Your Whippet, Dogs, Cats and other Pets

Whippets and other Dogs

Probably if whippets could express their preferences, they would put at the top of their "favorite friends list" first loving humans, then other whippets, sighthounds and finally other dogs.

More often than not my whippet dogs enjoy a good game of catch with other whippets and sighthounds, while their relationship with other breeds is less predictable.

They favor non dominant, easy going dogs. Especially my Zippo, as he likes to think himself the ruler of our canine world, won’t put up with any bossing and the encounter with dominant, rough mannered dogs often ends in a fight and a collection of assorted cuts and bruises for him.

To see more FAQ about whippets and other dogs, click on the link.

Male or Female?

My two male whippets were very competitive especially about their positions on the sofa but funnily enough rarely fought about food.

They completely stopped fighting only after they were both neutered.

Adding a dog of the opposite sex to your household is the safest choice and probably the most easily accepted by your whippet.

Introducing a New Dog

Ideally, before the first meeting, the dogs will have been fed and exercised to put them in a relaxed and accepting state of mind.

Have the dogs meet and get acquainted under your supervision, on a neutral ground like a public park.

The ideal spot would be safely fenced and with enough space for them to run and play without getting too far away from you.

Give your dogs some time apart to rest and relax especially if your new dog is a puppy. A small crate that the bigger dog cannot enter can become a safe haven for the pup.

At the beginning don't feed your whippet dogs together, keep them separated by a gate or a glass door so they can see each other without the possibility to fight over the food.

Don't leave the dogs together and unsupervised until they have proven to be happy and confident in each other company.

Whippets and Cats

I once caught my whippets gazing with a very intent and dangerous look at an unsuspecting lady wrapped in a gorgeous mink fur. You could tell they were asking themselves what kind of creature she was and if she was going to make a good catch.

Personally, I didn’t have any luck trying to mix cats and whippets but other whippeteers tell me that it is not necessarily so, especially when the dogs are raised with cats from the beginning.

Some whippets learn to respect the resident felines especially when they are introduced as a puppies to old and self confident cats already living in the house.

If you think about adding a whippet to your household and you already have cats, look for a dog that has already proved himself to be cat proof.

In any case, the introduction of a new pet always calls for a good deal of caution to avoid accidents and irrevocable hard feelings between species.

Here are some tips for a smooth whippet-cat mingling.

-Let your pets get familiar with each other's scent before they actually meet. Switching blankets or rubbing them on you is a good idea because it will help your pets to associate each other's smell with yours that is already friendly and familiar.

-Supervise the encounters, keep the dog on leash and give the cat room to retreat if he wants to. Let the cat take his time to get used to the dog.

-Be patient, don't leave your pets unsupervised and keep the early meetings short and sweet until both pets feel calm and relaxed in each other's presence.

-To avoid any territorial aggression from the dog, feed you pets separately and keep the cat's food away from the dog. Cat's food is richer in fat and proteins and for a dog it is a great temptation.

-For the same reason cat's droppings are an almost irresistible treat (yuck!) for dogs. Using a covered litter tray for the cat can help solve this problem.

Whippets and other Pets

Go from Whippet Information to TheWhippet.net Homepage