Whoodle Pros & Cons – Complete Ownership Guide
Whoodles, also known as wheatendoodles, wheatenpoos, sweatenpoos, or swheat-n-poos, are hybrid mixes between Poodles and Wheaten Terriers.
This combination produces energetic, playful little pups that would be an excellent addition to any family or the perfect companion for a single person living an active lifestyle.
There is no detailed record of this breed’s history and origin, but they are a relatively young breed, quickly gaining popularity around the world.
Because Australia and the United States seem to have produced most of today’s hybrid breeds, it’s safe to assume that one of these two places was the “birthplace” of the breed.
According to Daily Paws, “This medium-sized breed can live happily in apartments as long as owners give them enough daily physical activity.
Whoodles desire daily activity with their humans and other animals; they love long walks, dog puzzles, swimming, or playing games with their favourite person.”
Whoodles are energetic, active, and playful dogs that can be considered hyper and will need an owner willing to help them spend all that energy productively.
Long walks, hikes, dog sports, and active playtime are all great activities for a Whoodle. If you want a couch potato dog breed, then steer clear from Whoodles.
Whoodle Overview Table
| Size | You can choose from a miniature whoodle or mini whoodle which are smaller variants of this dog or the standard whoodles.
Standard whoodles: Average weight: 9-20 kg Average height: 35-50 cm |
| Coat | They have a soft, curly coat that can come in a variety of patterns and colours. Most importantly, the Poodle genes mean that they do not shed much. |
| Personality | Whoodles are extremely playful and energetic. They absolutely love to play and will not do well locked up in a small area all day. |
| Temperament | While they are extremely loving, they tend to be quite anxious and will need a lot of love and attention in return too. |
| Tendency To Bark | They are quite vocal. They can, of course, be trained to contain their barking, but they will let you know what they are feeling. |
| Family Dog | 5/5
These dogs have been designed to be the perfect family dogs. They are loving and loyal. Their coats do not require intensive maintenance. They are active, friendly and playful. These are all traits that have been bred into Whoodles specifically with the aim of keeping them as companions. |
| Guard Dog | 3/5
While they might not be big or intimidating, they can grow to be big enough to protect you or your loved ones. Their contribution to you and your family’s safety lies more in being an excellent alarm than being a physical guard though. They will alert you to any suspicious activity or sounds. |
| Intelligence | As both the parent breeds are known for their intelligence, it comes as no surprise to find that Whoodles are also extremely smart and trainable. |
| Shedding Level | Thanks to their Poodle parents, Whoodles have minimum shedding. |
| Exercise Needs | These dogs have hyper energy levels. They will need a lot of exercise and playtime. They will be perfectly happy keeping your children active all day or motivating you to go on those much-needed jogs and hikes. |
| Health Issues | They have the potential of inheriting any of the health issues associated with either of their parent breeds. Poodles have a predisposition for hip dysplasia, Addison’s disease, and eye problems, while wheaten terriers are known to suffer from protein-losing nephropathy and protein-losing enteropathy. |
| Life Expectancy | 12 to 15 years |
| Price | Depending on pedigree, whoodles can cost anywhere between 1500 USD and 5000 USD |
Whoodle Ownership Pros
Hypoallergenic
One of the main draws to any doodle (dogs with poodle parents) is that they have hypoallergenic coats, which just means shedding won’t be a problem.
People often mistake this to mean that they will not have allergic reactions to whoodles. This is not true, you might still be allergic, it simply means that they won’t shed everywhere.
Kindheartedness
Well-socialized whoodles will love everyone. They are gentle and playful and will want nothing more than to spend time with their owners. This makes them a perfect playmate for children or companion for active adults.
Perfect size to accommodate your living arrangements
Whoodles are big enough to be playful and even to potentially provide you with protection. At the same time, they are small enough to be comfortable living in an apartment, provided they get enough exercise. This makes their medium size perfect for pretty much any home.
They don’t bark incessantly
Because of their intelligence and calm temperament, whoodles tend to not be annoying barkers.
They will still alert you if they feel it is important, but they won’t bark at everything that moves.
This is another reason that they are perfect for someone living in an apartment, as they probably won’t ever irritate your neighbours.
Excellent with children
Whoodles love kids! As with all relationships between small children and animals, both need to be socialized and trained properly, but whoodles are intelligent and will learn quickly.
They’ll absolutely love matching the energy of kids while playing, while also protecting them.
Highly intelligent
Whoodles are very smart and can be trained to obey many commands. They are often employed as service animals for this very reason.
Pedigree
Because they are quite a niche, designer breed, most whoodles actually come from reputable, official breeders which simply mean that you have a better chance of knowing exactly what you are getting when you get a whoodle pup.
Whoodle Ownership Cons
Grooming
Whoodles have beautiful coats that do not shed much, however, this does not mean that they do not require grooming.
Whoodles need to have their coats brushed and cleaned quite often to keep it from becoming matted and dirty.
Then, even if you do keep up a good habit of grooming your dog yourself, you will still need to spend money on taking them to a professional groomer every now and then.
Separation anxiety
Perhaps because whoodles are so loyal and loving they do not do well when left alone for extended periods of time. Especially if they don’t get enough opportunities to spend their energy.
Inheriting medical conditions
As with all designer breeds, whoodles tend to suffer from the same ailments as their parent breeds.
Whoodles tend to get hip dysplasia, Addison’s disease, and eye problems from the poodle side of their heritage and protein-losing nephropathy and protein-losing enteropathy from their terrier family.
Expensive
Getting a purebred whoodle will cost you a pretty penny to start with, but the expenses do not stop there.
You will also have to finance all their grooming and medical needs, which could add up, so make sure you are able to afford taking care of a whoodle before getting one.
Strong prey drive
Whoodles may be loving and affectionate towards humans, but they still have strong animal instincts.
Their prey drive means that they probably won’t be suitable for a family with other, smaller pets like cats or rabbits. Of course, a well-socialized whoodle might be able to overcome these instincts.
Interesting facts about whoodles
Their adorable resemblance to teddy bears make them an instant hit with anyone who sees them, it should come as no surprise then that pups like Kona and Moose have begun gaining popularity on social media.
Whoodles prefer colder climates, so if you live in a warmer area you need to monitor your dog to make sure that they don’t overheat while playing and also make sure that their paws aren’t burning while they walk or jog with you.
Remember, to them, you are the most important, so they will continue to run or walk with you even if they are getting hurt, so it’s really important to make sure you monitor the temperature for their safety.
Whoodles make wonderful service dogs and therapy dogs because of their friendly demeanour, quick-to-learn attitudes, and allergen-friendly coats.
Conclusion
Whoodles are an amazing breed, designed to be the perfect companion.
So, as long as you can give them the attention they require, take care of their grooming needs and socialize them well, it is hard to imagine why you would not want to add a whoodle to your family.
They seem to be especially well suited for families with children, they will enjoy playing with the kids as much as the kids will enjoy playing with them.
This doesn’t mean that they are not suitable for people who live alone, they will be loving and loyal friends to whoever takes care of them.
