How Much Does A Whippet Cost?

So you’ve decided that a whippet is the dog for you, and you’re ready to embark on the adventure of a lifetime with your new furry companion.

But how much does a whippet cost?

Whippets vary quite a lot in price, and there are a lot of other costs that you’ll want to bear in mind when buying a whippet.

The cost of a whippet typically comes from its heritage, is the dog from a racing background?

Or are the whippet’s parent’s excellent working dogs?

If so, this is going to cost you more more than buying a whippet that is not from a racing or working background.

If you’re looking for a whippet that you’re going to be using for racing, then the price can go up quite drastically.

In this post, we are going to go through how much does a whippet cost? To ensure that you know what you’ll need to fork out for when it comes to buying a whippet.

Table of Contents

Whippet Puppy Prices

One of the first things you’ll need to decide when buying a whippet is do you want a whippet puppy or a mature whippet?

These are quite different, as typically a whippet puppy price is a little more expensive.

There are also some added costs that come with a whippet puppy, such as vaccinations, as well as registering the dog.

Whippet puppies are incredibly cute dogs, and you’ll be able to mould the whippet into exactly the type of dog you want through care and training.

how much does a whippet cost? — Photo by Mitchell Orr on Unsplash

A whippet puppy is one that you’ll have for a lifetime, whereas a mature whippet has already passed its infantile stage, which can mean they are a lot calmer and usually easier to train.

The whippet puppy price here in the UK is between £800 – £2000, but this is dependent on the breeder and a lot of other variables.

Whippet Adults Prices

If you choose to buy a whippet that’s a little older, then this will usually save you a little bit of money.

My recommendation is to rescue a whippet, pop down to your local dog kennels to see if there are any there, that was you’ll save money and also save a whippet from a life of misery.

Rescuing a whippet can mean you need to need to spend that extra time building his/her confidence up, but once you do, your whippet will be forever grateful.

If you would like to explore this route then I recommend speaking to whippetrescue.org.uk, as they are one of the most reputable whippet rescue organisations in the country and have a selection of over 100 whippets that are looking for there next home.

If you decide not to go down the rescue avenue, then the price of an adult whippet will cost around £300 – £500, again this depends on the breeder, genetics and other variables.

Adult whippets are usually a little easier to train than puppies, so if you’re an inexperienced dog owner then this could be the best route for you.

Variables That Influence The Price Of Whippets

Now that we know the average price of both a puppy and adult whippet, what are the other variables that can impact the price?

Well, whippets are often used as racing dogs, so if the parent’s of your whippet has been used for racing, and if they were good racers then this will impact the price significantly.

This is because your whippet will be the descendant of racing whippets, which mean the chances are it will also be a great racing dog as it’s in the dogs DNA.

Another variable that can impact the price of a whippet is if the parents are working whippets, which means they have been used for hunting.

Whippets are part of the sighthound family, which mean they hunt with sight and speed, they were originally bred for hunting here in the UK in the early 1600s.

If the parents of the whippet you’re interested in are exceptional hunters, then the price for their puppies can go up drastically, as again the chances of the puppies being strong working dogs are likely.

Other variables that can influence the price of a whippet are genetics, for example, if the whippet has unique colouration on its body, maybe it has one white ear and one black, or one blue eye and one brown.

These variables can influence the price of a whippet, meaning you’ll pay a little more for the uniqueness of the dog.

Choosing The Right Breeder

You’ll want to ensure you choose the right breeder when buying your whippet.

Again I strongly recommend checking out your local dog kennels or whippet rescue before going to a breeder, but if you wish to do so then check out the breeder’s history is a good idea.

Some breeders are purely in the business for profit, they want to maximise the amount of money made from each puppy and minimize their expenses in doing so.

This means that some breeders can cut costs, which may mean feeding the parents on a low-quality diet, leaving them in a cold pen and generally mistreating the whippets.

When buying a whippet you should try to do your research on the breeder to ensure that they are looking after their whippets and not purely in it for a profit.

A good whippet breeder will have used the best dog for their particular bitch, often involving travel and other associated costs in doing so.

They will have had their bitch tested for any condition that she could pass on to their pups, and will give puppies the best possible start in life.

