably learned from watching their hounds take down a quarry on the hunting field. Some of the most beautiful Celtic brooches depict these hunting hounds killing hare and small deer-and all this took place five hundred years before a Roman set foot in England. I personally think that this small hound has come through the centuries, changing and developing, but basically this is the whippet as we know it today.
Just to put the record straight, there is no doubt that the Greeks and Romans had a small greyhound.The Greek Pollux, the protector of the hunt, is represented on numerous amphora's (dating from the 6th century BC) with his small greyhound on some fresco's of the classical age. There are also representations of rich Athenians lying on individual couches for communal drinking bouts, and under each coach is tied a dog of the small greyhound type, wearing wide ornate collars.
The Romans also had a great love of the hunting hound. The great Oppian (200AD) whose work, Cynegetics, was to earn him payment of twenty thousand pieces of gold from two Emperors,, favours the smaller dog that can run small game to earth. The "vertagus" (little Greyhound). Arrian wrote."The Gauls of the Cumbri and Celtic tribes have used their hunting dogs from the time of the Canis Palustris (Peat Dog) and they (the Gauls)have never ceased to treat them with understanding gratitude and friendship.
The Celts and Gauls were masters of what may be called "the canine sport".The quest for meat was no longer a primary aim; this type of hunting was pursued form pleasure. Favourite pastimes were to hunt stag until it was exhausted, or to capture a hare by letting loose two small greyhounds at the same moment. "The Gauls", wrote Arri-an. "do not hunt in order in order to capture the game, but to watch their dogs perform with ability and speed. If the hare should escape their pursuit, they recall their dogs and rejoice sincerely in the luck or superiority of the adversary.
The chieftains of Gaul took pains to send the best examples from their packs to their conquerors. For example, Bituit, King of Averne offered his own small greyhounds as gifts to the Consul Domitius in (122BC). So no one can deny that ancient Gaul had a spirit of generosity and pride in sport- and fifteen hundred years later, hunters and huntsmen of Britain and France still continue this tradition.
Just wish I could Scan.
The picture is of a scene from the Gizimani Breviary (1515) St Marks library Venice,
depicting small hounds so like the present day whippet.
Whiipet like dogs, even nearer to the present day whippet in a painting of St.Euastace appearing as a stag to the huntsman.
An example of Greek ceramic art.(433-483 BC)
It is so fascinating these dogs if seen today are definitely true to the whippet.
COPYRIGHT 1994 PATSY GILMOUR
If anyone out there can scan the pictures you have my permission, I would be grateful
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Just wish I could Scan.
The picture is of a scene from the Gizimani Breviary (1515) St Marks library Venice,
depicting small hounds so like the present day whippet.
Whiipet like dogs, even nearer to the present day whippet in a painting of St.Euastace appearing as a stag to the huntsman.
An example of Greek ceramic art.(433-483 BC)
It is so fascinating these dogs if seen today are definitely true to the whippet.
COPYRIGHT 1994 PATSY GILMOUR
If anyone out there can scan the pictures you have my permission, I would be grateful
I'll scan it in later for you, just going into town now, ( getting my oldest Whippet a new comfy bed!! Can't delay that can I? LOL)
The picture is of a scene from the Gizimani Breviary (1515) St Marks library Venice,
depicting small hounds so like the present day whippet.
Whiipet like dogs, even nearer to the present day whippet in a painting of St.Euastace appearing as a stag to the huntsman.
An example of Greek ceramic art.(433-483 BC)
It is so fascinating these dogs if seen today are definitely true to the whippet.
COPYRIGHT 1994 PATSY GILMOUR
If anyone out there can scan the pictures you have my permission, I would be grateful
I'll scan it in later for you, just going into town now, ( getting my oldest Whippet a new comfy bed!! Can't delay that can I? LOL)
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see if this works
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Close up
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Close up of other one
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Found this one too
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A big thank you Juley, yet again you come to my resue with the dreaded puter.Juley said:
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Unfortunately, I still get that tail in some of my Whippets today.Juley said:
Now I know who to blame for it!!! :teehee:
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Does it only take you 26 mins to go to town to buy a bed Juley? You could do my shopping for me at that speed. :teehee:Juley said:
I bet that poor dog is still waiting for her bed. :lol:
Pauline
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Got me there! (w00t) Mark was on the phone so I just popped the pix up while I was waiting :lol: After all that, they had sold out of the large size so she didn't get one and will have to wait a bit longer.maggie217 said:
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Thanks Patsy for including that piece from your book, I enjoyed reading that again. I am of the same opinion that a medium size sighthound has been in existence for centuries. I love seeing those old pictures.
As far as original standards are concerned, well thats what they were,original! All standards of whatever breed have been revised, added too or changed, sometimes for the better sometimes not. One thing I dont think you can do though is expect shoulders( as that seems to be a particular issue with some) to be the same on all breeds let alone the same on all sighthounds, wolf ancestry or not! You would not want an Ibizan Hound to have the same front assembly as a Whippet, nor would you want a Poodle to have a front assembly like a whippet. They might have all marched into the ark the same but they all looked different by the time they walked out!
As for all this 90degrees this and 90 degrees that measuring this that and the other. On a Whippet its there for all to see and when in doubt your hands should tell you all you need to know.
Nicky
As far as original standards are concerned, well thats what they were,original! All standards of whatever breed have been revised, added too or changed, sometimes for the better sometimes not. One thing I dont think you can do though is expect shoulders( as that seems to be a particular issue with some) to be the same on all breeds let alone the same on all sighthounds, wolf ancestry or not! You would not want an Ibizan Hound to have the same front assembly as a Whippet, nor would you want a Poodle to have a front assembly like a whippet. They might have all marched into the ark the same but they all looked different by the time they walked out!
As for all this 90degrees this and 90 degrees that measuring this that and the other. On a Whippet its there for all to see and when in doubt your hands should tell you all you need to know.
Nicky
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Nicky are you trying to say you don't believe in Noah and his Ark.
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We re not getting into religion now are we ? Please tell me we re not !
Nicky
Nicky
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that too?? oh now that is going off topic, surely that is one subject banned from pubs also :teehee: :teehee:
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Forgot to say....interesting to revisit the text & pics and I agree that they look very 'whippety' in type as seen today, however feel this one leans more towards the terrier influence...........or is it just me? :teehee:Juley said:
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Annie I can see slightly what you mean, but I think they are more hound like, bred for hunting small game and speed plus coursing, and Karen could see where the poor tail sets came in. There is one thing for sure I don't think they measured any angles.anniewhippet said:
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Im with you on that Annie!!! Religion and dogs dont mix!!!!!
Back to the bone . I would think that given as these pictures were really chronicles of their times and that dogs were spilt into definite but maybe not as varied groups as today that the dogs depicted were sighthound in their type displaying lighter bone as opposed to say the mastiff type with of course the heavier bone.
Nicky
Back to the bone . I would think that given as these pictures were really chronicles of their times and that dogs were spilt into definite but maybe not as varied groups as today that the dogs depicted were sighthound in their type displaying lighter bone as opposed to say the mastiff type with of course the heavier bone.
Nicky
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(w00t) Wow, what a quote!! :cheers: I love it! :thumbsup:UKUSA said:
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