Whippets are adorable pups that are related to the greyhound breed, though they probably look more like the Italian greyhound than greyhounds, which, believe it or not, have their differences.
We understand that you are searching for the best whippet breeders most likely because you have heard that searching for a good breeder is highly important when it comes to purchasing a high-quality pup that will be your best friend.
Congratulations to you for taking the first step to becoming a good dog owner who is concerned about the wellbeing of your dog.
In this article, we will not only talk about what to look out for when you are searching for the best whippet breeders, but also the telltale signs of the good and the bad when it comes to examining different breeder procedures.
But first, we will identify some of our favorite whippet breeders!
Whippet Puppies For Sale
Here is a list of some reputable breeders that we can list because we approve of their policies! Some of these hobby kennels might prove to be the right fit for you and your needs.
These breeders only serve as a taste for what can be considered the best whippet breeders out there.
1. Karasar Whippets Info.
• Location: Saint Petersburg, FL 33703
• Phone: (727) 415-9472
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: Karasar Whippet
2. Windsong Whippets Info.
• Location: Sinks Grove, West Virginia 24976
• Phone: (304) 647-3158
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: windsongwhippets
3. Sovereign Whippets And Gothic Smooth Fox Terriers Info.
• Location: Sanford, North Carolina 27332
• Phone: (919) 718-1372
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: Sovereign Whippets And Gothic Smooth Fox Terriers
4. Nickeroos Whippets Info.
• Location: Richardson, TX 75083
• Phone: (214) 803-4423
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: Nickeroos Whippets
5. K9 Corral Info.
• Location: Windom, TX 75492
• Phone: (903) 227-9061
• Website: K9 Corral
6. Disa Whippets Info.
• Location: Mansfield, GA 30055
• Website: Disa Whippets
7. Phoenix Whippets Info.
• Location: Loxahatchee, FL 33470
• Website: Phoenix Whippets
8. Wyndham Whippets Info.
• Location: Mount Sterling, KY 40353
• Website: Wyndham Whippets
9. Mardel Robeson Info.
• Location: Gentry, AR 72734
• Phone: (479) 283-3342
10. Wendy’s Whippets Info.
• Location: Guthrie, OK 73044
• Phone: (405) 740-5189
11. Timbreblue Whippets Info.
Location: Virginia and South Carolina
Phone: (540) 784-8948
Email: [email protected]
Website: Timbreblue Whippets
What To Look For In A Good Breeder
After looking at some of our choices, you might be looking for a comprehensive list that lays out what to look for in a good breeder, but the truth is that it all depends on what you are looking for.
You might be searching for a puppy that is for the show ring (and has the potential of being a whippet best in show). Or, perhaps you are searching for one that will compete in lure coursing or racing activities.
Whatever the case is, the first step is to envision what sort of dog you want to have. It is well-known that different breeders are known to produce different kinds of dogs.
In any case, you want to make sure that the person you are purchasing from is a high-quality whippet breeder.
For the sake of simplicity, we will make the assumption that the dog you are looking for is a family pet that will be healthy and friendly with others.
This means that vet costs should be manageable, and that your pet should have the approximate lifespan of the average whippet (which is around twelve to fourteen years).
Some Things To Consider
There are some that would claim that a great breeder will always let you see the dogs first, but it is also known that some high-quality whippet breeders refuse to do so, even though their puppies are of show-winning quality.
However, that doesn’t mean that these kinds of whippet breeder really cares about their puppies — maybe they are more interested in the prestige that the puppies bring them than the puppies themselves.
But, even these kinds of breeders know that concentrating on a single breed in order to win means being up to date with what makes the best puppies (though some may breed other dogs with whippets, like poodles).
Good breeders are usually up to date when it comes to everything that goes down in dog clubs, and they understand the ins and outs of whippet puppy genes, such as what makes for a healthy pup.
They have to maintain a tight network with other breeders, and they keep each other in check with doing things the right way when it comes to raising puppies.
There are also people who are strictly against breeders who breed whippet puppies for profit, claiming that there is no love involved in the process and that these breeders are just out for the money.
However, there are a lot of for-profit breeders who genuinely love their puppies and show them just the right amount of care and affection that they need in order to grow into healthy pups ready for adoption.
A commercial breeder might have many reasons for wanting to earn profit on breeding pups — at the end of the day, something needs to pay the bills, right?. That doesn’t strictly mean that such a kennel is automatically a puppy mill.
What is more important to look out for is that the breeder that you are considering cares more about the puppies’ wellbeing as opposed to profit.
The Red, Yellow, and Green Signs of Puppy Breeding
Producing good and healthy puppies requires a certain kind of care. Now that you know that it isn’t all that simple, you should know that we have a solution!
We have decided to lay out the red, yellow, and green signs that someone could have in order to be considered a good or bad breeder.
