Cockapoo (Cockerpoo)

The Cockapoo (Cockerpoo) is a charming and gentle dog, which has been created in the 60s of the XX century. The breed is considered to be one of the first «designer dogs» meaning it’s the result of crossing the Cocker Spaniel and the Poodle. It’s destined to be a companion dog with its friendly temperament, orientation on human and cheerful nature.

The Cockapoo was invented in the middle of the XX century from an accidental cross between the Miniature or the Toy Poodle and the American or the English Cocker Spaniel. The puppies of this litter grew into intelligent and good-natured dogs, which were moderate shedders as the Poodle and had careless and affectionate predisposition of the Cocker Spaniel. The breeders were pleasantly surprised by such luck and set up the line of the Cockapoo.

Gradually the fame about this little adorable hybrid spread out and it has become a trendy family dog. There are two major approaches to breeding of the Cockapoo. One group of fanciers strives to make the dog purebred and insists on using multigenerational crossing while other resorts to standard Poodle/Cocker cross.

The Cockapoo Club of America was established in 1999 and it set up the standard of the Cockapoo to promote and support good breeding practises. The Club adhered to the philosophy of creating multigenerational dogs since this method is assumed to assist in preserving certain traits that aren’t revealed in all first-generation dogs.

In 2004 the American Cockapoo Club was organized. It also wrote the Coockapoo’s standard but the Club concentrates mainly on breeding first-class Cocker Spaniels with prime Poodles which means it stands for first-generation Cockapoo. The same opinion also holds the North American Cockapoo Registry, which was formed in 1999. It offers certification for the Cockapoos and aims for it to be recognised as a singular breed.

The popularity of the breed keeps growing so there is a hope that in some not so distant future it will be acknowledged as being much more than a «designer dog».

The Cockapoo’s individual traits will partially depend on its heritage and can be quite unpredictable. In the best-case scenario you will get an easy-going, sweet and trainable dog, which tends to cling to people. Its cheerfulness and joyfulness are really contagious and its cute little muzzle is so irresistible that it’s almost impossible not to pet it. The breed will make a wonderful buddy for the child if he is taught to handle the dog with due respect and care.

The Cockapoo is deeply sensitive to the emotions and sentiments of its master so it excels as therapy dog. If you feel moody, worried, insecure or simply sad your dog will discern it and try to lift your spirit by the number of ways. It’s recommended to demonstrate calm and reserved temper in the presence of this dog since your temperament highly influences the demeanour and behaviour of the Cockapoo.

This breed is a solely family companion and isn’t appropriate for performing the responsibilities of guardian or watchdog. It comfortably lives in an apartment setting so the adventures of the rural terrain are not for him.

The Cockapoo is universally amicable and gets on just fine with strange people. Most of dogs have extremely low level of aggression towards other animals (cats, dogs, hamsters, etc.) and almost immediately make friends with them. Therefore it won’t be difficult to introduce it to the household with other living pet.

The most common problems for the breed include:

• eye problems;
• patellar luxation;
• canine hip dysplasia;
• allergies;
• liver disease;
• ear infections.

The Cockapoo possesses pretty long one-layer coat, which won’t require too much time to take care for. However, it should be brushed on the daily bases and trimmed as necessary. The dog’s fur is usually trimmed to 5-8 cm in length. It’s mandatory to cut off hair around the eyes to improve visibility. The Cockapoo was intentionally bred to be without specific doggy smell and is virtually a non-shedding breed so it deserves another good mark for these features.

The dog’s drooping ears are apt to be infected easily without proper care. Clean them regularly with soft watered cloth avoiding getting deep into ear canals. The Cockapoo will need a bath only occasionally. The rest is basic care. The owner should trim dog’s nails every two months and remove tartar from its teeth with a brush several times a week.

The Cockapoo is the offspring of highly intelligent breeds and fully inherited their sharp minds. That’s why it will be easy to train it even difficult tricks. Make sure that your dog is constantly busy since the mental boredom can lead to developing in it passion for destructiveness and on-going barking.

The first and foremost requirement in training of this breed is consistency and repetitiveness. Secondly, the trainer should never resort to screaming or physical punishment otherwise it the Cockapoo will turn into intimidated and shy creature. And finally, tasty treats and gentle encouragement play a key role in training of this dog.

The Cockapoo has low exercise needs but that doesn’t mean it’s a complete coach potato. It especially enjoys playing in the yard and will happily keep you company in slow-paced walk. The dog should be at least 15 minutes a day physically active but an hour walk seems to be optimal to prevent the obesity issue from arising.