Despite the fact that the Whoodle is not an official dog breed yet, it is making quite an impact. A cross between a soft-coated Wheaten Terrier and a Poodle, the Whoodle is a sweet, loving, and friendly dog breed that is also easy to train.
Are you looking to add a cute and cuddly Whoodle to your household? Perhaps you are curious about this designer dog breed and want to know more about its origins, appearance, temperament, and health. In any case, read on, this guide is for you.
What is a Whoodle?
Also referred to as a Wheatenpoo, Sweatenpoo, or Wheatendoodle, the Whoodle is obtained by crossing a Poodle with a Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier. The Whoodle looks just like a toddler in a teddy bear suit! It can light up your room and your life with its sweetness and playful energy.
The origin of the Whoodle cannot be pinpointed exactly but it is estimated that the two parent breeds may have been crossed in the 1990s. The Whoodle’s popularity increased tremendously in the 2000s and today, it has become a staple in the world of designer or hybrid dog breeds. To some extent, the Whoodle’s popularity can be attributed to the popularity of the Labradoodle, Goldendoodle, and Cockapoo. In addition to having the Poodle’s high intelligence, the Whoodle, like other popular Doodle breeds, also inherits the hypoallergenic coat of both parent breeds.
The Australian National Kennel Club does not recognise crossbred dogs like the Whoodle but they are registered as AKC Canine Partners.
The Appearance of Whoodle
Whoodles are bred in three sizes depending on the Poodle parent. Thus, you can have Standard, Toy, or Miniature Whoodles. First-generation Whoodles are obtained by crossing purebred Poodles with purebred Wheaten Terriers.
Breeders also cross back Whoodle puppies back to Poodles to give rise to an F1-B Whoodle. You could also have F2 (two F1 Whoodles are bred) and F3 generations (two F2 Whoodles are bred). This goes to show that you could have numerous appearances and every Whoodle will vary from breeder to breeder.
Depending on the size of the Poodle parent, a Whoodle could stand between 12-20 inches (30.48 cm to 50.8 cm) tall and weigh between 20-45 lb. (9 and 20 kg.). Naturally, a Whoodle could be a lot smaller or larger than this range. For example, if a Whoodle is bred back to a Toy or Mini Whoodle, then the litter could have much smaller Whoodle puppies.
Similarly, there is no standardisation in a Whoodle’s coat. Most Whoodles have medium-length coats that could be straight, wavy, silky, or curly. The Poodle can produce a wide range of coat colours with different markings. Therefore, a Whoodle could be black, brown, silver, merle, tan, grey, cream, chocolate or red. It could also have different markings like spots.
Do Whoodles Change Colours?
Yes, some Whoodle puppies do change their colours after 2 years of age. For example, a black Whoodle might fade to grey or even silvery blue-grey. Likewise, brown Whoodles might fade to a dusky tan colour.
How Often do Whoodles Need to be Groomed?
You may brush your Whoodle every day to remove mats, tangles, and debris. If you want your pet to have a puppy cut or teddy bear cut, go in for professional grooming every 2-3 months.
At What Age are Whoodles Fully Grown?
Whoodles can be considered adults between the ages of 12 and 18 months. This is the age the Whoodle puppy will stop growing.
Temperament of Whoodles
Just as with its appearance, there is no standard behaviour for a Whoodle. However, since we know how Poodles and Wheaten Terriers behave, we could, to some extent, predict a Wheatendoodle’s behaviour.
Since most Poodles are highly intelligent and most Wheaten Terriers are energetic, bright, loyal, and playful, we can expect most of these traits in Whoodles. Whoodles are easy to train because of their Poodle genes – after all; the parent dog breed is one of the most intelligent breeds in the world.
Whoodles are also independent and curious thanks to their Terrier genes. At the same time, they are loving and affectionate and love spending time with their humans. They also want to be a part of all family activities and may even have separation anxiety when left alone for prolonged periods.
The Terrier side of the Whoodle makes them courageous and confident while the Poodle side adds to its trainability and also its stubborn nature. Whoodles respond well to positive reinforcement-based training, and negative training methods like hitting or punishing should be avoided. These will only make your puppy aggressive or fearful. You should also start the training right from your pet’s puppy days if you want to see good results. Better still, buy your Whoodle puppy from a responsible breeder who trains and socialises their puppies.
Is a Whoodle a Good Dog?