If a breeder displays any red signs, you should steer far away from them because these are telltale signs of a bad breeder.
Yellow signs might be okay in certain situations, but usually, you want to look out if there are too many of them in a breeder, which could mean that the breeder is steering in the wrong direction with his or her practices.
Green signs mean that the breeder is demonstrating great practices when producing high-quality puppies, and these are telltale signs of a great breeder.
A good breeder will have many green signs, no yellow signs (or very few of them), and absolutely no red ones. A good breeder’s processes will also be in conformation to the breed standard when it comes to breeding dogs.
You can check if a breeder displays any of these signs through ads, over the phone, email, or even by personally visiting them.
But, What If I Feel Sorry For The Puppy?
You might have difficulties in not purchasing a puppy if you see that the breeder is treating it poorly, but remember that you are supporting the bad breeder’s ways if you decide to buy a pup out of pity.
The puppy might also be ill due to the lack of treatment, which means — yeah, you guessed it right — that you will have to pay more trips to the vet, and that will cost you much more money than you would have otherwise spent.
If you really want to help the cause of preventing poor breeding, the best way to deal with the issue is by reporting a bad breeder until animal control decides to do something about it. Just don’t give up and don’t buy a puppy from a bad breeder!
And, now for the red, yellow, and green signs of breeding!
The Red Signs
Here are certain signs that you should pay a particular amount of attention to when you notice that a breeder is selling a whippet dog.
The breeder’s kennel should not be dirty
If a breeder’s home is filthy, that is a clear sign that he or she is not taking care of the dogs properly. Untidiness is different from cleanliness — you can tell if someone hasn’t cleaned for ages!
The whippet dogs look unhealthy, really nervous, or irritable
When you are buying a purebred whippet, you want to make sure that it is healthy. Whippet puppies for sale should display signs of health and the personality that accompanies the breed.
The breeder claims that puppies are always available
Since there are a lot of litters being produced by this breeder, it is very likely that the puppies won’t be getting the attention that they need in order to have proper socialization.
This, in turn, means that the dogs won’t be of high quality.
The breeder doesn’t care about your experiences with dogs
Most good breeders require that you fill out an application, and they will ask many questions about your experiences raising other dogs.
This shows that they really care that their puppies are going into good homes, and that they have provided the pups with the attention they needed for them to grow into healthy dogs.
The breeder makes excuses about not meeting the mother
The puppies’ mother makes up about 75% of your potential whippet puppy’s personality because of genetics and upbringing.
There is a high chance that if you don’t like the mother, you won’t like the puppy.
If the breeder keeps on making excuses, such as “sorry, the mom is at a dog show and you won’t be able to see her,” that’s a red sign right there.
The breeder is happy to sell puppies under eight weeks of age
Puppies should not be separated from their mother or litters if they are under eight weeks of age because it is highly important for their socialization process.
It is even against the law to sell puppies in certain states if they haven’t reached this age mark.
The breeder is fine with payment plans
The truth is that if you can’t afford to buy a puppy, you probably don’t have what it takes to maintain a puppy (just think about health care and other costs).
Good breeders will know this, and since they care about the pups, they won’t want to sell them to someone who can’t financially take care of them.
The breeder doesn’t care about spaying/neutering
Dog owners as well as breeders care about neutering or spaying dogs for a variety of reasons, one of which is to regulate sexual arousal.
Certain puppies aren’t meant to be bred due to a variety of issues, and a good breeder will want to discuss this with you because they care very much about what happens to the puppies and their bloodline.
The breeder sells puppies at public places
A puppy is a family member who is coming into a new home. You don’t want to purchase your puppy without getting to know them thoroughly.
If you are buying a puppy at a public place, you are only supporting the inhumane selling of puppies like they are lemonade to be bought at an outdoor stand.
The breeder has a bad attitude
If all the above is true, you still need someone you can call if you have questions to ask about your new puppy. If someone is super rude and doesn’t want to talk to you, then that won’t be good for your puppy or you.
It also suggests that the breeder doesn’t really have the puppy’s best interests at heart.
The Yellow Signs
These don’t necessarily have to be as bad as the red signs, but you definitely need to get more information if your breeder shows any yellow sign.
The breeder ships everywhere
Most breeders will prefer you to pick up a puppy personally as opposed to shipping it off to your door in order to reduce the amount of stress the puppy might experience.
Some good breeders, however, do ship puppies, but usually as a last resort.
Dog registration is questionable
As of today, the American Kennel Club (or the AKC), as well as the Canadian Kennel Club are the standard for recognizing purebred dogs. Most people out there will try to find a certified AKC breeder of merit.
AKC breeders concern themselves with the ins and outs of all purebred dog breeds. If you want to know what the standard looks like for the whippet, find out more here.
