I love whippets! My last dog was a whippet lurcher who did joyful zoomies that made a path straight down and up the garden. That path has now healed since she died.
I did actually dig in slightly buried chicken wire next to my fences when I had my digging lurcher. Together with 6 foot fences it served to stop her escaping.
I had thought of combining pea gravel with grass, which is what I have in the large front garden that is used as a car park. The gravel looks like a longish lawn but is a solid enough foundation for parked cars, and is nicely drained and safe to walk on in the frost. The dog never gets out there to do his ball games. Gravel+ grass might work in a back garden too, especially on a slight slope that may be slippery if it's paved in solid concrete or bricks.
Bought the wrong Hot Cross Buns 😩