The XO Directory

Big Wendy, the "Arnold Schwarzenegger" of dogs, is a 27-kilogram muscular dog of Whippet breed - a breed of small slender dog similar to a greyhound. Wendy the Whippet, as she sometimes called, has a rare genetic disorder that has resulted in an exceptionally muscular growth and appearance. Sometimes people mistake her for a pitbull with a pinhead. But don't let her appearance fool you as she is friendly says her owner Ingrid Hansen.

"People have referred to her as Arnold Schwarzenegger," says doting owner Ingrid Hansen, stroking Wendy's sleek black coat and white chest.

Wendy was recently part of a genetics study done in the U.S. on mutation in the myostatin gene in whippets, which resemble greyhounds in appearance. The National Institute of Health study reported that whippets with one single defective copy of the gene have increased muscle mass that can enhance racing performance in the breed, known for speeds up to 60 kilometres an hour.

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