Some registries will claim that they sell pedigree dogs and that they are registered, but if your aim is to have a purebred dog, then you want to be sure that your dog is registered at a legitimate registry.
Of course, different registries might register dogs, but you might want to know the backstory before going all in.
Additional strings attached
Certain breeders might want to use your puppy for additional breeding in the future, but usually, when it comes to breeding, breeders simply won’t want to sell a dog if it is a show dog.
There are situations, however, when a breeder has a rarer bloodline to maintain, but this whole endeavor can be draining to both the dog owner and the dog.
Future puppy breeding shouldn’t be a requirement to purchase a dog, but there might be a really good reason that might be right for both you and the breeder.
Puppies as holiday gifts
We get it — it’s cute in movies and books, but it probably isn’t the best idea to purchase a puppy as a Christmas gift, and especially not as a surprise Christmas gift.
Breeders who advertise their puppies as Christmas gifts probably don’t have the puppies’ best interests at heart.
If you are adopting a puppy into a new home, it is a big step for both you and the family that involves much preparation and responsibility.
Surprises just won’t cut it.
Confusing maintenance signs
We understand that sometimes when you visit the breeder, it can be a hectic day for the dogs. Maybe there is an ill dog or the dogs are in crates, which might make you ask if this breeder is a good one.
You might be worried, which is why it is important to ask more questions. For instance, if the ill dog has an appointment to the vet soon, that’s a good sign.
Or, maybe the dogs are only in crates when there are visitors in order to make things easier, but they otherwise usually always get exercise.
The breeder sells rarer varieties
While this is not strictly a bad thing, you have to know that rarer varieties of dog breeds may come with certain health problems that you would rather avoid.
Always make sure to do all the research before purchasing a dog from a breeder who specializes in the odder variants of dog breeds.
You might want to consider examining the breeder’s website for more information when it comes to what you should look out for while purchasing a whippet pup if it is a rarer variant.
The Green Signs
These are the signs that your breeder is a good one and really cares about the wellbeing of the puppies he or she breeds.
Health checks on mothers and pups
If a breeder offers a list of certain health checks that were performed on the mother and the pups (such as thyroid, eye, heart, blood clotting, etc. tests), this is a really good sign that the breeder knows what he or she is doing.
A generalized statement that the vet has checked the pups and mom is too general; specificity is key.
The breeder cares about where the pup will be during its lifetime
If the breeder is concerned (at the time of purchase) with taking back the dog if you happen to not be able to take care of it anymore, or wishes to know which home it will be located in, this is a great sign.
This means that the breeder wishes to know that the dog is being cared for at all times, and wants to ensure that it won’t find its way in a random shelter.
The breeder requires a written application form
Good breeders will want to know everything about a dog’s new home, which is why they often require an application form that all potential dog owners will need to fill out.
They wish to know all of this information because they really care if their dogs will be put into a suitable home.
The breeder informs you about the breed’s maintenance
Good breeders will also make sure that you know about the pros and cons of getting a whippet as well as how to take care of one properly as opposed to other breeds.
Certain breeds are different from others, and it is important to know how they differ. For instance, some have a shorter lifespan or are natural guard dogs.
Whatever the case is, a good breeder will inform you that you understand the breed’s traits and know how to care for it accordingly.
Contract contains certain conditions and/or assurances
However, you also want to make sure that the breeder who makes this kind of contract doesn’t want too much control when it comes to the puppies.
For instance, they might ask to follow a strict dog food regime, like only feeding your dog boiled chicken, or asking for no vaccination even though the vet suggested otherwise. You might get a better price, but oftentimes it is more of a hassle than dog owners would appreciate.
Health record of the whippet puppy
You should know things about your pup, such as its date of birth, if it has any health issues you should be aware of, vaccinations, etc.
Health testing is necessary because your vet will want to know everything about your pup, and a health record is the best way to know about your dog’s health history in order to ensure it will get the care it needs.
The breeder asks you lots of questions about how you live
The best whippet breeders will want to know how their puppy will fit into your everyday life, which means that they will want to know how you go about your day.
They are concerned about how their dogs will live after leaving their first home.
Because of this, they want to ensure that their puppies have a quality life with their new owner, and they might even ask for pictures as updates.
Conclusion
We hope that we have answered the question about what makes the best whippet breeders. Hopefully, we have answered any questions you might have, and have provided you different AKC-certified options that you can choose from.
Make sure to check out all of the whippet breeding programs and if they are the right fit for you!
Whether you live in Los Angeles, Tennessee, or Florida, we are sure that you will be able to find which whippet breeder works best for you and your needs.
It is always a good idea to ask many questions once you begin your whippet research, so don’t hesitate to ask. Make sure to give some of our recommendations a try, too!
Read More: Best Bloodhound Breeders