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The Cockapoo is one of the more established crossbreeds, consisting of the Cocker Spaniel (show type or working) and the Poodle (Toy or Miniature), in rarer cases the American Cocker Spaniel may be used.
It’s relatively easy to find reputable Cockapoo breeders as there are many breed clubs which are run by dedicated people that care about the breed. These clubs are committed to the responsible breeding and ensuring all puppies and dogs are as healthy and good tempered as possible.
The Cockapoo can be a first cross (with one spaniel and one poodle parent), can be bred back to one of the original breeds, or be two Cockapoos bred together - so there are varieties in size, shape, coat types and temperaments.
| Lifespan: | 12–15 years |
| Weight: | 3–8.5kg |
| Height: | 25–40cm |
| Colours: | The Cockapoo can be any of the colours common to the Cocker Spaniel or the Poodle including: black; red; orange; brown; combinations of black with white; liver with white; red and white; blue roan; orange roan; black roan; particolours and tricolours |
| Size: | Small to Medium |
| Family-friendly: | 5/5 |
| Exercise needs: | 3/5 |
| Easy to train: | 4/5 |
| Tolerates being alone: | 3/5 |
| Likes other pets: | 5/5 |
| Energy level: | 3/5 |
| Grooming needs: | 2/5 |
| Shedding: | 1/5 |
Like most crossbreeds, the personality of a Cockapoo depends on the parents and how they have been bred and reared.
It’s clear from looking at the two breeds that make up the Cockapoo that this is an active dog who needs a lot of exercise and input (often more than many new owners expect) - and needs to be a part of the family. When the crossbreeding turns out as expected, the Cockapoo possesses all of the intelligence of the Poodle with the spirit of the Cocker Spaniel, resulting in a wonderful companion.
The personality of a Cockapoo seems to be more consistent when they are first crosses (F1). As a line successively bred, they can be either bred back to one of the original breeds (and so strengthen either the Spaniel or the Poodle personalities) or else be bred to another Cockapoo - in which case there is less predictability.
The Cockapoo is one of the oldest and most established of the ‘designer crossbreeds’ and originated in the US as far back as the 1960s. The idea of the Cockapoo was to create a non-shedding, active and intelligent companion dog who required less coat care than other breeds of a similar size.
While there are breed clubs in the UK and all over the world, the Cockapoo currently isn’t recognised by any international Kennel Clubs. To properly understand the origins of the breed, it requires an understanding of the two breeds that go into the formation of the Cockapoo.
The English Cocker Spaniel is considered to be one of the most popular spaniel breeds and one of the oldest land spaniels. Interestingly, before the 1800s, the Cocker and Springer Spaniel were classed as the ‘Land Spaniel’, but due to their differing sizes they were used for very different tasks. The larger ones were used for ‘springing’ game, whereas the smaller ones were for flushing out woodcock. The difference between the two breeds became further distinct with selective breeding and in 1893, they were finally recognised as two separate breeds.
The Standard Poodle on the other hand originated in Germany, despite many believing that they were bred in France. Created as a water retrieving dog, this breed is a hard-working type that’s highly intelligent. The Miniature and Toy Poodle varieties were created later on for those that wanted all the personality and enthusiasm of the Standard Poodle, but was a fraction of the size.
The Cockapoo can have any combination of the two breeds in their appearance, behaviour and temperament.
