The Cavapoo is not a purebred dog, but is the result of breeding two purebred dogs (of different breeds) together. Some call them hybrids or designer dogs. The Cavapoo is the result of breeding a Poodle (ususally a miniature) with a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. (There are different crosses within that realm also; Cavapoo to Cavapoo, Cavapoo to Poodle, etc.) We have raised only the first generation Cavapoo (purebred Poodle to a purebred Cavalier for the past almost ten years. This year (2020) we had our first litter of F1b Cavapoo (Cavapoo bred to miniature Poodle).
Poodles have always been popular as a purebred and also for crossing with other breeds. They can be super intelligent and playful dogs with a non-shedding coat which comes in a variety of colors and in three recognized sizes. (The toy or miniature sizes are used in producing the Cavapoo). They are also sensitive to their owners moods and can become very attached to them. They are some of the highest scoring dogs in obedience trails.
The Cavalier is a gentle, affectionate, happy dog. The breed comes in four colors; ruby, black and tan, blenheim (white with ruby spots) and lastly, black and white with tan points (tri-color). The Cavalier does not normally carry a super heavy coat, but it is long along the belly, tail, leg feathering and around the ears. They are sweet, but not what I consider an “obedience” dog and super compliant (like a Poodle or a herding breed). If you call your Cavalier and they happen to see a butterfly flitting across the yard, they may seek the butterfly before finally coming to you!
The Cavapoo is a wonderful combination of both breeds! They come in a variety of colors and sizes (Our average size is 15-20 lbs. Although we have had one as small as nine pounds on up to 20-23 lbs.) in a low to non-shedding coat. They are intelligent, athletic, easy-to-train (there are those exceptions of course), happy, and playful. Our Cavapoos live with families, retirees, singles and couples. They are small enough for apartment/condo living, and also hardy enough to be country dogs! They are people dogs and love to be with their pack!
Please be aware that the Cavapoo is not for everyone. Temperaments vary and some are super smart (we can thank the Poodle side for that). They may not always be the best for first-time dog owners. If you are a calm person, they will likely feed off your temperament, which also means if you are an anxious, worry-wort, your dog may feed off of that also and become an anxious dog. You might do better with a more mellow dog like a purebred Cavalier. Please choose wisely whatever breed you decide on.
A Cavapoo is also something that might be considered as having something called “hybrid vigor” (or heterosis) where supposedly when breeding two different animals with different gene pools it is possible to strengthen the genetic makeup of the resulting offspring and making the usual problems for each particular breed not as prominent. Here’s something about it from Wikipedia “Heterosis is a term used in genetics and selective breeding. heterosis, or hybrid vigor or outbreeding enhancement, is the increased function of any biological quality in a hybrid offspring. It is the occurrence of a genetically superior offspring from mixing the genes of its parents.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/heterosis). Most purebred dog breeds have certain health issues that may affect them. So we hope that by crossing the two breeds (and doing health testing) we will produce a healthier dog, without the prevalent health issues that a purebred is prone to.
We hope that you decide that the Cavapoo is just the right dog for you!