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!!

My late Mum had a shih tzu that was a pro on resource guarding. If it fell on the floor it was 'his'. I dropped a sweet wrapper once, bent down to pick it up and was bitten badly.

She somehow managed to train him out of growling, which was frankly dangerous and something to be aware of. When a dog is pissed off he'll warn you. A growl isn't a bad thing, it's a way of saying 'hey, leave me alone'. When you remove that you then have a dog that gives no warning and will just snap.
Never punish growling.

As an absolute minimum BOTH parent dogs should have DNA tests for PRA, proof of an unaffected gonioscopy result (test for glaucoma), and a current clear clinical eye test certificate (this has to be repeated every year by a specialist veterinary ophthalmologist). Ideally they'd be hip scored and have other breed-specific tests as well (e.g. DNA test for acral mutilation syndrome in Cockers), but the first list is the essential bare minimum.

If the breeder isn't bothering to fully health test both dogs, or the bitch at all, then I'd question why, before walking away. I'm not a fan of designer crossbreeds but that's another issue, I'm purely looking at this from a good breeder standpoint regardless of the breed/cross. Other posters have covered the potential issues with socialising, training and grooming in lockdown which are also considerable, and purely from a responsibility/health standpoint, this breeder does not sound good.

Veterinari I was addressing specifically the claim that the lockdown will cause separation anxiety, what is your problem with that? Your posts are tangential and don’t even say whether you agree or disagree with the claim that being in lockdown will cause a puppy to have separation anxiety.

@Booboostwo

The point posters were making is that during lockdown, when everyone is home, it is important to habituate the puppy to periods of solitary time so that it learns to cope with this in preparation for normal life occurring. This is in line with recommendations from clinical behaviourists and welfare charities but seems to have upset you somewhat.

To be honest I've no idea what point you're trying to make - it's difficult to establish through the needless aggression

Your assumption that there are only two perspectives - that being in lockdown either will or will not create separation anxiety in a pup demonstrates your limited understanding. Separation anxiety is a multifactorial syndrome and whether a dog develops it or not depends on many factors - of which appropriate socialisation is one.

As to my 'tangential' posts - I've covered the subjects of raw feeding, dog-child interactions, socialisation and responsible sourcing - which of these do you feel was 'tangential' to the OP?

Yes 8veterinari8 it is clear you are failing to understand my simple point...not so clear that that failure is down to my 'needless aggression'. You may need to look closer to home to understand why you fail to understand simple points.

Honestly some of you are just being ridiculous here.

@vanillandhoney the definition of a breed is ‘ a stock of animals or plants within a species having a distinctive appearance and typically having been developed by deliberate selection.’

why are you saying that a cockapoo isn’t a breed? By actual definition it is a breed of dog.

You clearly have some kind of snobbery against this breed and seem to think that as the Op used the word (correctly) that she somehow hasn’t done her research into the dog and doesn’t know how long it needs to be walked for and doesn’t know dogs need to be walked even if it’s raining??? That’s a good extrapolation.

Regarding them being good family dogs it’s literally EVERYWHERE - can you even find a reputable source here that says they are terrible with children and dangerous pets?

I am under the impression from reading about the kinds of dogs suitable for families that cockapoos are a good breed for this?

It's difficult because there is no one homogenous breed that reacts the same way instinctively.

We've had ours for 18 months. He was a rescue pup - it's an entire other thread paying almost a thousand pounds for a cross breed and I wouldn't - but for a free dog he is wonderful. However, he's taken far, far more training and input than our (KC registered) Welsh Springer ever did, but she is exceptionally bright, and being KC registered absolutely makes a difference - she comes from a long line of spectacular dogs - the cockapoo comes from the arse end of nowhere via a rescue centre.

He has so many positives and as we're a family with who've always had dogs, he's fine. For first time dog owners, listen to the advice on here, keep up with the training even once you think you've cracked it, and always ensure that your dog knows you and your DC are top of the pecking order. I wouldn't say he would be my first choice as a suggestion for a first time owner at all.

Also, if yours ends up being a chewer, reindeer antlers from your local garden centre last forever and keep them occupied once they're old enough for them.

why are you saying that a cockapoo isn’t a breed? By actual definition it is a breed of dog.

Because it is a crossbreed.

*Popular crossbreeds
Here is a small list of some of the most popular crossbreeds, often sold as "designer dogs":

Cockerpoo/Cockapoo (cocker & poodle)
Labradoodle (labrador & poodle)
Mal-shi (maltese & shih-tzu)
Puggle (pug & beagle)
Schnoodle (miniature schnauzer & poodle)*

www.thekennelclub.org.uk/getting-a-dog-or-puppy/finding-the-right-dog/crossbreed-dogs/

Both breeds are working dogs and require lots of mental stimulation as well as physical. An hours walk on a lead is not enough - they need to get off and sniff, explore, hunt and swim. I'm a dog walker and have several spaniels on my books - they all get at least two hours off-lead each day so they can run and, well, be spaniels. Poodles again are working dogs and are bred to swim and hunt.

Do you really have the time to dedicate to a working dog? Can you guarantee you have two hours each day to dedicate to your dog for the next 12+ years? Come rain or shine, no matter how tired you or your DC are - these are not dogs that can happily miss their regular walks

Absolutely all of this. Ours are out for 90 minutes morning and night. We're all outdoorsy people - the DC happily run for 90 minutes or cycle along with them but they absolutely need plenty of stimulation.

Regarding them being good family dogs it’s literally EVERYWHERE - can you even find a reputable source here that says they are terrible with children and dangerous pets?

I never said they weren't good family dogs.

I said they weren't a registered breed and therefore there is no breed standard. Not sure why that makes you so angry!

