Cockapoos

grass_is_greener

Hi

Does anyone own a cockapoo and have any info they can share?

We have been thinking about getting a dog for some time and have finally decided we are going to go for it.

We are looking at cockapoos as I grew up with cocker spaniels and loved them but adore the look of the cockapoos. From what I can see, they seem to make great family pets and don't have too many downsides. I want to make sure I do all my research first so we don't come across any surprises and make the right decision for us all.

Can anyone recommend how to find a reputable breeder? Obviously I am aware that we are looking between £500 and £1000 and I want to make sure that is money well spent.

Many thanks in advance if anyone can help.

HeadAboveWater

Sorry, I'm actually going to be no help to you whatsoever, but seen your post and had to google the breed!! lol :rotfl: Similarities with the labradoodle Nice!!

grass_is_greener

HeadAboveWater wrote: »

Sorry, I'm actually going to be no help to you whatsoever, but seen your post and had to google the breed!! lol :rotfl: Similarities with the labradoodle Nice!!

the name is the one thing that puts me off! (and the price tag of course)

picklepick

I don't own one myself, but I have walked one weekly for the last 2 years and she is a lovely dog. Very intelligent, easily trained but full of boundless energy which needs to be well directed! Of course, no two of these dogs will be the same due to their parentage.

Make sure you read up on the personality traits of both poodles and cockers and be prepared to have a mix of any and all of them! Also, make sure you do your reading on inherited health complaints with each breed and make sure your breeder has had the relevant health checks done for the parents.

The dog I walk has cockerpoo parents so you could be fairly sure (as much as you could be) what she was going to look like, what traits she might inherit etc.

Do bear in mind aswell, that as they are a cross with a poodle they require regular trips to a dog groomers.

This appears to be a fairly useful source of information
http://www.cockapooclubgb.co.uk/index.html

PS. brace yourself for a bit of a backlash from some people here who disagree with 'designer' breeds, etc for whatever reason.

grass_is_greener

picklepick wrote: »

I don't own one myself, but I have walked one weekly for the last 2 years and she is a lovely dog. Very intelligent, easily trained but full of boundless energy which needs to be well directed! Of course, no two of these dogs will be the same due to their parentage.

Make sure you read up on the personality traits of both poodles and cockers and be prepared to have a mix of any and all of them! Also, make sure you do your reading on inherited health complaints with each breed and make sure your breeder has had the relevant health checks done for the parents.

The dog I walk has cockerpoo parents so you could be fairly sure (as much as you could be) what she was going to look like, what traits she might inherit etc.

Do bear in mind aswell, that as they are a cross with a poodle they require regular trips to a dog groomers.

This appears to be a fairly useful source of information
http://www.cockapooclubgb.co.uk/index.html

PS. brace yourself for a bit of a backlash from some people here who disagree with 'designer' breeds, etc for whatever reason.

Thanks picklepick, that is very helpful information thank you.
I hadn't thought about the regular clipping although we always had our cockers clipped so might just be a bit more frequent.

I have read up about eye problems, I can't remember the condition but something that the parents should be checked for.

I am aware of the dislike of so-called designer breeds but tbh, I cannot see a problem as we are choosing the best of two breeds. Yes, its a lot of money to pay but we can afford it and for the right dog, who will be a family member for many years to come, it's worth it. He or she will be less likely to suffer the health problems of the pedigree breeds. It's all personal choice though and am open to constructive criticism.

PixieDust

There shouldn't be much backlash about it being a designer breed, since it isn't a breed, it's a cross Why do people (not you, singular - generally) just call these dogs an x-y cross instead of giving them stupid names? By their standards we have a Yorkillon. For goodness' sake - that's not a breed, it's a cross between a Yorkie and a Papillon...she's one step up from a mongrel I dread to think what our cat is...half Maine Coone, half Siamese.....perhaps he's a Siamoone....

krlyr

picklepick wrote: »

Do bear in mind aswell, that as they are a cross with a poodle they require regular trips to a dog groomers.

As you say, they are a Poodle cross. I'm sure many are lovely little things but they're not an established breed. I have absolutely no qualms with responsible breeding and I would totally support a new breed coming about, if it was done in a carefully planned way, but unfortunately many of these designer breeds are simply crossbreeds with a fancy name and hefty price tags.
If you can find a breeder who is seriously commited to creating a new breed, feels there are many benefits that make the generations of "non-type" puppies that will result (as it is a case of selective breeding over many generations, but many of the resulting puppies will have a huge variety of traits) and probably works together with multiple breeders for this goal (as it would be a huge project to take on as a team, let alone on their own), sure, but I am not convinced that every breeder of Cockapoos, Labradoodles, etc. has any real desire to create a brand new breed for the benefit of the dog as a species. If you were to go for a Cockapoo, I would definately look for a breeder that has bred several generations of the cross, rather than bred a Cocker with a Poodle and is selling the puppies as Cockapoos.

