The Cockapoo Breed: Everything You Need to Know
The Cockapoo is a hybrid mix between a Cocker Spaniel and a poodle. The Cockapoo was one of the first ever designer dog breeds! Their friendly and playful nature along with their beautiful features, it’s no surprise as to why they rose to fame so quickly. Cockapoos are also very adaptable and do well around children and in small areas like apartments.
Cockapoos take the curly haired trait from the Poodle which result in low shedding and being hypoallergenic.
They are perfect family pets and they do well with all ages with include seniors and children. They also do well as therapy dogs.
Key Facts About Cockapoos
Average Height: 14-16 inches
Average weight: 12-19 lbs
Average Lifespan: 13+ years
Energy Level: Moderate
Temperament: Friendly, Loving, Intelligent, Loyal
Intelligence: High
Shedding: Low to None
Exercise Needs: Medium
Barking Level: When Necessary
Drool Amount: Low
Cockapoo Colors: Red, Cream, Apricot, Black, Blue, White, Gold/Yellow, Brown/Chocolate
Patterns: bi-color, tri-color, merl
Trainability: Easy
Grooming Needs: Moderate to High
Appearance
The Cockapoo is a popular mix between the fashionable Poodle and the loving Cocker Spaniel. Smaller Cockapoos will usually weigh around 12-19 pounds, and grow to be around 14-16 inches tall (measured at the shoulder). Because the Poodle comes in so many colors, so will the cockapoo, you will have options between red, cream, black, blue, apricot white, gold/yellow, and brown/chocolate. Their coat can either be bi-colored, tri-colored, or Merl. In most cases, Cockapoos will be an apricot or red-ish color with a little bit of white on their face and front. Cocker Spaniels are known for their silky smooth hair, so when you mix that with the Poodles luscious locks, the Cockapoo has every dogs dream hair. It’s thick and curly while still being silky and shiny. When looking at many pictures of Cockapoos, you will notice that some have different hair types than others. There are three main types of hair a Cockapoo can have, it can be straight, wavy or curly. Usually Cockapoos will have wavy hair, but there are times when either the Poodle or Cocker Spaniel genes are more dominant, which results in a different hair types.
Adaptability - ★★★★☆
Does Well in Small Areas
Good First-Time Dogs
Most of the time, people assume small dogs are the best for people living in apartments. However, many small dogs are very hyper and jittery. Luckly, Cockapoos are different! They are small, but they have a very calm demeanor and only bark when they feel it is necessary. Like any other dog, they will still need daily exercise, otherwise they will have so much energy and nothing to do with it, which leads to hyperness.
Cockapoos are the perfect breed for first-time dog owners. They are very intelligent and sweet, which makes them very easy to train. Plus, they come in a few different sizes, which means you can start off with a small dog if you prefer that, or you can try out a medium size. Dog breeds that are more assertive and have a leadership nature will be harder to train especially for new owners. So I would suggest choosing a breed like Cockapoos to help you learn how to train and interact with them.
Good for first-time dog owners
Sensitivity Level
Because of the easy well-mannered nature of the cockapoo, they can be a perfect option for first-time dog owners. Although, you will need to practice plenty of patience during house training as a puppy, as with any dog. Once you spend this time and build a bond with them, they will be your most loyal friend for life.
Cockapoos are on the more sensitive side, they are very loving and enjoy being around their owner. They do better in environments where there aren’t a lot of loud sounds. For example, a dog that isn’t as sensitive will do better in houses that have a lot of little kids and constant loud noises and a dog that is sensitive will do better in environments that are more calm. However, it doesn’t mean your home has to be silent all of the time, just be aware of how many loud sounds are around.
Does not do well in extreme weather
Although the Cockapoo can develop a thick coat, due to their small size, they are very sensitive to extreme hot and cold temperatures and should only be considered adopting if they primarily live in your home. Although they love to play outdoors, if it is a hot summer, be sure they are around an area with plenty of shade, have water nearby and aren’t left alone for too long. In the winter months, depending on the weather, they will likely only enjoy 15 minutes at a time outside and it is highly encouraged to equip them with a doggy sweater.
Friendliness - ★★★★☆
Dog Friendly
Family friendly
Cockapoos are excellent pack mates and can do very well with other dogs. They do not have a dominant temperament and their nature is to roll around and play rather than fight. With proper socialization early on in your Cockapoos life, they will grow up to be every other dogs best and caring friend.
Cockapoos are very loyal and affectionate towards family and love to bond with their owners. This derives from the poodle being bred to work with their owners as water dogs and the Maltese being bred to be a lap dog companion.
