Labradoodle or cockerpoo?

[GinAndTonicOnIt]

Hello! Married with three young kids. Looking at either a labradoodle or a cockerpoo. Which would you recommend? Kids are ages 7, 5 and 3. One DC has mild special needs (similar to autism).

Many thanks!

It's always a bit of a toss up how a cross breed will turn out, in terms of what temperament and what sort of coat.

You might be better with a poodle, (standard for largish dog) minarute fornsmall/medium) if what you are after is hypoallergenic, clever and trainable.

If you are prepared to risk an allergenic coat, then it might come down to size - labradoodles can be extremely large. Cockerpoos are much more consistent in size

I have a cockerpoo and would always recommend them, but he is so anxious, cries if we leave the house.

Get a Labrador. Poodles are good working dogs, as are Cocker Spaniels, but if you want a therapy dog of sorts so something calm, intuitive, easy to train etc then you can't beat a Lab (or a Staffie). If you go down the cross line then at least ensure parents have good temperaments, are hip score tested, etc etc.

It depends, how many hours do you have a day/week to walk the dog?

If a lot, get a cocker
If some, a Labrador
If not many a poodle

Designer mixes are unpredictable, you can get a labradoodle who is no good for allergies, a Cockerpoo who sheds hair as if there was no tomorrow and needs a lot of exercise.

If you are looking for a family pet with non allergenic coat that doesn’t need hours of exercise a day. Get a propper poodle

A lot of the poodle cross breeds are a bit barmy. If you are wanting a therapy type dog I would pick one of the pure breeds so you can be sure of its temperament.

Would love a Labrador but worried about shedding.

I like running - would like to be able to take dog with me on a 5k...

Thanks for replies you've already helped!

All the three breeds and the two crossbreeds mentioned can run 5k easily and I would expect considerably further.

Cockerpoos can shed, the fur could be less poodle and more cocker. However if poodle like you need to factor in grooming cost. I would also recommend a lab.

Big difference in size there I think.
We have a cockerpoo. You have to get their coats trimmed every 2-3 months which costs £30ish. Or groom them yourselves everyday so hair doesn't matt. Assume the same for labradoodles.
Some cockerpoos are crazy so definitely find a good breeder.
They love everyone but often bond with one person more - think they get this from the poodle. Mine for example is fussy about who he will go out for a walk with and if he thinks I'm going then he won't go with anyone else. Day to day this is a bit of a problem!
All that being said we love our dog and would get another cockerpoo.

I know you asked about cockerpoos but I’ve got a show cocker and he’s quite snappy and hyper as are a lot of the crosses we see out walking. The labradoodles on the other hand are pretty much always chilled. We had a pure bred lab as kids and he was the most placid and patient dog I’ve ever met.

Doodles shed, it depends on what genes they inherit.

If you want a low shedding dog go for a straight poodle. They are fab dogs, and without the poodle cut pretty much 100% of people think they’re a doodle cross.

This is all so helpful, I'm definitely thinking lab or labradoodle!

I assume a lab crossed with a miniature poodle would potentially result in a smaller labradoodle, with good temperament?

A lab crossed with a miniature poodle could have huge dogs, small dogs, snappy dogs, calm ones, crazy ones.

This is the point of the mixing of breeds. You can’t guarantee anything because you don’t know what mix of genes you’ll get until the pups are born/older.

@GinAndTonicOnIt

Hello! Married with three young kids. Looking at either a labradoodle or a cockerpoo. Which would you recommend? Kids are ages 7, 5 and 3. One DC has mild special needs (similar to autism).

Many thanks!

Neither - not being sarcastic or 'anti doodle' at all, but if you don't know which of these two extremely different options you want, then you are not choosing for the right reasons.

Go back to the drawing board, work out what your family can offer a dog and choose the right dog from there.

The labradoodles we know are a bit calmer than the cockerpoos- the lab but seems to be a bit more calming once they're 2/3 than the cockers and poodle crosses as both breeds are hyper!

