What is a Whoodle Dog?
Heritage:
Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier Poodle Mix
Other Names:
Sweatenpoo, Swheat-n-Poo, Wheatendoodle, Wheatenpoo, Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier Doodle, Wheaten Poodle Mix, Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier Poodle Mix
Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier Poodle Mix Breed History
Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier Breed History:
Wheatens were bred in Ireland over 200 years ago to be farm dogs. Their typical duties ranged from guarding livestock, to herding, to keeping rats at bay. They share a common ancestry with the Irish Terrier and the Kerry Blue Terrier, but this breed was typically owned by middle-to-lower class citizens. As such, the Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier became affectionally known as the “Poor Man’s Wolfhound.”
The Wheaten made its way to the United States in the 1940s but didn’t generate much interest until a decade or two later. It took until 1973 for the breed to be recognized by the AKC, where they now compete in obedience, tracking, and agility competitions.
Poodle Breed History:
While commonly associated with the French, the Poodle actually originated as a duck hunter in Germany over 400 years ago. In German, “pudelin” refers to the splashing in water that the dogs would do to retrieve waterfowl. The Poodle’s curly, weatherproof coat as well as its natural swimming ability and high intelligence made it an excellent retriever.
Eventually, Poodles made their way from the lake to the life of luxury as they were the breed of choice by French nobles, and eventually royalty across all of Europe. To this day, the Poodle is still the national dog of France. The entertainment industry then caught on to the Poodle’s showy looks, intelligence, and ease of trainability and gave them a prominent role in circus acts across the world.
While the Poodle started out as the “standard” variety, eventually the miniature and toy variations were bred. The Toy Poodle started in the United States in the early 20th century to be a city-dwelling companion dog. Due to the many positive personality traits and its hypoallergenic coat, Poodles are now commonly bred with a wide variety of other breeds to produce the “designer” hybrid dogs known and loved by many as “doodles.”
Whoodle Breed History:
The Whoodle breed has a very limited history, being one of the newer Doodle varieties, only having been bred in the last 10-20 years. They originated in the United States.
Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier Poodle Mix Appearance & Grooming
How Big Do Whoodles Get?
A Whoodle’s size is determined mostly by whether its Poodle parent was a standard, miniature, or toy. On top of that, the gender of the puppy and the genetics of the parents play important factors as well.
With that in mind, a toy Whoodle will typically weigh between 10-20 pounds and have a height of 8-10 inches. A miniature Whoodle will weigh in at around 20-35 pounds and stand roughly 10-15 inches tall. The largest of the three, the standard Whoodle, will weigh approximately 35-50 pounds and stand about 15-20 inches tall.
Read More: Whoodle Size Full Grown: How Big Do Whoodles Get? (Toy, Mini, Standard)
Whoodle Dog Breed Coat & Grooming:
The coat of a Whoodle can be a single color or a mix of two or more colors, with the most popular being black, brown, and cream. Their fur can range anywhere from straight or slightly wavy, like the Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier to curly like the Poodle and usually is of medium length.
How curly your dog’s fur is dictates how often they must be brushed. A minimum of brushing once per week is required for Whoodles, with the ideal frequency being every other day if not every day for more curly-haired dogs.
Are Whoodles Hypoallergenic?
Do Whoodles Shed?
Due to the unpredictability of genetics, there is no guarantee that any particular dog, or litter of dogs will be hypoallergenic and/or non-shedding. Some individuals’ allergies are more sensitive to certain breeds than other breeds, but there is no scientific evidence that shows that certain hybrid breeds are universally more or less hypoallergenic than others.
With that being said, as the Whoodle dog is a cross between two hypoallergenic breeds, it’s typically a safe bet that Whoodle puppies will be hypoallergenic and non-shedding as well.
Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier Poodle Mix Health & Wellness
Whoodle Dog Breed Lifespan:
A healthy and well-cared-for Whoodle’s life expectancy is around 12-15 years.
Whoodle Dog Breed Common Health Concerns:
Whoodles may be susceptible to the common health problems of both the Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier and the Poodle. However, due to the genetic diversity from crossing these two breeds, the result may be a lower chance of developing these inherited health concerns.
Some of the more common genetic disorders to be on the lookout for in the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier Poodle Mix include Sebaceous Adenitis, Kidney Problems, Addison’s Disease, Eye Diseases, Elbow Dysplasia, Cataracts, and Allergies.
Due to the cost of treating these common health concerns, we highly encourage all dog owners invest in pet insurance. We recommend getting a free online quote from Healthy Paws Pet Insurance.
Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier Poodle Mix Temperament & Personality
Whoodle Dog Breed Behavioral Traits:
The Poodle Wheaten Terrier Mix is a very loving and loyal breed, but very stubborn, pack-driven, and can be a handful for even the most experienced of dog owners. Whoodles are sensitive and sometimes roughhousing from other pets and kids can be too much for them.
They’re also quite stubborn and can be standoffish or even try to establish themselves as the top dog in your family “pack” if not trained properly. However, with the right training these dogs can make dedicated and affectionate members of your family.
Whoodle Dog Breed Activity Requirements:
Typically, the larger the size of a Whoodle dog the more exercise they need. However, this is a very energetic breed and as a rule of thumb should get at least 60 minutes of exercise each day.