Whippet Yorkie Mix: A Detailed Guide

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With the Yorkies compactness and tenacious personality, and the Whippets sweet and loving nature, the Whippet Yorkie mix seems like an extraordinarily unique and adaptable dog to own. It’s a perfect dog if you want a miniature whippet with Yorkshire Terrier personalities and features.

If you’re planning to get a Whippet Yorkie mix as your next furry companion, you may have probably wondered if it’s the right choice for you.

As a dog owner, you may also be concerned about the best way to raise your pup to be happy, comfortable, and live longer to enjoy its time with you fully.

Whether you’re looking for the complete whippet Yorkie mix guide or information to help you decide if this dog is fit for you, this article provides just the details you need. Read on to learn the temperament, appearance, health, and proper care of these designer dogs.

What Is A Whippet Yorkie Mix?

A whippet Yorkie mix describes dogs produced by crossing a purebred Yorkshire Terrier (Yorkies) and a purebred Whippet. Crossing whippets and Yorkies produce highly energetic, affectionate, playful, and naturally sweet.

Yorkies are among the most famous canines today. The AKC has ranked them as the 10th most popular dogs globally. Although small-bodied, Yorkshire Terriers are surprisingly protective, loyal, vocal, and excellent watchdogs.

On the other hand, whippets are medium-sized pooches with sleek coats, even temper, and sweet personalities. But don’t mistake their gentleness and slim bodies for weak, helpless dogs. They are incredibly fast, energetic, and independent canines.

Mixing the personalities of these two dogs creates affectionate, active, spunky, and compact pups.

Although the history of the whippet Yorkie mix is slightly shallow, their parent’s history is deep and fascinating.

Here is a brief detail about the whippet and Yorkie to help you understand their mixes’ origin.

The Whippets History

Whippets’ origin dates back thousands of years ago. People initially used whippets for hunting small prey and competing in games to help them earn a living.

Whippets were produced by breeding terriers and greyhounds and later crossed with Italian greyhounds for sleek, adorable coats.

Known to be the perfect all-purpose canine, a whippet excels both in the field activities and as a couch potato. They’re incredibly speedy and can run at speeds of up to 57km/hr. Although it’s an independent thinker, a whippet loves pleasing its owner.

Whippets are loyal, calm, and friendly dogs. They relate well with people and pets, but socialisation is necessary for flexible pups.

As hunting canines, this dog breed is highly predacious and may not be suitable for homes with cats and other small prey-like pets.

However, proper training can help a whippet live peacefully with small pets like rabbits or rats. With about an hour of daily exercise and adequate care, whippets are fantastic apartment and field companions.

Yorkshire Terrier History

With petite sizes but strong characters, Yorkies are usually determined and highly affectionate pets. Their devotion, elegance, and compactness are among the numerous reasons why most people love them.

They were created in Lancashire’s and Yorkshire’s northern counties in the 1800s, and their primary breeding purpose was catching rodents in mills. The Waterside Terriers were crossed with various terriers to make this bold, adorable dog.

During the Victorian era, English ladies kept Yorkies as lap dogs. These dogs are still fashionable today. Their small size makes them easy to squeeze in bags and carry them anywhere you want. Their lengthy, silky, and finely textured coats make them exclusive and very adorable.

Now that you’ve learned more about the whippets and Yorkshire terriers, it will be quite easy to understand the whippet Yorkie mix personality and needs.

Here is complete detail about the temperament and caring requirements of these designer dogs.

Whippet Yorkie Mix Appearance

With the Yorkshire Terrier’s petite bodies and the whippet’s medium-sized, slim bodies, a whippet Yorkie is more likely to be small-bodied too. You’ll have a pup that’s relatively bigger than a Yorkie but somewhat smaller than a whippet.

Usually, average Yorkshire Terriers weigh about 3-7 pounds and have a height of around 8-9 inches. Whippets measure approximately 19-22 inches and weigh between 18-48 pounds. Your whippet Yorkie mix will weigh between 6-40 pounds and stand at about 8-18 inches in height.

While whippets have short, elegant coats, the Terriers have long, straight, and silky coats. Your whippet and Yorkshire terrier mix may have a long, straight fur like the Yorkie parent or a shorter one like the whippet.

