Chipoo

Looking for a dog with a name every bit as adorable and his cuddly little appearance? Then you need a Chipoo in your life. An energetic and friendly little pup, the Chipoo is a great companion dog and loves to be part of a family environment. This pup not only soaks up attention and affection, he gives it back in spades. He loves to play, he’s quite intelligent, he’s considered easy to train due to his desire to please, and because of a tendency to bark when excited, he is an effective – albeit tiny – guard dog. He is also known to be quite independent, turning any space into his own personal play zone – including a small apartment – so lots of toys are a wise investment. In other words, this is a sweetheart of a doggo who can fit into just about any home. But, is the Chipoo the right pooch to bring home to your family? There’s only one way to find out! Keep your eyes glued to this page and scroll away. Everything that you could possibly want to know about the Chipoo is about to be revealed.

The Chipoo is a great companion dog and loves to be part of a family environment.

Similar to other designer dogs that have Miniature or Toy Poodle DNA running through their veins, Chipoos likely originated in the U.S. back in the 1970s. That’s about a decade after the first poodle-mix (the Cockapoo) came on the scene. The Chihuahua is thought to date back to an ancient civilization that lived in Mexico between the 10th and 12th centuries. Poodles are believed to have originated in Germany around the 13th century, while the more recent Toy variation came out of the U.K. around the 18th century. Unfortunately, there’s not much known about the history of the Chipoo beyond that. Like all designer dogs, there simply wasn’t much documentation kept about their history. No breeder has even claimed credit for being the first to breed Chipoos deliberately. Sadly, the history of designer dogs simply isn’t considered as important as that of purebreds.

Traditionally the hybrid Chipoo has been considered a designer dog because of a lineage that comes from two pure-breds that are recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) (the Chihuahua, which was recognized in 1905, and the Poodle, which was reconized in 1887). While the Chipoo is not a pure-bred and therefore not recognized by the AKC, it is by other groups (and under other names) such as the American Canine Hybrid Club (Chi-Poo), the Designer Dogs Kennel Club (Wapoo), International Designer Canine Registry (Chi Poo), and Designer Breed Registry (Choodle or Wapoo).

Chi-Poos can have trouble digesting some of the ingredients found in typical generic dry dog food, so it’s important that he be fed a high quality version that is formulated specifically for small dogs. With a propensity for hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), this active little breed should also be fed several small meals throughout the day in order to avoid spikes and drops in blood sugar.

If you are ever concerned about either establishing or altering your dog’s diet, it’s always worth consulting with a veterinarian. While dog food manufacturers and pet blogs provide useful feeding guidelines, they are still only guidelines and won’t necessarily apply to every dog. All dogs are different after all, each with their own needs. The only person qualified to determine the specific dietary needs of your personal pooch is their vet. So, always rely on the expertise of a good veterinarian to ensure that you are meeting the nutritional needs of your pup.

This bright little breed is keen to please their owners.

This bright little breed is keen to please their owners and like most dogs, positive reinforcement and lots of praise go a long way in getting the results that you want. Relying on punishment and negative reinforcement is far closer to abuse than training and should be avoided at all costs. Training should also begin at a very young age. Those early and impressionable puppy days go by quickly, so make sure to start training early and often to avoid your Chipoo developing the dreaded “small dog syndrome.” Like many small dogs, house training can be a challenge, so be prepared to devote some time to this activity. And Chipoos can become possessive of their toys so early socialization is important. A stubborn streak can also present early on, so careful monitoring and regular coaching may be necessary. If training proves to be a challenge, enrolling your pooch in puppy school is always a wise idea. Not only will the professional trainers be able to handle any dog, but it’s also an opportunity to start socialization at a young age as well.

Chi-Poos can range from as little as 3 pounds to as much as 20 pounds depending on whether the “poodle side” of his family was a Miniature or a Toy poodle. Similarly, heights can range from 5 to 15 inches, based on the type of poodle used in the breeding.

Chi-Poos are a fun-loving and playful little dog that make great family pets and thrive on attention. They can tend to have an independent streak but are fiercely loyal to their owners and can sometimes exhibit signs of suspicion when meeting new faces – primarily barking. Yep, this dog is a bit of a yapper, but don’t worry! Proper training at a young age should at least limit their yips and yaps. Once tuckered out, Chipoos love to cuddle up with their owner and get the one-on-one attention they crave. You can expect plenty of lap time and snuggles with this pooch in your life.

Most hybrid dogs can have a propensity to inherit health issues associated with their parents. Though Chipoos are generally a healthy dog, they can pick up maladies such as overactive tear glands, hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), luxating patellas (loose knee caps), Glaucoma (an eye disease that can lead to blindness), and dry skin which can make it difficult for him to absorb any topical treatments such as flea and tick medications. As with all small breed dogs, dental issues can quickly become a problem so regular brushing (2-3 times per week) as well as a dry food diet is recommended. It’s important to maintain regularly scheduled checkups with your vet to ensure that any potential health issues are identified and treated as soon as possible.

The average life expectancy of a Chipoo is 12 to 15 years or longer.

Although a Chipoo is a great little option for apartment dwellers, he is a busy boy who thrives on leashed walks, vigorous play, and family activities. Because he is linked to two highly intelligent breeds, he can get bored quickly if he isn’t being challenged so plan to spend lots of time playing with him and use various toys to keep him mentally stimulated. Failure to do so can result in a mischief-seeking pooch that can include howling and chewing. So, if you are bringing a Chipoo into an apartment, make sure that he isn’t left alone for extended period of times and make an effort to keep this pup stimulated throughout the day. It won’t take a much effort to tucker out a Chipoo as a larger dog, but you’ll still need to stay vigilant. Help this little guy to burn off all of his excess energy every day and you won’t have to worry about him finding more mischievous ways to burn off that energy.

Chi-Poos are a fun-loving and playful little dog that make great family pets and thrive on attention.

Although the Chi-Poo cannot be a member of the American Kennel Club due to his hybrid lineage, he is recognized under various names by other organizations.

Because of their mixed parentage, Chipoo coats can be smooth or coarse, wiry or fluffy, long or short and are sometimes wavy or curly. The upside is that whatever his coat texture, all Chi-Poos tend to shed less due to their Poodle background and this makes them a great choice for allergy sufferers. They do require frequent grooming – at least two to three times per week as well as bathing every other month and a good trim, every few months.

Chipoo litters typically consist of 4 to 5 puppies and because of their miniature parentage, these little guys require extra special care when it comes to maintenance and feeding. A new pup should be fed frequent small portions throughout the day, allowing him to eat as much as he wants. A healthy pup will self-monitor, consuming only what he requires to meet his physical needs. By the six month mark, he should weigh close to half his adult body weight. These are also quite tiny and fragile puppies, so treat them with care.

Photo credit: WhiplashGirlchild/Flickr; BERT BERT/Flickr; graphicphoto/Bigstock