Cavapoo, cockerpoo or cocker spaniel?

[sept2025]

Thinking about getting a dog and wondered if anyone has opinions on these breeds? Have tween kids and dh works from home so would not be left

My sister has 3 or possibly 4 cavapoos which she dotes on.

j dunno, I find them a bit cliquey. And my golden retriever totally blanks them.

Gorgeous!!! Looks identical to like my Toy poodle, Noodle 🐩 💕.. He could not be improved upon. We got him initially for my youngest DS who is epileptic and AuDHD when he was really struggling at about 4, as a “ therapy/ empathy” best friend for him. They are still as best buddies now!

No doubt your beauty is as perfect!!! 💕💕💕

Could not recommend more 🤩!

The father was a working cocker and the Mum was a show cocker. One is working like the father and the other show like the Mum. I am not talking rubbish about a poodle mix. Perhaps it is you that doesn't know what you are talking about.

I’ve had a little experience to do with quite a few breeds having worked in welfare in the past. Why are you wanting the ‘poo’ cross? Any particular reason?
As pp have suggested I’d give cockers a miss and categorically do NOT get a working bloodline unless you are prepared for behaviour issues. It can be like having a teenager on acid if you don’t know how to drain the energy.
Poodles are fantastic little dogs and no more yappy than a cocker may be. My vet said he would recommend a Cavalier King Charles spaniel as a first time dog-yes, they do have a health issue if you are unlucky but he said all purebred dogs have their problems - just make sure whatever you decide to go for, is from a breeder who health tests both mum and dad. Ask to see the papers. I’ve had tiny and massive dogs over the years. Am currently training a working Labrador who is, without doubt a typical teenager on acid. Her energy is INSANE. But so is her intelligence, and her love. Canine behaviour is my hobby, and I knew what I was getting into at the start. I’ve always wanted to train a Labrador-but next time I’ll probably go for a rejected guide dog 🤣 Wishing you many happy years with whatever you decide.

So they are half show, half working. Both of them. They just happen to take after different sides of the family.

Just like I said

Get a JRT.

We rescued a bernedoodle last year and he is a love. A little too vocal sometimes, but very smart and easily trained.

To be fair, cockapoos and cavapoos are WAY cuter than poodles or labradors or spaniels. 🤷‍♀️ Cavalier spaniels are actually quite ugly. Cockers are cute, I’ll give you that. And no I’m not a dog person and won’t get a dog! I’d have thought that pedigrees have terrible health problems and a wider gene pool is better but it seems that doesn’t track in dogs…

Well technically yes as both strains are technically the same breed. I am talking about temperament and looks and the working cocker is totally different in both to a show cocker. My working cocker is a kilo heavier than my show, their muzzles are totally different, their hair totally different, their rib cages totally different. I have one of each. Makes no difference to me, I was just trying to point out the differences to the OP in helping her decide.

Poodles are definitely not aggressive towards other dogs. Health wise they are one of the healthiest breeds and are very long lived, with a range of 14 to 16 years considered normal.

We have a gorgeous working cocker- first dog I've had and wouldn't swap him for the world! He is high energy but also very chill at home. Never yaps, intelligent and easy to train. Would def recommend! Great around my kids too. SIL has a cockapoo- yappy little thing that bolts off so can't be let off the lead. Looked very cute as puppy but dont they all? I'd go for full cocker over a mix any day of the week.

Quite! Not entirely sure where that poster has been looking but my experience with poodles has been very positive and I will definitely have met and trained more than your average poster!
Poodles are pretty cool dogs. Just better not crossed with anything else and enjoyed ‘pure’

I personally know two cockerpoos both very healthy. One needed more training but he's great now.

I know one cavapoo tiny thing very timid, healthy

Cocker spaniels I've known a lot. Two PAT dogs. Two pets in families , one working dog. All healthy.

The only thing they have in common is that they came from friends who had a litter and were very responsible. So not puppy farm bred.

