Whippets look a good deal like Greyhounds but they are smaller, so they are often assumed to be young Greyhounds. However, Whippets are a breed unto themselves. More about this in the section on Whippet origins. Sighthounds also tend to be lean, deep chested, and leggy.
Whippets are swift and agile runners.
They can sprint at 35.5 mph, which is about 5 mph faster than a domestic cat or a white-tailed deer. Greyhounds are faster, topping out at a maximum speed of 39.35 mph, and have greater endurance for longer runs. It is a joy to watch these animals enjoying the full power of their speedy bodies. Despite their fragile appearance, these are tough, resilient little dogs, and I have repeatedly watched one trot away from a high-speed wipeout that to all appearances should have caused it to burst into flames, or perhaps break into several fragments. My dogs eat very well.