Whoodles are playful, exciting, and loving balls of fur. They are highly intelligent and just like one of the breeds they come from, the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier, they are extremely friendly! They also love attention. You may be considering taking a trip to a lake or river and are wondering if your Whoodle will be safe. You’ll be happy to discover that just like the other breed they come from, the Poodle, they have a great love of water and are naturally good swimmers. This is due to Poodles sometimes being bred for water retrieving qualities.
Natural Swimming Traits of Whoodles
Paws to Paddle
Because of the Poodle parentage the Whoodle has paws that are designed to improve paddling and pushing through the water. Dogs in general have some webbing on their feet, but Whoodles have a little more than most breeds which makes them great swimmers!
Their Size
Whoodles come in different sizes ranging from toy, medium, and standard. They generally weigh between 20 and 60 lbs. This means that they are a lighter breed which means they will have to use less effort to swim and navigate the water.
Their Single-Coat Fur
The fur of a Whoodle is soft and silky. Its fur tends to be wavy and closer to the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier’s rather than super curly like a Poodle. Because their hair isn’t as curly this makes them much easier to groom and also allows them to swim through the water without having a heavy wet coat weighing them down.
Love the Outdoors
Whoodles are an energetic breed that naturally enjoy being outdoors. They love fresh air and sunshine as well as water. This means they are usually naturally comfortable with swimming.
Is Your Whoodle Afraid of Water
Although they tend to love water, that won’t be the case with every single Whoodle. When they are near a body of water you should be on the lookout for signs that they are uncomfortable such as growling, whimpering, or whining. If they are showing these signs, you can assume your pup isn’t as fond of water as most other Whoodles.
Other signals you can watch for is hesitancy to step into the water or even a bath. If they are jumpy or skittish during these times you know they aren’t comfortable with water situations. If your Whoodle jumps right into the water and is playful you can rest assured that they are one of the many Whoodles who love water.
Final Thoughts
Just because Whoodles are generally very comfortable with water does not mean you should jump right into the water with them. You should take baby steps with them by introducing them to a smaller, more controlled body of water such as a bath or swimming pool. After you’ve done this you should have a pretty good idea of where your pup’s comfortability level is and should proceed accordingly.