info needed on cavapoo puppies

[knittedslippersx2]

Does anyone have a cavapoo puppy. If so, could you tell me about them. Monthly cost, grooming costs, how easy/hard they are to look after and train, any other info.

Unless the CKCS parent has been properly health tested then don't touch them with a barge pole.

Both parents should have been hip scored and the CKCS should have had an MRI (to check the extent of chiari malformation, they should be no more than grade 0 or 1) and had their heart checked for any sign of mitral valve disease. Ideally they should be free of any murmur at 2.5 years old and their parents should be murmur-free at 5 years old.

If they're being properly thorough then the CKCS should also be DNA tested for Dry Eye Curly Coat and Episodic Falling syndrome, the poodle for Progressive Retinal Atrophy and von Willebrands. I'm pretty sure these are all recessive conditions so whilst first cross puppies couldn't be affected they could be carriers. If they've not done the DNA tests the breeder should be letting prospective puppy buyers know there's potential for the pups being carriers.

Both breeds can be affected by some of the same conditions which can't currently be tested for (including epilepsy and patella luxation) so they should know the lines they're using well enough to be confident no relations to the dogs they're using have ever suffered from any of these conditions.

Whilst I agree with the sentiment of the above post- as a vet I've never met a cavapoo that would have ticked all those boxes, and they're one of the most popular crosses I've seen as puppies this year.

I have a cavachon rather than a cavapoo and she's a lovely dog. Grooming would cost about £30 and need doing every 6-8 weeks. I went on a one day course to learn to groom and bought my own clippers.

Food wise I go through a £25 sack of ford about every 6-8 weeks. Insurance is £15 a month but this will go IP as she gets older. Ive never really trained her, she doesn't know sit, etc. But she has good recall and learnt to come when called within a day. She knows what "no" means.

There is a fb group called cavachons from health tested parents where all puppies are from parents who have had the recommended health tests.

Thanks for the replies. I have done some reading and know there can be health issues but from what I've read most breeds have some sort of health issue. Are these 'trendy' crosses frowned upon by vets and dog experts? Never had a dog before so am looking at smallish calm breeds.

Thanks Simon, I've looked at cavachon and they would also appeal to me. Grooming isn't as bad as I thought. Do you crate her at night and when you're out? Sorry for being a nosey pain, just don't want to make a mistake in getting a pup.

I don't crate her at all. She sleeps on dds bed and if I'm at work is in the dining room. Room is dog proofed as young dogs will chew!

She's very calm. My sil isn't keen on dogs and loves my dog. Her sister has a cockerpoo who isn't as calm as my dog.....that might be the cocker in him though. I guess all dogs are different but I'm on a cavachon forum on fb and they all seem calm and well behaved in the main.

Not frowned upon... but not viewed as the magic answer that a lot of people seem to think they are. A cross is unpredictable- you don't know which bits of each breed you're going to get. If both 'options' are fine then that's no problem- but people often assume they're going to get the best bits of each breed, when you could just as easily get the worst!
If a particular type/size/temperament is important and you're after a puppy, then a well-bred pedigree just seems to make so much more sense, as they're going be much more predictable.

I have done some reading and know there can be health issues but from what I've read most breeds have some sort of health issue.

The CKCS is in a pretty dire state health conditions-wise and they're not all problems that can be got rid of with a simple first cross, especially when some of the same health conditions are not unknown in the breeds they're being crossed with.

Have a look at this website, it gives you an idea of the extent of health issues within the CKCS.

The issue with these fashionable crosses is finding a decent breeder who is doing more than just chucking two dogs together and hoping for the best. It's hard enough with pedigrees but even more so with crosses as their popularity with puppy farms and BYBs has absolutely sky rocketed in recent years. Crosses are also used by unscrupulous breeders of pedigrees as a way to have more than the allowed number of litters from a single bitch.

Hi OP. Is there anything specific about the cross that appeals? Would you have a KC or a Poodle as an individual breed?

I have spaniels but not KC, they are pretty sturdy both and known to be so.

trionic has it, in her last paragraph. I can't see what the breeder gains, apart from money.

Good luck though in your investigations.

We have an 8 month old cavalier x toy poodle. We met her dam (cavalier), dam's mum (a health older cavalier) and the sire.

In terms of costs, she's fed on Eden which is around £60 for around 4 months worth of food. I recommend looking at the all about dog food website. Then we pay more for treats, chicken etc...

We pay £20 for grooming every 6-8 weeks. We brush her every day; so factor in cost of brushes, any spray shampoos, wipes etc...

We also pay £20 a month to be part of the local vet health plan, but we are also looking at taking out an additional insurance policy. The insurance policy will cover third party insurance and things like holiday curtailment.

The health issues are a big risk, and we discussed the risks with our vet before we got her.

We pay £30 for dog training classes; 6 week course, 1 hour a week. This will include the Kennel Club good citizen award. She has been a pleasure to train, but we put a do lot of effort into it. She's very active.

Dog boarding costs too; we were determined to find the best one locally because we are likely to need some hospital care next year so wanted to make sure our dog is happy.

I am by no means am expert so I can only answer from a new owner's perspective.

I think the over breeding is why I am reluctant and the amount of dogs in rescue that need homes. I'm such a novice that I worry about getting it wrong either with a pup or a rescue. More thought is needed as I really don't want to rush in and make a big mistake. I'm too much of an animal lover to get it wrong. Thanks for all the info so far.

