Wire Poo: Wire Fox Terrier Poodle Mix

Wire Poo: Wire Fox Terrier Poodle Mix

The Wire Poo is a crossbreed of the Wirehaired Fox Terrier and the Poodle. He’s an active and playful dog who gets his high energy threshold from his ancestry of hunting breeds. The Wire Poo is an affectionate dog; some may even call him needy.

He’s retained some of his ancestral prey drives and might chase small animals and cats, even if appropriately trained. You’ll have to keep an eye out when you take him for a walk! He might find himself overcome with the urge to chase, just like his ancestors were bred to do.

Wire Poos don’t do well when left alone for too long. He has a lot of love to give and won’t be happy unless his love is reciprocated post-haste. He’ll need plenty of time to snuggle and play with you, or he might start to act out to get your attention.

His high energy means he’s an excellent option for people looking for a dog to do sports with. Whether outdoor or indoor, he’s got a zeal for staying active and will be happy to get down and dirty with whatever you want to do!

What is a Wire Poo?

The trend of breeding designer dogs is fairly recent, in the grand scheme of things, as many dogs who are designated as designer hybrids have only been around for a few decades. On the onset, this can make learning about Wire-Poos, who are counted among these designer breeds, fairly difficult. However a great deal of information can be divulged by learning about the Wire-Poo’s ancestors and using their backgrounds to fill in the blanks. Wire Fox Terriers, for instance, were bred to help English hunters track down vermin and foxes during the 19th century. This particular breed is know for its hyper personality, well groomed in born beard, distinct appearance, and loyal nature. Unsurprisingly, the Wire-Poo has retained many of its Wire Fox Terrier parent’s distinct traits and is similarly becoming known for being a bearded, friendly dog with a unique, almost toy like appearance. The Wire Fox Terrier did set the bar pretty high, in terms of the heights of loyalty a dog can aspire to reach, when one of their rank by the name of Caesar marched alongside their owner’s funeral casket, but the Wire-Poo’s affectionate and out going personality may help it give the Wire Fox Terrier a run for its money in due time. As far as what the Poodle has contributed to the Foxypoo, one needs not look any further than the Wire-Poo’s proficiency in learning new tricks with relative ease. Wire-Poos are able to learn how to sit, stay, and perform certain acrobatic feats in a short amount of time due to the intelligence this designer breed has inherited from its Poodle parent. While Poodles have displayed many feats of throughout their long period of existence, the Wire-Poo has been doing the same in a shorter amount of time. All of this is to say that the Wire-Poo’s impressive pedigree has set a few exceptionally high standards for this newly breed designer dog to meet. However, the Wire-Poo has been working hard to live up to these preconceived expectations every step of the way, making them stand out among designer breeds and pure bred dog breeds alike.

How easy are Wire Poo to train?

Wire Poos do great in obedience training because they’re so intelligent. However, if he takes after his Poodle parent more strongly, he may have a bit of a stubborn streak. The Wire Poo is generally a very loyal dog and eager learner, so it’s not hard to get him doing tricks to impress even the coldest of hearts.

Diet and Nutrition

Because of how active he is, the Wire Poo will eat more than other dogs his size. An adult Wire Poo can eat 2.5 or more cups of food daily without gaining any weight. Your dog’s size will be the best indicator of whether you need to feed him more or less. If he’s gaining weight, feed him less and vice versa.

How would you describe the temperament of Wire Poo?

A sociable livewire, the Wire-Poo is always full of beans and eager to be in on the action. They are happiest when around their people and can be especially affectionate in the evenings once most of their energy has been burned off. Some individuals can be clingy and this won’t suit every owner.

While Wire-Poos do well with other dogs thanks to their ‘pack dog’ history, care is advised around other animals, such as rabbits and cats. Their strong prey drive can prove difficult for them to ignore and they will regularly chase smaller animals. As with other breeds, socialising from a very young age is key when it comes to mixing with other family pets successfully.

Always on high alert, the Wire-Poo makes an excellent watch dog and will bark loudly long before you have heard a guest arriving. They can be territorial of their home and it can be a challenge to get them to not bark at passers-by and the mailman.

How healthy are Wire Poo?

Mixed breed dogs are generally healthy because of the widened gene pool. However, they can inherit hereditary conditions from both sides of the family, widening the number of illnesses pet parents will need to look out for.

Serious Conditions

Bloat

Bloat occurs when a dog’s stomach fills with gas and then twists on itself, cutting off circulation. If not treated, bloat can be deadly as the tissues of the dog’s stomach will die and become necrotic. Bloat can affect any dog, but larger dogs seem to be more prone to it.

Avoiding vigorous exercise and large meals can help prevent bloat. Split your dog’s meals up into smaller portions given throughout the day, rather than one or two large portions.

Patellar Luxation

Patellar Luxation is when the kneecap dislocates. In dogs prone to patellar luxations, avoiding too much running is critical to keeping the kneecaps in place. If the kneecap dislocates too often, the dog may experience lameness in their later years.

Addison’s Disease

Addison’s Disease is when your dog’s adrenal glands stop producing the hormones they need to live. Without these hormones, your dog’s body will deteriorate; Addison’s Disease can result in death if not treated.

