Cockapoo Dog Breed Information: The Fun Loving Hybrid Designer Dog!

Cockapoos are a hybrid designer dog: a mix between a Poodle and a Cocker Spaniel. They are an affectionate, fun loving, playful dog and are perfect for families with children! 

Cockapoos inherit the best traits from both breeds, resulting in a beautiful dog with a silky or curly long hair coat and silky drop down ears. They also have a great temperament and are easy to train.

These dogs will be sure to provide you with hours of fun and love as they are very playful, high energy, affectionate dogs.

Let's dive into the Cockapoo dog breed information; everything you need to know about this lovable pooch!

The Cockapoo was developed through a happy accidental breeding of a Cocker Spaniel and a Poodle dating back to the 1960s.

These happy dogs are actually one of the oldest hybrid dogs, becoming popular in the 1960s (rather than recently like the hybrid breed Labradoodles who have only been around since the late 90s).

It was one of the first designer dogs to ever exist. The popularity of the breed comes from the success of the mix, as Cockapoos have the friendliness of a Poodle and the intelligence of a Cocker Spaniel.

There are three Cockapoo clubs, all with different philosophies:

As a hybrid dog Cockapoos can vary in colour and coat texture. This depends on the colour and size of their parents and if they inherit more features from the Cocker Spaniel or the Poodle. No matter which wins out or if is a perfect mix, they make beautiful dogs either way.

The Cockapoo is bred in four different size categories:

These names are gleaned from the names of different Poodles, who are named for their different sizes. They are the perfect size to cuddle and you can still pick them up fully-grown if you need to.

Cockapoos inherit beautiful curly fur from the Poodle and gorgeous silky ears from the Cocker Spaniel. You can be sure strangers will stop you on the street to get a proper look at this walking teddy bear.

Being a hybrid dog, Cockapoos are lucky to share the best personality traits Cocker Spaniels and Poodles possess. They are very intelligent, playful, sweet, loving and affectionate. Cockapoos love to be with people and are very friendly to strangers.

Cockapoos love to be around people and are affectionate with their families as well as strangers. They do well with other dogs and animals as well, they are very playful. However, they are happiest surrounded by their families. 

They are also great with children and make great family pets. This also means they love attention and may suffer from separation anxiety if they are left alone for long periods of time. This needs to be addressed because separation anxiety can lead to destructive behavior or excessive barking. Although happily Cockapoos are not known to be excessive barkers and this can be learnt when they are young.

One of the greatest advantages of Cockapoos is that they are known for being highly intelligent dogs. Therefore they are very easy to train. Many people have reported that by six months Cockapoo puppies can be taught to sit, stay, roll over, heel, lie down and give the paw, among other tricks. Their training is also made easier because these dogs are very eager to please.

This is actually one of the highlights of the Cockapoo breed. They are hypoallergenic, non-shed dogs! Finally a dog who won’t cover your sofa and backseat of your car in a fine layer of hair that keeps coming back no matter how many times you clean it.

This makes them the perfect dog for families where someone might have allergies. Despite their cuteness they do come with their own grooming needs.

Clean their ears regularly to ensure your poor dog doesn’t get ear infections because of their long down ears. As well as bringing them to the groomers you might also need to invest in a pair of little dog scissors. Their hair around their eyes can become overgrown and this can lead to eye irritation and tear stains. Proceed with caution when grooming around your dog’s eyes.

Cockapoos are generally healthy! They are more prone to ear infections because of their coated drop ears. You should clean their ears regularly to prevent a build-up of dirt and earwax.

You must brush Cockapoos on a regular basis to prevent their coat from tangling and matting, especially if their coats are on the long side and they inherit the Poodle’s curly fur.

Cockapoos may need to be professionally groomed, trimmed or clipped several times a year in order to maintain a tidy coat.

You should be aware that while Cockapoos are generally healthy they are susceptible to the following diseases:

The average life expectancy of a Cockapoo is usually between 14 and 18 years.

Have a list of questions to ask the puppy breeder before you meet them and be prepared to leave it if you are suspicious. You want the best for dogs everywhere and you don’t want to give any profit to a puppy farm or someone who you feel might not have dogs’ best interest at heart.

Here are some questions you should always ask your dog breeder:

You should always be able to view the mother but when getting a hybrid it is worth asking if you can see the father too, to make sure you are definitely getting the right mix and not just the offspring of a Poodle and some unknown dog.

A good puppy breeder will willingly answer all of your questions and ask you questions in turn. If the breeder doesn’t seem to care at all about where their puppy is going to live then this can be a red flag. You want to deal with a breeder that takes good care of the puppies and mother and therefore wants to ensure they go to a good forever home.

Final Thoughts

Cockapoos are an adventurous, affectionate breed of dog and should make a wonderful addition to any family!

Let us know in the comments below, are we missing any Cockapoo dog breed information that you would like us to publish?