Whippet Height

[TC]

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I'm not obsessive by any means about the height of my whips and I know that things are quite lax these days (don't mean to offend, just repeating what I've heard) so the 20" rule isn't completely reinforced, but can people let me know what they height of their whippets are.

Ollie is 18.5" at the moment (5 and a half months) and I've been told he'll probably reach the 20" mark, maybe 21"

Blue is 22.5" and at three years old should not grow any more. In fact (as explained on another thread) he should shrink to 21 with any luck as the flab falls off :lol:

More interested since going to watch some racing at the weekend. I know that these dogs are bred a lot smaller, just expected to see some slighty bigger :- "

From what I remember of the dogs at Banbury recently they all seemed a fair size, quite tall in fact, but I could be imagining things :blink:

Thanks

Tracy

 

[Janimal]

I was asking this question on K9 a while ago too. My Oscar is 9 months almost 10 and he already is 21 inches. My old dog was only about 20 fully grown - they were both from showing pedigrees.

My first whippet from racing lines (a bitch) was only about 18 inches.

 

[Joanna]

Archie is just under 21 inches, but many of the racing and coursing dogs I have seen are a great deal smaller in stature and height. If you think of 20 as being an average, a couple of inches either way is going to be within a normal range.

 

[~JO~]

Archie is 20.5" and Stanley is exactly the same to the shoulder. But Stan is a different shape and higher than Arch on the back end which makes him look taller over all :blink:

Its amazing how many owners say their dog is 20", however Archie is nearly always the smallest in the ring :- " - but I suppose measuring is not an exact science!

 

[TC]

Archie is 20.5" and Stanley is exactly the same to the shoulder.  But Stan is a different shape and higher than Arch on the back end which makes him look taller over all  :blink:
Its amazing how many owners say their dog is 20", however Archie is nearly always the smallest in the ring  :- " - but I suppose measuring is not an exact science!

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Quite right Jo, I've had great fun measuring mine!

 

[TC]

I was asking this question on K9 a while ago too.  My Oscar is 9 months almost 10 and he already is 21 inches. My old dog was only about 20 fully grown - they were both from showing pedigrees.
My first whippet from racing lines (a bitch) was only about 18 inches.

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Sorry Janimal, and everyone else, didn't mean to ask the same question. And here was me thinking that I had read every post :b

 

[Tesa]

Beau is 21 inches and still growing (w00t) (w00t) He weighs 15kg (33lb). Not an ounce of fat on him. And I think he is beautiful :wub:

Max is noticably shorter than Beau - probably about 20 inches. He weighs 16kg (35.2lb) and looks heaps fatter than Beau. But I still think he is beautiful :wub:

 

[~elizabeth~]

I'm not obsessive by any means about the height of my whips and I know that things are quite lax these days (don't mean to offend, just repeating what I've heard) so the 20" rule isn't completely reinforced, but can people let me know what they height of their whippets are.

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I thought ours was on the big size UNTIL we went racing, there were quite a few a lot bigger (upto 35 lbs) at South Oxford. I think they may be more relaxed about oversized dogs there though. Some show people have told me 20' isn't big in their whippet sphere either, so yours are both well within the normal range. Our is just under 20", honest! :- "

Elizabeth

 

[Dusilla]

Moe has been officially measured and he is 20.55 inches. Sonya has not yet been measured, but I estimate she is about 18.8 inches.

 

[Judy]

I thought ours was on the big size UNTIL we went racing, there were quite a few a lot bigger (upto 35 lbs) at South Oxford. I think they may be more relaxed about oversized dogs there though. Some show people have told me 20' isn't big in their whippet sphere either, so yours are both well within the normal range. Our is just under 20",  honest!  :- "
Elizabeth

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Oxford club isn't affiliated to the WCRA Elizabeth. They only ask that dogs are KC registered to race so all the oversized dogs go there that wouldn't be eligible for a passport. There are plenty of smaller ones too though.

 

[~elizabeth~]

Yes, I thought it was something to do with that!

 

[Wayward_Angel]

LOL (w00t) The whippet height question must be in everybodys mind at the moment - As this has came up on a dachshund list The thread started off titled ...If In Doubt... Put up the Whippet or Afghan you know for group wins now its gone on to whippet height & how the Aussie whippets are to tall!!

