Cavapoo: Your Complete Guide

The cavapoo is a mix between the cavalier King Charles Spaniel and the standard, miniature, or toy poodle. The result is an adorable-looking dog that resembles a teddy bear. They have a fluffy coat with long scraggly hair or short and curly hair like a poodle.

These little guys hail from Australia where some of the first iterations of this breed were created. From there, they quickly became popular in Australia and spread like wildfire around the rest of the world. Today, you can find them from breeders across the United States.

If you’re curious about adopting a cavapoo, or if you want to learn more about the breed, you’re in the right place. This article covers details about their behavior, size, coat type, energy levels, and much more. Ultimately, this is a one-stop guide for everything you need to know about cavapoos. Read on to learn more.

Quick Look at the Cavapoo

Below is a quick glance at the cavapoo in terms of their physical characteristics, lifespan, temperament and grooming needs.

What Is the History of Cavapoos?

Cavapoos haven’t been around for a long time. Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and poodles first started to be mixed in the 1990s.

The breeding process was started in Australia and the dog remains one of Australia’s most popular dog breeds to this day. In fact, cavapoos are known for being the most popular designer dog breed in Australia, and you can frequently find them at shows and events in the country.

Their popularity also extends around the world as the dogs were brought to countries like the United States. Not much else is known about cavapoos, but it is worth noting that people have started to experiment with mixing cavalier King Charles Spaniels with their poodles, standard poodles, and even miniature poodles.

That said, due to their designer status they’re not classified by the American Kennel Club (AKC).

What Do Cavapoos Look Like?

Cavapoos look like little teddy bears – mostly. Most cavapoos are known for their big eyes, round faces, and floppy ears.

Another notable appearance trait of cavapoos is what we call scraggle. They usually have soft and fluffy coats, but they’re often wavy or curly; if you don’t groom them often they can start to look scraggly as their hair grows. That said, this takes a while and their hair usually stays between short and medium in length.

Still, their appearance depends on the genes of the parents. Some cavapoos may look more like poodles, whereas others may look more like cavalier King Charles Spaniels. Therefore, expect some variation in appearance.

When it comes to the color of their coats there is a wide variety. Some cavapoos are solid colors and may be black, red, brown, tan, beige, and white. Some cavapoos may have ruby or darker patches on their face. Black and tan is also a common color combination in cavapoos with only two coat colors.

What Size Is a Cavapoo?

Cavapoos vary in size based on their parents. You’ll find that some cavapoos can grow to heights of 18 inches at the shoulder on the high end, and 11 inches at the shoulder on the low end. The reason for this disparity has to do with their parents and the type of poodle that was mixed with the cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

Standard poodles will result in larger cavapoos and toy poodles result in smaller cavapoos. This also applies to their weight. The average weight is between 12 and 25 pounds with cavapoos that come from standard poodles being heavier.

What Is a Cavapoo’s Coat Type and Length?

Cavapoos have a unique coat type that’s a combination of the coats from the cavalier King Charles Spaniel and the poodle. Depending on the poodle and the parents, the coat type will vary.

While some cavapoos will have short and wavy coats, others may have medium-length curly coats. In fact, some cavapoos may even have straight hair. For these reasons, you can find a wide variety of cavapoo hair.

What Is a Cavapoo’s Temperament?

Cavapoos are best known for their temperament because it’s one of their more endearing qualities.

Their temperament is gentle, affectionate, and friendly, and they thrive on forming bonds with their human companions. This makes cavapoos a great choice for people who want to form a bond with their dog and have a canine companion that feels like another member of the family.

Furthermore, cavapoos are known for getting along well with family members of all ages; this extends to toddlers, babies, and even adolescents. Additionally, cavapoos can get along with other animals with the right training.

Are Cavapoos Good With Kids?

Cavapoos can be great with children of all ages. While you should always watch cavapoos when they’re playing around your children, you’ll find that most of the time they won’t be aggressive and will even encourage your children to play.

