18/03/2022
A Cockapoo consideration post.
This breed has taken the dog world by storm over the last few years. Many people fall in love with Cockapoos because of their teddy like appearance and they have become one of the most popular ‘designer crossbreeds’. Is this the right breed for you? Note: the below is written from my own knowledge and experience with the breed.
COCKER – POO. The Cockapoo is a crossbreed between the Cocker Spaniel and Poodle. What does this mean genetically?
Cocker Spaniel: The Cocker Spaniel was originally bred as a hunting dog, helping us humans to hunt birds. Many are still used for this purpose today. Although we see some physical variation in working cockers, show cockers, etc, there is a big similarity in behaviour. Cocker Spaniels need a job to do to engage that working dog brain of theirs, lots of mental stimulation. They belong to the Gun Dog group.
Poodle: Little known fact…a working dog! Part of the Utility dog group, Poodles were originally bred to help hunt birds, specifically water hunting. That’s right – lots of mental stimulation needed. They are a very intelligent breed.
So your Cockapoo is a mixture of TWO WORKING DOG BREEDS used for hunting. Be prepared for lots of mental stimulation, lots of training games, lots of helping your Cockapoo to slow down because they will be ready to go go go. With that intelligence and drive comes the possibility of behaviour problems if their needs are not met. Kim Brophey also describes some gun dogs as having a bit of a “Peter Pan never grow up” complex which I think is quite apt.
Some Cockapoos seem to be more cocker-y than poodle-y, and visa versa. I have once had a group of four cockapoos stood in front of me, and they all looked completely different. Some much more like Cockers than Cockapoos. We can also see this in their behaviour, with the ‘cocker’ part of their breeding very prominent on walks (I sometimes see Cockapoos running with their nose down like they are looking for birds to flush out). This is down to their individual genetic make-up.
I often see Cockapoos being recommended as hypoallergenic pets. This hypoallergenic element came from the poodle. However, with larger scale breeding of Cockapoos, that hypoallergenic element may be heavily watered down in some cases. Choosing to bring a Cockapoo in to your home purely because the breed was once described as hypoallergenic could be a mistake, because they might not be at all, so researching the genetic lines in your dog is really important. Don't forget you can also be allergic to dog saliva or dander, not just fur.
Cockapoos have been a really popular breed in recent times and sadly, this does attract puppy farmers. Puppy farmers do not breed ethically, which means breeding from stressed parents who often do not have basic welfare needs met. They also tend to breed from dogs that have behavioural or health problems which can be genetically passed on. All of this will affect puppies as well as parents, which is why no puppy is a blank slate.
Cockapoos have high grooming requirements and helping your dog to feel comfortable with daily grooming at home is important for their welfare. They will also need regular grooming with a professional dog groomer.
Cockapoos are lovely, intelligent dogs, often bundles of fun. In the right home, they can do amazingly well and be wonderful, funny companions. I have mentioned puppy farms in this post but there are plenty of ethical breeders who really care for the health and wellbeing of their dogs and puppies. If you’re prepared to put lots of time and effort in offering your cockapoo an enriched life, with plenty of stimulation, appropriate outlets for the working dog drive, then a Cockapoo can make a great companion and you’ll love their big personality. But please consider all of this if you fall in love with that teddy-like appearance and don’t assume that they will be happy with a sofa dog life.
Please note: this post was written to consider the needs of a popular crossbreed and not to debate if the 'Cockapoo' should or should not be considered a breed. Although the Cockapoo is not a registered breed and is a crossbreed dog, the label 'Cockapoo' is functional as we all know exactly the crossbreed that it applies to.
