Whippollie Dog Breed

The Collie x Whippet cross, as a mixed breed, is not an official member of any breed group. Neither does any info exist about these hybrids' true origin; while a Whippet x Collie cross may have existed naturally for a long time, no breeder or breed club has claimed its existence. The Whippet-cross-Collie possibly gained popularity during the designer dog "explosion" in North America in the late 20th century. Whatever the case, these friendly, trainable, energetic dogs make great pets for active families of any size.

A few facts about the Whippet-Collie mix: they're medium-sized, averaging 22 inches at the shoulders in height and 45 pounds in weight; their coats can range from short to medium-long in length, and they can shed moderately or seasonally; and they're very energetic and will need a good bit of exercise.

Some advantages and drawbacks to owning a Collie-Whippet mix:

Some Collie-cross-Whippet information: these hybrids are the offspring of two breeds that are alike in some ways, yet very different in others: while both the Whippet and the Collie are active and athletic, their personalities differ quite a bit. The Whippet, though friendly, can be timid and standoffish (especially with strangers)--while the Collie is much more a confident, "take-charge" type. This means your Whippollie can lean one way or the other in terms of temperament, or even display both personality types at different times.

Physically, these hybrids are medium-sized, and they're often tall and lean like the Whippet. Whippollie height at the shoulders is normally 20-24 inches, and Whippollie weight is generally 35-55 pounds. Their coat length can vary depending on whether the Collie parent has a Smooth (short) or Rough (longer) coat; Whippollies with longer coats will shed more during the spring and fall shedding seasons, and they'll need more frequent grooming. The coats come in a wide variety of colors, usually in multi-colored patterns, including black, red, white, tan, blue, and various types of brindle and merle.

Whippollies will also be pretty energetic, and will need a good bit of daily exercise. Walks or jogs, fetch or other games, and any manner of task-oriented activities will be great for these dogs.

Whippet-Collie cross behavior will definitely be friendly, intelligent, and active, but can otherwise be hard to predict from dog to dog (and often in one dog itself). The Whippet-Collie cross temperament may, for example, inherit the Whippet's tendency for instinctively chasing small, furry animals--or the dog may inherit the Collie's herding instincts and try to control (or "herd") moving objects like people or animals. Owners of these hybrids say starting training and socialization early is a great way to gauge the dog's individual behavioral traits. Regardless, Whippollies will usually be affectionate with family members and other household pets, especially if they grow up together.

One of the indisputable Collie-Whippet cross traits is the dog's intelligence. A Whippollie normally responds very well to training, and can learn commands or tasks without many repetitions. As with any dog, firm, consistent, reward-based training methods are best.

A less predictable feature of the Collie-Whippet cross temperament, though, will be its watchdog skills. If the Whippollie inherits the Collie's protective instincts, they'll be pretty good--but if the dog is more "Whippet-like," odds are a Whippollie won't bark at or investigate unknown sights or sounds.

The Whippollie, due to hybrid vigor (in which a crossbred dog inherits the healthiest traits of its parent breeds), is very healthy. Even so, these hybrids can suffer ailments common to the parent breeds including hip dysplasia, various allergies, and increased sensitivity to drugs or anesthesia. Whippollies can also be prone to various eye issues like Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) and Collie Eye Anomaly, a complex eye disorder inherited from the dog's Collie parent. Potential Whippollie owners are advised to ask breeders for health screenings for the dog and/or its parents, or they can have their own veterinarians do the screenings.

Life expectancy for the Whippollie is 11-14 years.