Breeds / Small
Cavapoo puppies
The Cavapoo is gentle and even keeled, one of the lower key Poodle crosses, and suits first time owners. They attach strongly to their household and are prone to separation anxiety.
The facts
- Size class Small
- A cross of Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and Poodle
- Country of origin United States
- Adult weight 3.6 to 11.3 kg
- Adult weight in pounds 8 to 25 lb
- Adult height 23 to 36 cm
- Energy level Moderate
- Grooming High
- Coat type Medium wavy to curly
- Typical lifespan 12 to 15 years
- Good with children Reliably good
- Good with other dogs Reliably good
About the Cavapoo
The Cavapoo pairs the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel with a Toy or Miniature Poodle. The cross was first bred in the United States and taken up later by breeders in Australia and Britain. Adults are small, 23 to 36 cm tall, with a low shedding coat that can be tightly curled, loosely waved or close to straight. Of the Poodle crosses this is one of the calmer ones, gentle and even keeled, which is a large part of why they suit first time owners.
Two modest walks and some indoor play are enough. Brushing about three times a week and a groomer every six weeks keeps the coat workable. The thing to insist on before buying is the heart status of the Cavalier parent and their own parents, because mitral valve disease is common on that side and it turns up in Cavapoos too. Do not assume the cross has bred the problem out, and do not accept a vague answer.
A cross, not a breed. The Cavapoo is a cross rather than a standardised breed, so size, coat and temperament vary and can favour either parent, and whether a puppy is a first cross of two purebred parents or a later generation backcrossed to a Poodle changes how predictable the coat is. Because the Cavalier parent carries a high risk of mitral valve disease, ask for the heart status of the Cavalier parent and their own parents whatever the generation.
What to expect at eight weeks
At eight weeks a Cavapoo puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A small breed puppy at eight weeks is light enough to carry everywhere, which is exactly how you get them socialised before the vaccination course finishes. They will still need four meals a day. Expect moderate energy, in short bursts separated by long naps. Grooming needs are high. Start daily brushing and short, positive handling sessions at eight weeks, well before the adult coat arrives, or the first professional groom will be traumatic. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything they meet calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of their life.
Health worth knowing about
Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.
- Mitral valve disease from the Cavalier side, detected as a heart murmur on auscultation and graded by echocardiogram
- Syringomyelia and Chiari like malformation, diagnosed by MRI scan
- Patellar luxation, graded on orthopaedic examination
- Hip dysplasia, screened by hip scoring radiographs
- Progressive retinal atrophy and other inherited eye disease, detectable by DNA test and eye examination
- Dental disease in the crowded small jaw, found at annual dental checks
Your Cavapoo puppy's first six months
- Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
- Worming and parasite schedule.
- Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Small for a Cavapoo.
- Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 3.6 to 11.3 kg adult range.
- Puppy names and the first week checklist.
Kit sizes: crate 24 inch (24 x 18 x 20 in, 61 x 46 x 51 cm) for an adult of up to 11.3 kg; chew toys made for small breeds. Worked out the same way as the crate size calculator. PetMD bases a crate on the dog's own measurements, not weight or breed alone, so measure once the puppy is home.
Buying guides for this
Other small breeds
More on the Cavapoo
Previous: Cavalier King Charles Spaniel · Next: Central Asian Shepherd Dog
Not veterinary advice. Breed information is general. Your own dog, and your own vet, always win.
Sources
- petmd.com for adult weight and height, life expectancy, energy, grooming and the temperament ratings, coat type and health notes
- purina.co.uk for country of origin
- Health notes from Cavapoo breed information at https://www.petmd.com/dog/breeds/cavapoo. Discuss any of these with your own vet.
Photo: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped. All photographers are listed on the photo credits page.