Longhaired Whippet
Encyclopedia
The Longhaired Whippet is a medium-sized sighthound. It is a coated variety of the Whippet
, carrying the gene modification for longer coat. Although controversy originally focused on the origin of the longer hair, the modified FGF5 gene for longer hair in Greyhounds and Whippets has been scientifically proven, as reported by the College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, 2215 Biomedical Physical Sciences.
but with a longer silky coat and fringes. The breed standard indicates that the Longhaired Whippet should conform to the general appearance outlined by the Whippet breed standard except, of course, for the longer coat. However, the coat should not prevent the dog from being able to fulfill its function in the field as a running dog. They come in a variety of colors including: solids like red and black, parti-colors such as fawn and white, and various shades of brindle. They range in height from 18-22 inches at the shoulder and usually weigh between 20 and 30 lbs.
Temperament
Longhaired Whippets have sweet, friendly personalities and enjoy spending time with people and other dogs (especially dogs of their own kind). They are affectionate and loving yet still maintain the typical dignified sighthound demeanor. They tend to be a bit more biddable and eager to please than other sighthounds which makes them well suited to obedience and agility training. They do not make good guard dogs, but will bark a warning to their owners if they feel it necessary.
Like all sighthounds, they do not have a lot of body fat and are not suitable to be kept outdoors year round, nor for long periods outdoors in the cold or inclement weather.
There are some people who believe that the longer coat came from cross-breeding with other dogs such as the borzoi or shetland sheepdog. Recent gene mapping studies, however, have proven the intensely close relationship between modern herding dogs and all smooth whippets.
The controversy is mostly an academic one as all whippets were originally developed by cross-breeding other dogs such as greyhounds and terriers. No breed is more "pure" than any other, but some breeds were developed earlier in human history than others. Another controversy stems from the use of the word "whippet" in reference to the Longhaired Whippet. Some smooth whippet breeders openly oppose including the word "whippet" in the Longhaired Whippet's official breed name, although there are many other breeds who use names that are similar, such as "greyhound" and "Italian greyhound".
Those who believe that the Longhaired Whippet developed directly from the expression of a recessive longer coat gene carried by smooth whippets point out that there are a number of other sighthounds (e.g. borzoi, saluki, afghan hound), as well as other breeds (e.g. German Shepherd Dog, weimaraner, dachshund, corgi) who have known recessive long coated varieties. In fact, 2006 scientific research has proven the gene modification for long hair does exist in Greyhounds, the foundation breed for whippets. And recent genome research has shown that regular smooth whippets have a multiple breed heritage quite similar in genome structure to many other sighthounds and several herding dogs.
The Longhaired Whippet has been confused with the Silken Windhound
due to their similar appearance. The Longhaired Whippet is actually one of the founding breeds behind the Silken Windhound which was developed by borzoi breeder Francie Stull. She crossed Longhaired Whippets from Walter Wheeler's breeding kennel with borzoi to create the breed now known as the Silken Windhound.[4] While the two breeds are related, the Silken Windhound tends to be larger and has a different head type.
Another confusing name that has been used for the Longhaired Whippet is the "Silken Windsprite". This was originally a nickname used by Francie Stull, for her Silken Windhounds. "Windsprite" was Walter Wheeler's AKC kennel name and is in the pedigrees of his Longhaired Whippets. The Silken Windsprite name is now used by a few European breeders, especially in Germany, as a breed name for the Longhaired Whippets that they have imported from the U.S., but most Longhaired Whippet breeders in Europe have chosen to use the name Longhaired Whippet as their official breed name.
In addition to the events held by the national parent clubs, the Longhaired Whippet is also eligible to compete in conformation events held by rare breed clubs and minor kennel clubs including the Continental Kennel Club, the North American Kennel Club and the International All-Breed Canine Association (IABCA).
Longhaired Whippets, like all whippets, can excel in dog sports such as agility and obedience, which are open to all dogs through clubs such as the United States Dog Agility Association.
Longhaired Whippets are potential carriers of a genetic mutation MDR1 which makes them sensitive to certain drugs, particularly the common dewormer known as Ivermectin. There are several other commonly used drugs that these carrier status dogs should not take such as Zofran and Imodium. Carrier status for MDR1 can be established through a simple cheek swab tissue test. The eye disorder choroidal hypoplasia sometimes occurs in this breed, in smooth whippets, and in other types of dogs. A genetic test for this recessive trait
is available as well.
Whippet
The Whippet is a breed of dog in the sighthound family. They are active and playful and are physically similar to a small Greyhound.- Description :...
, carrying the gene modification for longer coat. Although controversy originally focused on the origin of the longer hair, the modified FGF5 gene for longer hair in Greyhounds and Whippets has been scientifically proven, as reported by the College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, 2215 Biomedical Physical Sciences.
Appearance
The Longhaired Whippet is a medium-sized, athletic sighthound, identical in build to the WhippetWhippet
The Whippet is a breed of dog in the sighthound family. They are active and playful and are physically similar to a small Greyhound.- Description :...
but with a longer silky coat and fringes. The breed standard indicates that the Longhaired Whippet should conform to the general appearance outlined by the Whippet breed standard except, of course, for the longer coat. However, the coat should not prevent the dog from being able to fulfill its function in the field as a running dog. They come in a variety of colors including: solids like red and black, parti-colors such as fawn and white, and various shades of brindle. They range in height from 18-22 inches at the shoulder and usually weigh between 20 and 30 lbs.
