What about Cockapoos....
- Overview
- The Cockapoo blazed the trail among planned hybrids; he's the offspring of the Poodle and the Cocker Spaniel. Also known as the Cockapoodle, Cockerpoo, or Cock-a-Poo, he's an utterly adorable little dog with a face that could melt a heart of stone.
He's affectionate and accepts everyone — old folks, kids, and other pets. He's also of an easy size, being small enough to cuddle and big enough to romp with bigger dogs. Cockapoos have an infectious zest for life that spreads to everyone around them, that essential joie de vivre that makes every day a celebration. These guys are just plain happy to be alive.
Still, what's the draw in getting a Cockapoo instead of a Cocker Spaniel or a Poodle? It's that, in some ways, the Cockapoo represents two ideals: first, what the Cocker Spaniel used to be across the board — a sweet and stable temperament, before the breed's popularity skyrocketed in the wake of Lady and the Tramp; and second, the Poodle's orientation to people smooths out the Cockers' orientation to their noses when they're out in the field.
Furthermore, Cockapoos don't require the level of grooming that Poodles do, and people don't automatically react as negatively as they do to a Poodle's extravagant grooming style for showing in conformation. (While it's not fair to dislike the intelligent and jovial Poodle because of a show cut, the Poodle's mostly undeserved reputation of high maintenance is pervasive.)
Of course, there's a world of difference between an intentional breeding of carefully selected Cocker Spaniels and Poodles versus a Poodle mix who's just called a Cockapoo because no one has any clue what his background really is.
The true Cockapoo has been bred with the goal of a healthy, hypoallergenic dog with a good temperament. Cockapoo breeders feel that the dog's health and temperament are far more important than appearance, and that's what they continue to strive for (but nevertheless, the Cockapoo tends to be an adorable-looking fellow). You won't find many, if any, discussions among these breeders about head shape and height.
When the cross works as intended, you get the intelligence and spirit of the Poodle with the sturdiness and field spirit of the Cocker. Of course, when the cross doesn't work, you can get a submissive, urinating fear-biter — but that can happen in any mixed breed, and in any purebred with unhappy genes.
Generally, the Cocker Spaniel used to create the Cockapoo is an American Cocker Spaniel, but some are the offspring of Poodles and English Cocker Spaniels; the latter is often called a Spoodle. Efforts have been made over the last decade to clearly separate Cockapoos and Spoodles into two different hybrids, and some success has been achieved. If the type of Cocker involved is important to you, be sure to ask.
But all that is neither here nor there for the Cockapoo enthusiast, who just wants to hang out with a sweet, cute, attached dog who isn't quite the barnacle a Toy Poodle can be, and who began as a sparkle in the eye of a Cocker Spaniel with a lovely, even temperament. - Highlights
- The Cockapoo is not known to be a barker. Some, however, will bark when they see someone approaching their house, or when they're left alone for long periods at a time.
- The Cockapoo should be a nonshedding dog with little doggy odor to the skin and coat. He requires daily brushings and will need his hair trimmed and clipped occasionally.
- Cockapoos are usually good for people with allergies since they produce low amounts of dander and hair.
- Cockapoos were developed to be companion dogs and are usually friendly and extraordinarily happy. They can do well with other dogs, pets, and children; older, more considerate children are generally best, however.
- Although the Standard or Maxi Cockapoo doesn't adapt as readily to apartment life as his smaller cohorts do, he can do well if exercised properly. The ideal situation is a house with a small, fenced yard.
- The Cockapoo is so intelligent that he's easy to train with positive reinforcement.
- Cockapoos have a moderate energy level but still need daily exercise. Expect to give him at least 15 minutes per day and offer a variety of activities, such as games of fetch, walks, and good runs.
- To get a healthy dog, never buy a puppy from an irresponsible breeder, puppy mill, or pet store.
- Designer dogs, also called hybrids, aren't true breeds — they're crosses of two specific breeds. If you're interested in a Cockapoo puppy, understand that his looks, size, and temperament aren't as predictable as those of purebreds, since you don't know which characteristics from each breed will show up in any given dog.
- History
- When it comes to designer dogs, the Cockapoo is an old hybrid, popular since the 1960s. The first breeding may have been accidental, but the happy result was a litter of puppies who were intelligent, almost odorless, had the low-shedding Poodle coat, and showed the easygoing and loving nature of the Cocker Spaniel. These puppies were well received, and the Cockapoo line began.
Some efforts are being made today to establish breed standards and start the Cockapoo on the hard road of becoming a true breed, one producing offspring with consistent traits. They're one of the few designer breeds who aren't owner-surrendered at high rates, even now, and many fanciers of the breed attribute that desirable circumstance to the Cockapoo's intelligence and his sweet and loving disposition. He's become a highly prized family dog.
Once the Cockapoo became more well-known, he only grew in popularity. Some Cockapoo breeders want to make the Cockapoo a purebred dog and use multigeneration crossing, while other breeders prefer the basic Poodle/Cocker cross. There are Cockapoo clubs, but they're unaffiliated because of these differing philosophies.
The Cockapoo Club of America formed in 1999 and, in an effort to create breeding consistency, it created a breed standard. The club promotes breeding multigenerational Cockapoos to each other as opposed to creating new first generations, because this technique is supposed to help puppies maintain the desired qualities that aren't seen in all first-generation dogs.
The American Cockapoo Club was formed in 2004; these members don't mix generations and don't breed a Cockapoo back to a Poodle or a Cocker Spaniel. They too have a breed standard, and their goal is "to see genuine Cockapoos bred with lines that can be traced back to their originating roots of AKC/CKC Cocker Spaniels and AKC/CKC Poodles."
The North American Cockapoo Registry is also working to establish the Cockapoo as a viable breed. This group formed in 1999 and provides certification for Cockapoos who are the results of first- through sixth-generation breedings. The Registry stipulates that "a true Cockapoo is ONLY a purposeful, planned crossing of a purebred Cocker Spaniel with a purebred Poodle."
Breeding philosophies aside, the Cockapoo's popularity hasn't just held steady — it has increased over the decades. With the help of responsible breeders and national organizations and clubs, the Cockapoo, in one form or another, could be on his way to becoming much more than a "designer breed." - Size
- The Cockapoo is bred in four different size categories:
- The Teacup Toy is less than 6 pounds in weight and less than 10 inches in height.
- The Toy Cockapoo can reach 10 inches in height but has a sturdier build, the bigger ones tipping the scales at just under 12 pounds.
- The Miniature Cockapoo weighs 13 to 18 pounds and ranges between 11 and 14 inches high.
- The Standard or Maxi Cockapoo should weigh more than 19 pounds and be at least 15 inches in height.
- Personality
- Intelligent and easy to please, the Cockapoo was established as a companion dog. He's friendly and happy, happy, happy. He has an outgoing nature and usually gets along with everyone. Depending on his temperament, he can be active or he can simply enjoy snuggling up on the couch with you.
He has the intelligence of his Poodle forebears but also the sweet disposition of his Cocker Spaniel ancestry. If the parents don't have the loving quality that is expected in a Cockapoo, then their offspring won't either.
Like every dog, the Cockapoo needs early socialization — exposure to many different people, sights, sounds, and experiences — when they're young. Socialization helps ensure that your Cockapoo puppy grows up to be a well-rounded dog.
He prefers, always, to be with his family and can suffer from separation anxiety when left alone for too long. He can be easy to train, though that's dependent on the parents' temperament. Positive reinforcement is the best way to train a Cockapoo; he can achieve high levels of obedience with time and patience.