My name is Laurel Behnke and I have owned Whippets since 1993. I have done obedience, conformation and agility with Standard Poodles, Cocker Spaniels, WFTs, and Shih Tzus since I was 18. I worked at Steamboat Animal Hospital as an assistant for 10 years and have now owned Laurel’s Pet Grooming since 1999. My husband I enjoy walking our dogs, Volksmarching, our children and grandkids, camping, traveling, football (Seahawks!) and our Whippets. We compete in Racing, Open Field Coursing (hunting), Lure Coursing, Barn Hunting, Dock Diving, Coon Dog Water Trials (with the whippets) and occasionally Conformation. We live in Rochester, WA.

My first Whippet was Disney - Alcyon Rockingham and even after chewing through several crates, mini blinds, clothes, walls etc. I was in love. He was my best friend. We spent many weekends enjoying conformation shows.

I signed up with AWC as a rescue person for Washington in 1992. I have always felt strongly that those of us that can, should help. I have placed over 50 whippets and multiple other breeds including poodles, pit bulls, cockers and mixes. I then became involved with Western Washington Whippet Association rescue as well as SPDR. As of 2008 I am currently taking a break from rescue due to the fact that we have so many of our own and rescue is a time consuming endeavor. I do intend to get back to it one day.

I started to notice a difference in the breed and greatly admired Whippets bred more towards racing and hunting lines. My first performance bred girl came from Shadow Run Whippets. She had mostly Blarneystone, Lyth and Sundance lines. Jam (Shadow Run's Nike Air Jammin' LCM2, OTRM2, SC) was a great at Lure coursing and her and I learned a lot and I decided to try out racing with her. She took Best in Field at the Region 1 Whippet Specialty. She was #14 ASFA Whippet in 1999. She brought me two wonderful litters of puppies and is the foundation of Jammin' Whippets. She was an intense, yet biddable girl with loads of love and life. We miss her greatly.

Out of Jam’s first litter, two were bred; Ruby and Tea’. Tea was bred at Shadow Run whippets, once to Lyth Windwalker and once to Croc. The first litter produced some wonderful, fast puppies, meet winners; Solar and a Best in International Invitational winner; Ember. Ruby is the foundation of Farseer Whippets (Diane Salts) and was bred to Zeeno to produce a fabulous litter, several of which are race champions and of course the one and only Cochiti the Dock Dog who held the World Record for 32' Big Air jump and is in the Guinness Book of World Records as well as Dude, Nacho and Casabella.

The Whippet standard was written to describe a racing and rabbit coursing hound. I believe in breeding towards that goal, to maintain a dog that can excel at the job it was created to do; race and hunt rabbits, and look beautiful doing it while continuing to be fabulous, healthy pets.