How Big Do Whippets Get? A Guide to Whippet Size

Whippets are classed as medium-sized dogs, and they’re certainly one of the smaller breeds of Sighthound, but what does this really mean? Is there a size scale in terms of medium-sized dog breeds? If so how big do Whippets get on that size continuum?

In this post I’m going to tell you precisely how big Whippets get as adult dogs and what this equates to in terms of height and weight.

I’ll do this for both male and female Whippets, as there are slight differences.

Understanding Whippet Size

As medium-sized dogs, Whippets pretty much follow the same rule as most dog breeds: males are generally taller and heavier than females.

Unless they are bully Whippets of course!

As a general rule, Whippet puppies usually hit their adult height between 8 and 12 months. However, they still have to develop muscle to grow into their frame. This normally means that they are not full-grown until they hit the 12 to 15 month mark.

After 15 months, most Whippets are considered adults in physical terms, although my experience is that, in terms of their approach to life, they remain puppies forever!

Whippets are generally thought of as a “skinny” breed. Some people who don’t know the breed believe they’re underfed… but this isn’t the case. Healthy Whippets don’t carry much fat at all.

However, Whippets can get fat if they’re overfed, so it’s important to be careful with food. Furthermore, Whippets need daily exercise of up to an hour.

Canine obesity is a very real problem and can both shorten a Whippet’s lifespan and impact the quality of its life.

How Big Do Male Whippets Get?

As I mentioned earlier, for most dog breeds males tend to be bigger than females. The difference in size varies according to the breed.

The adult male Whippet size looks something like the following:

• Male Whippet Height – Adult males can measure between 18.5″ and 22.5″ (47cm to 57cm)
• Male Whippet Weight – Adult males weigh between 15lbs and 42lbs (6.8kg and 19.1 kg)

How Big Do Female Whippets Get?

Interestingly, although females dogs tend not to be as big as males, they generally reach puberty and adult size earlier than males do.

Regardless, the adult female Whippet size looks something like the following:

• Female Whippet Height – Adult females can measure between 17.5″ and 21.5″ (44cm and 55cm)
• Female Whippet Weight – Adult females weigh between 15lbs and 42lbs (6.8kg and 19.1 kg)

Summary: A Guide to Whippet Size

Whippets are in my opinion the ideal size. They’re not too big to be a problem for any type of accommodation: they make ideal apartment dogs and would be equally happy on a large estate.

At the same time they’re not so small as to be a hazard: I’m clumsy and would struggle with an Whippig!

Male Whippets tend to be larger than females, but as a rule females reach adult size before males.

If you want to know more about Whippets, read my Whippet dog breed information guide. Alternatively, if you want to know what it’s like to share your life with one of these lovely creatures, find out about some of the things only a Whippet owner can tell you!

Do you have any questions on Whippet size or have anything to share about how big they get? Please use the comment section at the end of this page.

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