Whippet Chihuahua Mix (All You Should Know About Them)

Something is endearing about the Whippet Chihuahua mix. Curious about just what this unique dog breed can offer your household? Here’s everything that you need to know!

A Whippet and Chihuahua are small to medium-sized mixed-breed dogs, between 8″-18″ (20-46cm) in height, and 6-40lbs (2.7-18.1kg). Their cross-breeding can give a variety of colors, including fawn, brown, chocolate, brindle, and more. Their fur tends to be short and soft, but this can depend on the Chihuahua parent and their length and thickness.

They are thin and muscular dogs that are loving, protective, and slightly prone to nervousness. They can be prone to many health conditions from their parent breeds, so proper attention to their daily care is essential.

Learn all about their needs, advantages, and possible disadvantages below!

What is a whippet chihuahua mix called?

Like many other hybrid dogs, a Whippet Chihuahua mix has a name to refer to, which is Chi Whip. Some will lengthen it to Chi Whippet, but the shortened version is preferred in most designer dog circles. 

Can a whippet mate with a chihuahua?

It’s a logical question. These dogs can’t naturally mate with each other due to size differences. The breeding that takes place would be artificial insemination. This is done in a lot of breeding because it helps the breeders stay in utmost control over the breeding process from start to finish.

What does a whippet chihuahua mix look like?

These are pretty special dogs to look at! Both dogs are distinctive on their own, and blending them together is a unique look and feel.

A Chi Whip has soft fur, and it will be silky to the touch. Depending on what kind of Chihuahua is used to mate (short vs. long hair), you could be dealing with slightly longer fur on your Chi Whip. Most will have short and soft fur, though. 

Color-wise, most will be either fawn or chocolate brown. Since Chihuahuas and Whippets are both sades or brown, this is a common overall theme. You can see them in brindle patterns too, or with patches of white or black. It depends entirely on the combination.

Due to both parents being muscular and built as fast-moving, active dogs, you’ll find that your Chi Whip will be much the same. They are thin and well-built with muscular frames and statures. They have large, expressive eyes and a pronounced jaw. They often have very thin lips, so you can sometimes see their adorable teeth sticking out!

How big do Whippet Chihuahua mixes get?

Depending on how you categorize them, A Chi Whip can be a larger-small dog or a smaller-medium dog. Most agree that they are still considered small. The actual size, as mentioned in the introduction, is 8″-18″ (20-46cm) in height, with a weight of 6-40lbs (2.7-18.1kg).

Of course, this wide span leaves a lot of wiggle room in between. It’s something to think about when adding a Chi Whip to your family. However, these are good for smaller homes or apartments since they won’t be as large as their Whippet family member.

The lifespan of a Whippet Chihuahua mix

Due to naturally having long-living parent breeds, you can expect your Chi Whip to live up to 12-16 years. However, since they do tend to have health problems and considerations, they will require attentive and preventative care. This helps them enjoy as many healthy years as possible.

Most common whippet chihuahua mix health issues

This breed is prone to many the same health issues as each parent breed. While this mixed breed will be less likely to have as many of these health conditions since they are not purebred themselves, there are some that you need to be aware of and care for preventatively. These include:

• Deafness
• Allergies
• Sinus problems
• Heart murmurs
• Mitral valve degeneration
• Patellar Luxation
• Hypoglycemia

Deafness

Deafness is something that most dogs are born with, and it can be partial or total deafness. This isn’t detected at first since it can be hard to determine what your dog is responding to. In rare cases, deafness can develop later in life, especially when combined with traditional senior aging.

Allergies

Allergies are common in both Chihuahuas and Whippets. They’re most common in food ingredients, making a specialized diet very important. Allergy testing is recommended for your Chi Whip puppy for this reason. Sometimes, environmental allergens can trigger allergies, requiring specialized testing and care!

Sinus problems

Whether due to allergies or just general sinus problems. They can have a lot of extra discharge, requiring proper care and maintenance with wipes, and they can also be prone to sneezing and sinus infections. You’ll learn the different signs and sounds to look for. 

This isn’t a severe health condition, but it means that you’ll need to be prepared to help your dog recover from sinus issues pretty regularly. If boogers gross you out, this is something to think about!

Heart murmurs

Heart murmurs can be minor or major in these puppies. These are often diagnosed early in life due to getting regular check-ups and more. These can be monitored to help your dog stay as healthy as possible. Still, these are serious complications later in life since they can lead to mitral valve degeneration faster.

Mitral valve degeneration

As mentioned, this often occurs with a heart murmur, but it can happen spontaneously as they age. The valve will become leaky and cause regurgitation in the heart, eventually wearing it down and causing heart failure. This is most common in those that reach 12-16 years.

Patellar luxation

This is when the joint of their knee doesn’t hold the bone properly and can lead to a short-term disjointed knee. This can be occasional or chronic. In some cases, it may even change your dog’s gait since they’ll be limping. Their legs may even be abnormal.

This can be painful, so you’ll want to talk to your vet about your options based on your Chi Whip’s comfort level and quality of life.

Hypoglycemia

This is a condition that causes a sudden drop in blood sugar. This can be moderated with medication. This can lead to a coma and death. This is a lifelong condition that you can help manage with proper diet and proper coordination with your vet as far as medication.

How to take care of a whippet chihuahua mix?

When you want to give your Chi Whip as many happy and healthy years as possible, preventative care factors in. You need to focus on the following areas to make this as cohesive as possible:

• Diet
• Exercise
• Grooming

You’ll want a healthy and lean food choice that prioritizes omega-3s, lean protein, and low-fat content for a balanced diet. This will help strengthen their body and offer up nutrient-rich care that helps their body stay as strong as possible.

