Difference between Greyhound and Whippet

Talking about the differences between greyhounds and whippets, one can easily find out that the former of the two were an important part of history, as they were kept by the ancient rulers. On the other hand, whippets have got no such relevance and were mostly owned by working-class people.

Another major difference between these two breeds is that the greyhounds are larger in size. They can be 30 inches tall compared to whippets, who measure up to 21 inches.

Moreover, the weight of a greyhound is more compared to that of a whippet. The latter of the two weighs around 45 lbs whereas the former can weigh up to 70 lbs.

Despite being larger and heavier, greyhounds are quicker, when it comes to speed. Therefore, they are popular amongst racing lovers and are owned by different people around the world.

Due to their speed, greyhounds are used for hunting purposes. They were also used for the same purpose in ancient times whereas the whippets are not fast enough for this purpose.

Instructions

  • 1

    Greyhound

    Greyhounds are most popularly known for their racing these days and people in different parts of the world gamble on this form of racing to make some money. Although they are not as popular as horses, they manage to get the attention of a very large audience. In most parts of the United Kingdom, greyhound racing is held regularly and different trainers come out to test their luck.

    However, greyhounds were not only used for this purpose in older times and their history is quite interesting. They belong to the ancient time periods and the evidence of their existence can be verified through carvings on Egyptian tombs from 2751 B.C.

    Other than that, the Romans mentioned greyhounds in their history, which proves their importance in those times.

    Image Courtesy: boston.com

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    Whippet

    Although the whippets have been around for hundreds of years, they cannot be compared to greyhounds. Their breed started by the combination of Italian greyhounds and a terrier-type dog.

    In early days, people who could not afford buying horses for racing spent money on buying whippets, as they were inexpensive. This is why they were known to be “the poor man's racehorse.”

    The whippets were earlier found in England, but came to the United States in the early 1900's. Afterwards, their racing became quite popular in the country and Massachusetts was considered as the home to such racing.

    Image Courtesy: vetstreet.com

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