Also OP isn’t getting a dog. It’s a puppy. Puppies are little shits. They’re not good with kids. Bitey little buggers. The puppies. Not the kids.

@vanillandhoney you literally quoted the sentence where the Op said “ I am under the impression from reading about the kinds of dogs suitable for families that cockapoos are a good breed for this”

and said it implied she hadn’t done her research - so if you do agree with her that they are good family dogs then you based her not having done any research purely on the pedantic point that she used the word breed instead of crossbreed.... ??

and said it implied she hadn’t done her research - so if you do agree with her that they are good family dogs then you based her not having done any research purely on the pedantic point that she used the word breed instead of crossbreed.... ??

Where have I said I agree with her? I said "I never said they weren't good family dogs' because I'm sure some are, but you can't go around saying "as a breed, they're x" because they're not a breed...

I don't think she has done her research for a variety of reasons - firstly she's not met the puppies, secondly the parents are not health tested, and thirdly she's referring to a cockapoo as a breed.

You can think it's pedantic all you want.

'Cockerpoo' or 'Cockapoo' is not a breed of dog, it's just the commonly used name to describe the type of dog you get when you cross a Cocker Spaniel and a Poodle. You could equally call them 'Poodkers' and it would mean the same thing.

A 'breed' by definition breeds true, so you mate two animals of the same breed and you get phenotypically consistent offspring. This does not occur in crossbreeds like Cockerpoos, so they are a type not a breed. The 'Cockapoo Club of GB' states it themselves on their website - see attached screenshot.

@vanillaandhoney so in your view a breed - say a cocker spaniel - will without exception be exactly as described on the tin as they are a breed?

There are good and bad family dogs across all breeds (whether pure or cross)

Really appreciating the debate on this - I have met the parents and the breeders but not been able to meet puppy due to lock down timings.
Did not fully realise about health checks
And I think we can manage lots of exercise as we are an outdoorsy family
But plenty of food for thought here, thank you, it is all appreciated.

Breeder has agreed to a puppy contract whereby we return in case of any probs

If we pull out due to concerns I am worried what will happen to him though

@vetsoncall by definition of the English language a cockerpoo is a breed. Maybe not in specific dog breeding/training/care circles - the same way all industries and sectors use more specific definitions that those outside those circles may not use - but the OP calling a cockerpoo a breed does not mean she hasn’t researched the dog. It just means she isn’t pedantically using the exact correct terminology that say you as a vet or a breeder would use. This is my point. The previous poster jumping on her for this and assuming, among other things that Op wouldn’t know the dog needs to be walked even if it’s raining or she is tired is ridiculous.

These threads never go well, pages of contradictory advice and a big debate about cockerpoos. I'm not sure it would have been any better on the Doghouse page but anyway, I am on my second cockerpoo. They are incredibly intelligent but also very cute so they attract owners who think they are soft toys.
I use a book by Victoria Stilwell which explains kind training methods and how and when house a crate - she lives in USA now so its all bit Americanised, but I really rate her methods and she is so compassionate. It's called Train Your Dog Positively.

so in your view a breed - say a cocker spaniel - will without exception be exactly as described on the tin as they are a breed?

No, of course not. There are always exceptions - this is nature, not an exact science. But you are more likely to know what you're getting if you go for a recognised breed. For example, a beagle. You know you're getting a dog of a certain size, which will follow it's nose, is not keen on being left alone and who is bred to run and hunt. You know it will have short hair and won't require much grooming even if may shed a lot.

Go for a cockapoo, what will you get? Is the poodle a toy, mini or standard? Is the cocker working or show? What coat will you get? Will it have the temperament of a cocker or a poodle? etc etc.

I have no issues with cross breeds as a concept, but I really dislike when they're marketed to people as the "perfect family pet". It's dishonest.

There are good and bad family dogs across all breeds (whether pure or cross)

I don't disagree with you at all, but a cross should not be marketed as "the perfect breed for a family pet" because it simply can't be known to be true.

Glad the op was able to tolerate conflicting information and be open minded about what she heard. More than many here.

Wearesoyoung I wouldn’t bother. Cockerpoos are the devil according to MN. Every single poodle cross comes from a puppy farm and any owners are directly responsible for the terrible suffering the dogs go through. There is no other opinion allowed apparently.

Never mind the fact that thousands and thousands of cockerpoos go on to become healthy, friendly family pets. They are good for families (as much as any puppy can be) they are small/medium sized, medium energy levels, no particular behaviour traits. Clever and easy to train. Not predisposed to be wary of strangers etc.
No serious health traits in either breed.

Not sure about that link - here it is again:

amzn.to/34IJQlD

@LakieLady

he has our❤️.

OP do you have a vet surgery in mind? If all this is confusing why not call and ask their advice? After all they will be supporting you when you need them.

Cheesy post warning

We all regretted getting my dog for at least 6 months. We were always on edge as he was pissing and chewing all over the place (despite doing as all the books and youtube videos instructed).

I honestly thought I would never be comfortable/relaxed in my own home ever again. Every one tells you things will get better but you'll have plenty of days where you just won't believe them. You'll probably assume you have the only untrainable, untirable dog in the world.

BUT as the puppy grows older, little by little, not only do you fall in love with this creature that is all yours but they'll also begin to learn what is right from wrong. Their level of intelligence will astonish you! But it takes time and fuckloads of patience,

My boy is my absolute pride and joy. I recommend getting a comfy chair for your garden and basically iving out there for the next 6 months. Only take yout dog in when he/she has relieved itself. Time outs work great for mouthing and chewing when you can't distract the bugger.

Wearing wellies was a gamechanger for us. My boy would attack our ankles if he was board - the havoc only encouraged this.

They are worth it though.