@Jim Garvie - I love those photos. You are an ambassador for the breed.

I know its off the subject, but here is what the kitty thinks of the Steel Jaws poster:

And whippets are called scared, skinny, shaky dogs.




They get this from the fact their tails stay tucked between their legs


If the tails don't hang like this, their conformation is incorrect. It has very little to do with being scared.

But, its not entirely incorrect. They can be a little more sensitive, they do shake some and they do stand in a way that gives that impression

Actually, their origin is more tied to bull baiting than dog fighting (again, media hype). The fact of the matter is that they are, as a breed very human-centered, which makes them ideal "fighters" because they will not (ha) turn on the humans who get in the rings. Even so, they are not born with an innate dog-aggression (the breed as a whole). I've seen far more dog aggressive BCs and Goldens than Pits.

Even the dogs whose CURRENT job is to kill strange dogs have to be raised that way, not born that way. I'm speaking of flock guarding dogs who are purposely isolated from any dogs outside of the farm they work so that they are not "socialized" and will attack and kill any intruding dog. Exposing guarding dogs to others and socializing them will ruin them for the work they are supposed to do on a real farm.

That all is true, but, dogs have been selectively bred for certain traits. No matter how much one would expose whippets to guarding sheep, very few would ever do so. You would have an outlier here and there that might. Same with herding.

I LOVE pitties. I think they are great dogs. One of the easiest breeds to come in for photos. The reality of it is they are more predisposed for dog aggression, to pretend they aren't is just as unfair as believing they are all man killers.

I have lived with one and she was a great dog, raised on a farm(went with me daily to the barn I worked at) around dogs non stop and she was still dog aggressive. She might not eat one, and then, she just might. Add in the fact she was an alpha bitch didn't help much.

I have a house full of very dominant dogs and never have a scuffle. Whippets were bred to be in a pack. YES, you will find some that aren't right in the head and some that can't be with other dogs but it is the rare one.

I have seen way too many bloodlines have the same personality traits, that there is way more nature to dogs than nurture. Same with people. Yes, they way they are exposed and raised makes a difference. The way they are to begin with is the majority of it though

Wow! 140. At the top of the standard plus a little bit.