One friend has a miniature labradoodle so I assume crossed with a small poodle and he's a nice size (in my opinion!). Another friend has one bred from a larger poodle and looks like a leggy sheep.

Although you can never tell what will come out in the mix, if you're starting with a smaller poodle you're more likely to end up with a smaller crossbreed puppy.

Then it also depends whether the cocker is a working or a show as they're different sizes and temperaments too.

Neither, as there is no guarantee of size, coat, temperament or behaviour.

What is it you want out of a cockapoo or a labradoodle that you can't get out of a pure-bred cocker, Labrador or poodle?

Honestly from what you have said I would get a Labrador. I don’t think their shedding is as bad as the longer haired breeds, and temperament is more likely to be what you are looking for (albeit no guarantee with any dog). They are also happy with a moderate amount of exercise and I don’t think 5k is too far.
Poodles do tend to bond to one person, which may or may not be helpful to your dc. But will be low shed, and a standard poodle will happily do a 5k - the smaller poodles may struggle.
Any cross breed is a gamble as you simply don’t know what traits you will get, so if certain traits are important to you, then that should be the breed you pick.

I've seen some enormous Labradoodles, huge.

I would recommend taking a step back, away from the Doodle craze, and looking at other breeds as well. Including Standard Poodles if shedding is your concern.

Finding well bred Doodles that haven't come from horrendous puppy farms, backyard breeders with no health tests and insane temperaments is an absolute minefield. The majority do NOT come from a good background.

Running a 5kg with a dog can be a bit of a pipedream, it will be at least 1-2 years before a puppy is mature enough to do that anyway and even then some dogs don't want to run constantly, they want to stop and sniff, to wee on that tree, sniffing is very important, almost more important than the walking.

If you look at Canicross - that's like competitive running with dogs - there's not many Labradors, Spaniels or Doodles, rather pointer types like Weimeraner and Vizla or even a special Canicross developed breed, the "Greyster" which is a cross between a Greyhound and German Shorthaired Pointer.

Take off the rose-tinted Doodle specs for a moment ;)

I know quite a few of both of those breeds. Quite honestly neither is likely to be suitable for your family. They can both be crazy and hyper. The Labradoodles can also be huge.

@GinAndTonicOnIt

This is all so helpful, I'm definitely thinking lab or labradoodle!

I assume a lab crossed with a miniature poodle would potentially result in a smaller labradoodle, with good temperament?

Dangerous to assume anything Worst case scenario is it could be the “bad” bits of a lab and the “bad” bits of a poodle.

We have an Australian Labradoodle, have a google for the difference, but basically they breed true. He is the calmest pup I have ever met and two fo his siblings have gone to be therapy dogs.
We use to have a cockerpoo and the difference is like night and day.

Have you looked at pure poodles? If you're worried about the coat (I was!) google ones with a normal clip - my miniature looks like a 'normal dog' but doesn't shed, sleeps next to me most of the day whilst I'm working - with play / food time before work for a couple of hours, lunch run around the garden and walk in the evening... he also loves a long walk at the weekend - no limits really, that I've found so far anyway.
He is super intelligent, learns very easily. Is happiest when the family are all together, but if someone is stressed or upset he just knows, and depending on who / what is going on, will either lay near them or come up for cuddles / licks

best dog ever.

www.wala-labradoodles.org/

Australian labradoodle. Medium or standard size for running with. Stable temperaments, don't shed and breeders that are wala registered will guide you to the right puppy for your family. You're likely looking at an 18 month wait but as your kids are very young that's no bad thing.

My friend has an Australian (( from the original breeders)) miniature labradoodle. She specifically wanted that breed for the temprament and coat. There are a few of the same breed where she lives and to be fair they definitely have a breed standard. As in they all look the same....... Probably because theyve now been bred for years. The breeders of her dogs go back at least 20 years. Maybe more.

Look for a well bred doodle, theres lots out there.

I wouldnt have a cocker anything, I just dont trust their temprament.