They do very well with tolerating small children and babies, but because of their small size, it’s important to teach children how to properly handle and be soft with the Cockapoos. Where a larger breed might be able to withstand a child falling on them and brush it off, this could be a critical situation for such a small breed.
Friendly with Visitors
Although the Cockapoo can be a little skittish, towards new people they generally warm up to people quickly as long as they have a kind and warm tone. They are rarely if ever aggressive towards strangers. They will most likely either run up to greet visitors to take advantage of being petted, or keep their distance if they have a more nervous temperament.
This page includes all of the information you need to learn about the Cockapoo broken down by the following categories:
Trainability - ★★★★☆
Intelligent
Easy to train
Cockapoos are very intelligent due to their poodle ancestry being in the top two smartest breeds. They catch onto things very quickly and crave your affection making them very easy to train.
Cockapoos love spending time with their owners and develop quick associations with obedience training commands due to their yearning for positive reinforcement. Although many breeds are very smart, they can have a different agenda and need more time spent to have them focused on obeying you.
Have a tendency to bark
Does not have a “Prey” drive
Cockapoos can be very vocal and have a tendency to bark at strangers or unknown environments. Barking can be a sign of fear, anxiety, or curiosity. Depending on their reason, you can proactively train your Cockapoo to only bark in appropriate circumstances.
Cockapoos are very curious dogs but they do not have an aggressive or prey drive. They’re most comfortable making friends with new dogs or people and are mostly bred to be a loyal companion/lap dog.
Health and Care Needs - ★★★☆☆
General Health
Grooming Needs
Cockapoos can live to be up to 14 years old and are generally pretty healthy and active dogs. Although all dogs are prone to health issues, some potential health issues of the Cockapoos due to their small size are Epilepsy, Progressive Retinal Atrophy, and Leg-calve-perthe disease. Some of these potential health risks can be reduced through proper breeding and genetic testing which is why we offer a 10-year health guarantee on all of our puppies.
The Cockapoo has a low to non shedding coat which means their hair will continue growing and needs a regularly scheduled groom every 6 - 12 weeks. Cockapoos generally keep themselves very clean they will need regular cleaning and a daily brush to keep your Cockapoo coat from getting matted and tangled. Lighter colored Cockapoos are also prone to tear stains which can be reduced or eliminated with proper care.
Size
The Cockapoo size will vary depending on whether the parent is a toy or mini poodle. They are generally 8 to 14 inches tall and weigh 10 to 20 pounds. If you are considering adding a Cockapoo to your family with small children, the larger sizes may be better. Cockapoos can tolerate a lot from a toddler without being aggressive but the larger the dog, the safer they are from a child being too rough.
Cockapoo History
The Cockapoo hybrid is a cross breed between the Poodle and Cocker Spaniel. The Cocker Spaniel breed was originally bred in England. There were two main groups of Cocker Spaniels, the bigger ones, which were used to help hunt, and the smaller ones which were used for companionship. They actually came to the US on the Mayflower.
The Standard poodle we are used to has curly hair and comes in just about all of the puppy colors there are. Many people think poodles originate in France, but they are actually from Germany. France is where they became the most attention and became popular. Over the years, people have been breeding poodles to get smaller and smaller sizes which is where the toy and mini poodles come from.
Cockapoos were fairly recently breed and are quickly raising to fame with their teddy bear-like features. The Cockapoos have a very lovable personality, they get the high intelligence and fun personality from the poodle while also adapting the sweet and loving traits from the Cocker Spaniel.
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Adoption Form
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Customer Testimonials
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I couldn’t recommend a better breeding place! Marlene is so sweet and so nice she answers all of your questions and walks you through the entire process! this was my first time being a dog mom, so I was new to everything she got me prepared the months before Sunny came home and also checks up on us after Sunny has arrived here.
— Rose family
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Terrific experience and adorable puppy. This was our first experience getting a dog that wasn’t a rescue. I wanted to make sure to find a reputable breeder and my doodle maltipoos is it. A fair and transparent process and the cutest puppies! Our sweet boy is healthy, well-trained and so sociable and sweet.
— Netto Family
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When we were first interested in adding a second Maltipoo to our family about a year ago, my internet research led me to Marlene and My Doodle Maltipoos. Fast forward and we are now happy parents to Chester, just over 6 months old and 16 pounds of love and fun. From the time I first contacted Marlene expressing an interest in a puppy, up until the time I picked him up, I was struck by her professionalism, care and knowledge.
— Wells family