Artifacts and writings give evidence to the fact that the original Longhaired Whippet was in existence at least as early as the Renaissance. But because of crossbreeding, the popularity of flat racing, and the emergence of closed registries and dog shows, the Longhaired Whippet became extinct while the Shorthaired Whippet prospered. The Wirehaired Whippet managed to hang on to existence until the Depression in the 1930s, at which time they also became extinct.

The Longhaired Whippet is a friendly, intelligent, lively breed of dog. They are quite athletic, very affectionate, playful and make good pets. While they are athletic, they are not hyper, and after a good run around the yard, they come into the house and quietly curl up for a nap or a cuddle from their owners. They have been shown in many different rare breed club conformation shows, and have done very well. There are National Specialties for them, as well, mainly in the eastern part of the USA. The Longhaired Whippet does well in obedience training and is eager to please. Being biddable (willing to do one's bidding), many of them excel in off lead activities, like agility and obedience. They have proven themselves in obedience trials and have been known to outrun their shorthaired cousins in coursing events.

The Longhaired Whippet is very elegant in appearance. They have a moderately long head, with a fairly wide back skull, very large, dark eyes, and a black nose. Its name of "longhaired" whippet comes from its coat, which is long and silky. The Longhaired Whippet, unlike its shorthaired relatives, does well in cooler climates because of its coat. It also can withstand injury better than its shorter haired, thinner-skinned kin. They are moderate in size, with the Standard calling for a height of 18 to 21 inches for females, and 19 to 22 inches for males. They have an average weight between 15 and 28 pounds. As in some other sighthound breeds, the size of Longhaired Whippets males can exceed the size of the females. The Longhaired Whippet's coat comes in a variety of colors including sable, red, shades of fawn, cream, solid black, blue, brindle, black saddle, blue saddle, pure white, and parti-color combinations in the previous colors. The Longhaired Whippet's body is well muscled and athletic, yet retains a graceful elegance. They have small rose ears, long hind legs, a high tuck-up, which gives a small waist, and a long tail. They move quite quickly and are as agile as a gymnast.

In the 1950s, a Whippet enthusiast by the name of Walter Wheeler set about to redevelop the breed after it became extinct. His kennel, Windsprite Whippet Kennels, succeeded in reintroducing the Longhaired Whippet in the world. He achieved his goal by breeding Shorthaired Whippets that carried the longhaired gene, which is recessive. A similar recessive longhair gene also exists in other breeds including Dachshunds and Corgis. The Longhaired Whippet originally became extinct because breeders began crossbreeding with other dogs to improve the stamina and hunting characteristics of the dog. In 1981, Longhaired Whippet enthusiasts joined together to form the Longhaired Whippet Association. This association was formed to propagate the breed and encourage growth. They have their own studbook and hold contests within the club to determine which dogs are the best. Longhaired Whippets are recognized by the Continental Kennel Club (CKC), and many other rare breed clubs, and can be found across the United States, as well as in Great Britain, Switzerland, Canada, France, and Germany. It should be noted that the Longhaired Whippet is often confused with the Silken Windhound, which is actually a different breed that was developed from crosses of the Longhaired Whippet and Borzoi, causing it to have a very distinct physical appearance and a different size. The Longhaired Whippet looks more or less like a Whippet with long hair, while the Silken Windhound looks much more like a miniature Borzoi. The Silken Windhound no longer allows crosses with the Longhaired Whippet, since the Silken Windhound studbook is closed. The Longhaired Whippet maintains it's own studbooks, registry, and activities.

No special care is needed. Grooming is minimal, as the coat normally does not shed profusely, nor does it mat. The Longhaired Whippet is a low maintenance breed.

Longhaired Whippets are free breeding, easy whelpers, and good mothers, rarely having any problems.