Choosing whether to buy from a responsible breeder or home from a responsible rescue can be a difficult decision and some people can have quite strong opinions about both.
Giving a home to a whippet in need, is obviously a wonderful thing to do.
However, you must be sure you can offer the time and patience needed for a successful adoption.
Whippets that have come in to rescue may not have had the best of starts and need an understanding home, where you can put your emotions aside and give them the security they need, which can be quite hard as you have to be firm to be kind at times.
If you have younger children in the family, other pets or animals – maybe you are better off buying a well brought up puppy from a responsible breeder and this is ok too!
It will be better in the long run and although having a puppy is still a lot of work, they can adjust to your lifestyle more easily.
We need good breeders!
It is ok to be a breeder, we need breeders with experience and knowledge to preserve our breed and to support new people in the breed.
Breeders should be judged on the care they give and how responsible they are. There can be a tendency on social media to knock people. All that matters is the welfare of the dogs/puppies.
I’ve owned Whippets since I was five years old and became involved with breeding when I was eight. Over the years, I’ve also owned Afghans, Greyhounds, Dachshunds, Hungarian Vizslas and Chinese Cresteds. I’ve been showing since I was five and have tried many different disciplines with my Whippets. I’ve also been involved with show organisations from an early age and have attended nearly every meeting of the UK Whippet Breed Council since 2005. As Chairperson of the Whippet Breed Council, as well as promoting dog showing, I believe health, welfare and ethical breeding are extremely important. The choice to adopt or to buy a dog has great meaning to me – I believe people should feel free to choose what’s right for them, whether that’s going to a responsible breeder or using a reputable rescue.
Alayna Morland (Zoraden) – UK Whippet Breed Council Chairperson