Cavapoo question

[coffeewithmilk]

Does anyone have a cavapoo and would you recommend them as a breed?
Currently toying between a cavapoo or a cockapoo.

Any insights would be appreciated,
Thank you x

The answers you will get on here about poodle mix breeds will not help you. They are not liked on Mumsnet and most of the threads on breeds like this descend into talking about breeding puppy farms.
However. I know two cockerpoos. And they are both lovely. Yes they were manic when they were under a year as all puppies are. But they are now both over a year and have calmed down massively and are lovely dogs. Only thing is you need to be prepared for grooming every six weeks as they Matt easily.
There are lots of Facebook pages on these breeds. I would join them and see what others say.

Ignore the negative comments op.
My mum has both a cavapoo and a cockapoo. Both girls. And both are extremely loving. They can be manic but have lovely temperaments.
The cavapoo is extremely needy of my mum. The cockapoo lies in your arms like a baby.

It's not the dogs which aren't liked, it's the way many of them come into being: puppy farms in this country, illegal imports from abroad, with no regard for animal welfare and the more this is discussed and people are made aware, hopefully the less it will happen.

From my experience at training, cavapoos tend to be calmer and a little easier than cockapoos but I see another poster has said the opposite! This is where the often quite random nature of their breeding can be an issue.

I'd agree with joining relevant Facebook groups and/or buttonholing owners you see out and about to see which cross appeals most. And, please, research properly the origins of the pups you finally choose.

I have a cavapoo - Jessie! She is a gorgeous little thing - a perfect addition our family. She has a great temperament and is very affectionate to us and our kids.

Jessie likes a daily walk but she's pretty lazy otherwise (she's almost a year old). She's not fond of being left alone but we work from home (pre covid too) so she is never alone really. She is fast asleep beside me right now.

I fully recommend a cavapoo if you can be there for it. Jess came from a neighbour so no puppy farms involved.

Next door have a cockerpoo and it barks all day long.

We have two cavapoo, brother and sister from the same litter 11 months old. They were family bred by a friend whose father has the Dad and friend has the mother so no puppy farm. They're an absolute delight, very affectionate but fine on their own if no one is in. Girl tends to bark more than the boy but neither are particularly barky. Thankfully they're calming down now as they were VERY playful as puppies

If you are getting a Cavapoo or a Cockerpoo for that matter please make sure the parents are health tested.

Crossing a Cavalier with a Poodle doesn’t miraculously remove all the health issues Cavaliers have sadly (and they are numerous). Please please do your research.

I wanted a cavapoo but the problem I had was finding one that had all the health checks done on the cavalier side. We ended up with an entirely different breed but if I was thinking of getting a cavapoo again then I’d go for a pure cavalier.

I totally understand why you’d want a cavalier but finding a healthy, fully health screened cavapoo is like finding hens teeth (from my experience at least).

I wanted a cockerpoo to start with. After having a friend being unable to find a well bred, health checked one, I started looking into the breeds more and discovered that what I wanted actually was all to be found in a poodle. And even better - they aren't born with Pom poms and shaved faces and look just like cockerpoos if you want them to!
Also they are much cheaper and it's easier to find a good breeder with good health checks.

The problem with these ‘breeds’ (they’re not breeds - they are crossbreeds with no breed standard) is often the motivation of the breeders. There are bad breeders of any breed, but good ones are in the business for a lifelong love of their breed and a wish to produce superb examples, even if they don’t show them. There is no such motivation to produce a crossbreed; breeders have latched on to the fact that they are fashionable and popular. My aunt breeds border terriers as she adores border terriers and has an interest in maintaining healthy examples of the breed. She has one litter a year on average and doesn’t really make money out of it, but that’s not her primary motivation. Can a breeder of cockapoos or cavapoos say the same? If they health-test parents and only breed from really good examples...why not just breed poodles or cavaliers, where there are recognised breed standards and criteria to aspire to? Contrary to popular belief, crossing these dogs does not make the offspring any healthier and as so many of the parent dogs are not health-tested, the puppies often have awful health problems. They are being churned out in huge numbers and it is very hard for a buyer to weed out the puppy farms (puppy farmers are very savvy. They are well aware now that buyers are told “only buy a pup when you have seen it with its mother in a home environment” and a popular trick now is to have bitches which are used as fake “mothers” and a mate who they can pay to use his kitchen. Stick the (glossy, well-cared for) fake bitch in there for viewings with the litter and who’s to know that they’ve come from a farm?)

