Westiepoo Breed Details
Below are the details and specs for the Westiepoo dog breed.
Westiepoo Dog Breed
Westipoo
Westy Poodle
The Westiepoo is a small- to medium-sized dog that is cross-bred from a West Highland White Terrier and a Poodle. As both parents have history as hunters, your Westiepoo will almost certainly have the same instincts, and as such they will be eager to please, very intelligent and rather curious. They are great family dogs, love to play, run and jog. Despite their small size, they are bold (but not arrogant) and will play well with larger dogs and considerate children. It is best to socialize them when they are young, of course, but they can be moderately difficult to train; persistence and patience is required. Daily brushing and lots of attention will keep your Westiepoo healthy, happy and loving life. They will appreciate your attention, and they'll be devoted to you.
Westiepoo Breed Description
The Westiepoo is a small- to medium-sized dog that, when mature, weighs about 20-30 pounds and has a height of 15-17 inches.
Westiepoos are great family dogs that love to play and are intelligent, highly inquisitive and eager to please. They are reserved around strangers and don't bark much. They can be irritable if left alone regularly and for long periods of time, however, and if irritated they may become aggressive toward children, strangers and other pets.
Your Westiepoo will most likely be a medium-maintenance dog. They will require daily brushing, occasional walks, the monthly bath and the trip now and then to the groomer for clipping, but they usually will not shed. Members of this breed are moderately difficult to train and the inexperienced dog owner should prepare patience for this task.
Westiepoo Breed History
The Westiepoo is a hybrid dog that, despite having been around since before the designer breed explosion, has little known history. It comes from cross-breeding a West Highland White Terrier with a Poodle. Still, it has been around for longer than most hybrids — some say as early as the 1960s — and its parent breeds have significant histories. It is one of the more popular Poodle-crossed mixes that have come along over the last 50 years.
The West Highland White Terrier was recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 1908, one year after it was named by the Crufts dog show in England; the AKC recognized the Poodle even earlier, in 1887. The Poodle breed was first noted during the 15th century in Europe, and although it may not seem to be a hunting dog, that was exactly what it was during its first few centuries.
Westiepoo Appearance
Being crossbred from two purebreds, the Westiepoo will inherit physical traits from both parent breeds and some may show an equal mix of both parents. Westiepoos have short legs, round heads that are almost perfectly proportioned to their bodies, and a short tail that usually curls upward and forward over their back. They often get their coat style from the Poodle side: thick, curly and non-shedding, but there is also the chance they may get the soft, wavy style from the Westie side. As both parent breeds are hypoallergenic, so, too, will be your Westiepoo.
Westiepoo Variations
Westiepoos will show variation in regards to their size and coats. There are Toy, Miniature, Medium and Standard sized Poodles; this results in quite a range of sizes for your pet, however, most breeders do not use the largest Poodle variety when breeding with a Westie. Miniature Westiepoos are produced by breeding with Miniature Poodle while utilizing a Toy Poodle will create a slightly smaller Westiepoo.
Most Poodle mixes will have wavy hair in between not as tightly curly as the Poodles, however, the amount of waviness will vary from one puppy to the next. Breeders specialize in knowing the difference the generation can make in coat texture (F1, F1B, F2, etc.). F1 Westiepoos are the offspring of the purebred Poodle and purebred West Highland Terrier while F2 is the result of crossing two F1 Westipoos. A "B" after the generation number is referred to as "back-crossing" and denotes a Westiepoo that has been bred with a purebred West Highland Terrier or Poodle in order to strengthen certain traits.
Westiepoo Temperament
Your Westiepoo's temperament relies on which behavioral traits they inherit from the parents and in what proportions they inherit them.
Your Westiepoo will want lots of affection, and they are usually very demanding but not arrogantly so. They are very confident for small dogs, having been bred from two hunting breeds — one of which was born to chase and catch rodents (West Highland White Terrier) in the wild. They are very lively, active, intelligent and able to amuse themselves in your company. Left alone, they may develop destructive habits and bark a lot.
Westiepoos are not aggressive but can become hostile if irritated. Although they will bark at unusual noises, they do not get excited by strangers unless threatened by them. They are not good guard dogs due to their size.
Westiepoo Maintenance
The Westiepoo is a medium-maintenance dog: daily brushing, the occasional bath, and trips to the dog-groomer for hair-clipping will keep them healthy and happy. Walking every now and then will help too. They tend to occupy themselves by running around a lot, and they'll get their exercise and amuse themselves inside relatively well. Training requires patience, resolve, and (if possible) experience; they are not among the easiest breeds to train well.
Grooming Requirements
Like any hybrid with a Poodle in the mix, the Westiepoo has the chance of inheriting a soft, curly-haired coat that doesn't shed at all, and while this is good for those who wish to not have dog hair everywhere, it also requires frequent brushing to keep the coat shiny, clean and free of dead hairs and matting. Frequent trimming is also required to keep the ever-growing coat in check and is best done by a professional dog groomer.
Bathing should be done once a month or so, and with a mild shampoo. The ears should be gently cleaned with a damp cloth about once a week, and you should watch the ears closely to make sure no signs of infection occur.
Exercise Requirements
Although the Westipoo gets a lot of its exercise needs met indoors by keeping active all day, he will love you all the more if you take him on walks, let him roam the dog park and, if you have one, allow him outdoors in an enclosed yard. Don't let their small size fool you — they usually love to jog and will keep up with you for a long while. Indoors, this guy will most likely run around a lot, but will also love to burn energy playing with you and others.
Living Requirements
The Westiepoo is one of those dogs perfectly suited for small apartments and indoor life. If you have a fenced-in yard, they will appreciate unleashed frolic outside, but it is not a requirement, and the occasional walk will suffice for outdoor life. Outdoors, however, they should be watched: they have hunting instincts for smaller animals (and may run off chasing one), and in turn, their small size (and oft-white coat) may invite large wild animals to investigate closer. If they have a heavy Poodle coat, they may not like very hot weather.
Westiepoo Health
Westiepoos may have fewer health problems due to being cross-bred, but there is still the chance they may have epilepsy, eye concerns, ear infections, chronic skin problems, joint dysplasia or liver diseases. If kept healthy, happy and clean, you can expect your Westiepoo to live about 12-15 years.
Westiepoo Health Concerns
Below are potential health concerns associated with Westiepoos.
Cataracts
Hip dysplasia
Ear infections
Patellar luxation
Legg-Calve-Perthes disease
Epilepsy
About this Article
Updated:October 27, 2016