Is it awful to be considering a doodle..? First time dog owner

[AmpleLilacQuail]

Hi all, I’ve been thinking about getting my first dog for a few years and I’m now in a position to do so - very exciting.

Initially I was sucked into the cockapoo/cavapoo ‘hype’ but I went off them as I was worried about potential behavioural and health issues. I then had my heart set on a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel although I know they have their own health issues!

Anyway, now the time has come to get the dog, I’m back to considering a cockapoo.. is it terrible of me? I am open to other small/medium sized dogs too, if anyone has any suggestions?

The main driver behind this is that I live rurally and it’s much easier to travel an hour or two to a cockapoo pup, as it could be a 7 hour drive (each way!) for a CKCS.. which is just too far.

I check my local SSPCA weekly and I never see any dogs that would be suitable for me as a first time dog owner.

What does a cockerpoo have that a poodle doesn’t, in your eyes? Most people who want a cockerpoo actually just want a poodle tbh.

Quite frankly, you can’t put the effort into finding a healthy, happy, puppy from a good breeder what sort of owner are you going to be once you’ve got the puppy?

I know someone who travelled from Durham to Hastings for the right surgeon after their 11 week old puppy broke her leg after she jumped off the sofa.

One of my buyers from my latest litter had an eight hour drive each way (Edinburgh to SE England), and he came to see the puppies twice. Because that’s what people who want a healthy, happy, puppy do - they put in effort.

So yes, to answer your question it is awful and incredibly lazy. If you’re going to buy a puppy, put effort in to searching for them or waiting for one to be available near you - don’t just go for a ‘breed’ you know will have come from a less than stellar background and likely have a host of issues just because of convenience.

please be careful with Cavaliers. They are very inbred (same goes for pedigree cockers). All the ones I see out and about are not nice examples of the breed. As a first time owner you will struggle to find a good breeder and the breeder won’t probably give you one. The breed has been messed around too much. They are delightful dogs but avoid. The maintenance is also very time consuming.

Please don't get a crossbreed. They are riddled with problems. It is very difficult to find one that comes from healthy, well bred parents. Most of them are puppy farmed or from back street breeders, and as a first time owner, it is all too easy to be conned.

Consider a miniature poodle, a Tibetan Terrier or a Border Terrier if you have health concerns about CKCS.

Sorry, but if you want a good, healthy dog that is likely to be with you for 12-15 years then distance should not be an issue.

We have a cockapoo. She's well behaved and cam most of the time. But has bad allergies and a sensitive tummy. My brother has a springer who gets a lot of exercise and is very calm and good natured. I would probably have a straight poodle or springer if I was doing it again
Partly because it's so hard to find a good breeder.

Springers are wonderful but they are working dogs. Brilliant gun dogs but you need to know what you are doing with them.

Thanks all. For context I live in the highlands so plenty of nice breeders around here and across Scotland, it’s just deciding what’s right for me. And just to be clear I’m not going to get a dog for the sake of it. If I can’t find a pup/breeder I’m happy with then I’ll be going to the SSPCA for another puss.

Hi op I’ve got a cocker crossed with bischon, (cocachon) he is the best dog ever & I’d definitely recommend. He’s 10kg so medium sized, great with kids.

I think it’s looking at what breed suits for your family, & lifestyle. All breeds have their issues/ problems.

good luck x

Good luck. but just be careful @AmpleLilacQuail . If you choose a purebred, ask the breed club if they have a list of recommended breeders.

Poodle with a natural teddy bear cut. Visually indistinguishable from cockerpoo usually, and you can select for temperament and heath. The main issue with crossbreeds is they aren’t properly health tested and are prone to exploitation by puppy farmers. I wonder how many cavapoos are going to start keeling over from heart conditions soon.

A border terrier! Such whimsical little dogs. Perfect for Scotland! I’m not a terrier person but would make an exception for one of those. They have a bit of an attitude and they are smart.

