Whippets are, like other sighthounds, intolerant of barbiturate anaesthetics. Whippets also participate in dog sports such as lure coursing, agility, and flyball. Whippets today still strongly resemble a smaller Greyhound. Whippets were bred to hunt by sight, coursing game in open areas at high speeds. Despite being bred for racing, Whippets can be couch potatoes. Part of the Hound group, Whippets have relatively few health problems other than arrhythmia. Whippets course, work, and race; they have been bred for these jobs for years. Whippets began to be bred to race in the mid-nineteenth century. Whippets were commonly known as "snap dogs" for their tendency to "snap up" nearby prey. Whippets are quiet and not prone to barking, but require regular exercise. This has led to Whippets being described as "the poor man's racehorse". Whippets are a medium-sized dog weighing from . The Germans captured fewer than fifteen Whippets, two of which were in running condition. Although significantly more muscular, they are less able runners than other whippets. Whippets are touch sensitive, meaning that they tend to jump or overreact when touched unexpectedly.