Commonly, the coat colour may vary with the parents’ coat appearances. Whippets come in numerous colours, including black, white, red, blue, cream, fawn, or brindle colours. Sometimes, their coats have more than one colour, with patches, blazes, and spots on specific areas.

Yorkies have only a single colour. Most Yorkshire Terrier pups are born black. They’ll slowly start developing a tan and blue coat appearance after they reach 12 months old. If your puppy starts turning colour before the 12 months, most probably, it’ll assume a grey colour and not a blue one.

The blue and tan colour is usually parted on their faces and their skull’s base to the tail’s tip and sides of their bodies. Their heads are generally bright gold, with darker tan colour at the roots and lower legs area.

With the terriers’ exclusive colour combination and the whippet’s vast coat appearances, whippet Yorkie mixes are extraordinarily astounding.

Whippet Yorkie Mix Temperament

Typically, dog mixes usually inherit their parents’ behaviours. Your whippet Yorkie cross’s personality can resemble that of whippets or Yorkshire terriers.

Yorkies are intelligent, courageous, and highly spirited little fellas. They can be cuddly and lively or mischievous, wilful, and jumpy. They’re the best companion for families with grown kids, as small kids can easily hurt them while playing.

Whippets playful, tranquil, friendly, quiet, and loving canines. They love chasing and need to be kept in well-fenced spaces or on a leash to prevent them from running after prey.

Therefore, the mix of these two dogs is expected to be very vibrant, outgoing, curious, playful, loving, devoted, loyal, and intelligent.

Since it’s bred from hunting dogs, the whippet Yorkie mix will be predacious and is likely to chase after prey. If you want your whippet mix to coexist well with smaller animals, training it to control its prey drive will be mandatory.

Whippet Yorkie Mix Health

Almost all dog breeds have diseases they’re susceptible to, and whippets and terriers aren’t an exception. Yorkshire Terriers can suffer from intervertebral disc ailment, portosystemic shunts, hypoglycemia, and collapsed trachea.

Whippets are usually vulnerable to anesthesia sensitivity, cancer, deafness, eye issues, and von Willebrand’s disease. Your whippet Yorkie cross can get these diseases. Buying your pup from a reputable breeder can help you get the healthiest dog.

Correct immunisations and regular vet check-ups can also ensure your puppy is healthy. If well cared for, your whippet Yorkie cross can live for about 11-15 years.

Caring For A Whippet Yorkie Mix

A whippet Yorkie mix has needs like most dogs. They require adequate sleep, food, exercise, training, and grooming to be satisfied and happy companions. Whippets are generally low shedders, and Yorkshire Terriers are non-shedders.

Meaning, their mixes don’t shed much, and they’re easy to groom. If your whippet mix assumes the Yorkies’ long coats, it’s advisable to trim it occasionally for easy grooming. Brushing its coat frequently can help prevent it from tangling and mats.

High-quality and the right food amount are also essential when raising your dog. Feeding your dog excess food will make him obese and vulnerable to most dog health issues. Underfeeding him is also wrong as it will make him weak and unhealthy.

The food type and amount, feeding schedule, and sleep needs may vary as your dog grows and the variety of activities it’s involved in. If you want to change your dog’s diet or don’t know the suitable food types and quantity to feed it, reaching out to a vet for advice will always help.

As an energetic and agile dog, a whippet Yorkie mix needs adequate exercising to be fit and mentally stimulated. Since your is small-sized, it doesn’t need long and strenuous exercises. Walks, dog plays, and short runs can be enough.

Since whippets and Yorkies mixes are independent thinkers and intelligent, they may be tricky to train. But still, patience, consistency, positive reinforcements, and praises can eventually make the training process a success.

Early housetraining, obedience training, and socialisation are crucial if you want a well-behaved and submissive canine.

It would help you rethink your security/fencing as your pup’s petite size can allow it to pass through even small openings. Sleep is also essential for a happy dog.

Getting a comfortable, fit, and warm bed for your furry friend bed can make him even more contented and a fun companion.

Final Thoughts

Whippet Yorkie mixes are excellent family dogs for anyone looking for affectionate, petite pooches with an energetic and devoted personality. They’re generally sweet, sassy, outgoing, and willing to please their masters.

Their small sizes make them excellent canines for people with even small-spaced homes or like traveling with their dogs.

With adequate exercise, proper training, grooming, feeding, and care, your whippet Yorkshire terrier mix will transform your life into a blissful and exciting adventure.

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