We have a cockapoo and he's fab. His mum was a great working Cocker as we tried to avoid a show Cocker line (personal preference).

Get them crate trained early and used to amusing them self and you're pretty much sorted for a good dog.

Please wherever you do get an F1 (Spaniel and Poodle) as breeding from a crossbreed (say 2 cockapoos) will up your chances of health issues

I agree - standard poodles are amazing! Generally really healthy, happy, smart dogs. Plus they love a lap snuggle as they don’t know their size 😂

My ex had a gorgeous orange roan show cocker. She was 9 years old when I met her but honestly looked a much younger pup. We took her quite a lot of places with us and you would not believe the amount of admiring glances, requests to pet she got lol. I used to feel a bit like a celeb walking her sometimes with the amount of people that wanted to let her 😅. She was good as gold on very long car journeys as well would just settle in the back no bother until let out for a toilet break. Went a but crazy on walks as she followed her nose so and didn’t help ex never taught her to walk to heel. Didn’t care much for strangers whenever they petted her but seemed much more excited when young kids did which I thought was very sweet. I miss her lol

yes get a jack Russell

Di NOT getting a JRT! These are feisty working dogs and definitely not suitable for first time dog owners

they have character

@Joystir59 , they're the best. I've never had any problems with them.

Spaniels of any kind are not great first time dogs. They are wired on crack and not for the feint hearted.

Doodle mixes are nearly always poorly bred and you probably want a well bred poodle (easier to find) but I guess you think they are born like this >> 🐩

I suggest you research poodles. When people list the reasons why they want a doodle, they're usually listing all the poodle traits.

Beware of this thread (or any thread on the dog house) filling up with anecdotes that bear no relation to the statistical reality of a breed or breed mix.

Is this your first dog?

If so don’t get any type of spaniel or spaniel cross. Spaniels are fabulous but they are absolutely not first time dogs - they are very intelligent (so learn bad habits and naughtiness just as quickly as good ones) the two quotes people use are ‘easy to train, easy to spoil’ and ‘labs are born half trained, spaniels die half trained’.

The cocker crosses may look like teddy bears and cute little lap dogs but they nearly always have the energy and prey drive of a spaniel. I know lots of them and they are all like this!! Two are also barky and aggressive, particularly with children. Spaniels also gave a tendency to be ‘one man’ dogs and can be jealous - if it is with your dh all day you may find she becomes ‘his dog’ and may not like sharing him with the rest of the family. This can lead to snappiness. I have a cocker and adore her - but we’ve had lots of easier dogs before and she definitely requires more training and someone who knows what they are doing. She’s the most affectionate dog we’ve had but her recall is still not 100% and she does have a definite tendency to resource guard, which we have to ge careful to deflect / avoid.

Also anyone breeding the crosses is just doing it for the money and the dogs won’t have had health checks or be registered with the kennel club.

How experienced are you with dogs OP?
I wouldn’t recommend a ‘poo’ as I’ve seen a lot of issues with them. Cocker wise, we have working ones. I would echo the poster who said they aren’t first time dogs (much as l adore them!) as they need boundaries, stimulation and are prone to things like resource guarding.
however they are the best dogs in the world if you put all that in place!
whats your lifestyle like? Are you going to be hiking miles or something happier with less exercise? Do you have kids?

What statistics have you based your opinion of spaniels on?

I have two friends either cabspoos and two with cockerpoos and believe it or not two with cocker spaniels (one show, one working).
The cockerpoos are fine, cute, not too rambunctious and no separation anxiety. The cavapoos are a bit mad energy wise and do have separation anxiety - whether this is due to poor training I don’t know. The cockers - the show one is barky and a bit dog reactive. The working cocker seems ok, requires more exercise which he gets.
Are any of these actual characteristics of the breed or the individual dog? Who can say?
But all of them need decent walks and engagement and proper training.
@ResusciAnnieyou saying this cutie is ugly??