Whippet

Whippets are one of the better choices for a family with children. Expect a medium-sized dog that is moderately active, barely sheds and needs very little grooming. Fine alone for a few hours.

Source: American Kennel Club breed standard.

The Whippet came out of northern English mining and mill towns, where working families wanted a sighthound they could actually afford to feed — it was called "the poor man's racehorse", raced on Sundays and used to catch rabbits during the week. It is a Greyhound in miniature and behaves like one: explosive for two minutes, then a warm draught-seeking lump on the sofa for the rest of the day. Whippets are exceptionally quiet, almost odourless, shed very little and are gentle with children, which makes them one of the most underrated family dogs on this list. The same caveats as any sighthound apply — thin skin tears easily on rough ground, they feel the cold, and anything small and fast will get chased.

Day to day. Moderately active — a proper daily walk plus some play in the garden or the hallway keeps this breed happy. On noise, it is quiet.

The coat, honestly. This breed barely sheds and needs very little grooming. A brush a few times a week and the occasional tidy-up keeps it in good order.

Being left alone. Fine alone for a few hours. A few hours is fine; a full working day, every day, is asking a lot.

Training. Trains at an average pace. Consistent, reward-based training from day one does most of the work.

• You want a dog with a reputation for putting up with children
• You would rather brush and pay a groomer than vacuum every day
• You want a dog whose coat looks after itself
• You are watching the budget and want one of the cheaper dogs to run

Rough running cost: $ (one of the cheaper ones) — because there is no single expensive thing about it — just the normal food, vet and insurance costs every dog brings.

Those are relative bands, not live prices. For real numbers across every pet we cover, see the pet cost study and the cost calculator.

Rescues do have Whippets and Whippet crosses, usually adults whose size, coat and temperament you can see rather than guess at.