Personally, regardless of whether you go for an established breed or a "designer" breed, the key points to look for are still going to be the same. Key points, I would say, are:
- all the necessary health tests are done. Not health checks but actual health tests. Doublecheck that they've been done by looking up the results from the relative websites/organisations.
- the breeder's attitude to questions. Good breeders will welcome a quizzing, infact they'll encourage it. If a breeder clams up or seems to be hiding something, ask yourself why.
- avoid petshops completely - no reputable breeder will allow their litters to be sold in this way.
- pricewise. If they're the cheapest around, ask yourself why. Equally, if they seem to be charging a small fortune, ask them to justify it. Maybe they seem higher than others because they have to recoup the costs for multiple health tests, an imported stud, etc. but maybe they just think pushing their price up makes them seem better than they really are.
- allowing you to visit. A good breeder will mostly likely encourage multiple visits to the house. Avoid anyone who offers to 'ship' a puppy to you like the plague. Chances are they have something to hide, want to be uncontactable if/when the puppy gets ill, or may not even have any puppies at all (common scam to take a shipping cost for a puppy that doesn't exist)

http://www.apbc.org.uk/articles/good_breeder
http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/buying/index.html
http://www.petplace.com/dogs/how-to-pick-a-good-breeder/page1.aspx

Remember that the initial cost of a puppy may seem high but if you do your homework and find a reputable breeder, not only could it save you hundreds in vet fees, but years of heartbreak too.
There's also rescue to consider - you can find puppies in rescues, or a slightly older dog may suit your situation slightly better than a puppy

grass_is_greener wrote: »

He or she will be less likely to suffer the health problems of the pedigree breeds. It's all personal choice though and am open to constructive criticism.

This is a bit of a myth I'm afraid! "Hybrid vigour" can exist but if you breed an unhealthy Cocker with an unhealthy Poodle, you will still get unhealthy puppies! Health testing is still very important in these crossbreeds, perhaps moreso than purebreeds because by crossing the two breeds you can introduce a mix of physical features that may worsen some conditions. For example, a breed that's prone to spinal problems like the Dachshund may be worse off if crossbred to a heavy-set breed like a Bulldog or Staffie because of the change in physique. If it ended up as long bodied and short legged as a Dachshund, but as chunky as a Staffie, that's lots of pressure put onto a weak spine. So crossbreeding doesn't avoid the health issues that purebreeds can develop.

picklepick

PixieDust wrote: »

There shouldn't be much backlash about it being a designer breed, since it isn't a breed, it's a cross

Sorry, perhaps I should have used my quotation marks better. How's this, 'designer breed'? Better now?

Some very good points made by krlyr.

grass_is_greener

Thank you.
Great info Krlyr and some things to look into.
With regards to rescue, we looked into this a while ago but were discounted by a lot because of having young children and a cat. My main motivation for getting a puppy is so that it can be socialised from a young age. I wouldn't discount rescue dogs but as yet, have not found one.

With regards to health testing, yes I know it's still important and I have found a few breeders who seem to know their stuff with health testing. I just want to give myself as much knowledge as them so I can go armed with questions.

I have noticed the varied costs and like you say, the more expensive dogs seem to come from the experienced breeders who are on their 3rd or 4th litters. I am wondering if it would seem too much to ask for contact details of previous buyers to chat to them about the dog they have bought (or at least ask for my details to be passed on).

Thanks again, very helpful.

krlyr

Is there any particular reason you wouldn't go for a Cocker or a Poodle on their own? I would look at the traits of both and ask if you could manage either one or the other - as Cockapoos are basically crossbreeds, you do take the gamble of getting a puppy that has traits mainly (or even solely) of one breed rather than a mix of the two. If you feel fine with that, then perhaps consider looking into breeders of each breed themselves as well - you're going to find it easier to find an established breeder of Cockers or Poodles than Cockapoos IMO.

grass_is_greener

krlyr wrote: »

Is there any particular reason you wouldn't go for a Cocker or a Poodle on their own? I would look at the traits of both and ask if you could manage either one or the other - as Cockapoos are basically crossbreeds, you do take the gamble of getting a puppy that has traits mainly (or even solely) of one breed rather than a mix of the two. If you feel fine with that, then perhaps consider looking into breeders of each breed themselves as well - you're going to find it easier to find an established breeder of Cockers or Poodles than Cockapoos IMO.

The main reason is that I have had cockers before and fancy a change, otherwise, I would get another in an instant.
My mum is allergic to dogs and stays fairly frequently, therefore, I would hope that with the poodle coat, she may be less likely to have an allergy. I know there is no guarantee that this would be the case but it would be more likely. I am not a poodle fan in looks per se but am yet to see a cockapoo I dislike in looks. Cockers are the breed I know a lot more about but I have done a lot of reading about the two.

Like I said before, this has been a long time coming and I am not rushing into anything and won't do anything until I am absolutely sure ......