The Wheatendoodle makes an excellent family dog. It is playful, energetic, and loyal. Moreover, it loves children and, at the same time, is not as aggressive as some of the other Terrier breeds.
Whoodles make excellent dogs for individuals, families, and even elderly people. However, they do need their daily quota of exercise as, without it, they can get restless, bored, and even destructive.
As mentioned before, Whoodles are highly energetic dogs. They will always be ready for a game of fetch or a hike in the woods. The small-sized Whoodle can make do with a couple of short walks every day. Larger Whoodles, on the other hand, will need at least 30-45 minutes of activity to keep them from boredom and destructive tendencies. You can divide this into two walks of 30-45 minutes along with some indoor playtime.
A major disadvantage of the breed is their high prey drive. They get this trait from the Wheaten Terrier parent. It is important that you train your dog to have impulse control and an understanding of basic obedience. Failure to do so will cause your pet to chase and herd smaller animals, other house pets, and even young kids!
Do Whoodles Bark a Lot?
Whoodles are relatively quiet dogs and most do not even bark at strangers. Due to this, they might not make good guard dogs or watchdogs. However, this quality could be a blessing for apartment dwellers or for people living in the city.
Is the Whoodle Right for You?
If you are looking for a sweet, loving, and loyal dog the Whoodle may be right for you. This is a beautiful dog with a low-shedding coat. It could be the ideal companion for people with allergies. These teddy bear dogs also love to cuddle and can even make good therapy dogs.
Children can benefit greatly from having a Whoodle around. However, you must ensure that very young kids are always supervised while they’re interacting with a Whoodle. That way, parents can ensure that the kids give their dog the respect and the space it deserves.
Whoodles do need a lot of mental and physical stimulation. Therefore, a Whoodle owner must be willing to set aside time for the same. If you are a couch potato, this isn’t the right breed for you.
How Much Does a Whoodle Cost?
Whoodle puppies are quite expensive due to the fact that they are relatively rare in Australia. There aren’t too many Whoodle breeders around. This has increased the price of this poodle mix breed to almost purebred dog prices. Expect to pay between $1500 and $3500 for a healthy Whoodle puppy.
Always buy your furbaby from a reputable breeder and never from backyard breeders, puppy mills, or pet shops. The best breeders conduct several health checks and genetic testing on their mating stock and only breed those that are free from issues like hip dysplasia and eye problems.
Best Dog Food for Whoodle
Always choose high-quality dog food for your Whoodle. It should be rich in proteins, healthy fats, and vitamins and minerals. Avoid foods with GMOs, fillers, or preservatives.
Ideally, the dog food you feed your Whoodle should contain real meat as the number one ingredient. It should also be made using the best ingredients. For Whoodle puppies, look for foods with DHA and EPA – these omega-fatty acids enhance brain development.
Your vet nutritionist or breeder can guide you in selecting the best dog food for your Whoodle. From time to time, evaluate your pet’s weight and ensure that the food is providing it with optimum nourishment. You can see this in the form of a shinier coat, bright eyes, and a healthy weight.
As your Whoodle puppy grows, you could transition to food for adult dogs. A senior Whoodle as well as a pregnant or lactating Whoodle will need different foods based on their overall health.
Many Wheatondoodle owners find that their dogs thrive on a raw food diet. Making up your own raw dog food recipes at home is a convenient way to ensure your dog is only consuming the best human-grade ingredients.
Feeding a raw food diet has many health benefits but you should always source meats from ethical and sustainable sources to ensure they are not contaminated with harmful chemicals or bacteria.
How much to feed a Whoodle will also depend on its life stage, weight, activity levels, and overall health.
Health Issues in Whoodles – How Long Do Whoodles Live?
Whoodles are generally healthy dogs. However, from time to time, issues like eye problems, kidney infections, retinal atrophy, and Addison’s disease are seen in this designer dog breed.
Good breeding practices and adequate testing can help prevent many such issues. That is why it is important to purchase your Whoodle from a responsible breeder. The average lifespan of a Whoodle is between 12-15 years.
The Wheatondoodle is a fairly rare designer dog breed in Australia. If you’re having trouble finding Whoodle breeders or puppies for sale near you, consider looking for a rescue or other similar poodle mix breeds such as the Schnoodle, Cavoodle, Mini or Toy Bordoodle, Jackapoo or Westiepoo.
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