How To Groom A Whippet Correctly

If you found yourself in the company of a jolly and adorable whippet, you might be searching about how to groom him correctly. If you are, then you have come to the right place.

Whippets have proven themselves to be captivating as pets, and I have always been fascinated by the breed, so I did some digging and also combined my past experience to teach you how to groom a whippet correctly.

First, a whippet doesn’t require too much grooming.

It’s great, right? However, this doesn’t answer the question of how to groom a whippet correctly.

Let’s look into this further.

Table of Contents

Why Is Grooming Your Whippet Important?

Grooming is an important part of overall pet care. While whippets may require less grooming than others, it’s not an excuse for you to disregard the regular grooming of your whippet.

Regular grooming, as well as brushing, helps in keeping your whippet’s coat in good condition, as it eliminates loose hair and prevents hair mats/knots.

Furthermore, regular brushing would serve well in promoting a shiny coat for your whippet.

That’ll help your whippet to avoid dust by having it slide off of his hair.

This shiny coat and dust-protection effect of regular brushing would mean lesser bath sessions, as your whippet would seldom need it.

Not only this, but grooming and brushing are also important in the sense that these tasks provide the opportunity for you to improve the bond between you and your pet.

If you will see grooming as something not only obligatory but also a way of showing love to your whippet, then every grooming time would be an enjoyable and worthwhile experience not only for your pet but also for you.

How To Groom A Whippet Correctly?

Grooming involves every part of your whippet. It doesn’t only pertain to your pet’s coat and hair, but also his ears, teeth, nails, and every part of his body.

If you are to groom your whippet correctly, you should be mindful of every part to take care, and how to do it.

Let’s tackle it one by one.

Weekly Brushing

Grooming a whippet is an easy task. Brushing at least once a week with a rubber glove and a bath would be ideal.

This should be enough to prevent your whippet from having dead hair and impurities in its coat.

Nail-Clipping: Reminders on How To Clip A Whippet’s Nails Safely

Did you know that your dog can experience injury and breakage because of long nails?

The best way to prevent this is to clip nails short enough for them not to touch the ground when he stands.

Nail-clipping is part of proper whippet grooming. Long nails cause the foot of a whippet to spread. This will eventually lead to your pet’s discomfort and lameness.
There are these dewclaws on whippets that, if disregarded and left untrimmed, can get easily caught while running. This kind of the nail in pets serves a purpose, and so it shouldn’t be removed unless there’s a reason to do so.
Be extra careful not to cut too much nail, as these may damage blood vessels and nerves near the tip. Should it happen, bleeding would probably occur, but don’t worry. This can be stopped by using styptic powder. Don’t worry too much about bleeding. While it may look painful and worrying, it’s not dangerous and your whippet would self-heal from it.
The best thing to do to be safe is to cut just the top of the nail and avoid cutting right across it. The top nail would be the hardest part, while the bottom will easily wear off through constant walking.

Here’s A Tip For You

It is ideal to train your whippet by starting a weekly manicure when he is still young.

Try to trim a little bit of nail and proceed with rewarding him a treat.

how to groom a whippet correctly — Image: Darien and Neil

This will train your pet for nail-clipping while preventing trouble caused by grown and untrimmed nails.

Using A Nail Grinder As An Alternative

Using a nail grinder is a safe alternative when it comes to clipping your whippet’s nails.

It’s really easy to use, providing the best solution for you and your whippet.

Here’s another tip for you.

If you are to use a nail grinder. Let your whippet make himself familiar with the grinder.

Let him touch and smell it, and make him used to its sound. This will help lessen his reaction to the grinder the first time you use it.

Checking Your Whippet’s Ears And Teeth Is A Must

Part of correct grooming includes checking your whippet’s ears and teeth. Neglecting this may lead to issues on your pet’s health.

Proper grooming includes checking your whippet’s ears. This way, you’ll be able to diagnose your pet by identifying signs of inflammation, foul smell, or discharge, just by checking the ears. Should you every find waxy matter in the ears, it could be a sign that your whippet has an infestation of ear mite. If such, consulting your vet would be your best action.
Often recommended, brushing your whippet’s teeth would help in preventing tartar from building up. However, other whippet owners prefer bone chewing as an alternative in cleaning the teeth.

Things You Need to Know About How to Wash Your Whippet

Dogs of every breed stink, especially if they roll themselves to stinky or dirty places. While your pet isn’t exempted from this, a whippet only requires to be washed every 4-5 months. Regular bathing isn’t necessary for your pet unless it gets dirty and stinky now and then from playing.
It is important to include a proper dog shampoo in your list of whippet grooming products. A shampoo that isn’t suited for your whippet might differ in pH level. Thus, using inappropriate shampoo won’t serve your whippet well.
Before taking a bath, I would suggest you give your pet a good brushing session. There’s no particular place where you should wash your pet, but doing it in a bathtub or a plastic pool outside would be ideal.
Be reminded that whippets aren’t fond of water, so you better be ready to be a little more persistent in your pet’s bathing session. There’s nothing to worry about, your pet will get the hang of it in due time. One tip is to train them to appreciate baths by providing treats and rewards in the tub.
Another helpful tip you can use during your whippet’s bath is to use a rubber matt. This will help you keep your dog relaxed and easily handled.
Regarding the proper washing, start with wetting the skin of your whippet. Afterwards, create a lather out of the shampoo, rubbing and massaging it gently on your pet. Don’t forget the belly, legs and toes. Be sure to rinse thoroughly to prevent dandruff and itchiness. Don’t worry too much if you found dandruff on your whippet. This can be solved by using a shampoo that contains sulfur or tar.

Visiting A Professional Dog Groomer

When it comes to our pets, going the extra mile for them isn’t something unusual.

Letting a professional dog groomer handle your pet won’t just keep your whippet pretty. It’ll also make him healthy and happy.

Here are other benefits of having an appointment with a professional dog groomer:

It’ll help you maintain your whippet’s coat and skin keeping them healthy. That’ll help your whippet prevent shedding.
Your dog will have his nails clipped properly. Thus, you won’t have to worry about cutting through and damaging the blood vessels and the nerves on the tip.
Your pet will look good, and smell good. You can enjoy cuddling and playing with your whippet without irritating your nose and dirtying your clothes.
Having a regular visit to a professional dog groomer will help in detecting issues on the ears, skin, and teeth of your whippet.

Final Thoughts

As the owner, you will know yourself how indulging the company of a whippet can be.

Your pet is a highly affectionate companion with a friendly personality, and with that being said, you will surely know that you would always enjoy being with him.

Whippets indeed require less grooming than others, but it doesn’t give you an excuse as the owner to pay less attention to it, or worse, disregard it.

Grooming your whippet includes not only weekly brushing but also regular clipping of nails, as well as regular checking of ears and teeth.

With regards to clipping nails, it’s ideal to use a nail grinder to efficiently do the task, as letting the nails of your whippet go untrimmed may result in injury and negative effects in the future.

Whippets don’t need regular baths. Washing your pet at least once every 5-6 months would be enough unless he becomes dirty due to excessive playing and running.

While it isn’t necessary, setting an appointment with a professional dog groomer would be ideal.

If you think you can manage to groom your whippet, at least let have him checked from time to time to make sure he stays healthy.

Grooming your whippet requires less work in comparison to other breeds, but it shouldn’t stop you from putting in your love and effort with every brush and cuddle.

Like us, they also need love and attention as much as they need proper grooming.

Hopefully, you learned how to groom a whippet correctly and had fun reading this article. Now go, and cuddle your whippet for me.