Temperament
Longhaired Whippets have sweet, friendly personalities and enjoy spending time with people and other dogs (especially dogs of their own kind). They are affectionate and loving yet still maintain the typical dignified sighthound demeanor. They tend to be a bit more biddable and eager to please than other sighthounds which makes them well suited to obedience and agility training. They do not make good guard dogs, but will bark a warning to their owners if they feel it necessary.
Exercise
Longhaired Whippets are capable of reaching very high speeds, but are not high-strung or hyperactive. They are sprinters and do enjoy being able to run and play, but spend a large amount of their time lounging comfortably at home.Like all sighthounds, they do not have a lot of body fat and are not suitable to be kept outdoors year round, nor for long periods outdoors in the cold or inclement weather.
History
The history of the Longhaired Whippet has not been without some controversy. In the 1970s, after several decades and breeding generations, an AKC Whippet breeder named Walter A. Wheeler Jr. went public with his successful breeding of a long coated variety of whippets developed from both his own smooth coated whippets and those from other whippet breeders that displayed observable evidence of carrying the longhair gene. The long coat is the result of the expression of a recessive gene for long hair which is carried in some lines of smooth whippets.There are some people who believe that the longer coat came from cross-breeding with other dogs such as the borzoi or shetland sheepdog. Recent gene mapping studies, however, have proven the intensely close relationship between modern herding dogs and all smooth whippets.
The controversy is mostly an academic one as all whippets were originally developed by cross-breeding other dogs such as greyhounds and terriers. No breed is more "pure" than any other, but some breeds were developed earlier in human history than others. Another controversy stems from the use of the word "whippet" in reference to the Longhaired Whippet. Some smooth whippet breeders openly oppose including the word "whippet" in the Longhaired Whippet's official breed name, although there are many other breeds who use names that are similar, such as "greyhound" and "Italian greyhound".
Those who believe that the Longhaired Whippet developed directly from the expression of a recessive longer coat gene carried by smooth whippets point out that there are a number of other sighthounds (e.g. borzoi, saluki, afghan hound), as well as other breeds (e.g. German Shepherd Dog, weimaraner, dachshund, corgi) who have known recessive long coated varieties. In fact, 2006 scientific research has proven the gene modification for long hair does exist in Greyhounds, the foundation breed for whippets. And recent genome research has shown that regular smooth whippets have a multiple breed heritage quite similar in genome structure to many other sighthounds and several herding dogs.
The Longhaired Whippet has been confused with the Silken Windhound
Silken Windhound
The Silken Windhound is a rare American breed of dog, a member of the sighthound family.-Appearance:The Silken Windhound is a graceful, small to medium-sized sighthound with a moderately long silky coat. This breed owes its unique appearance, elegant build, and the athleticism of a true coursing...
due to their similar appearance. The Longhaired Whippet is actually one of the founding breeds behind the Silken Windhound which was developed by borzoi breeder Francie Stull. She crossed Longhaired Whippets from Walter Wheeler's breeding kennel with borzoi to create the breed now known as the Silken Windhound.[4] While the two breeds are related, the Silken Windhound tends to be larger and has a different head type.
Another confusing name that has been used for the Longhaired Whippet is the "Silken Windsprite". This was originally a nickname used by Francie Stull, for her Silken Windhounds. "Windsprite" was Walter Wheeler's AKC kennel name and is in the pedigrees of his Longhaired Whippets. The Silken Windsprite name is now used by a few European breeders, especially in Germany, as a breed name for the Longhaired Whippets that they have imported from the U.S., but most Longhaired Whippet breeders in Europe have chosen to use the name Longhaired Whippet as their official breed name.
Recognition
The Longhaired Whippet is not currently recognized by any of the major kennel clubs in the English-speaking world. However, there are two national parent clubs set up for the breed: The Longhaired Whippet Association (Incorporated in 1981) who produce only purebred Whippets exhibiting or carrying the long haired gene and the International Longhaired Whippet Club, which breeds and registers purebred LHWs, and also tracks - in a separate registry - mixes of LHWs with other breeds. Both clubs offer conformation and performance events for their members. Effective spring 2010 Longhaired Whippets can compete in some AKC obedience and agility trials if they are neutered/spayed and registered with the AKC as mixed breeds.In addition to the events held by the national parent clubs, the Longhaired Whippet is also eligible to compete in conformation events held by rare breed clubs and minor kennel clubs including the Continental Kennel Club, the North American Kennel Club and the International All-Breed Canine Association (IABCA).
Longhaired Whippets, like all whippets, can excel in dog sports such as agility and obedience, which are open to all dogs through clubs such as the United States Dog Agility Association.
Health
Longhaired Whippets have been found to have some health issues (see below). The intense line breeding necessary to isolate and strengthen a visible recessive gene such as the longhair gene can concurrently isolate and strengthen other "invisible" recessive traits that had not previously been significant or even noted in a given breed or line.Longhaired Whippets are potential carriers of a genetic mutation MDR1 which makes them sensitive to certain drugs, particularly the common dewormer known as Ivermectin. There are several other commonly used drugs that these carrier status dogs should not take such as Zofran and Imodium. Carrier status for MDR1 can be established through a simple cheek swab tissue test. The eye disorder choroidal hypoplasia sometimes occurs in this breed, in smooth whippets, and in other types of dogs. A genetic test for this recessive trait
Dominance relationship
Dominance in genetics is a relationship between two variant forms of a single gene, in which one allele masks the effect of the other in influencing some trait. In the simplest case, if a gene exists in two allelic forms , three combinations of alleles are possible: AA, AB, and BB...
is available as well.