For people with young children, this can help you tire them out for the night. Cavapoos are also good with babies, adolescents, and children of all ages.

Are Cavapoos Good With Other Animals?

Cavapoos are great with other animals. They can get along with cats, small animals, and other members of your family. However, they may inherit a prey drive from their poodle genes, so it’s possible for them to have the urge to chase animals around outdoors.

You’ll want to focus on socialization from an early age and other types of training to prevent these problems from developing in the future or getting worse.

Are Cavapoos Aggressive?

Cavapoos are not aggressive dogs. They’re loyal, friendly with their owners, and love to show affection. The only time these dogs will get aggressive is when they feel threatened. Otherwise, you don’t even have to worry about them being aggressive around strangers if you provide them with socialization training from a young age.

Do Cavapoos Bark?

Cavapoos don’t bark as much as most dogs. While they may bark at the occasional squirrel or mailman, you won’t find them barking at everyone they see. What’s more, with the right training you can mitigate their barking to almost nothing.

Removing access to windows can also prevent barking, but you should give them some time to look outside daily. It’s also important to note that if they do bark, it’s rarely a loud or intimidating bark. Therefore, you don’t have to worry about them in apartments.

Are Cavapoos Affectionate?

Cavapoos are loyal and affectionate dogs. They love to spend time with their human families and form deep bonds. These dogs are so affectionate that they may even experience separation anxiety if you’re not around often. Thankfully, that’s something that can be worked on over time, so you don’t have to worry about it being permanent.

If you find the right size cavapoos there’s also a chance that they’ll spend time sitting on your lap or crawling into bed with you at night for extra cuddles.

Are Cavapoos Intelligent?

Cavapoos are smart dogs. Their poodle genes make them one of the smartest breeds you can find, especially in the curiosity department. You’ll find that cavapoos love to learn new commands and discover new things. Therefore, cavapoos are easy to train and socialize. The drawback to their intelligence is how often they escape from their dwellings.

If you have a backyard make sure there’s no way for them to escape. Additionally, make sure you dog-proof your home to prevent them from getting into anything you don’t want them to get into.

Are Cavapoos Energetic?

Cavapoos have a ton of energy when they’re puppies, so it’s a good idea to play with them frequently. You’ll want to play with them for 60 to 90 minutes per day as a puppy to keep them mentally and physically stimulated.

As cavapoos get older their energy levels may decline. Therefore, you can get by with only an hour of playing or walking each day. If you prefer, you can break this up into two 30-minute walk sessions. Due to their energy levels, we recommend playing with them frequently too.

Are Cavapoos Easy to Train?

Cavapoos are loyal and love to bond with their human companions, which makes them too easy to train. When you combine these traits with the intelligence they inherit from their poodle parents, you’ll find that these dogs are some of the easiest dogs to train.

You can teach them just about anything from simple commands like sit, to complex commands that require them to cover large distances or wait for a specified period of time.

Are Cavapoos Good Watchdogs?

Cavapoos don’t make good watchdogs. A watchdog needs to alert you to danger and also protect you from it. While cavapoos love their families, they don’t bark often and may not even bark at the mailman as they approach, which is rule number one for any good watchdog.

Additionally, cavapoos are small and not very intimidating because of their, you know, teddy bear appearance. Therefore, if you want a cavapoo to keep you safe that’s not the best choice.

Are Cavapoos Good Service Dogs?

Cavapoos can be good service dogs, which is true for most dogs. This is because it all comes down to service dog training. That said, they’re not the best physical service dogs due to their size. Physical service dogs need strength to push wheelchairs, open doors, and guide people to safety. For this reason, cavapoos aren’t the most capable breed for service dog work.

While they’re not the best physical service dogs due to their size, they can be great psychiatric service dogs. Psychiatric service dogs can help with mental health disorders like anxiety, depression, and even serious conditions like bipolar disorder.

You’ll have to speak with a licensed medical health professional to see if you qualify for a psychiatrist service dog.

