Bed and sleeping setup for a Whippet: size and materials
Whippet : With no fat padding, the Whippet cannot tolerate firm bedding: give it a very thick bed or an approved armchair, plus a blanket, as it loves burrowing underneath. Strictly an indoor dog, it must never sleep outside.
See it in the Planète Pets shop: Ice-silk cooling mat for dogs (62 × 50 to 100 × 70 cm) (€40.90) · the whole shop
See it in the Planète Pets shop: Folding 3-step wooden pet stairs for beds and sofas ($75.90, ships from the US) · the US shop
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In short: Small sighthound of 44 to 51 cm and 10 to 15 kg, very fine short coat, explosive energy in short bursts followed by deep calm. A blistering sprinter outdoors, a gentle, quiet couch cat at home. With a head narrower than its neck and no fat padding: a martingale collar, a very soft bed and a belly-covering coat are its three essentials.
What bed size for a Whippet?
Standing 44 to 51 cm at the withers, the Whippet needs a bed around 90 cm long — enough to stretch flat on its side, not just curl up. When torn between two sizes, always take the larger.
Materials and comfort
Three non-negotiables: a removable cover washable at 60°C, bolsters to rest the head on, and a non-slip underside for smooth floors.
Where to put it?
A chilly breed, the Whippet sleeps away from draughts and never on a cold floor without an insulating mattress — a cave bed or a blanket to burrow in suits it well, and a coat is justified outdoors in winter. An adult dog sleeps 12 to 15 hours a day: placement matters as much as the bed.
Frequently asked questions
What bed size suits a Whippet?
Count on 90 cm long — the measure that lets an adult of 44 to 51 cm at the withers lie fully stretched, deep-sleep position included.
Can a Whippet sleep outside?
Not advisable: its sensitivity to cold and need for contact make it an indoor dog, with daytime garden access.
The guides that apply to you
- Outdoor dog houses: choosing the right one and siting it well
Wood or plastic, dimensions, insulation, placement: the complete guide to choosing a comfortable, durable outdoor house for your dog.
- Multiple dogs, multiple beds: what a study of 3,589 dogs says about resource guarding
A survey of 3,589 dogs finds that living in a multi-dog household raises the risk of resource guarding, sleeping sites included, especially in impulsive or fearful neutered males.
- Calluses and wet paws in dogs: what a flooring substrate study found
A study on 373 dogs in commercial breeding facilities compares three types of flooring: neither calluses nor wet paws were statistically tied to the flooring itself — age and sex mattered more.
- Dog crates: a 1,305-household survey separates what helps from what backfires
Effective for puppy training, counterproductive for managing an existing behavioural problem: a survey spanning 23 countries maps two very different uses of the crate.