Breeds / Small
Cockapoo puppies
The Cockapoo is curious, outgoing and eager to please, generally quiet and calm indoors once their exercise needs are met. A couple of walks a day plus games and enrichment suit them, and some individuals develop separation anxiety.
The facts
- Size class Small
- A cross of Cocker Spaniel and Poodle
- Country of origin United States
- Adult weight 6.8 to 10 kg
- Adult weight in pounds 15 to 22 lb
- Adult height 25 to 46 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 Usually good
About the Cockapoo
The first Cockapoo was an accidental litter born in the United States in the 1960s, Cocker Spaniel to Poodle, and the pairing has been repeated deliberately ever since. Adults are small, roughly 6.8 to 10 kg, with wavy or curly coats that shed very little. The temperament is the reason the cross took hold: curious, outgoing and quick to attach to a household, and generally quiet indoors once the day's walks and games are behind them.
Two walks a day and some puzzle work suit most of them, and they take training readily if sessions stay short and rewarding. Grooming is the ongoing cost, with brushing at home and a professional appointment every four to six weeks to keep the coat out of mats. Ears are the part people forget. The drop ear and the hair inside the canal trap moisture, so check and dry them after every swim or bath.
A cross, not a breed. The Cockapoo is a cross rather than a standardised breed, so size, coat and temperament vary between individuals and can favour either parent, and a first cross of two purebred parents is less predictable in coat than a later generation bred back to a Poodle. Toy, miniature and standard Cockapoos exist depending on which Poodle variety was used, which is why the height range here is so wide.
What to expect at eight weeks
At eight weeks a Cockapoo 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.
- Progressive retinal atrophy, detectable by DNA test in both parent breeds
- Hereditary cataracts and glaucoma, found on an eye examination and intraocular pressure testing
- Hip dysplasia, screened by hip scoring radiographs
- Chronic ear infections in the pendulous, hairy ear canal, found on otoscopic examination
- Von Willebrand disease from the Cocker Spaniel side, detectable by DNA test and a clotting factor assay
- Obesity, monitored by regular weighing and body condition scoring
Your Cockapoo 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 Cockapoo.
- Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 6.8 to 10 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 10 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 Cockapoo
Previous: Cockalier · Next: Corgipoo
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, country of origin and health notes
- Health notes from Cockapoo breed information at https://www.petmd.com/dog/breeds/cockapoo. Discuss any of these with your own vet.
Photo: Breogan2008, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped. All photographers are listed on the photo credits page.