Westiepoo
The Westiepoo is a cross between the West Highland White Terrier and the Poodle. Because each hybrid inherits a unique combination of traits from both parents, we recommend thoroughly researching both breeds before choosing a Westiepoo. Pay special attention to temperament, health issues, and care requirements, as your dog may express characteristics from either parent breed.
West Highland White Terrier
The West Highland White Terrier is a compact, sturdy small terrier with a distinctive all-white appearance that has made it one of the most recognizable breeds worldwide. Standing between ten and eleven inches at the shoulder and weighing between thirteen and twenty-two pounds, the Westie presents a well-balanced, substantial build despite its small stature. The breed exhibits slightly longer body length than height, creating a rectangular silhouette that speaks to its working heritage as a vermin hunter in the Scottish Highlands. The head is broad with a slightly domed skull, featuring a definitive stop and a blunt muzzle that gives the face its characteristic rounded appearance. The coat is perhaps the breed's most distinctive feature, consisting of a harsh, straight outer coat approximately two inches in length paired with a soft, dense undercoat that provides excellent protection against harsh weather conditions. This double coat naturally parts along the spine from head to tail, creating the breed's signature furnishings around the face and legs. The pure white coloration is a defining breed characteristic, with the hair around the head often styled to frame the face in a rounded shape. Grooming requirements are significant, with regular brushing needed to prevent matting and professional stripping recommended to maintain proper coat texture. The Westie's dark, almond-shaped eyes are set wide apart beneath a heavy brow, giving an alert and intelligent expression. The ears are small, erect, and triangular, carried firmly upright and set wide apart on the skull. The nose is distinctly black and quite large relative to the muzzle size. The tail is relatively short, typically five to six inches in length, carried high and covered with hard hair but not feathered. The legs are muscular and well-boned, with the front legs being straight and the rear legs providing strong driving power for agile movement.
Key Characteristics
Temperament Temperament Temperament Temperament Temperament Temperament The Westie retains a strong prey drive from its hunting ancestry, making supervision necessary around small pets such as hamsters or rabbits. Their high energy level requires approximately one hour of daily exercise, though they are adaptable to various living situations including apartments when properly exercised. Training a West Highland White Terrier requires patience and creativity, as they respond poorly to repetitive drills and harsh corrections. Positive reinforcement methods work best with this intelligent breed, which learns quickly but may choose to ignore commands if not properly motivated. The breed ranks among the more social of the Scottish terrier breeds, generally getting along well with other dogs when properly introduced.
Health Considerations Health Considerations Health Considerations Health Considerations Health Considerations Health Considerations Several serious genetic conditions affect the breed, including globoid cell leukodystrophy, a fatal neurological disease, and craniomandibular osteopathy, commonly called Westie jaw, which causes painful bone growth in the skull during puppyhood. Progressive retinal atrophy, cataracts, and dry eye represent potential vision concerns. The breed may also develop idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, sometimes called Westie lung, a progressive scarring of lung tissue. Liver conditions including chronic hepatitis and copper storage disease can occur. Orthopedic concerns include hip dysplasia and luxating patella. With proper care and health screening, West Highland White Terriers typically enjoy a lifespan of twelve to sixteen years.
Poodle
The Poodle is an elegant, well-proportioned dog that comes in three size varieties recognized by major kennel clubs: Standard, Miniature, and Toy. The Standard Poodle, most commonly used in breeding designer hybrids, stands over fifteen inches at the shoulder and typically weighs between forty and seventy pounds, presenting a substantial, athletic build. All varieties share the same breed characteristics, differing only in size. The Poodle's body exhibits a square outline when viewed from the side, with the length from breastbone to point of rump approximately equal to the height from ground to withers, creating a balanced, harmonious silhouette that speaks to the breed's grace and athleticism. The head is refined and elegant, featuring a moderately rounded skull with a slight but definite stop. The muzzle is long, straight, and fine, with a slight chiseling under the eyes. The eyes are very dark, oval-shaped, and set far apart, conveying an intelligent, alert expression that reflects the breed's exceptional mental acuity. The ears are long and wide, set at or slightly below eye level, hanging close to the head and heavily feathered with wavy hair. The neck is well-proportioned, long enough to permit the head to be carried high with dignity, rising from strong, smoothly muscled shoulders. The tail is set high and carried erect, traditionally docked in countries where the practice remains legal. The Poodle's coat is perhaps its most distinctive feature, consisting of naturally curly, dense hair with a unique texture that continues growing rather than shedding. This single-coat structure lacks the undercoat found in many breeds, contributing to the Poodle's reputation as a lower-shedding option for those sensitive to dog hair, though no breed is truly hypoallergenic. The coat may be presented in various traditional clips or kept in a simple all-over trim. Acceptable colors include black, white, brown, apricot, red, silver, gray, cream, cafe au lait, blue, and parti-color variations. Professional grooming every four to eight weeks is essential to maintain coat health and prevent matting. The Poodle moves with a light, springy, effortless stride that reflects athleticism and grace.
Key Characteristics
Temperament Temperament Temperament Temperament Temperament Temperament Despite popular misconceptions associating Poodles with a pampered lifestyle, the breed is genuinely athletic and requires substantial daily exercise to maintain physical and mental well-being. Standard Poodles in particular possess considerable energy and stamina, excelling in activities such as swimming, retrieving, agility, and long walks or jogs with their owners. The breed's water-retrieving heritage remains evident in most individuals' enthusiasm for swimming. Training should be consistent and positive, as Poodles respond sensitively to their handler's emotions and may become anxious or shut down with harsh corrections. Their playful, sometimes comic disposition brings joy to households, and they maintain an almost puppy-like enthusiasm well into their senior years.
Health Considerations Health Considerations Health Considerations Health Considerations Health Considerations Health Considerations Sebaceous adenitis, an inflammatory skin disease affecting the sebaceous glands, occurs in Standard Poodles with significant frequency, with some studies suggesting that fifty percent or more of the breed may be carriers or affected. Symptoms include hair loss, scaling skin, and secondary infections. Bloat, or gastric dilatation-volvulus, poses a life-threatening risk primarily for Standard Poodles, involving dangerous stomach expansion and potential twisting that requires emergency surgical intervention. Von Willebrand's disease, a bleeding disorder, affects some bloodlines. Additional concerns include hypothyroidism, luxating patella especially in smaller varieties, Legg-Calve-Perthes disease in Toy and Miniature Poodles, atrial septal defects, cataracts, allergies, and ear infections due to the hair growth within the ear canal.
Important to Remember
Each hybrid dog is unique and may inherit any combination of traits from either parent breed. The information above represents the characteristics of the purebred parent breeds. Your Westiepoo may favor one parent over the other or display a blend of both. We strongly encourage you to read the complete breed profiles for both the West Highland White Terrier and Poodle to fully understand the range of possible temperaments, health concerns, and care requirements.