Cavapoos also make great emotional support animals. They don’t need any additional training to become an ESA, and you can live in otherwise non-pet-friendly housing with an ESA letter. ESAs are great for calming anxiety, reducing loneliness, and helping with depression.

How to Care for a Cavapoo?

Cavapoos are easy dogs to care for. You don’t have to worry about these health and eating habits too much, so they’re not too high maintenance. On the other hand, you do have to keep an eye on their coats and keep up with their grooming needs.

It’s a good idea to groom them manually with a brush daily and have them professionally groomed every 6-8 weeks. Otherwise, make sure you help them get plenty of exercise and the right amount of food to stay happy and healthy.

Do You Need to Groom a Cavapoo?

Yes you need to groom a cavapoos. It’s important to keep their coat healthy by brushing them daily if you can. For manual brushing use a bristle brush, especially if they have thicker hair and knots.

If your cavapoo has a long coat you should bathe them once every two weeks and blow-dry their hair as it’s drying. However, you should also consider professional grooming every 6-8 weeks to keep their coats healthy. You should also have them groomed sooner if you play with them outside often.

Do Cavapoos Shed?

Cavapoos don’t shed as much as other dog breeds. However, they do have an uptick in shedding during the spring and fall months, so you might want to brush them more during this time. The genetics of the parent dogs can also influence how often they shed.

That said, cavapoos can be a good choice with people who have allergies or asthma, depending on the severity, because they don’t shed too frequently.

What Health Problems Do Cavapoos Have?

Cavapoos aren’t known for having major health problems, but they can have some health issues. While mixed dogs are usually healthy due to the combination of genes, you do have to worry about issues that stem from cavalier King Charles Spaniels and poodles. For this reason, some common health conditions that impact these breeds can also impact the cavapoo.

One of the most common issues that these dogs face is hip dysplasia, which develops when the dog’s hip joint doesn’t grow properly. This happens early in life, and you’ll notice many of the signs right away if you have a puppy.

Cavapoos may also face additional health issues with their joints and bones as they grow older. If they play too hard later in life they may end up with hip and joint pain. Patellar luxation is another common joint problem and this can happen as they grow older.

Other health problems that impact the cavapoo are standard across many other breeds. For example, as they get older they may have eye, teeth, and weight issues. Obesity is also a big one due to its small size. Therefore, make sure you don’t overfeed them later in life. Some other minor health problems to consider include anxiety and separation anxiety.

How Long Do Cavapoos Live?

How long a cavapoo lives depends on the size and the parents of the dog. While the average lifespan is 12-15 years, dogs that are mixed with a toy poodle may live longer.

On the other hand, cavapoos mixed with standard poodles may face more health issues. The genetics and health conditions that parent dogs face can also influence a cavapoos lifespan. Make sure you keep this in mind.

What Should a Cavapoo Eat?

Cavapoos should eat a diet that’s full of macronutrients like carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. When they’re puppies you should have them eat three small meals per day to stimulate growth.

As they grow older, you can get away with feeding cavapoos two times per day to meet a schedule that you prefer. However, if you play with them often or take them on walks frequently, you should reward them with treats.

Depending on the size of the cavapoo the type of food you feed them can vary. For example, cavalier King Charles Spaniels mixed with standard poodles may need a diet that’s tailored to medium-sized dogs, whereas cavapoos that are mixed with a toy poodle and cavalier King Charles Spaniel may need a diet that’s tailored for smaller dogs.

Is a Cavapoo the Right Dog for Me?

The cavapoo is a great dog breed for just about anyone. There are size variations, so you can ask about the parent dogs to see if they will fit in your home.

That said, the size of the cavapoo can impact where they can live. Smaller cavapoos will do fine in apartments if you have access to a dog park and a place to walk them. On the other hand, medium-sized cavapoos do better with access to a backyard and a larger living space.

When it comes to cavapoo’s temperament, they’re easy to care for and don’t require too much attention, but they can have separation anxiety. This means they’re better suited for people who are home frequently. Otherwise, they can make a good companion for families with children, other dogs, and even smaller animals.