What Will The Whippet Of 2020 Look Like?

[lalena]

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i find this kind of debate fascinating i think that if you look at it short term, one generation can say 'oh whats an inch or 2', but what if each generation were to do that? it wouldnt take all that long to end up with some real giants. i'd think though, that if you had a whippet that was perfect in all but height, it shouldnt be penalised, but the owners should take care to breed down rather than to a like size or, god forbid, to a larger size, if you know what i mean? saying that, whippet breeders are lucky in that they can go to smaller sleeker racing lines if the showline is in trouble for being too big.

jesus, you want to look at a LOT of the staffs being shown and bred no consideration for the fact they are terriers and should be flexible and tenacious, many are bred purely towards the bull side, and it isnt pretty seeing a dog unable to look over its shoulder for lack of neck and overdeveloped upperbody muscles :x

 

[jayp]

If we are getting on to the size debate again then this from Magnus Hagstedt when he judged bitches at The Whippet Club last year, sums it up perfectly for me. "Admittedly size varies but this should not present a problem as long as the balance between power and elegance is right. But if we add a little here and there, forgetting the general balance we will soon be in trouble. Size in itself is not a problem and I alwayss miss the "judges should use his own discretion and not unduly penalise an otherwise good specimen" paragrap from the previous standard. A whippet must never, never be too heavy or strtong, with power but no elegance to match, regardless of the measured size at the withers. Elegance must always come before the power and the strength."

Sums it up for me too, there is more to size than just height after all a staffy is the right height

 

[jayp]

Don't know about 2020, that is only 11 years from now, but say by 2060, if they keep changing in the direction they have been I think they will look like something like this:

That is so funny and sadly not far from the truth, but the backend needs to go out much more and the head needs to shrink , similar to some show greyhounds :-

 

[Noise]

If we are getting on to the size debate again then this from Magnus Hagstedt when he judged bitches at The Whippet Club last year, sums it up perfectly for me. "Admittedly size varies but this should not present a problem as long as the balance between power and elegance is right. But if we add a little here and there, forgetting the general balance we will soon be in trouble. Size in itself is not a problem and I alwayss miss the "judges should use his own discretion and not unduly penalise an otherwise good specimen" paragrap from the previous standard. A whippet must never, never be too heavy or strtong, with power but no elegance to match, regardless of the measured size at the withers. Elegance must always come before the power and the strength."

Sums it up for me too, there is more to size than just height after all a staffy is the right height

agree with that too.

so people who criticize the modern whippet, would you say that the racing whippet epitomizes the perfect specimen of the breed?

 

[Louise_Simon]

For me YES racing whippets are perfect

 

[Seraphina]

Whoever said above that size in not everything is of-course right, but size that is the easiest thing to illustrate . I did also tried to draw tiny upper arm, no tuck up and sickle hocks, which is something that seems to be appearing more and more often. Or maybe is it that i notice these two problems more and more, as I dislike them more and more?

The fact remains that 50years ago Whippets were on average considerably smaller than they are on average now. I would say good 3 inches ( ? ) that would be about 1/5 of their height. If they continue to grow in the same rate for the next 50 years they will be on average 4" taller. It is totally up to us to look for smaller dogs, with longer humerus, and nice rear angulation, to breed from .

 

[quintessence]

Whoever said above that size in not everything is of-course right, but size that is the easiest thing to illustrate . I did also tried to draw tiny upper arm, no tuck up and sickle hocks, which is something that seems to be appearing more and more often. Or maybe is it that i notice these two problems more and more, as I dislike them more and more? The fact remains that 50years ago Whippets were on average considerably smaller than they are on average now. I would say good 3 inches ( ? ) that would be about 1/5 of their height. If they continue to grow in the same rate for the next 50 years they will be on average 4" taller. It is totally up to us to look for smaller dogs, with longer humerus, and nice rear angulation, to breed from .

I have some copies of The Northern Counties Whippet Club Year books and in the 1966 edition there is an advert for Iniskhelltr Whippets owned by Gillian Usher, who I know many people will remember.

In the ad she gives the following information

Ch Iniskhelltr Lovely Silver (Dog) height 18 5/8"

Ch Iniskhelltr Lollipop (Bitch) height 17 1/2"

Iniskhelltr Ronator Moonlight (Dog) height 18 1/2"

Iniskhelltr Keepsake (Dog) height 18 1/2"

Iniskhelltr Neville (Dog) height 18 3/4"

In another ad from Mrs Yerburgh it shows Ch Greenbrae Free As Air (Dog) 18 1/2"

The above gives you an indication of whippet sizes at that time. There are some truly lovely pictures in the book but I don't have permission so can't scan them for you but rest assured there are some excellent toplines.

Jenny

 

[T Hoare]

In the breed standard it says DISERABLE height. Any judge worth its salt would love to put up all correct size dogs, however size is only one part, its far more important to put up a dog with correct movement who maybe a little oversize than a correct sized unsound dog ??

I agree

 

[dolly]

They must be fascinating Jenny, perhaps Harry should have been around in the 1960's 8)

 

[Happy Humber]

If ever there was a correct size dog that should be a champion it is Harry