When you cross a Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier with a Poodle, you get the result of a Whoodle. These dogs are outstanding when purchased from a reputable breeder. Whoodles are very rarely aggressive when bred with health and temperament in mind.
Importance of Temperament
While the dog’s fun colors and tiny size might be the main deciding factors when looking at photos of the Whoodle you want to bring home, consider the importance of temperament.
Breeding & Genetics
Buying a puppy is one of the most exciting events in any dog lover’s life! Picking your new Whoodle puppy from a box of his siblings in the parking lot of your nearest grocery store or even a pet store doesn’t have the best long-term results when it comes to aggression. Puppies like these often come from backyard breeders or puppy mills. Puppies bred strictly for-profit often are born without a second thought. The new puppies’ health and temperament are of little importance to a breeder trying to make a quick buck.
Buying a puppy from a reputable breeder comes with many perks. When you receive your puppy from My Whoodle, one of the most significant differences is in the quality of the puppies themselves. We love this breed and strive to produce the best puppies possible. Our parenting dogs are genetically tested and have grown up in the home where each of our parenting dogs have proven to have stable temperaments with dogs and strangers alike. Proper breeding and genetics are key foundational pieces of preventing aggression.
Bite inhibition
Bite inhibition refers to your Whoodle’s ability to control the force in which he bites or nips. During puppyhood, puppies will play-bite and wrestle with each other to develop their coordination and social skills. Bite inhibition is taught through this play. The playmate will offer a yelp to communicate pain when a pup bites too hard. Usually taken aback, the puppies will both pause for a moment to reflect, then go right back to playing. Through these interactions, puppies learn to control their bite force and intensity.
However, if a puppy never learns bite inhibition, this can result in rough play that DOES hurt, whether it’s another dog or even a human playmate. Biting too hard can be interpreted as aggression, resulting in a harsh scolding from the owner or a quick snap or correction from another dog, adding more tension to the situation. For dogs who have never learned to control their bite force, you may have to take proper steps to teach your dog to have bite inhibition.
Socialization
While Whoodle aggression is highly uncommon, socialization is an excellent prevention for aggression.
Socialization is when your puppy is exposed to things he’s never seen before: new animals, noises, smells, people, and even surfaces.
When bought from a reputable breeder, your puppy should have already experienced many new things within the first eight weeks of his life. When socializing, we aim to create positive associations and good experiences with all of the things they encounter. Socialization is so important because it builds confidence in your puppy. Without that confidence, he may be fearful and even aggressive when experiencing new things simply because he’s unaware of what they are and whether or not they pose any threat to him.
Once home, you can continue to socialize your Whoodle and get him more and more familiar with the surrounding world. After all the puppy vaccinations are completed, you can further broaden the places and animals your puppy can interact with! A puppy training class can be a great way to get your dog familiar and comfortable with other dogs, preventing the development of future aggression.
Training
Whoodle training can be a very rewarding experience. While teaching your dog proper obedience and new tricks, you’re also teaching what is expected of him, what is appropriate, and what isn’t. Achieving some level of training with your dog reduces the dominant behaviors your Whoodle might otherwise adopt. Keeping things consistent in training will allow your dog the understanding needed to take corrections from other dogs without issue. The other handy thing with training is that your dog will be more likely to obey you if a dangerous situation arises. Even if your dog isn’t the aggressor, having a solid recall can save his life if you recognize another dog getting aggressive. Training and practicing obedience commands can keep your dog safe and out of trouble during those critical moments that could break out into a dog fight or other type of aggressive situation.
Whoodles are not generally aggressive dogs. This, of course, will depend on the breeding and socialization of every individual dog, but overall, Whoodles are not known as an aggressive dog breed. If your Whoodle seems to be developing aggressive or reactive behavior, seek the help of a professional trainer as soon as possible to help evaluate and put a stop to the behavior before it gets worse.
If you’re ready for a Whoodle of your own, check out our available puppies bred for temperament and pristine health. We even offer an 8-Year Health Guarantee paired with our strict breeding standards, so you never have to worry.