# What should a healthy whippet look like??



## PoisonGirl (Oct 24, 2008)

I know whippets etc are supposed to look a bit on the lean side..
But can someone show/tell me what is skinny for a whippet as I don't really know.

How many ribs are you supposed to actually be able to see and are you supposed to see any sort of hip bones at the back???


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## hawksport (Dec 27, 2009)

When I had mine I liked to be able to see three ribs, not all the time but as he moved.


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## Guest (Apr 7, 2010)

I think it depends a lot on the bred line of the whippet and how fit it is.
Difficult call with a dog built like that


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## terriermaid (Nov 5, 2007)

you shouldn.t be able to see the pins even on a very fit lean whipet


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## Freyja (Jun 28, 2008)

You should be able to feel the last 2 ribs and see a couple of the nobs on the spine you should not be able to see the pin bones.
This is Amber she was 15 months when this was taken









And this is her dad Owen it was taken a few years ago at crufts he was about 4 years old when it was taken he was free running every day with William at the time so was quite fit.


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## PoisonGirl (Oct 24, 2008)

Aww no, the one I saw, who lives accross the road and down a bit from me, she didn't have as curve back as that, (is that different lines or is she likely a cross?)
They walked past my window and you could see 3 or 4 ribs and the hip pins


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## Freyja (Jun 28, 2008)

Amber has a flatter back than her dad but he was trying to come to me when the photo was taken so is a bit hunched up. I had to use that one as its the best I have of him. She could also be a cross maybe a bit of greyhound in her ? Did you see how big she was? 

Even racing fit whippets should have their ribs covered and shouldn't have their pin bones showing. It sounds to me as if it needs a bit more weight on. Is it maybe an adolesent whippet? Some go through a leggy ribby stage it took a while to get Simba to look some thing like he should he always looked a bit ribby.


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## Guest (Apr 7, 2010)

These aren't too thin they are extra fit


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## PoisonGirl (Oct 24, 2008)

She was skinnier than those.

Don't think she's young, I remember bumping into them when Dave and Bully were able to go on there first walks and they didn't look puppyish then either.
She's quite small but I've never really met a whippet before, certainly not much taller than the average persons knees anyway


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## Freyja (Jun 28, 2008)

Amber is about 18.5" tall. Holly who is behind her is tiny she is 17" tall


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## Guest (Apr 7, 2010)

If she's thinner than those it needs reporting.
They are only that thin because of the fitness


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## PoisonGirl (Oct 24, 2008)

Hmmm.. dont have a tape measure but Dave is about 25" and she was much smaller than him. I'm rubbish at heights and stuff Lol


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## Freyja (Jun 28, 2008)

I think Amber is about knee height or slightly lower on me. Is she is skinny and you can see her ribs and pin bones that much I would report it or at least have a word with them and see if there is a reason.

Our first whippet Jasper never used to eat when he was younger. He wouldn't eat a handfull of food and all the vet said was he was a whippet and meant to be thin. She said as we were used to feeding a GSD we probably thought he wasn't eating enough but was. Needless to say we have changed vets and now Jasper's weight is fine mind you he's an old boy now.

My William was always thin this was the result of a major trauma and because of his anxiety problems we struggled to get the weight back on him.


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## PoisonGirl (Oct 24, 2008)

Yeah I will phone the sspca (in the hope that they arent useless as usual) though they will probably say 'she is underweight but not malnourished' like they did last time I rang them about a dog that was much worse.


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## LostGirl (Jan 16, 2009)

PoisonGirl said:


> Yeah I will phone the sspca (in the hope that they arent useless as usual) though they will probably say 'she is underweight but not malnourished' like they did last time I rang them about a dog that was much worse.


Atleast You will be trying, The ones ive know look very much like the photos on here Slim and lean but not skinny


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