Are Whippets Lazy Dogs?

Whippets are elegant slender dogs that are widely loved for their intelligence, devotion, and affection. Whippets are closely related to the greyhound breed and are very agile and energetic dogs.

However, it is widely believed that whippets are lazy dogs because they love to sleep on furniture when staying indoors. But are whippets lazy dogs? When you look at their genetics, the whippet was primarily bred to be a hunting companion.

Whippets are fast dogs and have a high prey drive, which means that they love to chase prey at high speeds (approximately up to 35 miles per hour).

At one time in history, people called this breed the poor man’s greyhound because of its swiftness in winning dog races.

This article will help you understand whether whippets are lazy or active dogs and how to discern if your whippet is lazy. Additionally, you will also learn how to reenergize your whippet so you can always enjoy its company.

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Why Some Dogs Are Lazy

If you are a concerned dog owner, you will be curious and even worried when your pet starts becoming lazy.

Although some dog breeds are closely associated with laziness, this trait mostly arises among dogs due to behavioural, physical, and environmental changes.

Numerous reasons can make your dog lazy. Puppies always have high energy levels and enjoy playing with their owners for hours. As the dog ages, various aspects of its life change and may contribute to its laziness.

Below are six possible reasons why your dog is becoming lazy:

Age

Age is an unavoidable aspect of any life. Dogs tend to become less active as they become older. The whippet is no exception. It will slowly become calmer when it gets old and prefer sleeping for extended periods rather than playing.

Old dogs have to use more energy when moving about, so they tend to avoid such energy-depleting activities.

Lazing around and sleeping helps your old dog maintain its energy levels and recover from strenuous activities such as long walks.

Boredom

Highly agile and energetic dog breeds need owners who are physically active and available. Such dogs need strict training and exercise schedule to ensure they don’t develop boredom and become lazy.

A dog that rarely gets any form of fun or stimulation is likely to start lazing around the house or backyard. In particular, Whippets need regular exercise and visits to dog parks where they can play and run around.

Kindly remember that failing to exercise your dog leads to behavioural changes where it becomes accustomed to sleeping and relaxing instead of being playful.

Diet

Some dogs are sensitive to changes in diet. If you switch up your dog’s diet and realize it’s becoming lazier, it’s probably best to make appropriate changes to rectify this issue.

For instance, you may have significantly increased your dog’s food volume, which can promote laziness.

You may also be feeding your pet an inappropriate diet that affects its metabolism and energy levels. It would help if you conducted proper research on what is best for your dog to avoid such diet issues.

Nowadays, you can find breed-specific dog foods that provide optimal nutrition and energy.

The Weather

Dogs, including whippets, react to weather and climate changes by altering their behaviour.

Hot weather generally slows down dogs, mainly if they are used to cooler weather conditions.

Dog’s behaviour also changes with an increase in heat levels, and they tend to be lazier.

It’s common to find your dog resting in a shaded area for most of the day in the summer. You can assist your dog in staying active by providing cool water or a cool room during such times.

Sickness or Injury

A sick or injured dog is likely to be lazier than a healthy one. If your dog starts to show signs of laziness suddenly and everything doesn’t seem ok, it might be ill or injured. Such a dog will limp, vomit and appear tired.

It is never advised to ignore injuries or illness just because your dog appears lazy. If you notice these manifestations, it would be best to visit a vet.

Nature

Different dog breeds come with varying temperaments. Your dog’s breed may be naturally calm, and that’s why your pet always seems to be lazy.

Such a situation is more likely to be true if the dog has always acted that way and veterinary doctors haven’t identified any health complications.

If this is the situation, you should be delighted because it’s better to have a calm, lazy dog than a destructive one. So, if your dog is naturally peaceful, healthy, and content with life, there’s no need to worry about it.

Is My Whippet Just Not Fit Enough?

Whippet owners, who own a lazy dog often wonder, are whippets lazy dogs? As discussed earlier, whippets are generally agile and quick pets, but physical stimulation can significantly affect their habits.

A lazy whippet is likely to develop an irregular muscle tone, develop digestive problems and display behavioural changes.

Such dogs are also expected to gain excessive weight, which is detrimental to their cardiopulmonary health.

Since whippets are part of the sighthound family, they must have enough space to run to ensure they exercise well. This graceful breed has a high instinct to chase prey and prefers short sprint bursts over long-distance running.

However, since many dog owners aren’t experts in dog health and fitness, it is often hard to know whether your whippet is fit enough. If you are speculating whether your whippet is unfit, here are three manifestations you will probably see.

Increased Weight Gain

Whippets are generally lean and slender mid-sized dogs. If you notice your whippet is becoming bulkier and fatter, it is probably time to analyze and adjust its exercise schedule.

Whippets don’t usually gain weight quickly, so yours may be unfit if it appears stout and fat.

Disruptive and Destructive Behaviour

Destructive behaviour among dogs is often an outlet for their unutilized energy. An active dog breed such as the whippet will begin destroying household items to use up energy reserves.

Such an occurrence is a clear indicator that it requires more physical activity, such as open-field running.

Stiffness

As you interact with your whippet is body should be calm and relaxed. If the dog appears to be stiff and has low stamina, it is probably physically unfit.

Since stiffness can occur because of muscle pains, it is always advised to take it to a veterinary hospital to identify the root cause.

How To Tell If My Whippet Is Lazy

Since you can’t talk directly to your whippet, it is often hard to know if it’s lazy, sick, or injured. However, if you have a lazy whippet, you can quickly know by looking for the following manifestations.

Becoming Withdrawn

A whippet that doesn’t get adequate physical and mental stimulation is likely to become withdrawn.

Such a dog will suddenly stop being social and will appear uninterested in spending time with you. You may notice that your whippet will just find a secluded corner, curl up and sleep.

Walking Instead Of Running

Whippets are a highly energetic dog breed; they love chasing prey and exploring new areas. This dog always prefers to run when it’s off the leash, especially in open public places.

A whippet that constantly walks instead of running even when excited is highly likely to be physically unfit.

A Reluctance To Play Or Exercise

Whippets love playing and exploring when at home and during walks. These intelligent dogs can even know when it’s time to go out and nudge their owners to accompany them.

Your whippet may be physically unfit if you realize that it’s reluctant to for walks and exercise.

How To Stop My Whippet Being Lazy

Providing sufficient exercise for your whippet should be a paramount priority. These dogs require a minimum exercise time of one hour daily to ensure they get enough excitement and stimulation.

Ideally, it would be best if you split exercise time into several walks.

You can provide the whippet with a short morning walk session and a lengthier one later on the day so that it gets a chance to explore and have fun.

If you can get access to a secured play area, you can release your whippet from its leash and let it roam the environs, and enjoy a good run.

It is also essential to avail yourself during your whippet’s exercise time. Playing and exercising with your whippet helps improve bonding, and the dog will associate you with fun activities.

This form of exercise helps your dog to become more active and excited when you spend time together.

Apart from physical stimulation, it would help if you incorporated mental stimulants in your whippet’s exercise schedule. This process involves playing fetch with a frisbee or other dog toy where your dog uses both energy and intellect to solve puzzles.

Final Thoughts

So, are whippets lazy dogs? The verdict is no. These slender dogs are highly energetic and love to run at high speed when playing.

However, failing to provide physical and mental stimulation for your whippet can make it extremely lazy and cause behavioural changes.