Whoodle: Is The Lively Wheaten Terrier Poodle Mix For You?

A whoodle is a mix of a soft-coated wheaten terrier and a poodle.

You may have also heard them called wheatenpoo, sweatenpoo, or wheatendoodles.

They are cheerful, intelligent, and hardy dogs that are affectionate and energetic, making them the perfect athletic companion.

Both parent breeds are working dogs meaning their lives have been intertwined with humans for hundreds of years already.

This teddy bear-looking dog will brighten up any room and could be the perfect match for you!

Whoodle Overview

Whoodle

No one really knows when the whoodle was first bred but given their rising popularity in the early 2000s, we can assume it was sometime around then.

However, we do know the history of the parent breeds: the Wheaten terrier and the poodle.

Wheaten terriers were bred in the 1700s in Ireland to hunt vermin on the farm. They even survived the Irish Potato Famine thanks to their resilience, however their numbers declined severely. Since then their numbers were able to grow, and by the 1900s the Irish Kennel Club recognized them as an official breed.

Poodles were bred in Germany in the 1600s as a waterfowl retriever. All attributes the poodle has today are thanks to the retriever qualities that were bred into their ancestors. The poodles charm and trainability quickly made them popular with French nobility, giving them the title of national dog of France today.

Whoodles are hybrid dogs, meaning they are not recognized by the American Kennel club, however both parent breeds are. The Poodle is part of the non-sporting group and the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier is part of the Terrier group.

Whoodle Appearance

Poodle
A Poodle

The Whoodle is a cross breed, meaning there is no way to know for sure what they will look like.

They could look more like one parent than the other, or a complete mix of both. You won’t find out until they are fully grown.

In general, they tend to favor the Poodles’ facial features with a rounded head, medium length muzzle and floppy ears. They tend to have the lean and muscular body of the Wheaten Terrier.

Wheatens are square and sturdy terriers and tend to have a bold goatee- they are named after their color, which resembles ripening wheat.

Poodles on the other hand are elegant athletes, with a smooth muscular body and a curly coat.

Size and Weight

The size of your Whoodle will vary depending on the size of their parents and what kind of Poodle it was bred with. The breeder will specify what Poodle they are breeding either a standard or a miniature.

  • A standard size poodle is 40-70lb and stands over 15 inches.
  • The miniature poodle weighs 10-15lb and stands between 10-15 inches.
  • Wheaten Terriers weighs 30-40lb and stands around 17-19 inches.

Given these sizes, you should expect a standard Whoodle to weigh around 30-60lb and stand 17+ inches tall. The size of a miniature Whoodle is roughly 25-35 lb and 10-17 inches. You won’t know their true size until they are fully grown.

Whoodle Colors and Coat

The Wheaten Terrier can pass down the classic wheaten color – depending on what line they come from, it can vary from champagne to honey, to red, brown or mahogany.

Thanks to the variety of colors with Poodles, the Whoodle can come in a rainbow of colors.

They can be cream, silver, red, brown or black.

It’s a lottery trying to figure out what color they will be.

Their coat is the easiest part of their appearance to predict, they have medium length, dense coats.

It can be either soft wavy hair or soft curly hair.

The Poodle is known for its non-shedding characteristic – therefore there is a chance that the Whoodle can inherit this trait. Wheaten Terriers shed very little, but still have a shedding season.

Whoodle Temperament

The Wheaten Terrier

The Whoodle is a cross breed, meaning their temperament is difficult to predict. The Poodle and the Wheaten Terrier have different personalities but there are some overlaps.

Both Poodles and Wheatens are intelligent and, given their long history of working with people, they are also easy to train.

Poodles

The Poodle is friendly, athletic and a great companion. They are famous for their intelligence and eagerness to learn and to love.

Your pooch will love to play and wants to have a good time with their family.

This can make them more likely to jump and bound around. They also have a tendency to bark.

