Whippet Grooming and Care

Apartment Living

Active Lifestyle

Watchdog Ability

Child Friendly

Dog Friendly

Cat Friendly

Shedding Level

Exercise Needs

Social Needs

Grooming needs

Stranger Friendly

Health Issues

Trainability

Adaptability

Care of Whippet is simple, because this breed is short-haired and very clean. His wool is soft, hypoallergenic and odorless. The moulting is seasonal, spring-autumn.

Combing: the Whippet`s coat is comb with a brush-mitten or a brush of natural bristles once a week. This procedure is necessary because it remove the dead hair and does a massage that improves blood circulation. Coat is comb every day during the moult.

Bathing Whippet is recommended as rarely as possible: as necessary or once in 3 months with shampoo for short-haired breeds. The wool of the greyhound is self-cleaning, so he does not need frequent bathing with shampoo, because it can wash away the protective fatty film.

Bathing is recommended with warm water. The bottom of the bath is covered with a rubber mat to prevent slipping and injuring the paws.

After bathing, the cotton wool is put into the pet's ears to remove the moisture. Wool is wiped with a towel and dried with a hair dryer in the cold season.

Make sure that the dog does not sit in the draft after bathing. Walking is recommended after 2 hours, when the dog is dry completely. During the moult Whippet coat is combed with a rubber mitten during bathing to remove the dead wool.

Eyes are checked every day. Healthy eyes Whippet without redness and tears. Small gray lumps in the corners of the eyes in the morning or after walks are permissible and they are cleaned easily with a soft cloth.

The eyes are cleaned of accumulated dust in this way, because the breed is very active and runs a lot.

The Whippet eyes are washed once a week with a chamomile tea to prevent eye sore. Each eye is wiped with a separate piece of soft cloth without pile (do not use cotton and cotton pads). If you notice lot of tears and bad odor around eyes, red eyes or swelling of the eyelids, immediately consult a veterinarian.

Ears are checked regularly. The healthy ears of Whippet are a pleasant pink color without excess of sulfur. The ear shell is wiped with a cotton disc is soaked in warm water once a week. Be careful when using cotton buds and never allow children to brush the dog's ears.

Do not allow your dog to communicate with stray dogs in order to avoid infection with an ear mite. This is a parasite that takes root in the ear canal and feeds on particles of the epidermis and blood of the dog.

Immediately consult veterinarian if you noticed the following symptoms:

• Redness of the skin
• Excess earwax
• Unpleasant odor from the ears
• Itching (the pet scratches the ears to the blood)
• The dog often shakes his head and rubs on the floor
• Black clusters in the auricle

Teeth are cleaned 3-4 times a week with toothpaste for dogs using a toothbrush or a nozzle on the finger. It is necessary to include solid foods and fresh tomatoes in the Whippet feeding to prevent tartar.

Claws are cut 1 time per month with a nail clipper for medium breeds. The sharp ends of the claws are smoothed with the nail file. Hard claws are moistened with warm water before cutting. It is necessary to accustom a pet to a clipping of claws since 2 months. Cut off 1-2 claws per day and always praise the puppy for his patience.

Paws are washed with a damp cloth or with a shower after each walk. Always check whether there are cuts or injuries on the paw pads. Whippet, like other greyhounds, often injures their paws during running, because they are so excited that they do not notice anything around. The cuts treat with an antiseptic. Vegetable oil is rubbed into the paw pads to prevent cracks.

The dog bed should be thick, because the whippet has a thin skin without a fatty layer, so he will be feeling uncomfortable on a tough bed.

The clothes are necessary for whippet, because he feels cold in the cold season. Your pet will need a few outfits for different weather:

• Warm overall on fleece lining
• Raincoat
• Waistcoat or sweater (you can make it yourself from an old sweater)

Ticks and fleas:

Regularly treat the pet with a remedy against ectoparasites. They are very dangerous to the health and life of the dog. Consult veterinarian about the best treat for your dog, because today the market offers a large selection of medicine against ectoparasites for pet:

• Drops on the withers
• Collar (works if the dog wears it constantly)
• Tablets
• Spray

Walk with whippet at least 2 times a day morning - evening. In the city keep the dog on a leash, because he is very curious and any moving object can attract his attention.