Are Whippets Good With Children?

Whippets can be an excellent choice for a family dog; they are super energetic but also love to relax on the couch with their owners.

Whippets and children are generally able to build a great bond, providing the child is old enough to know how to treat a dog.

If your child is likely to pull a whippets tail, trap a whippet or make him feel scared then the chances of him striking are still very low, however, this cannot be said for all whippets and needs to be judged on an individual basis.

Whippets are incredibly fast, so you’ll need to be careful in case your he accidentally runs into your child once off the leader, but the chances of him being aggressive towards a child and incredibly low.

So are whippets good with children?

Let’s find out…

Table of Contents

Are Whippets Good Family Dogs?

Whippets make an excellent choice of dog for all the family, they love nothing more than running which makes them great for keeping everyone fit and healthy.

Whippets, like all dogs, need a level of exercise each day, which can encourage families to take long walks together and this is a great opportunity for bonding.

These dogs have a gentle, loving nature and understand that a child is young and delicate.

Whippets are very understanding of children and have a lot of patience, providing your child knows how to treat a dog then the pair should get along very well and make an unbreakable bond.

If you own other dogs, then a whippet can also be a good choice as they are a great way to keep other dogs fit and healthy.

That being said if you’re a rabbit or cat owner then a whippet may not be for you, these dogs have a natural hunting instinct and are known to chase these prey pets, it’s not wise to own a whippet if you own small prey pets such as these.

Can Whippets Be Aggressive?

Whippets are generally very low aggression dogs; they don’t like confrontation and are incredibly emotionally sensitive.

They can feel when you’re having a bad day and this, in turn, impacts their day.

Just like all dogs, they can be aggressive at times, if they are backed up in a corner or threatened by another dog then they can bark and snarl.

However, in the 11 years that I’ve owned my whippet, I have seen her do this only twice, and both times was towards a dog that was being incredibly aggressive towards her, purely self-defence.

Many people assume that because these dogs are used for hunting, they have natural aggression that is higher than other dogs.

This couldn’t be further from the truth, although whippets are used for hunting, they are very low aggression dogs, and are more likely to lick an intruder than make a strike.

They have a soft temperament, which is why I truly believe they are one of the best family dogs out there, they love children, other dogs and can get along just fine with anyone.

Can Whippets Be Left Alone With Children?

No dog should ever be left alone with a child, no matter how comfortable you feel you are with both the dog and the child they should not be left alone together.

Dogs should always be supervised when around children, as accidents can happen and you never can be 100 percent certain with a child around.

are whippets good with children? — Image: bbartlomiej

Whippets are soft in nature and are even more so when it comes to children, I have a young nephew who my whippet absolutely adores, they get along great together and I have never had any incidents where I have been concerned for either of their wellbeing.

The trick to being safe with children and dogs is to teach a child how to treat a dog, they are animals that need love and affection, and should never be tormented or threatened.

Pulling a dog’s ears or tail is a big no-no, these types of behaviour need to be taught to your child by you, the dog owner.

It’s a dog owner’s responsibility for the protection of both the dog and your child, so it’s really important that you understand how to present your whippet to a child.

Do Whippets Shed?

If your child is asthmatic or has allergies which is affected by dog fur, then don’t worry too much as whippets don’t shed excessively.

Whippets have short smooth fur, which rarely comes off their body, they are very low maintenance dogs that don’t require a lot of grooming at all.

I personally take my whippet to the dog groomers to have her nails clipped and fur brushed once every four months, this keeps her squeaky clean and helps to keep the house free of fur too.

I am also asthmatic and allergic to dogs, which is why I originally decided on a whippet in the first place, as I found that when I was around these dogs they didn’t set my allergies off.

So if your child does have allergies affected by dogs, then you should take him to visit some whippets and see how they get on, as they can be one of the only dogs that don’t set these allergies off thanks to their fur.

Why Whippets Are Good With Children

There are plenty of reasons why whippets get along so well with children, here are a few that I have noticed over the years;

Patience

Whippets are patient by nature, which makes them great for being around kids.

Most whippets will be extremely patient with children, as they don’t want to startle or harm a child.

As long as your child understands how to treat a dog then the pair should get along just fine.

Training

Whippets can be trained to quite a high level with the right guidance, which means they follow commands from their owner and place full trust in their owner too.

However, you won’t need a highly trained whippet for them to be good around children, as they naturally know to be more gentle and patient with kids.

The training isn’t just for your whippet, your children should know how to treat a dog correctly so that they have mutual respect for each other and can build an unbreakable bond.

Small and lightweight

If you’ve ever seen a whippet in person then you’ll know just how small and lightweight they are.

This makes them a good option for those with kids, as they don’t have a large body that could injure a child if they accidentally collided.

You should be careful when your whippet is running at full speed, as they can run at speeds of up to 35mph, and if he runs into you at this speeds it can hurt even as an adult.

Love to play & relax

As whippets grow older then begin to love relaxing just as much as they love running.

This is great for kids as not only can they have lots of fun playing outside, but they can relax together and spend lots of time together inside your home too.

Whippets are excellent family dogs, as they enjoy long walks in the countryside but also love to be cuddled up on the couch with their owners.

Final Thoughts

So are whippets good with children?

Yes, but both your child and the dog needs some level of training so that they can have mutual respect for each other.

If your child pulls a whippets tail or traps him then the whippet could yelp and frighten your child, so there needs to be education on both sides.

For the most part whippets and children get along great, they are both small and enjoy playing in parks and spending time with each other.

Whippets are social dogs too so can mix with other dogs in the family.

By nature whippets are patient and relaxed dogs, so they’ll be extra patient with children, they are also incredibly low aggression dogs that rarely bark or snarl, so you shouldn’t feel that your child is in danger around a whippet.

That being said, you should never leave any dog unattended with a child, as accidents can happen and you should always be there to supervise this partnership.

As a whole, whippets and children get along great, they love to spend time with each other and make great companions for a young child.

If you’re wondering what dog to get as you have kids, then I can’t recommend whippets enough.

Hopefully, you have learned a thing or two about whippets and children in this post, and now have an answer to your question, are whippets good with children?