Whippets are delightful dogs. Quiet, graceful, loving, and often amusing clowns. Their medium size and ability to fold themselves into an origami shape and fit into tiny spots make them the perfect apartment buddy.
No, not that 80s Devo song (I'm old, I know). One possibility - Wappet was a term used in England for a small barking dog. "Whip it" is also a horse racing phrase referring to jockeys using the whip to get more speed from their horse.
Your Whippet lineage is that of Sighthounds, which means dogs who hunt using their sight (obvious, I know). Even though they are not sniffing like Bloodhounds, your Whippet still relies on their nose for the bulk of their info.