Poodles are very bright and attentive, it is said they are skilled at reading body language and expressions. They can be emotionally sensitive to stress and tension within a household, and may develop separation anxiety.

Wheaten Terriers

These energetic extroverts have all the famous attributes a Terrier has. They are hardworking and resilient. Whilst they look adorable, do not be fooled. It is easy to become overwhelmed by their boisterous behavior.

Wheaten Terriers are joyful and love to bounce about. They have a strong prey drive, just like any terrier, and will chase anything that moves. They also love to dig, so make sure you have a designated digging area in your garden that you don’t mind a couple of holes in.

Apart from their occasional unruly behavior, they are very cheerful and love to socialize with others. When encountering strangers they can become guarded, but once reassured by their human, they quickly become friendly!

Whoodles

So what does this mean for your Whoodle?

It is possible that they may favor one parent breed’s temperament more than the other, or their temperament could be a mix of both. You won’t really know until they are grown.

Is A Whoodle A Good Family Dog?

The Whoodle can be a good family dog it really depends on how they are trained and socialized.

They may inherit the boisterous behavior of the Wheaten Terrier but can be socialized and trained to keep it to a minimum.

They will love playtime with kids, as long as you supervise them. Wheaten Terriers have a strong prey drive and will instinctively chase and herd small children. This is not aggressive; however it can become a problem if left unchecked.

How to Train a Whoodle

Whoodles are highly intelligent, meaning they are fairly easy to train. However, the Wheaten Terrier can be stubborn and unwilling to listen at times.

They are pack driven, so make sure you let them know who is in charge – be firm and consistent but never punish them.

Keep your behavior consistent and they will start to pick it up.

You should start dog training as soon as possible – their brain is developing rapidly at this time. Early socialization is crucial as it prevents aggression in later years and can stop their herding instincts on small children.

Taking them to puppy classes will prevent fearful behavior around un-natural noises, such as traffic or unfamiliar situations.

Positive reinforcement is best for training, whenever your dog follows your command or stops an unwanted behavior, give them a treat. They may however have a personal preference on what treat they like best, they may be food orientated or they may love some praise. Or a bit of both, you could mix it up a little!

Every dog needs mental stimulation, including the Whoodle. The best time for playtime is after a training session. They will love playing games, you could play chase if you have the space. Or you could put that Poodle intelligence up to the test and give them a puzzle toy that dispenses food.

Wheaten Terrier Puppy

Caring for a Whoodle

This cross breed is suited for a range of people: families, couples or singles. They will love anyone and everything!

Make sure you have enough room for this breed – some may be small but they do love to bounce around and won’t like small spaces.

As a dog with terrier genes, they will be very energetic, meaning they need a lot of activity throughout the day.

Their coats may be non-shedding just like their Poodle parents, meaning grooming won’t be too much of a hassle. However, they could also inherit a Wheaten coat where shedding season may cause an issue. There is no way of knowing in advance.

Exercise Requirements

As said before, they can be different sizes. Their size will determine how much exercise they need. Miniatures won’t need as much exercise as standards.

If you are more active, a standard one will be more your style. They require at least 90 minutes of activity a day, including walks and playtime. Miniatures will need around 60 minutes a day.

No matter their size, they will have the typical terrier behavior, meaning they will want to chase anything moving in eyesight. Keep them on a leash when out walking.

Make sure your yard is securely fenced, as Whoodles consider themselves escape artists.

Grooming and Shedding

As said before, their coat is unpredictable thanks to their hybrid genes!

If they inherit the Poodle’s non-shedding coat, the only maintenance they will need is brushing. They will also need professional haircuts; trim their bangs out of their eyes and to keep things neat and tidy.

The Wheaten Terrier coat requires a lot more maintenance. Daily grooming will be needed – brush them to remove any dirt and loose hairs. They have ‘shaggy dog’ syndrome where every bit of dirt they encounter will find its way onto them.

As with all dogs, you should trim their nails regularly. Brush their teeth and clean their floppy ears of any wax buildup.

