Cockapoo Dog Breeds
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Height at the withers: Males 25 – 38 cm, Females 25 – 38 cm
Average weight: Males 5.4 – 10.9 kg, Females 5.4 – 10.9 kg
Because Cockapoos are a cross-breed, they come in all sorts of shapes and sizes with some dogs leaning towards the Cocker Spaniel whereas other inherit more Poodle traits whether it’s their physical traits or their temperaments. Some dogs may have the curly coat of a Poodle and others could have much straighter and longer hair because they inherited more of a Spaniel’s coat, so it really does depend on the luck of the draw as to how a puppy Cockapoo turns out.
With this said, they are small to medium sized dogs with most responsible breeders now using Miniature rather than Toy Poodles to cross with either American or English Cocker Spaniels to reduce the chances of puppies inheriting any of the many disorders that seem to affect the Toy Poodle. Although most dogs are small in stature, this is not to say that some Cockapoos are larger than others because it really does depend on their parents as to what size they throw to.
As previously mentioned, a first crossing of a Cocker Spaniel with a Poodle produces an F1 Cockapoo which is thought of as being the more stable crossing of the two breeds simply because the mating produces a more stable result in their offspring. F1 Cockapoos are often slightly taller than both their parent breeds. When two F1 Cockapoos are mated, they produce F2 puppies and often this can produce “throwbacks” which are referred to a F2 Cockapoos having a “Grandad Effect”. This is when puppies from the same litter can have very different looks with some throwing to a Poodle, others looking more like a Cocker Spaniel and some being a mixture of the two. This “Grandad” trait is not terribly apparent during the first few weeks of a puppy’s life, but becomes more evident as a puppy grows and matures into an adult dog.
Cockapoos can take on very different looks when they are bred back to a Cocker Spaniel or a Poodle which results in their offspring being referred to as F1b, F2b and so on, depending on what generation their parent dogs happen to be. As such crossing an F2 Cockapoo with another F2 dog produces an F3 Cockapoo. The problem arises when further breeding is carried out which must be thoroughly researched to avoid any in-breeding taking place. This is when both parent dogs have a common ancestor in a five-generation lineage.
All variations of these charming dogs are always called Cockapoos, but because F1, F2, F3 etc crossings take place, the size of a dog, their shape and appearance as well as their temperament and intelligence can vary tremendously from dog to dog. It is also worth noting that their shedding rate and whether a dog has a hypo-allergenic coat can also vary a lot, bearing in mind that all Cockapoos shed dander which can also trigger an allergic reaction in people as can a dog’s saliva.
The Cocker Spaniel in Cockapoos
How a Cockapoo turns out is very dependent on which type of Cocker Spaniel is used in a breeding programme, namely the English Cocker Spaniel, the English Working Cocker Spaniel or the American Cocker Spaniel because all three are quite different in looks as well as natures. The American Cocker is smaller than the English Cocker and they have domed heads together with deeper stops. Their ears are longer and their coats are heavier and longer too.
English Cockers tend to be the larger of the spaniels and they have more of a domed head, deeper stops and nice long pendulous ears than their working Cocker counterparts. Their coats are dense, wavy and thick. English Working Cockers, however, are more athletic and rangier in appearance with lighter coats and ears that are set higher on their heads. Their faces are that much squarer too.
The Poodle in Cockapoos
Poodles come in various sizes which range from very small Toy Poodles to large Standard Poodles. However, the only two that are used to breed Cockapoos are the Toy and the Miniature Poodle. As such a “Toy” Cockapoo would boast having a Toy Poodle in their parentage and a Miniature Cockapoo would have a Miniature Poodle in their parentage.
As a rule of thumb, Cockapoos with Toy Poodles as one of their parents can be a little lighter framed and smaller than those that have Miniature Poodles as a parent.
When it come to their coat, Cockapoos can inherit many different coat types and textures. The length of a dog’s coat depends on their lineage and parent breeds too. They can be a variety of colours, but the most commonly seen in these charming dogs tends to be as follows:
- Red
- Blonde and all shades of blonde
- Chocolate and all shades of chocolate
- Black with spots referred to as Tuxedo
- Black and all shades of black
- Tan, beige or buff
- Brown – can vary from light to dark
- Sable – with tipping and shading in black
- Cream
- White
- Silver
- Brindle
- Roan
- Merle – blue, brown, shades can be mixed with cream or white
- Beige with brown and grey markings
Gait/movement
Cockapoos are bouncy when they move having a ton of energy to expend. They are free moving both in their front and hind quarters with dogs always holding themselves proudly and tails held high when on the move.