The Labrador is the most popular breed according to the American Kennel Club, where it holds the record for being regularly voted the most popular dog breed of the year. It’s no surprise then that the Whippet Labrador mix, the Whipador, also proves to be a favourite among dog owners.
In this post I’m going to provide you with information about Whipadors to help you understand more about this gorgeous Whippet mix.
Table of Contents
- Appearance
- Temperament
- Health
- Exercise & Care
- Whipador Images from Instagram
- Summary
Whipador Appearance
While most Whipadors tend to share the physical characteristics of Whippets and Labradors, it’s important to remember that a Whipador is a Whippet and Labrador mix and not a pure breed. As a result, a Whipador could be a 50-50 mix and still look like a pure version of one of its parents.
Having said this, the following descriptions of appearance are what you might expect to see in a Whipador.
Most Whipadors have the athletic look you’d expect from a member of the Whippet family. However, as you might also expect from it’s Labrador heritage, they tend to have a more robust body shape than purebred Whippets.
You’ll find a big resemblance to Whippets in the facial characteristics of most Whipadors too:
- Long snout.
- Ears that can stand up.
- The quizzical expression that all Whippets seem to have!
Of course the Labrador element means most Whippadors have a fuller face shape and broader head than Whippets, who tend to have petite and rather more pointy heads!
Whipadors are most often considered medium sized dog, having a height of 18″ to 24.5″ and a weight between 25lbs to 80lbs.
In terms of fur, Whipadors can be double-coated like Labradors or have a short and smooth single-coat like Whippets.
Whipador Temperament
Labradors are known to be outgoing and friendly dogs that are kind and affectionate. Many Labrador owners report that they’re a very even-tempered breed.
Whippets too are generally gentle and loving dogs that love spending time with their family.
Both Whippets and Labradors were originally bred for their hunting skills. Whippets are super-fast with a strong drive to chase. Labradors also have a strong prey drive and are experts at sniffing out game and retrieving it for their owners.
Whippets come in a wide variety of gorgeous cross breeds. Find out more about Whippet mixes in our super detailed guide!
As a result, Whipadors tend to have a mix of these characteristics, so when they’re out they can be a little wild and will happily run and chase whatever catches their eye.
As a general rule, many Whipador owners report that they’re friendly, loyal and perhaps more obedient than a purebred Whippet.
Health
Any mixed-breed dog can inherit the health issues their parents suffer and Whipadors are no exception. Having said this, Labradors and Whippets are generally healthy dogs though they do both have a predisposition to certain illnesses.
Labradors
- Joint problems
- Obesity related conditions
- Cancer
- Hip dysplasia
- Elbow dysplasia
Whippets
- Canine von Willebrand’s Disease
- Deafness
- Sinus problems
- Hemangiosarcoma
- Mitral Valve Degeneration
- Allergies
As a consequence, Whippet Labrador mixes may too inherit these predispositions but I should emphasise that most Whipadors are a healthy breed. As long as you regularly have them checked you should be able to keep them in tip top condition and identify health issues before they become serious.
The life expectancy for healthy Whipadors that are fed a healthy diet and exercised appropriately is 10 to 12 years.
Exercise & Care
Whippet and Labrador breeds really need daily exercise and mental stimulation so it’s clear that Whipadors will have very similar needs.
As with any breed, insufficient exercise makes for an unhappy dog with a lot of energy that needs to come out. Given a Whipador will inherit more powerful jaws from the Labrador side, this could be a problem for your furniture!
Whipadors need 1 to 2 walks a day, preferably off the leash so the Whippet’s tendency to sprint can be satisfied. Hence an open and enclosed space is ideal for at least one of the walks, where you’d be able to satisfy the Whipador’s prey drive by playing fetch.
You’ll probably find your Whipador will need at least an hour’s worth of good exercise each day in addition to playtime with you. If you have an enclosed garden area, your Whipador will enjoy having additional time to sniff around and stretch his or her legs!
Properly exercised, the Whipador will likely enjoy the Whippet’s love of lounging around snoozing!
In terms of grooming, Whippets don’t shed much but Labradors most certainly do! As a consequence, it’s likely that Whipadors require more care with grooming than Whippets though perhaps not quite as much as Labradors.
This isn’t a given though as it really depends upon which of the parent’s genes are more dominant.
You might find you need to groom a Whipador once a week to prevent excessive shedding messing up your furniture and to keep dander to a minimum (especially important for allergy sufferers).
You may also need to use a vacuum cleaner more frequently than you would with a purebred Whippet!
Whipador Images from Instagram
To finish up this guide to Whipadors, I thought I’d share some of the lovely Whipador images I’ve come across on Instagram. These best illustrate the general appearance of Whipadors as well as the variety in terms of colouration and personality!
Summary
Many Whipadors combine the looks of Labradors and Whippets as you might expect, however there can be a lot of variance depending upon the dominance of the parent genes.
Friendly, loyal, obedient and intelligent, the Whipador is an ideal medium-sized dog for families but they do need sufficient exercise to keep them happy.
Do you own a Whipador? I’d love to hear about your experiences or advice in the comments below.
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