The Cockapoo is one of America’s old favorites. This cross between a Cocker Spaniel and a Poodle has been around for a long time and many people grew up loving these curly little dogs. These little dogs first became popular in the 1950s, when American Cocker Spaniels were the most popular breed in the United States. They have remained very popular ever since because of their loving, friendly personality and intelligence, along with their low-shedding. In fact, Cockapoos are popular all over the world.
Some Cockapoos look more like their Cocker parents and other resemble their Poodle parents more, but, in general, these are 12-20 pound dogs that are about 10-15 inches tall at the shoulder. Some have coat more like Spaniels and others have the curly coat of Poodles. Many have a soft, mixed coat somewhere in between. Coat colors can generally be any of the typical Poodle colors: white, caramel, ginger, blond, tan, cafe, chocolate, red, black, silver, parti-colored, or a mix.
As with other hybrids, the Cockapoo may resemble one parent or the other more in temperament so it’s best to be sure you like both breeds before you get a Cockapoo puppy. These little dogs can be quite energetic and agile and do need some exercise.
From a health viewpoint, most Cockapoos are very healthy dogs. However, they can be subject to some of the same health problems as their parent breeds. In particular, they can develop eye problems, such as Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA). They can also develop hip dysplasia and luxating patellas. Make sure that you discuss potential health problems with your breeder. Breeders should have done appropriate health testing on dogs used for breeding to be sure they are free of these problems. In particular, you should ask breeders if they have had their dogs' hips x-rayed for hip dysplasia and what the results were; and you should ask if their dogs' patellas have been examined by a qualified veterinarian. You should also ask if their dogs have been CERF certified and checked for PRA.
With their thick-haired floppy ears Cockapoos can also be subject to frequent ear infections. It’s important to check their ears frequently and to keep them clean.
As with many smaller dogs, it’s not unusual for Cockapoos to live long lives. They frequently live to be around 15 years old or more with good care.
Cockapoos are one of -- perhaps the most -- successful hybrid dog in recent generations. These dogs have been bred for the last 50 years and produced countless happy, healthy family dogs with wonderful temperaments. If you’re looking for a good designer dog that has been proven to work for many people, the Cockapoo is a very good choice.
If you do your homework and go to a good breeder who has healthy dogs, you should be able to find a very healthy Cockapoo puppy. There is currently some work being done toward developing the Cockapoo as a registrable breed for the future. It’s possible that you may find breeders who are breeding Cocker Spaniel x Poodle, or Cockapoo x Cockapoo. Both crosses have been producing healthy puppies.
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