Whippet Chihuahua Mix: A Complete Guide

Are you thinking of a whippet mix as a perfect pup for your home? Do you want a petite, fun, and speedy whippet mix? If so, a whippet chihuahua mix (Chi Whip) could be the perfect dog for you.

With the whippet’s spirit and chihuahua’s feistiness, the whippet chihuahua mix has an array of unique and amazing traits you will love.

Just like other crossbreed dogs, Chi whips have needs and demands which you should meet to live with in harmony with them to keep these dogs happy and healthy.

To easily care for a Chi whip, it’s crucial that you understand how they behave, what they need, potential health issues they can get, and their proper maintenance.

In this article, I will explore all the relevant and essential information you need to know about the whippet chihuahua mix.

Kindly keep reading to discover more about this crossbreed, including their history, temperament, appearance, health issues, care and maintenance, and life expectancy.

Let’s take a look…

Table of Contents

What Is A Whippet Chihuahua Mix?

Other names for this whippet mix are Chippet and Chi whip. However, Chippet is no longer common as of 2014. A Chi whip is a dog breed that results from crossbreeding a purebred whippet and a chihuahua.

Chihuahuas are the most petite canine breed globally and among the oldest dog species too. Whippets are also very small dogs, and they can often be confused with a miniature greyhound.

Thus, this clearly explains why the whippet chihuahua mix is also a very small dog.

History Of The Chi Whip

To understand more about this crossbreed, you should look more into their parents’ origin. Both whippets and chihuahuas are ancient dogs bred for different purposes.

The main reason for breeding whippets was to hunt and race; therefore, they’re swift and predacious.

The reason for breeding chihuahuas isn’t apparent, and the history behind their existence is obscure, just like that of whippets.

They are both excellent watchdogs, sensitive, and thrive on companionship and affection.

Chi whips can behave more like the whippet or chihuahua, depending on the parent with dominant genes. However, they’re very distinct from their parents, with a unique look and behaviour.

Let’s find out more about this crossbreed’s appearance and temperament below.

Whippet Chihuahua Appearance

Pinpointing a chi whip from other whippet mixes isn’t hard. They’re very petite, relatively strong, with a big round head and thin lips. They have a slightly pointed and short nose with big impressive eyes that are spaced widely.

Whippet chihuahua mixes have large ears and a medium-length tail, and they can have either long or short hair.

Their coat colours and colour combination usually depend on chance and genetics. Chi whips can take any colour shade of their parents.

The common whippets colour are white, fawn, blue, tan, black, and brindle, while those for chihuahuas are black, grey, silver fawn, chocolate, cream, and sometimes triple colours like black chocolate, and blue with white and tan.

The shades can be pale or darker for all coat colours.

Whippet Chihuahua Maximum Size

Chi whips are incredibly small dogs, while whippets are medium-sized pooches. They inherit their tiny bodies from their chihuahua parents, which are known to be the smallest dog breed globally.

An average purebred chihuahua weighs 2-6 pounds with a height of about 8-9 inches.

Some chihuahuas can be oversize with up to 12+ pounds. Most whippet chihuahua mixes’ weight and height range is 6-25 pounds and 8-18 inches, respectively.

Either way, how you feed, care, and maintain your chi whip will significantly determine its potential size. Well-cared-for pooches are usually healthier and live longer compared to those that aren’t taken care of properly.

Whippet Chiahuahua Temperament And Traits

Like their parents, chi whips are needy and sweet canine buddies that love lots of attention and snuggling.

They don’t like to be left on their own; therefore, you should only go for them if you’re ready to give them the attention and time they need.

They’re prone to separation anxiety and become destructive when they’re alone for more extended periods.

It would be wise to leave them with a doggy sitter or in a canine daycare when you’re not home if this is possible, especially whilst they are young.

As sensitive and needy pooches, chi whips tend to attach to specific people in the family or their owners. They’re excellent watchdogs, fearless, brave, and always ready and willing to protect their masters/family members (well, try too).

However, don’t confuse their feistiness and agility with disobedient and unfriendly dogs. They’re naturally affectionate, gentle, playful, and loving.

