Greyhound vs Whippet

A Greyhound
Photo: Neurodoc
A Whippet
Photo: Berikande

Side by side

Greyhound
Whippet
Adult weight
Males 26.2–38.5 kg (58–85 lb); females 22.3–32.2 kg (49–71 lb) (measured in UK vet records, n = 5,419, mean ±1.5 SD)1
11–18 kg (25–40 lb) (breed club figure)2
Height
No sourced figure
Males 47–51 cm; females 44–47 cm (breed club figure)2
Lifespan
Median 11.5 years3
Median 13.4 years3
Fully grown
12 months, both sexes4
10 months, both sexes4
Group
Sighthounds5
Sighthounds6
Coat
No sourced figure
Short coat6
Shedding
No sourced figure
Sheds through the year
Grooming
No sourced figure
A brush once a week
Exercise
A modest amount
A moderate amount
Health
Bone cancer (far more likely); Blood-vessel cancer of the skin (more likely)7,8
Blood-vessel cancer of the skin (more likely); Gum disease (slightly more likely)8,9
Class
Companion
Companion

Which suits you

Size
The Greyhound is much larger: about 30 kg (66 lb) as an adult, against 15 kg (32 lb) for the Whippet.
Lifespan
In UK vet records the Whippet lives longer: a median of 13.4 years, against 11.5 for the Greyhound.
Exercise
Plan for a moderate amount of exercise with the Whippet, and a modest amount with the Greyhound.
Temperament
They differ most on affection (Greyhound: affectionate on its own terms; Whippet: a lap or leaning dog) and on intelligence (Greyhound: easy-going, simple routines; Whippet: learns readily, likes games).
Alike
Both are rated the same on handler demand: suits a first-time owner.
Neither is the better dog in general. Which suits you depends on your home, your days and the care you can give.
Take the breed matcher

What they're like

Greyhound
Sighthounds · Large

In temperament the breed is quiet and gentle, content to sleep for long stretches, affectionate with its own people and sometimes reserved with strangers.

Whippet
Sighthounds · Medium

Indoors the Whippet is usually quiet, gentle and fond of comfort, and it often seeks out soft bedding and close contact with its people.

The Greyhound page →The Whippet page →

Breed traits

Day to day
Greyhound
Whippet
Activity
Differs
Happy with modest walks
A good daily walk and play
Intelligence
Differs
Easy-going, simple routines
Learns readily, likes games
Handler demand
Suits a first-time owner
Suits a first-time owner
With people
Greyhound
Whippet
Affection
Differs
Affectionate on its own terms
A lap or leaning dog
Loyalty
Bonded to its family
Bonded to its family
Independence
Cooperative, with its own ideas
Cooperative, with its own ideas
Around the home
Greyhound
Whippet
Sensitivity
Differs
Average
Needs a calm, predictable home
Voice
Quiet
Quiet
Prey drive
Likely to chase small pets
Likely to chase small pets
Breed explains only about 9% of how individual dogs differ in behaviour10. Meet the dog. A good breeder breeds for temperament as well as health, and matches each puppy's personality to the right home11,12.

Puppy growth

Reference curves · both sexes
The Greyhound grows to the heavier adult, about 30 kg against the Whippet's 15 kg.
Greyhound
Whippet
0102030402m4m6m9m12m18m
0102030402m3m4m6m9m12m18m

More comparisons

Compare the Greyhound with
Italian Greyhound vs WhippetGreyhound vs Italian GreyhoundBorzoi vs GreyhoundGreyhound vs SalukiAzawakh vs GreyhoundDoberman Pinscher vs GreyhoundAll breed comparisons →

Sources

Parts of this page were written by AI ·