5 Reasons Whippets Make Great Apartment Dogs + 7 Tips

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So you’re planning on moving to an apartment with your whippet or perhaps you’re currently living in an apartment and thinking about bringing home a whippet.

But does a whippet have what it takes to be a good apartment dog? Can a whippet even live in an apartment?

Can Whippets Live In Apartments:

Whippets can live in apartments without issue, so long as you meet their daily needs. Whippets are perfect apartment dogs when they are exercised daily. They are quiet, calm, friendly, and require very little maintenance. This makes them an overall excellent apartment dog.

In this post you’ll discover:

5 reasons whippets are great apartment dogs
Some issues whippets may have when living in apartments
6 tips to make whippets even better apartment dogs (If #2 is covered life’s easy!)
And much more

Let’s dive in…

Table of Contents

5 Reasons Whippets Are Great Apartment Dogs

1) Whippets Are Smart

Whippets are known to be smarter dogs than most.

This means when you want to train them in a new environment it won’t be difficult to do.

When it comes to living in an apartment you want a dog that is trainable so you can adjust accordingly.

Dogs that take more time and effort to train would be much more difficult to live with in an apartment.

Whippets are a breed that can adapt and learn quickly when given proper instruction.

Which leads me to my next point.

2) Whippets Are Highly Adaptable

A well trained whippet can be thrown into a new environment with new people and adapt very quickly.

In fact, this is why many whippets are considered for being therapy dogs.

In order to be a therapy dog one must be able to go into a new environment with new patients all the time.

So to a well trained whippet moving to an apartment is no big deal at all.

3) Whippets Are Clean & Don’t Shed Much

Another added benefit for living with a whippet in an apartment is their low maintenance.

They don’t shed a whole lot and they also don’t bring much dirt into the house.

This makes living in an apartment easy since they won’t be adding much additional cleaning for you.

Compare a whippet to other dogs like golden retrievers that shed a ton, and carry lots of dirt into the house.

Another great aspect for having a whippet in an apartment is their infrequent need of baths.

They don’t need bathing as often as most dogs because staying clean for them is relatively easy.

Some apartments will actually have dog wash stations which makes it even easier for you to clean your dog should they get dirty (which isn’t often for whippets).

You can tell just how clean a whippet tends to stay when you watch how they avoid puddles on walks so their feet don’t get wet.

If that doesn’t give you an indication of just how clean they are compared to other breeds, I don’t know what will.

4) Whippets Are Quiet & Calm

It’s very rare to find a whippet owner claiming they have problems with barking.

When living in an apartment with people that live right beside you, above you, and below you, a barking dog is not what you want.

Luckily, whippets are extremely quiet and rarely bark.

The odd bark here or there at a squirrel outside the window may occur but that’s okay.

For highly athletic dogs people are surprised at how calm, gentle, and cuddly whippets are when indoors.

It’s important to mention that if you are already living in an apartment and looking to get a whippet puppy, puppies are not usually calm.

They have puppy energy so keep that in mind.

5) Whippet Have Low Energy Indoors

Another aspect that makes whippet greater for apartments is their indoor energy levels.

Sure they like to play every so often but they spend most of their time curled up on a couch or bed.

Some owners report their whippets sleeping around 18 hours per day!

Outside whippets love to run and burn energy but inside is a different story.

Just remember if you are thinking about bringing a puppy whippet into an apartment, they will have “puppy energy” so keep that in mind.

6 Tips To Help Make Whippets Better Apartment Dogs

1) Make Sure To Have Bathroom Spots

All dogs need to go to the washroom so this is pretty obvious.

The key here is to make sure they have a spot outside and an emergency spot inside.

This is because if you are on the 6th floor, and they need to go potty, the steps to get down and then outside may take some time.

If it’s an emergency you might not have time to bring them down.

If you can have a potty pad, fake piece of turf etc. you can use it for those moments they might not make it.

There may also be times at 3am when you are not wanting to walk them all the way down the apartment to go outside.

2) Exercise Them Daily

Whippets need a minimum of 60 minutes a day of exercise.

This means letting them run and play outside.

Without this daily activity whippets cna become troublesome, just like any dog.

Although whippets are calm and relaxed indoors, they will have moments with lots of energy.

When given the opportunity to run everyday and play outside your whippets needs will be mostly met.

This is probably the most important thing for you to do when living with a whippet in an apartment.

After their exercise you likely won’t have to worry and they will be the calm, loving dog you want in an apartment.

3) Use Mind Stimulating Dog Toys

This sort of goes hand in hand with exercise. The use of stimulating toys can be great when living in apartments.

This is especially true if you need to leave them alone for hours at a time.

Giving them a toy that they can play with when feeling bored is a great way to keep them entertained.

Mind stimulated dog toys will help burn some of their energy and keep them from getting bored.

Related Reading: 13 Best Mind Stimulating Dog Toys | Dog Puzzle Toys

4) Crate Train Them

When used correctly a crate can become a safe haven for dogs.

If you know you will have to leave your whippet at home alone from time to time, having a safe space for them is a great idea.

When living in an apartment there is likely a lot of noises and sounds your dog will hear.

These noises might be scary to them and if they have a safe “den” like space to retreat to, it can help sooth them.

You don’t want to use the crate as a prison though, you want them to be able to come and go freely.

If you make the crate a prison by locking them or punishing them with it, it may do the opposite and stress them out more.

Having a crate can be great for improving your dog’s well being and helps with obedience training.

All of these benefits mentioned can help with apartment living.

5) Set A Routine For Them

Dogs thrive when given structure and routine.

Having a set schedule for waking up, going to bed, play time, walks, and eating will make life optimal for your whippet.

This will make apartment living with a whippet so much better.

Not only will it help you since you know when to feed them, walk them, and play with them, but it will avoid them having accidents and improve their health.

When living in apartments with dogs it’s even more important to have routines.

When they need to go potty or play outside it’s a whole process that always requires you.

You can’t just let them out the back door into your fenced yard, you have to bring them down.

Putting a schedule and routine in place makes it so your dog knows exactly when they potty and exercise, making your life easy.

Rather than having to take them to potty at random times, get them pottying at the same times everyday and follow that with exercise.

One time in the morning they potty and exercise, and once around dinner time!

6) Ideally Have Access To A Fenced Area

Some apartments will come with small fenced areas for people living on the first floor.

Also, some will have a community area that is fenced in that can be used for dogs for people living in floors above the ground floor.

Ideally you want an area that your whippet can roam freely without the risk of them running away chasing an animal.

A small area will do, just having a place they can go and roam will make living in an apartment easy for them.

If there is no fenced area in the apartment then look for dog parks or other areas in your neighborhood.

Whippets love to run so giving them the ability to do so makes them very happy.

7) Don’t Leave Them For Too Long

Whippets love companionship so when left alone for too long they can develop anxiety.

This is especially true for younger pups. You should never leave your whippet for longer than 8 hours unattended.

This is usually how whippets develop separation anxiety and it can lead to them whining and crying when you are away.

That may cause problems for neighbors.

If you must leave them in order to go to work, look into getting someone to visit them. You can also look into doggy sitters to help with this issue.

Other posts you might find interesting:

Are Whippets High Maintenance? (What To Expect + Tips)

5 Ways Whippets Can Live With Cats Peacefully + 5 Risks

Can Whippets Be Service Dogs? 5 Ways They Can & Can’t

Citations:

10 Things Only A Whippet Owner Would Understand
Whippet Dog Breed Information and Personality Traits
Whippet