Cockapoo
Cockapoo Breeders
There isn’t a breeder within the UK that is able to breed 3 litters or more per year unless they hold a valid Council Breeding License to permit them to do so. But even if one litter has all its puppies placed and sold then the breeder is to be deemed as being in the ‘business of breeding’ and should legally obtain a license from their local council.
The type of breeder you would like to buy from will be a matter of personal preference. Some breeders will only breed one type of Cockapoo, some will breed several of the different types. Breeders are usually split into two groups:
- Smaller hobby breeder
- Larger licensed breeder
The greatest requirement is that the breeder actually cares about their puppies’ health and well-being and their breeding animals and does good breeding. Within the Cockapoo Club of Great Britain we believe in health testing in order to prevent your puppy from being born with some of the genetic diseases found in Cocker Spaniels and Poodles.
Best of all, you are supposed to shortlist your breeders of choice and visit them to gather more facts and see the parent dogs in order to gauge the temperament and size. Any reputable breeder would never turn down a fact-finding and research visit. If you visit a couple of breeders, you may be able to view a representative sample of the different types of housing used for the breeding dogs. It is crucial that the bitch to be bred is in an environment which she prefers. For example, if she is a household pet then to breed her pups in the seclusion of an outside kennel may well stress her. A kennelled bitch, on the other hand, would perhaps equally stress at having her pups within the activity and congestion of a home environment. The environment therefore also must be appropriate for each given situation. It is also wise not to bring your pocketbook or wallet along when you embark on your fact-finding expedition lest you be tempted to buy the first puppy you see! Our What To Look For and what to ask guide might come in handy when finalizing your breeder decision.
If one of the F2, F3 etc Cockapoo varieties is then bred back again to one of the original Cocker Spaniel or Poodle varieties the resulting Cockapoos will carry the suffix ‘b’. When an F1 Cockapoo is bred back with either a Cocker Spaniel or a Poodle, the offspring is known as an F1b Cockapoo. An already suffixed Cockapoo with a ‘b’ cannot be bred out again, and therefore must be bred with another Cockapoo of any generation from F1 upwards.
Coat Colour
Cockapoos can be all sorts of colours and markings. Browse our Coat Colour Gallery to see a big variation of coat colours.
Size
- Weight
Male Miniature: 12-19 lbs. Maxi: 20-65 lbs.
Female Miniature: 12-19 lbs. Maxi: 20-65 lbs. - Height (at withers)
Male Miniature: 15 in. or less Maxi: 16 in. or more
Female Miniature: 15 in. or less Maxi: 16 in. or more
Coat
- Length: Short to Long
- Texture: Straight to curly
- Color: Shades can include solid black, light or dark brown, reddish tones, tan, sable, cream, white, beige, black with white markings, and merle patterns.
Care
- Exercise: 15 minutes/day
- Energy Level: Moderate
- Longevity: 12-15 yrs.
- Needs: moderate
Traits
Club Recognition
- AKC Class. Not recognized
- UKC Class. Not recognized
- Prevalence: Common
Adorable Cockapoo pup resting on the carpet beside its toy.
About
The cockapoo is not a named breed, but rather a cross between a poodle and an American cocker spaniel. It is also known as a cockerpoo, cock-a-poo and cockapoodle, which is the result of a pure bred poodle and a pure bred cocker spaniel.
Because they are mixed breed, both cockapoos’ weight and height are difficult to forecast. Their size and weight are mostly determined by the poodle breed that is being used to breed. The adult offspring of a toy poodle can weigh as little as 5 pounds, but the offspring of a standard poodle — maxi cockapoos — can weigh as much as 65 pounds. Some breeders have teacup cockapoos that can weigh as little as 2 pounds. Oftentimes, though, cockapoos are bred from a cross between a cocker spaniel and a mini poodle, resulting in sturdy, medium-sized dogs weighing roughly 15 pounds and measuring around 14 inches at the withers.
The appearance of their coat is difficult to predict or command and is based on which parent breed’s genes dominate. The coat can be straight, wavy or curly, long, medium or short. One of the characteristics that are typical, but still not definite, is that cockapoos often inherit the low-shedding characteristic of the coat of a poodle. A common trait among cockapoos is their low odor, which means they typically require less frequent bathing. Although their coats do not have to be clipped as a poodle’s, they do need to be brushed on a regular basis to avoid matting and to pick up debris which can become stuck in their coats.
Their color also ranges very widely. Cockapoo puppies may appear in a wide range of shades found in both poodles and cocker spaniels, including black, white, red, brown, sable, tan, blonde, or even mixes of different colors and patterns.