The hundreds of dog breeds that exist today have not appeared by magic, but rather the hand of man has had a lot to do with it, as has happened in the case of the cockapoo, a hybrid between an English cocker spaniel and a standard poodle. .
- Weight : a maximum of 10 kilos, although it varies greatly between specimens
- Hair type : long, curly and fine
- Character : it is a sociable, balanced, affectionate and very docile dog.
- Health : average, with several hereditary diseases
- Life expectancy : about 15 years
Origins of the Cockapoo
Although there is no exhaustive documentation on this hybrid breed, we do know that the first puppy emerged in the United States in the 1950s, where this toy-type dog soon became popular.
These puppies attracted attention, so the breed spread throughout the world, but right now it is not too popular outside the country in which it was born.
In fact, even though it emerged around 70 years ago, it still does not have the recognition of the International Canine Federation , which speaks of a mixed breed and there is no standard.
That means that if we cross a cocker spaniel and a standard-sized poodle (the least popular of the three types of poodle) we will obtain cockapoo puppies, something that is not recommended due to all the diseases they suffer from.
Characteristics
If we intend to buy an animal of this hybrid breed, we must assume that a puppy may not look like its littermate, since as a breed without a standard the characteristics of each specimen differ greatly.
The size is medium, but the weight varies between 5 and 10 kilos , while the difference in height between the specimens is such that we could think that they do not belong to the same breed, since it ranges from 25 to 40 cm. .
Its external appearance is also very different. There are dogs that look like poodles, others that are similar to cockers, and the most “mixed” ones, which have characteristics of both breeds.
Most cockapoos are medium-sized, they have long, drooping ears like cockers and their hair is curly and long , very similar to that of poodles. Curiously, they lose very little hair.
The same thing happens with the tone of his coat as with his appearance. There are many colors and all are accepted as long as they are present in the cocker or poodle, with white, gray, chocolate coats, or half and half mixes such as black and white.
Cokapoo Character
Character is one of the advantages of the cockapoo, since there are very few dogs that are similar to it in this aspect. In fact, here we can say that the mix has been a success.
They are very affectionate and sociable animals, with above-average intelligence . They love being with people and are very balanced, which is not always a characteristic of many breeds.
This balance has made the breed one of the favorites when it comes to working as an assistance or therapy dog, a job for which few dogs are suitable.
They do not stop expressing love to their loved ones and establish very strong bonds. In fact, they follow their owners around the house, sit on them and are always asking for attention, something they also do with dogs and other pets at home.
For this reason, they will coexist very well with cats , as they will be playful and attentive with them, without any aggression.
This has a negative part and that is that they cannot be alone. Needing constant attention, when they are alone daily or for many hours, they develop anxiety and depression. In fact, in this case it is not uncommon for it to become aggressive or cause damage inside the house, such as torn cushions, eaten chair legs, etc.
His hunting instinct and barking are the worst of his character
These are ideal dogs for beginners, but their toy appearance (especially in the smaller specimens) should not deceive us, because when buying one we must remember that it comes from two breeds that have been used in hunting for centuries.
From a puppy, you have to control your hunting instinct . Otherwise, it will be difficult for him to always obey the call, as he will get lost following trails or following wild animals.
Barking can also be a problem, something that must be controlled from a very young age, since they tend to bark very loudly and constantly.
Care
The hair is what is going to give us the most work, since we are going to have to brush it daily , otherwise this breed will become full of knots and tangles that will be impossible to eliminate, forcing us to go to the hairdresser.
Anyway, we'll have to go, especially if the cockapoo's hair looks like the poodle's, because it doesn't fall out or barely does. That means they will have to be cut several times a year.
The ears also need some attention. Since they are drooping like those of the cocker spaniel, they do not ventilate well. They accumulate dirt and that is why if they are not cleaned frequently they can develop otitis.
Furthermore, since they have hair on the inside when we go out to the field or the street, all kinds of objects get caught on them, so it is always a good idea to cut this inner hair. We can do it ourselves or ask the dog groomer.
Leaving aside the issue of hair, this hybrid breed needs exercise to be happy and in order to be calm at home , since it has a lot of energy and will always ask us to play.
He loves walks in the countryside, where he will sniff everywhere looking for other animals, so he is a good hiking companion or can even accompany us on short bike rides.
The ball will become one of their favorite toys and there are those who recommend signing them up for a tracking course, since they have a good sense of smell and this way we can keep their mind busy while having fun with them.
Cokapoo Feeding
In specialized stores we find specific feed for poodles and others for cocker spaniels. Which one should we give them? We can choose any of them, but the truth is that it is not necessary to provide them with feed of this type.
Just look for a feed intended for mini dogs, the cockapoo is one due to its weight , keep in mind that this dog has a small mouth and teeth of a discreet size.
Of course, the feed we choose must be of quality , not the typical supermarket feed on offer, as it will only cause your health to suffer in the medium and long term.
There are a large number of brands that we can give them, always ensuring that they do not contain artificial additives and do not contain grains, which will help these dogs not gain weight.
They have a tendency to be overweight and we stop that with a good diet and regular exercise.
Health
Health is perhaps the weak point of the breed, since despite what is often believed, hybrid breeds like this are not the ones with the best health.
In fact, the opposite happens, since there is no decades-long work by breeders in order to eliminate these pathologies, although we must also say that it is not the breed of this type that presents the most diseases.
Otitis
One of the most common diseases in these dogs is otitis , since their ears hardly receive ventilation. In addition, they usually carry spikes, spikes and all kinds of elements that end up inside the ears.
Therefore, it is advisable to check them often and go to the vet if we notice that they smell bad , the dog scratches, shakes its head or walks with it tilted.
Patellar dislocation
This is one of the diseases that have been inherited from cockers and that occurs when the knee bone moves, in this case without any trauma, but due to genetic causes.
There are various degrees and sometimes the only solution is for the cockapoo to undergo surgery, in an intervention that is usually expensive.
progressive retinal atrophy
It is also a genetic disease, which in this case comes from the poodle . It is degenerative, meaning that the dog's blindness is inevitable.
Diagnosed early on, you have to go to the vet once every six months for check-ups; it can be treated to delay blindness.
The time that the end of the disease can be delayed depends on when it appears. If you do it when the cockapoo is very young, the atrophy will progress very quickly, making it very difficult to slow it down and causing the dog to stop seeing in a short time.
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