Cockapoos

I know, it's a funny name and you are probably wondering "What is a cockapoo?" Cockapoos, also known as cockapoodles, are a cross breed between cocker spaniels and poodles. They embody the sweet nature of cocker spaniels and the train-ability and humor of poodles. Cockapoos are considered a designer dog breed.  A designer dog is created when two pure dog breeds are combined. This creates another breed that has "the best of both worlds." Cockapoos are occasionally called hybrids, which isn't completely accurate. Hybrids result when breeding occurs between two different species. 

Cockapoos have a very wide variety of characteristics. This is attributed to the dogs being a combination of two breeds. You never know which traits might shine through! Cockapoos can range from 12 to 65 pounds. The size of the cockapoo largely depends on the size of the poodle. Cocker spaniels can be bred to a standard, miniature, or toy size poodle. A standard poodle is generally 15 inches or taller while miniature poodles are 10 to 14 inches tall and toy size poodles are all under 10 inches. Cockapoo coats can be straight, wavy, or curly. They even come in every color! You can find black, tan, red, brown, sable, cream, white, beige, black and white, and even merle colored cockapoos.

Not only do cockapoos come in a wide range of colors and sizes they are also hypoallergenic! They have an odorless, non shedding coat which makes them great indoor dogs. While the wide variety of colors and sizes are a bonus, cockapoos are generally bred for their personalities. They are extremely smart, very trainable, and thrive on social interaction. As a cockapoo owner I can attest to the cockapoos energetic and friendly temperament. They don't require much exercise, only 15 to 20 minutes a day, which is easily taken care of in a walk or two around the block! Cockapoos are know to be a quiet breed and they very rarely show any form of aggression. They adore their families and love making friends.

Cockapoos are also known to fade as they get older. They inherit the fading gene from the poodle parent. As cockapoos reach a year old, many times, their coloring fades to a lighter version. Black turns to gray, chocolate often turns to a caramel color, and red can fade to a light brown. While many fade some keep their coloring.

All in all, cockapoos are a very versatile dog. They are great family pets with sweet and loving personalities. They are sociable with very little shedding and they are excellent companion dogs. If you are looking for a new addition to your home I highly recommend the playful and clever cockapoo.