The
International
Longhaired Whippet Club
(ILWC)
"Promoting and supporting ALL Longhaired Whippets and their owners."
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Longhaired Whippet Breed Standard
General Appearance:
The
Longhaired Whippet is a small sighthound that is very athletic, has well muscled
hindquarters, a strong loin, a deep, powerful chest and an elegantly arched
neck. A graceful hound of great
power, elegance and a flowing outline, Longhaired Whippets should be fit and
conditioned to course in all types of terrain.
Size:
There
shall be two height divisions of Longhaired Whippets, standard-size and
Miniatures, with the height measured at the highest point of the withers:
Standard-size:
Males - 19" to 22"
Females - 18" to 21"
(There is a height allowance of ½" either above, or below, the
lower and upper height limits, for both sexes.)
Miniature:
Males – Under 18 ½"
Females – Under 17 ½"
Expression:
At rest
the Longhaired Whippet has a sweet, gentle, almost humble or apologetic look,
but when on alert, he has a keen, intense expression.
Head:
Should
be relatively long and lean, but with a rather wide back skull, tapering
slightly to the eyes, and continuing to narrow to the nose.
The skull is flat on top with a very slight stop.
The head is not to be excessively long and narrow, nor excessively short
and broad. The jaws are powerful but clean with no coarseness.
Lack of underjaw is not desirable. Nose
is black, or as dark as possible in dilute colored dogs.
Scissors bite.
Eyes:
Dark,
large and full. Both eyes are to be
the same color. Light eyes are not
desirable. Eyelids and rims to be
dark and fully pigmented.
Ears:
Rose
ears are the only correct ear and are very highly preferred.
However, button ears, which are small V-shaped ears that fold just above
the top of the skull, with the inner edge close to the cheek and the flap
pointing down, are acceptable, although not desireable.
Prick, semi prick or hound ears are exceedingly undesirable.
Neck:
Long,
elegantly arched and muscular, with no throatiness. An ewe neck or a short thick neck are undesirable.
Shoulders:
Shoulder
blades long and placed as obliquely as possible, with good muscling.
Moderate space between the blades at the withers to allow for the girth.
The elbow is to be directly under the withers when viewed from the side.
The elbows should turn neither in nor out when viewed from the front.
Forelegs:
Straight,
and strong, with good bone all the way down to the feet.
Pasterns to be strong, but flexible, and have a very slight, but not too
prominent, bend.
Brisket:
Very
deep, preferably to the point of the elbow.
Well sprung ribs but not barrel shaped.
Back and Loin:
Broad
and strong, with a somewhat long loin. A
dramatic tuck up is highly desirable. There
is to be a definite arch over the well muscled loin, but the topline is not to
be humped or wheel backed. A flat
back with a steep croup is very undesirable.
Hindquarters:
Strong,
broad and well muscled across thighs; well bent stifles; well let down hocks,
creating a long, powerful, wide rear with great driving power.
Feet:
Strong,
well knuckled, with thick pads, either hare foot or cat foot is acceptable.
Flat feet are to be penalized.
Tail:
Long,
reaching at least to the hocks, and preferably below them.
Tail to be tapered, with a slight open curve upward the end to create a
sweep, but not to be ringed. Tail
should not be carried high above the back.
Short, ringed, or high tails are all undesirable.
Coat:
Hair soft and straight, or slightly curled or wavy.
Longer on neck to create a ruff. Amount
of body hair will vary from dog to dog. An
undercoat may or may not be present. There
is to be feathering on the back of the forelegs and under the chest, and more
feathering on back of thighs and tail.
Color:
Any
color, markings or combination thereof.
Gait:
Effortless,
low, level and powerful, covering the most amount of ground possible.
Great reach and drive. Hackney
gait, caused by high, constricted front leg action;
moving too close; moving too
wide; weaving; or crossing over are all undesirable.
Temperament:
Easy
going, calm, dignified, and gentle, but very intense in the field.
Scale of Points:
General appearance, symmetry and attitude ------------------- 10
Coat ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 15
Head, eyes, muzzle and nose ------------------------------------- 10
Ears --------------------------------------------------------------------- 5
Neck ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 5
Shoulders, forelegs and feet ---------------------------------------- 10
Brisket and tuck up ---------------------------------------------------- 10
Back, loin and topline -------------------------------------------------- 10
Hindquarters ------------------------------------------------------------ 10
Tail ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5
Gait and movement ---------------------------------------------------- 10
100
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International Longhaired Whippet Club
5730 Olde Scotland Road, Shippensburg, PA 17257 Telephone: 717-263-0932
Email: longhairwhippet@pa.net