[devonlady]

I am down to only six whippets now and can vouch for their intelligence. Alistair it sounds as though the saluki is dominant in your dog, they have no recall whatever My whippets are excellent at recall even when after a rabbit due to training as puppies. You may have some trouble when they get to the "terrible two's" when they are the equivalent of stroppy teenagers, then you need to have good fences and LOADS of patience!!
They are the most cheerful of dogs, friendly, loyal and make the best of hot water bottles
They are, though, very thin skinned and liable to torn skin so lots of vet. bills Also, like greyhounds they have practically no fat cells which make them feel the cold more than most dogs.
They are easy going about exercise too. They will happily go with you on a ten mile walk or, if you fancy a day in bed(if only ) that will suit them too, as long as they are in bed with you of course
Though most are really good with children I would watch them with tinies as they don't like being pulled and poked by little fingers. Another name for them is "Snap Hound" with good reason.
So, get yourself a whippet, roddycm and you will never regret it Whippet rescue JR if you are after a rescue and expect to pay around £400 for a puppy, there are lots around, probably too many.

[Bionic]

I think I would stick with the aspidistra, it might be thick but can't get away so quickly 

[devonlady]

 

[philcaegrug]

We've got a 2 year old whippet bitch  and she's brilliant. She has caught 5 rats and will stand like a statue for ages waiting for one to appear. As mentioned above she doesn't like the cold and wet but with a coat on seems happy enough. She has to be on the couch at night preferably with her head on your lap.. We also have a yorkie cross rescue dog and the two of them play like loons but after a while the whippet gets a bit too excited and sees the yorkie looking more like a rabbit  and gets a bit too aggressive so we have to stop her.  I would definitely recommend one.

[Davinci]

I have a male working whippet and is smart and good recall.

Good luck.

[unicornleather]

Train it. Mine will sit, stay, come when called, walk to heel, retrieve to hand, jump, not chase live stock etc etc etc. Same as any dog, they need training.

However, all sight hounds are hard wired to chase stuff, and if you don't like that, don't get one. Because sooner or later it will see a rabbit / squirrel / deer / crisp packet and take off flat out lol.

Having said all of the above about my whippet, if we are walking through the woods / fields etc and some form of quarry jumps up that he knows is on the menu, once he starts after it, you'd have to scream yourself blue in the face to stop him. But then I don't try. . . .

But he doesn't chase anything he isn't meant to because he understands the consequences. . . .

Beautifully put and very accurate! Sight hounds in general have 2 speeds, zero slobbing out on the couch or your bed or 100mph!
You'll love having a whippet. I have had a whippet x jrt (coneydog) who was like a pure whippet in size, shape and speed and now I have a whippet x saluki longdog, bit more vague and comes back if a treat is in the equation a lot quicker that without one but forget it if she's in top gear after rabbits,foxes, squirrels or anything else that pops up in front of her that look like fun to chase (includes small fluffy dogs) so I have to have my wits about me and get her on a lead before she takes off. She doesn't harm the fluffy dogs, just leaps all round them wanting them to play, they leg it as she's scared them and of course she thinks that's fun but because they are not running dogs, they can't get away!
She gets to around 40 mph maybe a little more.
If you live anywhere that gets cold, you'll need a coat for it and indoors a cavebed is good or they will disappear down your duvet!
If you like the double gait of sight hounds watch this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmTTUPLrc5M&index=73&list=FLtEvGYnQvRQeISklkDCnRtg

[Me]

So, have you got one yet?

[Old Shep]

If you are intetested i have a young bitch saved from the pound, probably 6 mnths old lovely sweet girl. Good with other dogs bit  wary of men. Collie x whippet we think! Pm for details if interested.

[honeyend]

Not whippet but lurchers, one was rescued and had a fear of being caught and you could never ever get cross with him.  The one I have now I have had from a pup and even though he is now six he is still wilful. He has never been used for coursing and we have cats, but if he sees a hare or a squirrel he is gone, and will only come back when he is totally exhausted, having caught nothing. I like lurchers but I find them totally self centred  and only please you to please themselves, compared to my rottieX who will anything to please you and is so obedient. With the lurcher you are always second best to the sofa.