Legg-Calvé-Perthes Disease

Legg-Calvé-Perthes Disease is a spontaneous degeneration of the femur bone. The exact cause of Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease is unknown. Dogs who have it experience pain and inflammation of the joint. They may experience lameness. The onset is typically between the ages of five and eight months, and the effects will last for the dog’s entire lifetime.

Cushing’s Disease

Cushing’s Disease is when the dog’s pituitary gland creates too much adrenocortical. The increase in adrenocortical causes the dog to become extremely thirsty and urinate often. They may also lose muscle mass and become weak. Cushing’s Disease is most common in elderly dogs. So, while Cushing’s Disease is not particularly dangerous when managed correctly, older dogs tend to die of unrelated causes soon after diagnosis.

Hip Dysplasia

Hip Dysplasia is another condition that affects the dog’s hips. Hip Dysplasia occurs when the dog’s hips are malformed, causing them to fit into the socket improperly. Left untreated, Hip Dysplasia can cause lameness.

Hip Dysplasia is best avoided rather than treated. While most cases will be unavoidable, reducing the rigorous exercise your dog does while they’re still growing can help prevent the dog from injuring a still growing hip.

Minor Conditions

Skin Problems

Both breeds are also prone to mild skin problems like allergies; a bit ironic since these dogs are hypoallergenic for people.

Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism is an underproduction of hormones in the thyroid gland, which controls the metabolism. Hypothyroidism slows the metabolism down and can make the dog gain weight. The condition can be managed well with medication and monitoring of the diet.

Eye Problems

Poodles are prone to minor eye problems like eye infections.

How active are Wire Poo?

The majority of concerns with Wire Poos should be in the amount of attention and exercise that he needs. Wire Poos are active and intelligent; he won’t be satisfied staying home alone all day and relaxing by the fireplace. If he isn’t exercised properly, he might start to become destructive.

Your Wire Poo will need at least 45 minutes of exercise a day, and it would be best if that exercise were mentally stimulating as well. Idle minds are the devil’s playground, and an idle dog mind may chew up your sofa.

Grooming

Wire Poos do not shed much. Both Poodles and Wirehaired Fox Terriers have low shedding. What kind of grooming your dog needs will depend on which parent he takes after.

Poodles don’t have fur; they have hair. So while a furred dog will grow fur to a certain length, Poodle hair grows indefinitely until it’s cut. A Wire Poo who takes after his Poodle parent will need to be professionally groomed to keep his coat in good condition.

Wire Poos need to be brushed daily to keep their fur in check outside of professional grooming. His fur will be wavy or curly, taking after his parents, and may get tangled if it isn’t brushed out.

Male vs. Female

Male Wire Poos tend to be significantly taller than females. Whether this is due to breeding stock being taken from different-sized Poodles or a genetic difference between males and females is unknown.

Related Questions

Are They Good with Other Animals?

Wire Poos can present a relatively high danger threshold to other animals, small animals especially. As hunting dogs, they’re bred with a strong prey drive. Poodles are waterfowl dogs, and Fox Terriers are meant for flushing foxes out of their dens. So, he can pose a threat to even small dogs if not trained correctly.

Are They Good with Other Dogs?

Wire Poos are generally good with other dogs, particularly those larger than themselves. With toy breed dogs, he may feel compelled to chase and hunt them. He’s brilliant. So, he can be trained to leave his housemates alone. But, his instinctual drives to chase and hunt will always be there.

Are They Good with Children?

The great news is that Wire Poos are fantastic family dogs that do well with children. His boundless energy means that he’ll have no shortage of energy to run around and play with your kids, indoors or outdoors. Wire Poos are also friendly and tolerant for children who are still learning how to interact with dogs.

This tolerance is not an excuse to allow your children to mistreat your dog, however. He will understand if your children don’t yet know how to treat dogs with respect, but he is smart enough to know they can learn.

You should always supervise your children when they’re first learning how to interact with dogs and any animal for that matter. Doing so will protect not just your children but your dog, too.

What’s the price of Wire Poo Puppies?

As the Wire Poo is a mixed breed dog, there is little to no oversight in breeding puppies. Pet parents will see prices ranging from $300 to upwards of $1400 and may find themselves wondering what the difference is.

Dogs sold at a higher price are generally better-taken care of than those sold at a lower price. Many of these dogs may come with the first round of vaccinations and proof of pedigree lineage. They will usually be tested for hereditary illnesses based on their ancestral breeds.

Any prospective pet parents should ensure that their breeder can furnish them with papers proving that genetic testing has been done and the results. A responsible breeder will do their due diligence to test their dogs for hereditary illnesses common in their ancestral breeds.

Final Thoughts

Wire Poos are an up-and-coming designer dog breed that has shaken the dog world with their cute faces, sharp minds, and hypoallergenic coats. Prospective pet parents looking for an active family dog who can keep up with their kids need not look further.

These dogs are not for those who want to relax on the weekends or those singles who will be working out of the home all day. However, those with the time and energy to give to their Wire Poo won’t be disappointed. Wire Poos have tons of energy and love waiting for your family!