Whippets as Racing Dogs

With their phenomenal acceleration ability whippets make great racing dogs.

The whippet was so popular with the coal miners in Northern England for his unparalleled ability as racing dog of incredible sprinting acceleration.

No fancy equipment was needed for the “rag race”, someone waving a rag was enough to trigger the whippet’s chasing instinct and a “slipper” would release or even toss the dog into the race. The betting provided an income source and a good racing whippet was a bread winner and a coddled family pet.

Whippets earned themselves the nickname of “poor man’s racehorses” but this sport never reached the popularity of greyhound racing, sparing the breed the massive over breeding of the greyhounds.

Nowadays the rag waver has been replaced by a mechanic lure, the slipper by the staring boxes, the races are strictly nonprofessional and the dogs double as pampered pets.

The principle of the game though is still the same, the dogs are tested for speed and eagerness to follow the lure but now whippets only compete for titles and ribbons, never for profit or gambling.

In Straight Racing the racing dogs run 200 yards breaking from starting boxes in groups of 6, wearing muzzles and racing jackets.

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The winner is the first on the finish line.

Oval racing is run on U-shaped or oval tracks with an inner fence and on longer distances.

Racing is an very competitive sport and if you wish to participate at high level it is advisable to start with a whippet from a racing line.

Your whippet will need to be exercised on long walks and sprints, get a taste of lure chasing, a proper nutrition and specific starting box training.

It’s a good idea to start him at home walking your pup through a cardboard box and enticing him with a lure on the other side.

At the first meeting, give him a chance to get used to the noises of the starting boxes. Later you can let him start from the box with the open gate.

At the meetings, experienced dog owners are generally very helpful and willing to show you how to train your green dog.

It might take some time for your whippet to get used to the starting boxes but with a little patience from your part he will understand the game and enjoy it enormously.

Click on the links below to find out about associations sponsoring whippet racing


NAWRA


British Whippet Racing


Whippet Racing

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