A good breeder will also ensure that all dogs are wormed properly and weaned correctly, as well as rearing the dogs indoors.

This helps the dogs become accustomed to household sights and sounds, meaning the dogs won’t be anxious when coming into your home for the first time.

The puppies should have been kept warm for 24 hours a day, and the parents should have been looked after correctly with no expense spared.

This type of breeding costs a lot more than breeding purely for a profit, you’ll usually be able to tell from the conditions that you visit the dog in if they’ve been looked after appropriately.

Other Costs Associated With A Whippet

So you’ve worked out whether you want a puppy or an adult, and you know which type of breeder to look out for and which to avoid.

But what other costs are associated with buying a whippet?

Well, here are some of the costs that you may not have thought of to look out for, as some can be expensive and you’ll need to account for them;

Dog food

For the most part, dog food is relatively cheap, but if your whippet is going to be racing, or hunting for you then you may want to choose a premium food.

Opting for a food that is healthy and nutritious will ensure your dog loves when it’s time to be fed, and it’ll be able to build and maintain muscle whilst running.

Dog bed

The first hidden cost that you may not have first thought of is a dog bed. Every dog needs one, and some are more expensive than others.

Whippets have a slim, lean body, which means if they’re not sleeping on a good bed they’ll feel the cold hard floor beneath them.

Whippets also love to try to dig; the amount of times I have had to replace my dog bed as I have bought a fluffy wool one thinking it’s going to do the job is astronomical.

You should opt for a high quality, hardwearing dog bed for your whippet, so it won’t get ripped to shreds from your whippet trying to burrow in it.

Leader

A dog leader is relatively cheap when compared to other products you may need, you can pick them up for less than £10 here in the UK.

That being said it’s worth factoring into your expenses, as it is a hidden cost that people may forget about.

Toys

If you decide to get a whippet puppy, then you’ll want to make sure you purchase a selection of toys or your dog to play with.

This will ensure that your dog isn’t agitated and doesn’t chew items around your household.

Purchasing a couple of chew toys for your dog to play with is a good idea, as it’ll mean he’s occupied and not chewing holes in your sofa.

Coat

All whippet owners know that when it comes to the wintertime your whippet needs a nice warm coat to protect him from the cold.

Whippets don’t hold much body fat at all, which can mean they get very cold in the winter.

Dog coats aren’t very expensive, usually around the same price as a dog bed but they do vary in quality.

Choosing a dog coat that’s big enough for your whippet and is going to keep him warm in the winter months is a great idea to ensure he’s happy going for walks in the cold.

Vaccines

If you’re buying a puppy from a reputable breeder then the vaccination process is usually already taken care of.

However, if you’re buying from a friend or someone who is inexperienced in the dog breeding world then you may have to pay for the vaccinations yourself.

To get your whippet fully vaccinated it will usually cost you no more than £100 here in the UK, but if you’re not expecting it this can be a hidden cost that your hit with if you’re not careful.

Insurance

Dog insurance is essential for those that don’t want to be hit with a big bill should their whippet fall ill.

It’s usually less than £30 a month here in the UK and that means the insurance company will pay if your dog needs any surgery or expensive medication to get him on the mend again.

Microchip

A microchip will ensure that if your dog goes missing, it can be found easily with a trace of the chip.

This is crucial for those dogs that are a little feisty and tend to run away, but they’re also a good idea for whippets, as they are known to run and chase prey.

No matter how much training you give your whippet once it’s on the chase with a rabbit you’ll struggle to get him back to you, so a chip is always a good idea for whippet owners.

Final Thoughts

Hopefully, you now know what to expect when buying a whippet, and have a better understanding of the price you’ll pay for your whippet.

So how much does a whippet cost?

That realty depends, on whether or not you want a puppy or an adult, as well as the variables I have discussed above.

The whippet puppy price is little more expensive, and you may need to fork out for additional costs too.

If you are looking for a whippet then I can’t recommend enough to rescue a whippet, there are plenty of gorgeous whippets out there that are looking for there new home and need a helping hand to get back into family life.

Hopefully, you have enjoyed this post and have learned a thing or two about the price of whippets.