I have owned many dogs over the years, Great Dane, Rottweiler, German Shepherd, Labrador, Cavalier KC, Border Terrier, that might seem a lot but I’ve usually had a big dog and a small one at the same time….
Anyway, Cockerpoo’s can be quite lively, very much like a Cocker spaniel.
I have a Cavapoo and she is a lovely mix of the calm and lazy Cavalier KC and the lively, intelligent poodle.
Very clever and trainable, a little bit clingy but that’s probably because I’m at home all day, so she’s used to someone always being around.
She’s very fit and healthy, she is fed raw food, Dougies as it’s in cubes and very easy. With only two raw dried treats per day.
All my dogs have been to dog training classes as well as being trained in basic, sit, stay from 8 weeks old.
Every Cavapoo I come across on my dog walks are absolute sweethearts just like her.
Hope this helps…

Get a poodle.

Or a cairn! Underrated.

o/p when you say “plenty of nice breeders” how much research have you done?

these doodle breeders, how do you know they’re not puppy farms? Have you checked if they do proper genetic and health checks- and no, not “it went to the vet who said it was healthy”, proper hip and elbow x rays, genetics etc.

the thing with doodles is they are nearly always puppy farmed.

A cairn! Great idea! My great aunt had them. I still prefer a border…

A whippet? My dog is a greyhound whippet x so she is biggish but temperament wise she is amazing. Super chill, very affectionate, happy to come along anywhere with me but happiest on the sofa! Pretty low maintenance. Cavs are sweet dogs but riddled with health issues and like others have said its hard to find a decent breeder with poodle crosses.

I have thought about terriers in various forms but the high prey drive makes me wary on the walks we’d be doing! Although I know spaniels aren’t very far behind 😅

Perhaps not a whippet then seeing the last comment 😂

I have a resuce cockerpoo, I will never give up on her, but she is hard hard work. Every day I wish I hadn't got her. There are alot of easier dogs. She has to be groomed frequently, has allergies , pulls like a train.Recall isn't great, whines when we are out if not constantly moving, nothing but nothing sinks in from one day to the next. It's like ground hog day, and from what I've seen she's far from alone in these behaviours. Get yourself a proper dog ,not an over bred bundle of neurosis

My whippet just died. Absolutely wonderful dogs, no maintenance (well nail clipping that’s it), very clean and loyal. But they need to run off the lead so you need to know how to train them. Mine was very powerful. They were bred to chase. Sadly they are getting a little too popular. Having been brought up with spaniels and a couple of terriers, I would say look into the breed. Sighthound have their way, they are not what most people expect of dogs. The bitches have quite an attitude. Judgmental and haughty. A bit like a border, probably why I like them. Borders are also rather naughty in an endearing way.

maybe have a look at the purebred dogs who are on the endangered list.

Lots of breeds have been overlooked because of the “doodlepoo “ obsession
Dandy Dinmonts for example are a lovely terrier , Scottish breed which are dwindling in numbers.
Top of my list for my next dog !

I love my Cavapoo - he is amazing, no issues

Please don't get a crossbreed. They are riddled with problems. It is very difficult to find one that comes from healthy, well bred parents.
I recommend a Spanish Water Dog, brilliant characters and everyone thinks they are cockapoo's.

Cockerpoos can have a high prey drive also.
It isn't easy to find a small dog that doesn't but a pastoral breed could be an option. I have a pastoral breed (Pyrenean) and she has almost no prey drive at all.
I'd look at things like Shetland Sheepdog, Polish Lowland Sheepdog, Bearded Collie.

Between myself, my sister and my parents we have 6 cockapoos. They are great dogs! One is a rescue with guarding issues but the others we’ve had since puppies. My two are pretty well behaved and great with my kids.

Just think of all the worst traits of both breeds and you might get a mix of them. Don’t assume you’ll get the best of both!

I’d just go for a straight up poodle instead as pp have said 😃