The Whippet breed is a member of the sight hound family, a type of hunting dog that relies on sight to track game instead of using its nose to track down scent.

Recommended for: pet, working dog
The Whippet dog breed is generally gentle and is content to spend most of the day sleeping. They are not suited to be guard dogs because of their quiet disposition. They would not snap at children but neither will they raise alarm if a stranger arrives. The males of the breed are no more aggressive than the females. Their athletic traits can only be seen once they are outside and have enough space to run. Given enough motivation, they will give their all-out effort to keep on running at their top speed. They do not adapt well as kennel dogs and are best kept as house pets. They should be handled well when brought out for they have poor traffic sense. Remember that breed only provides a general clue as to any individual dog's actual behaviour. Make sure to get to know dogs well before bringing them into your home.