Description: The Cockapoo is a hybrid dog that is a cross of the Cocker Spaniel and a Poodle usually the toy or miniature. Depending on the parents used the height is 14-15 inches and the weight is 6-19 pounds. There is no breed standard so it is best to read up on the two pure breeds to have a better understanding of what you may have. The Cock a poo tends to have a small head that would be in keeping with the Poodle but you see the ears of the Cocker spaniel more than you see ears from the Poodle. The eyes are dark in color and wide set. The muzzle is broad, like the Cocker Spaniel. As this is a breed in development you can have a more Poodle face. The coat is low shedding and this is one of the main points of this breed. It can be wavy and long or curly, some Cockapoos have a lot of facial hair while others have short hair on the face. The body is compact but very strong and agile. The feet tend to be small and compact. The tail is not docked so it is thick at the base and tappers to a point. This can be curly, or feathered with wavy fur depending on whether it takes after the Mother or Father. The tail can be straight or curly. The colors we see are mostly on the tan, white, cream and often a blend of these colors. Life expectancy is 13-15 years but there are dogs that have lived longer.

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History: The Cockapoo has a longer history than a lot of the hybrids today. This breed started in the USA in 1950’s. As with all hybrids this dog started as a cross between the Cocker Spaniel and the Poodle pure breeds. This has now moved forward to the breed being a blend of Cockapoo and Cock a poo, not going back to using the Poodle or the Cocker Spaniel, this is now a dog that is getting to a point in their history where good breeders are looking at working together to establish this breeds standards and stabilize the characteristics. If this work is done and good records are kept then this dog is getting near to being recognized by the Clubs and things like showing this dog and offering a dog that is set in looks and personality to the person getting a pup has clear advantages and a clear picture of this breed which is not available to date. The hope is that standards will be set using the dog’s disposition and health rather than the set standards today of appearance first.

Temperament: The Cockapoo has gained some really lovely temperament traits from the original breeds used and these have come through into the dog we see today. The Cockapoo is intelligent, fun and loyal. They love to be with the family and are good with children. They are good natured and will want to please you. This makes the dog a good dog to train and they are keen learners. Basic training can start as a pup and then the dog can learn more obedience as it grows older. They respond best to a firm voice, but do not do well with a harsh one. Training normally works better with reward and wanting to please you. This is a naturally gentle dog and shouting will not work. A firm, fun manner is all that is required, along with short but frequent daily training sessions, a few times a day. They are energetic and will need daily walks to burn up some of their energy and play sessions will help as well. Remember this is a bright dog so include some mental exercise. They are well suited for a family that enjoys daily walks and like to go out. Here is a dog that will like to swim and will happily fetch from water. They are good with household pets but care should be taken when introducing and do not leave them on their own together until you are 100% sure all is fine. They will want a good pack leader and someone to set and keep house rules. Socializing them well as a pup will help reduce any shyness and also build up the dogs’ confidence in new situations.

Health issues: While the Cock a poo has better health than the pure breeds used in the beginning there are still health issues; these are; eye diseases, Patellar Luxation, hip dysplasia and Legg-Calves-Perthes Disease. Only get your pup from breeders that can show you good health records and health testing CERF and OFA certifications, if they do not offer this it is best to walk away and find a breeder that can offer this.

Grooming: The Cockapoo will need a fair to high level of grooming depending on the length of coat. All dogs need grooming but due to the Poodle genes this dog will require more as this coat is fine and grows rather than sheds. A good cut every six weeks is recommended as this will help with the coat grooming and daily care.

Living conditions: The Cockapoo is fine in an apartment providing that they have enough daily walks and mental exercise. They only need a small garden.

If you can't find a local breeder in your area don't worry, many breeders are using the major airlines like American, Delta, Continental and Northwest airlines for shipping their puppies.

At this time the airlines will ship puppies to the following States: Alabama AL - Alaska AK - Arizona AZ - Arkansas AR - California CA - Colorado CO - Connecticut CT - Delaware DE - Florida FL - Georgia GA - Hawaii HI - Idaho ID - Illinois IL - Indiana IN - Iowa IA - Kansas KS - Kentucky KY - Louisiana LA - Maine ME - Maryland MD - Massachusetts MA - Michigan MI - Minnesota MN - Mississippi MS - Missouri MO - Montana MT - Nebraska NE - Nevada NV - New Hampshire NH - New Jersey NJ - New Mexico NM - New York NY - North Carolina NC - North Dakota ND - Ohio OH - Oklahoma OK - Oregon OR - Pennsylvania PA - Rhode Island RI - South Carolina SC - South Dakota SD - Tennessee TN - Texas TX - Utah UT - Vermont VT - Virginia VA - Washington WA - Washington, D.C. - West Virginia WV - Wisconsin WI - Wyoming WY - Hawaii HI.