Make sure that you keep their treats as healthy as possible, too, so that you aren’t loading them with sugar or fat! Your vet will be able to offer suggestions on breed-specific food and treats to prioritize health.

You’ll want to look at about 20-40 minutes per day as far as exercise goes. This is great for those that love a morning or evening walk with their dog. Try to split it up into multiple sessions so that you can help them work their energy out throughout the day. 

Grooming is minimal with a Chi Whip, but you will still need to take them into a groomer roughly every quarter. This keeps their skin clean and healthy and their fur strong and well-oiled. If your Chi Whip has longer fur due to breeding with a long-haired Chihuahua. In that case, you’ll need to look at professional grooming more often and regularly brush them at home. This is also an excellent idea for bonding.

Be prepared for eye wipes and nose wipes since these are great for minimizing tearing and discharge from any sinus issues! Ear wipes are a great choice, too, since this can help minimize any possible ear infections.

One of the most essential facets of Chi Whip life is temperature regulation. These dogs are prone to being cold and will need clothing, self-warming beds, and more. Be prepared to turn your dog into a fashionista!

The temperament of a Whippet Chihuahua mix

These dogs are a great blend of both parent breeds! They are loyal, caring, loving, and patient. They love to be around their humans and will bond very deeply with you. They are protective of you and those they bond with, making them excellent watchdogs. When you are looking for a dog that has “got your back,” a Chi Whip will be a good one!

While they will love you unconditionally, they are wary of new people. It will take them a while to warm up to new additions to the family and even to having friends and more visiting.

Since both parent breeds are prone to anxiety and nervousness, it’s essential to introduce them to change slowly. If you make significant changes too quickly, it can cause them to lash out and be aggressive.

They can be a bit of a loner dog, depending on their personality. While they love their humans fiercely, they also enjoy lots of solo time. However, it would be a solo time in another room. They like to hear you and know that you’re around but still do their own thing. 

When you leave home, Chi Whip will be prone to separation anxiety, which leads to destructive behaviors and emotional distress. You’ll need to know how to increase your Chihuahua’s comfort in being alone. Often, breeders recommend adopting in pairs so that they’re never alone. They can keep each other company and calm. 

Are Whippet Chihuahua mixes good family dogs?

These mixed breed dogs are great family dogs when looking at protective, watchful, and loving dogs. They also blend in quite well in that they don’t require hours of exercise. You can simply blend them into whatever exercise routine you have, and they’ll be content.

While they do enjoy kids, they are better with older kids. Younger ones tend to be loud and move suddenly, making a Chi Whip very nervous. While they can be both trained to get along together, you’ll want to supervise playtime between them to ensure no aggressive tendencies come out.

How much is a whippet chihuahua mix?

There is no set price on a Chi Whip puppy because they specialize as breeders. Since a Whippet can often be around $1 500, you can expect the price to start there.

It’s always a good idea to contact the breeder directly and understand what is included and what isn’t in the purchase price. The breeder can set whatever price they want since the market is not very saturated — so be careful!

Pros and cons of a Whippet Chihuahua mix

As you can imagine, there are some great advantages and essential disadvantages to this Whippet Chihuahua mix. Before making your decision, go over this list of pros and cons carefully to help you keep your decision, whatever it ends up to be, very informed.

Pros

• Loyal and attentive
• Good watchdogs due to nervousness
• Low-energy

Cons

• Prone to aggression without proper socialization
• Like having dog friends when alone
• Have a hard time staying warm

Pro points

When you see pros like these, it’s easy to understand why these are great additions to your household. They are great personalities, low-energy, and low-exercise compared to many other dog breeds, and great for keeping an eye on things.

When looking at other breeds, they can also offer the best convenience because they are easy to add into an apartment or small house. They don’t tend to be yappy since Whippets are very quiet and aren’t too big to manage in a small space.

Con considerations

Just as important, if not more so, than the pros are the cons. These dogs will require proper socialization to help them learn how to be around new people and animals. Even with this as a priority, you will need to accept that it will take them a while to warm up to new people and situations. This means factoring in changes and keeping them as minimal as possible.

Since life is often hard that way, it’s something to think about with those who are used to jetting off here and there and looking to take their dog with them. You may love that spontaneous lifestyle, but your Chi Whip may not!

These dogs are also so prone to separation anxiety that you will need to consider this if you work traditional 9-5 jobs. You’ll need to introduce your puppy to this schedule early on and still be mindful that they might have separation anxiety even if you’ve tried your hardest to help them understand that they don’t need to.

Be prepared that you may need to find an alternative situation, be it a dog babysitter, or looking at bringing in another pet to help keep your Chi Whip company on those days.

Think carefully about these pros and cons to make sure that you are bringing home a dog that will be the right addition to your family, instead of adding stress on either or both sides!

In general

Commonly referred to as a Chi Whip, this mixed bred is a combination of a Whippet and Chihuahua. They are small or medium dogs, sized 8″-18″ (20-46cm) in height, and weighing 6-40lbs (2.7-18.1kg).

Their fur tends to be fawn, brown, chocolate, or brindle. Their fur is often short but can be longer depending on Chihuahua genes. They are great family dogs for those with older children. They require minimal grooming and exercise compared to other dog breeds.

You’ll need to learn about their different health conditions and how to keep them as safe and healthy as possible with preventative, lifelong care!

A Chi Whip dog is an excellent choice for fans of both parent breeds. They are great family additions if you take the time and dedication to help them feel secure and safe. While not as popular as other mixed breeds, they’re lovely considerations!

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