Thank you for your interest in whippets. The following is to help you decide if a whippet is really the right dog for you.

Please read this carefully, and then go to my APPLICATION and fill out completely.

A great many of the dogs at shelters and in rescue get there simply because they were the wrong breed for the owner. There is also good information at the American Whippet Club

The most important thing to remember in choosing a breed is that the various breeds are not just generic dogs in different fur suits. All breeds were developed for a purpose, and whether or not the dogs are still used for that purpose, the instincts are still there and in most cases,
still powerful influences. That's the reason a dog bred to herd (collies, Border collies, Old English sheepdogs, Welsh corgis, etc) often bark a lot and will chase children running through the yard. Both of these are instincts valuable to a working herding dog, but sometimes problems for pet owners. The same principle applies to dogs bred for protecting people and/or livestock (Dobermans, mastiffs, German shepherd dogs, etc) -- these dogs will be very--sometimes overly--protective.

If you think a whippet is a good choice for you, the good news is that adult whippets bond very quickly to new owners--this is the original "love the one you're with" breed. The bad news for those who want to adopt them (though it's good news for the breed), there are seldom very many whippets in rescue. It is unusual for us to have more than 10 or 12 nationally. Whippets are a very protected breed. Most breeders are careful to sell their puppies to the best homes they can find and there are not a lot of careless or casual breedings. The American Whippet Club has a strict code of ethics that requires breeders to "take back their own" at any time during the dog's life, so they don't wind up in shelters nearly so often as other breeds. The ones available in rescue right now are listed at Whippet Rescue.

However, you may sometimes find a breeder with an adult whippet who is looking for a new home. These are often retired show dogs, a dog who doesn't get along with another dog in the breeder's household, one which was returned to the breeder by his first owner, a show prospect that didn't live up to her potential, or a whippet which, for some other perfectly
respectable reason, is looking for a new home. Prices for these vary with the age of the dog, the reason it's looking for a home, etc. If you're interested in finding one of these, let me know.

If you really want a "bona fide rescue" and are willing to wait for one, go to Whippet Rescue and click on "Adoption application" at the top of the page. It's a PDF file, so you'll need Adobe Acrobat to print it. Fill that out and then look on the same page for the WRAP member nearest you. If you live in New England, that would be me.

You can mail your application to him or her and ask to be put on a waiting list, but be sure to keep checking the whippets available page or check with the rescuer periodically so she'll know you're still interested. Often people fill out these applications and then get a dog from elsewhere, so you'll need to remind her you're still waiting. Though we don't ship rescues, some rescuers will certainly consider out of state adoptions if you can come get the dog, so feel free to contact other rescuers in your state or in surrounding ones as well. Sometimes we do know of a rescue dog "in the wings" who is not yet ready for a new home so is not listed on the web site.

If you want to wait for one of my puppies, or have me refer you to another breeder in your area, let me know. If you want, I'll try to help you find a breeder who might have an adult if you're interested in going that route.

If you have other questions or I can help in other ways, let me know. And do let me know what you decide!

Application for a Merci Isle Whippet