A typical Whippet tops out around 30.3 mph in Fast CAT. The fastest one on record ran 41.24 mph. 7.6 mph faster than the typical dog (22.7 mph). The fastest Whippets outrun Usain Bolt's top speed by 13.4 mph.
Based on the best Fast CAT run of 2,867 Whippets, a typical Whippet tops out at 30.3 mph, and half of them run faster than 30.7 mph. That makes the Whippet the 2nd fastest of the 226 breeds that have run Fast CAT.
1,718 of the 2,867 Whippets timed (60%) have broken 30 mph, and 213 have topped 35.
Among the most popular Hound breeds, the typical Whippet is faster than 7 of 8. The Greyhound is the quickest of the bunch at 32.9 mph, and the Borzoi (27.8 mph) runs closest to the Whippet. Over Fast CAT's 100 yards, the 2.7 mph gap to the Greyhound is about 0.55 seconds.
Jammin' Afternoon Tea At Chartwell holds the fastest consistent run by any Whippet: 41.24 mph at the Irish Wolfhound Association of the Garden State in New Jersey on September 24, 2021. That's 100 yards in 4.96 seconds.
On Dash-Hound, the fastest Whippet is Newt, with a best of 37.06 mph over 49 logged runs.
Not lately. The typical Whippet ran 31.6 mph in 2016 (130 dogs) and 30.1 mph in 2025 (845 dogs). As more everyday pets join in, the average moves around.
Ohio has the most Whippet runs, 3,248 of them, followed by Texas, California, Florida. The fastest Whippet run in Ohio is 40.83 mph.
Whippets are sighthounds, built for exactly this: a straight sprint after a lure. Most catch on in a run or two. Any AKC-registered Whippet over 12 months old can enter, and the only real training is a reliable finish: have someone your dog will run to waiting past the line.
Fast CAT rankings ยท How fast is a dog?
Speeds from AKC Fast CAT results. Photographers: spotted your work? Tell us at [email protected] and we'll credit it or take it down.