Poodle Cross
A Poodle Cross

Feeding and Diet

Deciding what to feed your Whoodle is a personal choice between dry, wet, raw meat or home cooked meals, there are so many options.

As long as you follow guidelines and watch out for ingredients in commercial foods, they will enjoy mealtime.

They do well on high quality dry food, as long as it is made from natural ingredients and tailored to your unique Whoodle nutritional requirement based on their size.

Foods must have a healthy balance of carbs, protein and fat, and should contain the right amount of vitamins and minerals.

How much you feed your dog will depend on what size they are and their activity level. Keep an eye on their weight and use a body condition system to ensure they are an ideal weight.

Standard size Whoodles should be fed roughly 2.5-3 cups a day. Miniatures should be fed roughly 1.5 cups a day. Spread out their meals over the day evenly, one in the morning and one in the evening.

Known Health Problems

Whoodles are cross-breeds, meaning genetic disorders are less prevalent than pedigrees as there is more variety in their genes.

However, they still have health issues passed down from their parent breeds.

Common health issues include:

  • Epilepsy – abnormal activity in the brain causing seizures
  • Progressive Retinal Atrophy – can lead to blindness
  • Addisons disease – affecting the adrenal glands and hormone output
  • Thyroid issues – can cause hypothyroidism and affect their metabolism
  • Bloat – when the stomach twists on itself and traps air
  • Renal dysplasia – kidneys develop abnormally leading to kidney failure

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How Long Does A Whoodle Live?

A healthy Whoodle can live up to 15 years.

How Much Does A Whoodle Cost?

Whoodles will cost anywhere between $2000-$5000

As both parent breeds are recognized by the AKC, breeders should provide you with certificates if they are registered. They should also let you know what vaccinations they have had and which are needed.

A puppy should be at least 8 weeks old when leaving mom, but some breeders wait until 12 weeks.

Quick Breed Summary Table

Breed Characteristics
Size:Standard (17+ inches), Miniature (10-17 inches)
Weight:Standard (30-60lb, Miniature (25-35lb)
Lifespan:12-15 years
Coat:Soft and wavy or soft and curly
Color:Wheaten, cream, silver, red, brown or black
Do They Shed:Yes (little-moderate amount)
Temperament:Cheerful, energetic, friendly and boisterous
Intelligence:Very intelligence
Socialization:Good with other dogs but needs supervision
Destructive Behavior:Tendency to bark
People Skills:Guarded with strangers, but overall friendly
Good with Children:Yes
Activity Levels:Very energetic (needs 90 minutes of activity each day)

Summary

The Whoodle is a bright and cheerful dog best suited for people who want every day to be different, from couples to singles, to families with children or empty-nest families.

They need an active owner who can take them out for walks every day.

Grooming can be unpredictable, but if you stick with brushing them regularly they will look their best at all times.

More Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier and Poodle Mixes

Want a Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier mix or Poodle mix but aren’t keen on the Whoodle? Check out these other hybrid dog breeds:

Poodle Mixes

About Thomas Woods 224 Articles
Thomas has been a dog lover since he was 6 years old when his parents got him a rescue Labrador. Since then his love for dogs has lead him to study Animal Behavior & Welfare. He now keeps a six year old English Bullmastiff and educates pet parents through his online publication Perfect Dog Breeds.

3 Comments

  1. Hi, I am in the process of looking for a Whoodle
    I found one but the mom is a Whoodle And dad is
    A mini poodle. I’m under the impression that one
    Parent should be Wheaten terrier and the other
    Should be poodle. I love the teddy bear look of the Whoodle
    But not a fan of the look of a poodle so im worried
    That this puppy could look more like the poodle am I
    Correct?

  2. I have an 11 year old female Whoodle. She gets cysts all over her body, that need to be surgically removed. Since it is a newer breed, I am wondering if this is common? She is the best dog ever, love her to death but not sure if this common with them or not..

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