If not relaxing or sleeping, your chi whip will want to play games with you, go for a walk, or bond with you looking for some tender loving care.

This dog breed isn’t the best for homes with younger kids since they’re very fragile and can get injured while playing with them. Some breeders usually don’t agree to sell this small crossbreed to families with kids who are less than eight years old.

They can also be stubborn and slightly temperamental. Therefore, it’s best to have some consistent ground rules to keep your chi whip’s behaviour under control and for him to recognise you as the leader.

If not socialised early, chi whips could be unfriendly towards other canines. They will bark back at other dogs and usually don’t retreat from confrontation.

This trait can put them in danger when attacked by other big and aggressive dogs.

Whippet Chihuahua Mix Health

This crossbreed is a long-lived canine breed, with a life expectancy of about 12-16 years if taken care of properly. Like other dog breeds, this crossbreed is likely to suffer the same health disorders their whippet and chihuahua parents have.

Some of the common health problems the whippet chihuahua mix is prone to are eye and ear problems, patellar luxation, idiopathic epilepsy, mitral valve, arrhythmia, and patent ductus arteriosus.

They’re also susceptible to earwax. Hence it’s best if you cleaned their ears regularly.

All dogs are prone to parasites such as ticks and fleas. Therefore, you should regularly check your chi whip for any of these parasites.

Regular grooming and cleaning will keep fleas and ticks at bay.

It’s advisable to avoid buying any pooch from puppy mills. It would be best if you got your chi whip from a reputable breeder to find a healthy chi whip bred from well-selected and healthy whippets and chihuahuas.

Chi Whips Exercise Requirements

As energetic and playful dogs, whippet chihuahua mixes need regular and adequate exercise every day to burn off excess energy. They require about 20-30 minutes of exercise every day. Due to their tiny bodies, you should avoid overworking or over-exercising them.

Training A Chi Whip

This crossbreed dog is usually tiny and harmless, and most people don’t usually train them. However, if you need a more obedient and housebroken canine companion, training will is essential.

Like whippets, training a chi whip isn’t usually easy; it requires a lot of patience and commitment.

They also need early socialisation to relate with people and other pets easily. Training should start almost immediately when you bring your puppy home.

For the training to be successful and effective, it would be best to use the reward approach by reinforcing good actions with treats and praises.

Care And Maintenance Of A Whippet Chihuahua Mix

Caring and maintaining a chi whip isn’t hard. They usually need minimal care, and they can be happy and satisfied staying indoors with owners who can engage them in plays and other activities.

Daily exercise and proper feeding are imperative to keep their energetic bodies fit and healthy.

In most cases, the regular playing and exercise you do with a chip whip indoors are enough. During cold days, chi whips require warm and fit clothing to protect them from being cold.

During their teething stage, you should ensure all the baby teeth fall out; it’s often hard to detect since they usually look like permanent teeth and need surgery to pull them out.

Chi whips are also quite picky about the food they eat. You should get the right food type and amount to ensure they’re healthy and happy.

If you’re not sure the best food for your whippet chihuahua mix, your vet can lead you to get the best food quality and quantity for him.

It’s best to introduce your chi whip to a consistent meal schedule for him to have a good eating habit. Therefore, you should avoid leaving food bowls for extended periods after your pup finishes eating.

They only need occasional grooming and brushing. A chi whip with long fur needs to be washed around than once every week using a brush that has soft bristles.

It’s best if you also remembered to trim their nails regularly since they grow very fast.

Is A Whippet Chihuahua Mix Right For You?

Chi whips are excellent family dogs. They are naturally loving, affectionate, family-oriented, energetic, and gentle.

Despite their small size, they are incredibly strong-willed and fearless, and they can make great house pets for anyone ready to give them the attention and care they need.

With increasing dog crossbreeds today, it’s easy to buy an unhealthy breed due to poor breed selection and examination.

Therefore, you should be careful where you procure your chi whip. You should avoid the puppy mills and go for mixes from reputable breeders.

Hopefully, this post has given you an insight into what it’s like living and owning a Chi whip.

These dogs are great fun for all of the family and are an excellent choice for those looking for a small, playful dog.