Cockerpoo Puppy arriving in 10 days - help

[ShallallalAa]

Posting for traffic and advice thanking you all ever so much - we put our names down for a cockapoo puppy from a registered breeder months ago and the puppy will be ready for collection in 2 weeks. We are confident the breeder is reputable and have had personal recommendations for them which we trust. I work from home 80 percent of the time now so confident we can look after the puppy properly long term.
I have never owned a dog before but DP has always had dogs and I am feeling very out of my depth, especially with the arrival during lockdown.
We have visited the breeder and met the parents before the lockdown but we have not met the puppy before lockdown. We have been sent regular videos and all looks lovely and I trust that that the puppy is well and healthy.
DP will pick up puppy by physically distancing from the breeder at handover, taking all the precautions and the breeder is about 5 miles away - I think this would be classed as essential travel wouldnt it?
We are going to pick up essentials from Pets At Home in the next couple of days - crate, toys, bed, pads, food. Anything else? The puppy is on a raw meat diet I understand should we continue this?

What are your top puppy /cockerpoo puppy tips?

What will we do about puppy socialisation?

The puppy arrives microchipped (breeder does it) with first vaccines but we do the next ones - need to find a vet we like I am guessing?

I don't like the sound of crating though - is rhis really the only way?

Our house is quite small - where should the puppy have its own space ideally?

Should I get a shark pet hoover to deal with the hairs?

Thank you!!

Just double checked she is a working cocker - is that bad?

As always @Booboostwo thanks for your contributions to the thread - they've been ever so constructive and helpful 

@ShallallalAa

Listen to VetonCall re: health testing and have a look through the puppy contract link I posted earlier. A reputable breeder will be happy to set the contract up but I'd expect appropriate health testing and meeting both parents as a minimum. The breeder should also be able to talk you through what they've done in terms of socialisation

Working cockers aren't necessarily 'bad' it's much more about whether the breeds traits will suit your lifestyle.
Working cockers can be very smart, and need plenty of physical and mental stimulation. It's impossible to predict how these traits will come out in a crossbreed

You said you come to the breeder through personal recommendations - have you met other offspring from the same pairing? This might give you an idea of what to expect

Just double checked she is a working cocker - is that bad?

Personally I love working cockers but they tend to be much more energetic than show types - remember they're bred to work on shoots so they need to have the chance to hunt balls etc. to channel that energy productively.

The one I walk at work is four and he's very very energetic. He needs to run and hunt - I hide balls in the grass for him to find as that tires him out more than a standard walk. They're great dogs but I've never met a calm one under the age of about 10!

ShallallalAa sounds like there are a lot more basic questions you should be asking before you collect.

We did lots of research before getting our Cockapoo, I’d be happy to share with you all the questions we asked if it would be any help.

Our breeder was fantastic and vetted us as equally as we vetted her.

Our pup is now 8 months and we love him to bits but even going into it with our eyes wide open it has not been easy.

Have you checked out vet costs, decided if you will insure etc our pup ate something he shouldn’t and ended up at the vets to be made to be sick. That cost us £50, had he needed to stay in over night it would have been £600.

Health checks would be a deal breaker for me. There are lots of reputable breeders out there but there are as equally as many who are not.

I’m not saying don’t do this, but just be very very sure that it’s the right thing for you and your family.

I have 2 working cockers and have also had show types cockers

Of either type you can get more chilled out or more excitable ones.

My 2 working cockers are happy with an hours walk. Either split into 2 half hours or one longer one.

You do better to keep their brains working. Rather than huge amounts of physical exercise.

Not all show cockers are calmer than working. A colleague has a KC registers show type. Similar age to my working puppy, who is 22 weeks. My pupp was a rescue that was abandon with her si kings at 6 weeks. We fostered them the adopted her.

My colleagues show cocker is very highly strung, very active. He has had cockers before and struggling, especially during the lock down. My puppy is fine. She is calm, happy with a walk, we do lots of Brian games and training and she is happy to sit and nap on us.

What poodle is it? Standard or toy.

I have to say, I am getting concerned the breeder didnt properly vet you. Not that you shouldnt have a dog. But they should have made you aware of the traits of both breeds (and exactly what the mix is made of) and made sure you are prepared and able to meet the needs of the dog.

Poodles are working dogs too, I think. So if it's a dog that needs lots of exercise and quite hyper, it's not forced to be the cocker side of it.

I agree with Boys. Bringing a pup home is hard work and can be a real nightmare. (Puppy regret is real. Look at any of the puppy threads on here.)
That’s even if you’ve done your research and you know what you’re taking on. You don’t seem to. Not even close.

As always really appreciate all the views and opinions - if he will easily find another home I think it's likely I will not go through with this, seems there is too much i would be risking ie an out of control gun dog!
No only been on personal recommendation ie they are nice people

Can I ask out of interest what raw food diet the pup is on? I’m a big fan of raw btw and feed all my 3 adult springers raw but I also have a pup too and there are few out there suitable for puppies so you may want to research that. I’m feeding my pup Stella and chewy freeze dried raw.

People who seem “nice” can be bad breeders.

It seems to be the default opinion on MN that breeders are all bad and are out to get as much they can from buyers for as little as possible effort. I know plenty of breeders and none who are anything like the MN description. If you felt happy with your choice before starting this thread, OP, I would go with your own feeling on this. You have met these people, no-one here has. If you have things you are insecure about, talk to the breeders and see what they say. Some people here really seem to be determined to ruin any glint of joy in other people's lives.

