Why do whippet's require coats?
Whippets suffer from the cold dreadfully with hyperthermia. They must be kept indoors in a warm, draught free area at all times. They were bred to race at 57 kms per hour, so a very short coat & little body fat is inherent for the breed as they are athletes in the canine world & one of the fastest land mammals.
Why do whippet coat's look different to standard dog breed coats?
Whippetwear coats are based on a true & classic whippet coat principle to keep a whippet warm. A long neck, chest pieces for cover bald deep chests, & low back ends all assist, just as a buttoned up long line coat will keep your warmer. Whippet's have a low carriage tail, so can easily wear a coat with a low backend & can toilet in our coats.
The chest piece is designed to sit around the last rib, as modelled on the site, which secures the coat in the correct position. DO NOT pull the chest piece backwards towards your whippet's waist & hips. It doesn't look cool, your whippet will be embarrased, & he could cock his leg & possibly wee on it, as it will be sitting underneath his chest pulled towards his private parts, not where it's designed to be.
Which coat does my whippet need & what paws warmth rating does he require?
If you need a long sleeved top on, your whippet certainly will require a single layer fleece coat, if you require two layers, they will need a double layer coat. If you sleep with 2 blankets your whippet will need at least 2 layers. Remember it's draughty & usually 4-5 degrees lower in temperature with a dog bed on the floor, or in the laundry, seriously try it your self. You can feel your whippet's ears to see how warm they are.
Whippet's require a warm coat to sleep in & sit around in at home. They must have their backs covered for warmth whilst sleeping. You wouldn't be warm if you lay on your bed with no covers, nor will your whippet.
Apart from our exclusive range of Whippetwear coats we have designed specific beds for this purpose. We have wonderful feed back from whippet customers who are warm, to include whippet parents who have now a great night's sleep again, & privacy with a partner. Please refer to award winning Den, Kanga Pouch & Cocoons under Slumber.
For outdoor walking whippet's require a coat in cool & cold weather. If they are running vigorously in a park, & it's not snow bound, they don't require a coat, as they may overheat, but will to the park & back home. We best advise a waterproof & windproof coat for outdoor walking, however a fleece coat is fine for dry weather, & doubles as a sleep / lounging coat.
Lounging coats for slumber & home
Our quality thick stretch fleece coats are specifically designed for lounging at home & sleeping, as your whippet will be doing this for 22 hours on average each day. A perfect fitting coat, & soft stretch fleece that doesn't create pressure sores when lying down is a must. Walking coats with a waterproof / windproof shell are not suitable to sleep in, as they have no stretch & will cause pressure sores from lack of blood flow.
Walking coats that are both waterproof & windproof
Waterproof & windproof walking coats are fantastic. They will last for years & years, cut out wind, rain & snow. Even if you don't get caught in the rain, our waterproof coats with a chest peice will protect your whippet's chest from kicking up water & mud.
Pup coats & growth
We have designed a unique coat specifically for pups only. Irrespective of their age, they require warmth, & no longer have their litter mates to keep them warm. Our PUP coat is designed with a slim stretch neck to discourage pups from putting their front legs through the neck hole & a waistband designed to move backwards as your whippet grows so you get more wear out of a coat with pup's growth spurts.
Pups can usually be fitted into an adult coat at 8-9 months with room to grow into based on your measurements & variable pup growth. Whippet's are a slow maturing dog, & will be 85% of their adult size by 8 months. They will continue to fill out until around 18 months of age. Please refer to the PUP coat for more information. For larger pups have a look at our KISS coats.
Why do whippet's need special martingale collars?
Whippets are from the sighthound canine family, & being bred for speed to be aero-dynamic so have heads smaller than their long necks. This means that they can slip a standard dog collar under duress & require a wider collar to protect their windpipes.
Whippet tried, tested & loved
All of our coats, beds & accessories are whippet tried & tested for comfort, fit, ease of movement, durability & specific purposes. As whippet's have super fine skin, we only use the finest cotton trim on our coats so they won't be rubbed raw with harsh trims on other coats. Our seam lines and design are made with consideration to ensure they wont rub.
Coats are made to order to fit the whippet breed standard, not custom made unless required.
If your whippet's back lenth measurement is not 3 inches longer than their waist measurements & are in healthy, not overweight condition, please make a comment on the order form. We may need to modify the coat length for your whippet, however we need to be advised of this.
Additionally if you have a whippet that has a really "rounded topline" (arched back) or an elderly whippet that may have lost some muscle mass, please advise in the comments section, as they too may need an adjustment of coat length.
Whippet welfare
Whippetwear is a proud supporter of various hound & animal welfare charities. We love all animals.
Coat karma
Should your new Whippetwear coat be replacing after years and years of wear, or a dog coat that is longer used, please donate it to the many dog, hound & whippet rescue organisations, pounds, dog's they need warmth or foster carers. There are so many dog's that would benefit from your unused coat to help keep them warm & provide some comfort in their distress. Your whippet is loved & cared for, sadly so may dog's are not. Please help them in any way you can, it will make a huge difference.