Anyways ... Rocks @ 5yrs isjust over 21" Elijah @ 14mths is 21" just waiting for him to refine down now. And India @ 14mths is just over 18 "

 

[Seraphina]

I am trying to breed as close to the standard as feasible. My Bess (5 years) is just a smidgen over 19" and Callista (14 months) is 19". Madelaine is probably going to be bigger.

Lida

 

[~elizabeth~]

My dog's dam was on the big size, probably over 20", and his sire was Laguna Liza's Link who's just over 18"; most of the litter came out on the small size like their father, ours was the giant of the litter ending up at 19 3/4".

 

[hydale1]

Hi Tracy,

Unfortunately, the standard that is set out for the whippet height is not adhered to by many breeders or judges....thin in turn means taller dogs gets used in breeding programmes and produce pups that carry the 'taller' gene. The other reason is that too many people are importing 'American' style whippets (different standard and style of whippet) and then using them in their breeding program....usually because someone 'with connections' has been winning in the ring, so they just follow suit.

Stick with the 'true' whippets....UK originals, and that standard....don't fall for stupid comments, such as: "don't penalize an otherwise good whippet, just because it is too tall."....it's just another excuse for not sticking with the standard.....the same argument could be used for not having the correct topline / tail carriage / length of neck / eye or ear shape...and the list goes on.

As I said...stick to the 'true whippet' and forget the immitations.

Cheers

Allen

 

[lassie]

Whippet Size, My Man is quite tall, but every bit in proportion. I do not show him as he is considered too big. He is a very special dog and his pedrigree does not have many of his size, his mother was a Specialty Show Champion, about four times. If you look at old pictures of Whippets' around the time that they were produced from "Big Pockets" , there were always the odd big ones even way back then. Enjoying being online. Lassie. :teehee:

 

[lassie]

Whippet Size, My Man is quite tall, but every bit in proportion. I do not show him as he is considered too big. He is a very special dog and his pedrigree does not have many of his size, his mother was a Specialty Show Champion, about four times. If you look at old pictures of Whippets' around the time that they were produced from "Big Pockets" , there were always the odd big ones even way back then. Enjoying being online. Lassie. :teehee:

 

[lassie]

Whippet Size, My Man is quite tall, but every bit in proportion. I do not show him as he is considered too big. He is a very special dog and his pedrigree does not have many of his size, his mother was a Specialty Show Champion, about four times. If you look at old pictures of Whippets' around the time that they were produced from "Big Pockets" , there were always the odd big ones even way back then. Enjoying being online. Lassie. :teehee:

 

[Macha]

Although American whippets have long been on the larger side, there is a strict height disqualification in the show ring. I haven't checked out the present A.K.C. breed standard but I expect it has not changed from 22 inches maximum for dogs, 21 max. for bitches. If a whippet looks like it is near the maximum permissable size a judge may ask for the dog to be measured; I have seen this done in the ring.

Personally, I think a whippet should be distinctly whippet-sized and breeders should aim for dogs not much over 20". I notice the British whippets are getting larger and I've also noticed that in Brittany, France there are lots of whippets and they are the size (I think) they should be.

 

[Seraphina]

Hi Tracy,
Unfortunately, the standard that is set out for the whippet height is not adhered to by many breeders or judges....thin in turn means taller dogs gets used in breeding programmes and produce pups that carry the 'taller' gene. The other reason is that too many people are importing 'American' style whippets (different standard and style of whippet) and then using them in their breeding program....usually because someone 'with connections' has been winning in the ring, so they just follow suit.

Stick with the 'true' whippets....UK originals, and that standard....don't fall for  stupid comments, such as: "don't penalize an otherwise good whippet, just because it is too tall."....it's just another excuse for not sticking with the standard.....the same argument could be used for not having the correct topline / tail carriage / length of neck / eye or ear shape...and the list goes on.

As I said...stick to the 'true whippet' and forget the immitations.

Cheers

Allen

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Hi Allen;

and welcome. Agree totally. Unfortunately, some people only care about winning and they seem to think that they cannot win with A Whippet of the correct size. Somebody recently told me that showing a bitch under 20" is a waste of time. Sad.

Lida