What sonjadog said!

Picking up a puppy does not come under essential travel, getting a puppy is not essential. Rescues are not rehoming during lockdown as they can’t home-check and I know some breeders are not actually allowing puppies to leave before lockdown and actually holding onto them for a little bit longer so I’m surprised you are being permitted to collect.

That aside: One of your biggest issues during lockdown will be getting the puppy used to being left on its own and if it gets too used to you always being there then once lockdown is lifted it will suffer massive separation issues. If you google there have been some guides to doing this which basically include leaving him/her in rooms alone, going out in the garden and pretending not to be there whilst leaving the dog in etc. Obviously start with just a few minutes and slowly increase over time.

Socialising is not going to happen which would be another benefit to the dog being with the breeder longer as its more time to socialise and learn boundaries from parents and siblings. In the absence of this maybe aim to walk in parks where you have the highest chance of seeing other dogs so pup can at least get used to their presence even if only from a distance.

Poodle crosses have really high maintenance coats and often end up being clipped down. Invest is some really good combs and brushes and make sure they become well accustomed to being brushed and touched all over as this will make any trip to a groomer much less stressful for everyone involved.

Crating is helpful for toilet training. Dogs don’t like to toilet where they sleep so crating overnight not only saves you from coming down to messes everywhere but will also help them to learn to hold it in. Its handy for when you can’t be there during the chewy phase too. They don’t need to be a permanent fixture, I used a crate overnight / whilst out probably for the first few months just until fully toilet trained and past the chewing phase then it went in the shed and he got free roam of the house.

@sleepingpup: I think my heart just melted.

He is an absolute beauty. And he has that angelic look in his eye that could easily make you forget that he is actually a terrier!

Haven't read all the thread but if you're not prepared for the possibility of a highly strung dog then do not get a cockerpoo. I'm a groomer and honestly you couldn't pay me to have one; I've seen more aggression from them than all other kinds of dogs put together. (and this includes so called "dangerous" breeds such as GSDs, Rottweilers, Staffies, Akitas, etc.) I don't know if it's something about the mix of poodle and cocker but they are just not wired up right. Hyper, unpredictable, and did I mention the screaming? I have met some lovely ones but they seem to be in the minority.

And I'm sure it's already been mentioned but if you do go ahead with it then PLEASE keep on top of the grooming. This is something owners really never seem to consider and underestimate how demanding cockerpoo coats are. (No, they're not hypoallergenic, yes, you need to brush it every day, and YES THEY CAN AND WILL SHED!!)

I have a 13 month old cockapoo puppy!! Was harder work than a newborn but so worth it... Currently snoring at my feet 😂

Re the grooming: a lady along my road has a cocker x poodle and she says she spends at least 15 minutes a day grooming him, a lot more if it's wet because his legs have to be washed after a walk.

She also says that if she misses a day for any reason, the following day it takes 45 minutes.

Oh, and he's an absolute bastard for going in water. Even if it's just a big puddle he lies down in it and wallows like a hippo, and he has to be on the lead anywhere near a river. He once jumped in when the tide was going out, and he struggled to get to the bank, which was very scarey for her.

@Lakielady 😂

This is mine, who’s ALWAYS filthy. Swimming rolling digging. She scrubs up well, though!

KC is now saying in some circumstances puppies can be delivered to new owners.

www.thekennelclub.org.uk/health/for-breeders/breeders-and-coronavirus-covid-19-faqs/

If I'd of read this thread is never of got my poo and that would be a shame 😒

ShallallalAa don’t pull out on this because of what a lot of strangers on MN have said.

If you were comfortable before, then perhaps ask the questions you now have and if you are still comfortable then go for it. If you aren’t, work out why, is it the breeder? Type of dog etc. If it’s just the breeder there are others out there.

You’ve had lots of good advice but only you can work out what’s right for your family. We’ve certainly not regretted our decision on getting one (although a month in we did but it passed)

Just double checked she is a working cocker - is that bad?

A working cocker is just about the most energetic dog I can think of.

I once went beating on a shoot. I was shattered by lunchtime. The springers all had a snooze at lunchtime and were definitely looking weary by the mid-afternoon. The working cockers looked like they could have happliy done it all over again.

My friend has 3, her husband shoots and does wildfowling. Those dogs have never appeared tired for more than an hour. He's worked them till they seem shattered, got them in the car, where they've had a snooze, and by the time he gets them home they're raring to go again.

They're far too high energy for me, and I'm used to lakelands who, in their prime, would happily do an 18-mile cross country trek, as long as they get a kip at lunchtime. At least they have the decency to seem a bit weary the following day!

Upthread, OP said that the stud had been tested for PRA. PRA is carried by both poodles and cockers, but it is recessive, so the dam does not need to be tested to ensure that the puppies won't develop it. It would be wise to check what other health tests are recommended for both breeds, but bear in mind that if a recessive illness is only an issue in one breed, the puppies might carry it but won't be affected by it.

This is very true. vWD1 (a bleeding disorder) is found in poodles and not cockers however it's not a simple recessive and the poodle parent should have been DNA tested for it regardless.

The Cockapoo Club's page on health testing is worth a look for the basics.

Also the Dog Breed Health website is useful for cross referencing conditions (both testable and untestable) between breeds.