My mum and sister both have cavapoos, approx 2yo, dogs from same litter. No health problems. Met both parents and pups were raised in family home, important to my family as my sis has a toddler. My sis trims hers at home with normal electric razor, mum pays £20 about every 8 wks. Can't give food cost but darn site less than my lab, they are so small. Easy to train (though sis' greater discipline easy to see) good recall, laid back - active but do not get bouncy or destructive if excercise is short for the odd day here and there. I was sceptical as you might expect from working lab owner but they have been a good surprise. But it really does seem luck of the draw with such crosses.

I can't tell you about costs etc. But PLEASE do your homework properly when looking for a breeder. Make sure you follow the guidelines - eh seeing the dam & the place the puppies live, getting recommendations for breeder & having a proper contract etc. Someone I know got a cavapoo recently & thought she knew it's background. 48 hours later the puppy had died of parvovirus & the 'breeder' didn't want to know They were left heartbroken and out of pocket.

Please be careful if you go to someone's home to view the puppies that you're not accidentally buying from a puppy farm. It can be quite difficult to tell but make sure you see the mother with the pups and that they seem comfortable in the home environment.

Thank you all for advice and information. Am a complete dog novice and although not naive this has opened my eyes and will definitely be researching a lot more and not rushing into getting a pup/dog from just anywhere.

Have you looked at Many Tears rescue ,they have lots of pups and young dogs and rehome all over the country .

Many rescues will have puppies, so please consider them. Mulligan for instance is going to be teeny, as is Squeak

I think frowned upon by dog lovers because your paying a fortune for what is essentially a mongrel, I love mongrels - but rescues are full of them......why line the pockets of unscrupulous breeders? Poodles are a fab breed in themselves. I really like cav's but wouldn't have one because of the health issues within the breed.
I am sure people will come on and say there's is lovely, etc etc, but if you talk to people who work with dogs (dog trainers, vets etc) they see a huge number with health issues. ..... And puppy farmers know how to put on the facade of a respectable breeder.
So my advise is reconsider....... So many people seem to think these designer crosses make great first dogs - but so do some rescues (who are properly assessed) and other pedigrees.

Thank you. Will be looking more at rescues now I think. The amount of cavapoo pups available is massive and I need to know what I'm getting and for the seller to be open and honest with me and I'm not sure that would be the case. Thank you far all the advice, it's really helped

What Trionic said - designer crosses are fairly often used as a way of making more money out of bitches after they've had their quota of registered litters - so you can get four registered purebred cavalier litters out of a cavalier bitch, then slap a poodle stud dog on her and carry on churning pups out for more cash. Then make some vague statements to prospective buyers like, "oh it's a crossbred, so it'll be healthier" as if the health problems possible in either or both breeds will magically disappear by virtue of it being a crossbred.
I suppose "designer cross" breeders with a really thorough knowledge of the health of both breeds and a very clear idea of the type of dog they want to produce do exist, but they are rare as rocking horse poo. When you ask about health problems, listen out for the " not in my lines" soundbite. How do they know? Any proof?
If you do go to looks at pups, please visit them at 5-6 weeks old then again at 8 weeks plus when you go to pick up. Wanting to see the pups when younger gives you two chances to look at the situation and talk to the breeder, and makes life harder for puppy farms that rely on fast turnover (ie rear puppy to 8 weeks - or big enough till you think you can get away with telling novice owners that they're 8 weeks- bring them + bitch out of the farmed pen into the "show house" where they can pretend their darling only pet bitch has reared the pups- flog them on the spot to viewers- rinse -repeat).
DO NOT BRING CHILDREN TO VIEW PUPS - no child in the world ever said, "No mummy you're quite right, it seems a dodgy situation, let's not get the pup".
Don't buy a pup if you think it's a dodgy situation and you feel sorry for it - you may think you are rescuing it but really you are donating tax free money to perpetuate a shit situation - puppy farming exists because it is profitable - demand will produce supply.

I was after a cockerpoo when I first researched getting our dog. The mire I read about crosses the more I was put off.
There are breed specific rescues that deal with poodle crosses. There are a lot of them usually. I think largely because people expect to get all the good points from each cross and that doesn’t happen for everything.

We ended up going for a mini poodle. Best decision we made. He’s fantastic. And doesn’t need to look all poodle-y. Mine is usually mistaken for a cockerpoo. Though of course I think he’s much more handsome.

Plus if you’re after a smaller version (ours in knee height) you can look at toy poodles.

Also - grooming wise I get mine cut about every 5-6 weeks and it’s £30. I just like it shortish all over so could probably buy some clippers and do it myself but I like him coming back all fluffy and smelling good.

We have a cavapoo, easy to train, very lovely
temperament. Feed raw which is about £30 a months and £25 grooming every 6/8 weeks.
Loves a bark a bit too much and obviously have to brush every/every other day.

Like previous posters obviously hard to find a reputable breeder.

Have a look on doodle aid and doodles for rehoming pages on FB, they are charities and often have young poodle crosses for re-homing.

X

I think frowned upon by dog lovers because your paying a fortune for what is essentially a mongrel
I am a dog lover and most of the dogs I have lived with have been mongrels. I'd have no problem paying proper money for a well-bred mongrel with parents who had had the relevant health-tests, if the puppy was the type of dog I was after. IMO, that's far preferable to buying a pedigree from a puppy farm.

OP, it's wise to do everything you can to become familiar with the 101 devious ways in which puppy farms operate. An large proportion of the small cute crosses are produced in them. Meet the breeder, friend the breeder on FB, see the puppies with their dam. Do everything you can not to fund the misery of the bitches who are used as breeding machines and often kept in terrible conditions.