I can’t think of a single trait in a cavapoo or cockapoo that couldn’t be found in a well-bred poodle, cocker or cavalier. Why anyone would get a dubious cross rather than a decent pedigree baffles me, especially as it’s often not even about price - these cross breeds are often more expensive! Personally I wouldn’t have a Cavalier or any Cav-cross (look up syringomelia in the breed to see why) but a poodle is a lovely breed.

If you go for a cavapoo, I would suggest one with a Miniature Poodle parent rather than a Toy Poodle. I think Miniatures make syringomyelia less likely.

We’ve got a 7 month old even tempered v gentle cockerpoo, v trainable, doesn’t like being left on her own...

I’ve met other cockerpoo who are v v bouncy

They are not a breed they are a cross, so expect breed traits from both breeds. And these can be random so you may find you end up with bad traits from either side. If you want one make sure that the parents are fully health tested, that the puppies are properly socialised and you see their environment that they've been raised in.

This can reduce the chance of the puppies coming from puppy farms or commercial breeders (which is some cases are just glorified puppy farms) it would be easier to find a well bred cav or poodle.

Thank you everyone for your answers and your honesty.
I'm fully aware of the puppy farming and all the bad things that happen with breeding dogs, so that's why I've spent a lot of time and effort looking into a reputable breeder, who has done all health checks etc.
Thank you

Also be sure to ask how many litters the mum has had.

Crossing a Cavalier with a Poodle doesn’t miraculously remove all the health issues Cavaliers have sadly (and they are numerous). Please please do your research.

THIS

There are so many horrific health problems now endemic in Cavs that personally, I could not in good conscience buy one (either pure or mixed) again.

What benefits do you think you will get from a cockapoo or cavapoo that you wouldn’t get from, say, a miniature poodle, bichon frise or miniature schnauzer? I can think of loads of disadvantages from getting the cross. I can’t think what the benefits are.

I am a breeder of cavapoos. I also bred miniature poodles for 15 years.

A cavapoo will tend to be more laid back Than a cockapoo. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel was bred as a lap dog whereas the cocker spaniel was originally bred as a gun dog and therefore do tend to have higher energy levels.

The most important thing is to buy from an experienced home breeder who fully health tests both dam and sire. That means full DNA test for both parents, BVA eye test and also heart test for any cavalier cross. Avoid pets4homes and big commercial breeders.

Not much to add except I have a cockapoo and I love every single thing about her ♥️

Ultimately the poo-crosses as individuals can be adorable, fab little dogs, but the breeding side is a dark one and I would be wary of anyone breeding or having puppies available right now. Many good breeders will have waiting lists a mile long and not have puppies readily available. Designer crossbreed breeders can have a very glossy exterior but be hiding a dark and horrible one for the parent dogs. And being "licenced" doesn't mean they're a reputable breeder either. The licence just lets them breed more litters a year.

You mention health checks - checks and tests are two different things. You want to see test results from both sides, especially when Cavaliers are involved. Look up what health tests for Cavaliers and Poodles are recommended and ask the breeder about those.

Tread carefully and buy with your head, not your heart. Especially when you see Cavapoo puppies. Too cute for their own good.

Is there a reason you wanted Cavapoo rather than a Miniature Poodle? Looks wise they're not that different and at least you'd be able to find proper KC registered health-tested dogs (albeit with a year long wait list) and genuinely low-moult.

I wouldn't just ask for personal experience of the crosses, you'll want to find out what it's like to have a cocker/cavalier/poodle too. With crossbreeds you could end up with any combination of breed traits so you have to be prepared for any combination (speaking as the owner of a mongrel here I would say never take on a cross if you wouldn't be able to cope with a purebred of any one of the contributing breeds). Breeders and breed clubs are usually good places to get good, balanced information on breeds because they generally have plenty of experience and see lots of different examples.

The strongest indication of what you're going to get would be to know what the parents are like. Speak to breeders and find out what sort of pups they are trying to produce - e.g. if both parents are friendly and laid-back then the pups are more likely to be child-friendly snuggle bugs who love going to the park with the family; if both parents are highly intelligent working line dogs then the pups will be better suited to someone who wants to do trick/obedience training. A good breeder who cares about their puppies will quiz you thoroughly and then decide if you are right for one of their pups not the other way around.