Cockapoo or cavapoo Post Reply

[teen mum]

My other half has finally giving in, yay!!  I had thought to get a cockapoo but a friend is telling me that they are quite boisterous dogs and that I might be better off with a cavapoo which is similar but smaller and more laid back. Neither my husband or I have ever had dogs. Could anyone tell me if my friend is right and a cockapoo's could be quite a lively undertaking. Thanks.

[AbbevilleMummy]

I have a 9 year old Cavapoo and would say that a cockapoo and Cavapoo have very similar traits. They are both lively, energetic dogs so if you are only choosing between those 2 it doesn’t make a lot of difference except the size as cockapoos are generally larger.

If you want a lazy, laid back dog then the general rule of thumb is the larger the dog, the lazier it is.

[CorianderStreet]

Neither! There are so many lovely established breeds of dogs where you will have a much better idea of traits and temperament, why go down the ‘designer dog’ route? Because they’ve become so fashionable puppy mills are producing poodle crosses in huge numbers with scant regard for the health of the puppies and then charging inflated prices. If you want a non-shedding dog why not go for a poodle ? They don’t have to have ridiculous haircuts and miniature poodles with ‘puppy clips’ are virtually indistinguishable from poodle crosses anyway. The Kennel Club has a quiz on its website to help you pick the right dog for your family - or you could go down the rescue route but that might be trickier if you have young children.

[dudette]

A friend of mine has a cavachon which is a cross between a cavalier King Charles and a bichon frise. She’s really cute. Lovely little dog. I think not having the poodle might make her a bit less boisterous. Another friend of mine has a cockapoo which barks all the time and humps anything in sight. Based on him I really wouldn’t get one.

[Kirstie’s Mom]

As a poodle owner why would you ever buy a cross? Poodles are wonderful dogs . Pure breeds are wonderful dogs . And all these oodles have one thing in common :they have poodle in them . If you must buy a cross please read up on poodle mills and visit the breeder and see its parents .

[Terrier_London]

Neither: Yorkshire terriers are the best! 

[headshrinker]

Don’t worry, people seem to get very judgemental about poodle mixes but the fact is Cockapoos and Cavapoos are popular because they are a manageable size, don’t shed and are easy to train, making them ideal for first-time dog owners. They are also generally pretty healthy as they are just fancy mutts!

I know loads of both and they are pretty similar. Cockapoos are maybe slightly more energetic/playful and cavapoos more like lap dogs but they are both generally lovely and make great family pets.

The main downside is that they are relatively expensive and I am sure that there are some breeders who exploit that so do your homework and make sure they are bred responsibly.

[Birchtree]

That is so lovely you have got the green light to get a dog. Can I also drop the possibility of a rescue dog into the mix? Rescues are the very best breed - they are always so appreciative of their forever home. Many lockdown designer puppies ended up back at Woodgreen Rescue Centre as a result of not being properly socialised and folks returning to work and leaving them alone. We have always had rescues and would never look back. They even have rescue searches by breed. Rescue centres do a proper analysis of the dog and its behaviour, so you know how it might behave with other dogs/children/is it toilet trained etc. etc. The other beauty of rescues is that it also doesn’t feed the awful puppy farm situation that a previous poster mentioned.

Wishing you every happiness with whatever dog you end up with.

[mummybubble]

My personal experience - cavapoos are generally a bit calmer than cockapoos, but training and environment play a huge role in the personality of all dogs. We've had 2 cavapoos and the temperament has been lovely each time. They can be a bit more expensive than cockapoos and agree - do visit the seller/breeder and see the puppies with the mother before you commit to anything. 

if you don't have a cat or very young children, it is definitely worth looking at rescue dogs. It can be hard (not impossible) to find a suitable one if you need a cat friendly or young child friendly dog.