Westiepoo (West Highland White Terrier & Poodle Mix): Pictures, Guide, Info & Care!

The Westiepoo is a friendly dog that breeders create by mixing a West Highland White Terrier with a Poodle. You might also hear people call it a Westiedoodle or a Wee-Poo, but the Westiepoo seems to be the most common. It’s the perfect size for almost any home, large or small, and it’s highly intelligent and fun to teach new tricks.

Breed Overview

If you were thinking about getting one of these pets for your home but would like to learn more about it first, keep breathing while we discuss temperament, diet, grooming, and more to help you make an informed decision.

Westiepoo Characteristics

Westiepoo Puppies

While Westiepoos are friendly and attentive, they do have a short temper that can lead to lots of barking or chewing on furniture. However, with patience, dedication, and the right techniques, they can be successfully trained, and the result is definitely worth it! It’s good to know what you’re getting into before bringing home one of these pooches, though, so you should do your research and prepare for short but daily training sessions.

Be sure to read the Westiepoo’s full care guide so you know what to expect from these pups and how you can take care of them so they grow into happy and healthy dogs.

Temperament & Intelligence of the Westiepoo

The Westiepoo is a popular designer breed because it has a fantastic personality. It gets along well with children and is usually tolerant of rough play. They enjoy being around people and participating in family activities so they can get upset if you spend a lot of time away from home. It may start barking, digging holes, or chewing on furniture. Service dogs are better suited to people who spend plenty of time at home.

Since the Westiepoo has a poodle as a parent, it will be extremely intelligent, both a blessing and a curse. It will be easy to teach new tricks, and they will find where to help you around the house. However, they have a strong will and can be difficult to sway once they want something.

Are These Dogs Good for Families? 👪

Yes. The Westiepoo, as we mentioned earlier, these dogs enjoy being around family members and are tolerant with children. It has plenty of energy for games, and a large family will help it get the exercise and needs, while its smaller size makes it suitable for smaller homes and apartments. It’s cautious around strangers, so it makes a great watchdog without being excessively barky unless you leave it alone too long.

Does This Breed Get Along with Other Pets?

The Westiepoo gets along extremely well with other dog breeds and is usually friendly and outgoing on the walking trail. However, like many terriers, it has a strong prey drive and may chase small cats, rabbits, and squirrels. Early socialization can help it get along with other pets, but it will be hard to control in the yard.

Things to Know When Owning a Westiepoo:

Food & Diet Requirements 🦴

Your Westiepoo has plenty of energy, so it’s going to need high-quality food to stay healthy and happy. We recommend choosing brands with real meat like chicken, beef, turkey, or salmon listed as the first ingredient. Brands that provide real fruits and vegetables, like broccoli, pumpkin, blueberries, and more, can provide important vitamins and minerals that your pet needs. These ingredients also provide important antioxidants and prebiotics that help nourish your pet’s good gut bacteria leading to less frequent occurrences of constipation and diarrhea. Avoid foods with chemical preservatives or artificial dyes, and make sure any corn or soy ingredients are lower down the list and not near the beginning.

Exercise 🐕

Your Westiepoo is a high-energy dog that will require plenty of exercises. Luckily, its smaller size means that a good walk each day will allow the dog to burn off most of its excess energy. We recommend setting at least 30 minutes aside each day to walk or play with your Westiepoo to keep it healthy and less likely to disturb you while you sleep at night. Bored dogs often resort to barking or other bad behavior to get the attention it craves.

Training 🎾

Your Westiepoo is extremely intelligent, and it should be easy to teach it all kinds of tricks. At least when it feels like learning. The Westiepoo is very strong-willed and can get easily distracted by small animals or other “shiny things.” We recommend holding short training sessions at the same time each day to help get your pet into a routine. Right after playtime usually works best because your pet will have gotten most of its running out of its system and will be more inclined to focus on what you’re trying to teach. Giving the dog plenty of treats and other positive reinforcement will keep it coming back for more. Consistency and patience are your keys to success. Even a highly intelligent dog like the Westiepoo can take several weeks to learn a new trick and commit it to memory.

Grooming ✂️

Luckily, your Westiepoo is not a heavy shutter and will leave next to no fur around your home. It’s also a great choice for people that suffer from allergies. Although not completely hypoallergenic, it’s pretty close. However, it will require frequent brushing because the fur can get tangled and knotted. The longer you let it go, the more painful it will be for the dog, which will cause it to hate grooming. Start grooming early when the dog is still a puppy to help it get used to it and brush frequently, so there will be less uncomfortable hair pulling.

If your dog spends most of its time in the house, you will need to trim the nails when you hear them clicking on the floor. We also recommend manually brushing your dog’s teeth with a pet-safe toothbrush to help slow the progression of dental disease.

Health and Conditions 🏥

Serious Conditions:

Epilepsy

Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders that affect dogs. It affects the brain and causes unprovoked and uncontrollable seizures. Dog owners will need to keep a diary of the symptoms, how long they occur, as this diary will help determine treatment. There is currently no cure, but medication can help your dog manage it and improve its quality of life.

Progressive Retinal Atrophy

Progressive Retinal Atrophy is a condition that affects the photoreceptors in the back of your dog’s eye, inhibiting its ability to detect light. Early symptoms include night blindness, and you may notice your dog hesitate to go into dimly lit rooms. If the disease progresses enough, it can lead to blindness. Unfortunately, there is currently no cure, but vitamins and other nutritional supplements may help slow the progression.

Minor Conditions:

Liver Disease

Liver disease can occur in any dog breed, but it’s more common in the West Highland Terrier parent breed of the Westiepoo. Early symptoms include a yellowish tint to the skin, and you will likely see it first in the eyes and ears. Your pet may also suffer from depression, personality changes, and even blindness, and you may also notice a decreased appetite, diarrhea, and vomiting. In some cases, diet and medication can help, especially when it hasn’t progressed too far.

Obesity

Obesity can affect any breed, and it’s extremely common in the United States. Some experts suggest that more than 40% of dogs older than five years are overweight. Obesity can lead to several other health problems, including heart disease, liver disease, diabetes, and more. Obesity can also make it difficult for your pet to move around and will likely shorten its life expectancy. You can prevent obesity with proper portion control and by keeping vigilant about setting aside enough time each day to walk and play games with your pet.

Male vs Female

Since the Westiepoo is a mixed breed, it’s not easy to tell the difference between the male and female as which parent it takes after more will have a bigger impact on its final appearance and temperament.

3 Little-Known Facts About the Westiepoo

1. The West Highland Terrier Parent breed is white so that hunters can distinguish it from a fox.

2. The special haircut a Poodle receives was originally to help it swim better if this breed is a water retriever.

3. The Poodle is one of the most intelligent dog breeds behind only the Border Collie.

Final Thoughts

The Westiepoo makes a fantastic family pet, and it will enjoy spending time with you and the children. It’s wary of strangers, so it makes a great watchdog, but it’s not hostile towards people or animals though it does chase squirrels and rabbits around the yard. It’s intelligent but strong-willed, so it requires patience and positive reinforcement to teach new tricks, but once you’ve bonded, it will be inseparable from the entire family.

We hope you enjoyed this short guide and found the answers you need. If we have convinced you to give one of these pets a try at your home, please share our look into the Westiepoo on Facebook and Twitter.

• See Also: Weeranian (Westie & Pomeranian Mix): Care, Pictures, Info & More

Featured Image Credit: BIGANDT.COM, Shutterstock