Cavapoo Breed Info: Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Poodle Mix

What is a Cavapoo Dog?

Heritage:

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Poodle Mix

Other Names:

Cavadoodle, Cavoodle, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Poodle Mix

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Poodle Mix Breed History

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Breed History:

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, as you might imagine, traces its history back hundreds of years to the royal courts and noble homes across Europe. While originating in Spain, hence where the name “Spaniel” comes from, this breed was best known for being adored by the British monarch King Charles II.

Through the generations, the breed was crossed with what is most likely Pugs to produce the English Toy Spaniel. This new style of dog had a flatter face and a rounder head and while it increased in popularity, the King Charles Spaniel nearly went extinct.

It wasn’t until the 1920s when a wealthy American named Roswell Eldridge offered a cash prize to anyone who would produce the breed which he had seen immortalized in old British paintings. As a result, the breed was revived and the name “Cavalier” added to the beginning, a nod to the party during the English Civil War which beheaded King Charles I.

While Eldridge didn’t live to see the breed’s revival in 1928, it has since become an beloved companion in the United States, Europe, and across the world.

Poodle Breed History:

While commonly associated with the French, the Poodle actually originated as a duck hunter in Germany over 400 years ago. In German, “pudelin” refers to the splashing in water that the dogs would do to retrieve waterfowl. The Poodle’s curly, weatherproof coat as well as its natural swimming ability and high intelligence made it an excellent retriever.

Eventually, Poodles made their way from the lake to the life of luxury as they were the breed of choice by French nobles, and eventually royalty across all of Europe. To this day, the Poodle is still the national dog of France. The entertainment industry then caught on to the Poodle’s showy looks, intelligence, and ease of trainability and gave them a prominent role in circus acts across the world.

While the Poodle started out as the “standard” variety, eventually the miniature and toy variations were bred. The Toy Poodle started in the United States in the early 20th century to be a city-dwelling companion dog. Due to the many positive personality traits and its hypoallergenic coat, Poodles are now commonly bred with a wide variety of other breeds to produce the “designer” hybrid dogs known and loved by many as “doodles.”

Cavapoo Breed History:

The Cavapoo breed was first developed by a breeding program in Australia in the 1990s. It has now risen to be one of Australia’s most beloved breeds and is also quite popular in the United Kingdom.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Poodle Mix Appearance & Grooming

How Big Do Cavapoos Get?

A Cavapoo’s size is determined mostly by whether its Poodle parent was a standard, miniature, or toy. On top of that, the gender of the puppy and the genetics of the parents play important factors as well.

With that in mind, a Toy Cavapoo will typically weigh between 7-13 pounds and have a height of 11-14 inches. A Miniature Cavapoo will weigh in at around 13-20 pounds and stand roughly 12-16 inches tall. Cavapoos are rarely, if ever, bred from Standard Poodles.

Cavapoo Dog Breed Coat & Grooming:

The coat of a Cavapoo breed is typically white, brown, black, or a combination of those. Their fur can range anywhere from wavy, like the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel to curly like the Poodle and usually is of medium length.

How curly your dog’s fur is dictates how often they must be brushed. A minimum of brushing once per week is required for the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Poodle Mix, with the ideal frequency being every other day if not every day for more curly-haired dogs.

Are Cavapoos Hypoallergenic?
Do Cavapoos Shed?

Due to the presence of the Poodle’s genes, the Cavapoo breed is sometimes promoted as being hypoallergenic and/or non-shedding. While this can be true, due to the unpredictability of genetics, there is no guarantee that any particular dog, or litter of dogs will be hypoallergenic.

Some individuals’ allergies are more sensitive to certain breeds than other breeds, but there is no scientific evidence that shows that certain hybrid breeds are universally more or less hypoallergenic than others.

With that being said, as a rule of thumb, the larger the percentage of Poodle is in a dog’s heritage, the more likely they are to be hypoallergenic or non-shedding. So an F1BB Cavapoo (87.5% Poodle) is more likely to be hypoallergenic than an F1B Cavapoo (75% Poodle) which is more likely than an F1 or F2 Cavapoo (50% Poodle).

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Poodle Mix Health & Wellness

Cavapoo Dog Breed Lifespan:

The life expectancy of a healthy and well-cared-for Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Poodle Mix is around 12-15 years.

Cavapoo Dog Breed Common Health Concerns:

Cavapoos may be susceptible to the common health problems of both the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and the Poodle. However, due to the genetic diversity from crossing these two breeds, the result may be a lower chance of developing these inherited health concerns.

Some of the more common genetic disorders to be on the lookout for in the Poodle King Charles Spaniel Mix include Progressive Retinal Atrophy, Luxating Patella, Congenial Heart Problems, Cataracts, Epilepsy, and a variety of potential ear infections due to the Cavapoo’s long, floppy ears.

Due to the cost of treating these common health concerns, we highly encourage all dog owners invest in pet insurance. We recommend getting a free online quote from Healthy Paws Pet Insurance.

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Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Poodle Mix Temperament & Personality

Cavapoo Dog Breed Behavioral Traits:

Cavapoos are known for their great temperament and are very friendly and sweet. As such, they make exceptional family pets. Due to their affection towards family, they should always be indoor pets and separation anxiety can be a concern if your family isn’t home a large portion of the day.

They get along great with both children and pets, having no natural prey drive or aggressive tendencies. The adaptability of this breed, its intelligence, and its ease of handling make it a great option for first-time dog owners.

Training is moderately easy with Cavapoos able to master commands fairly quickly. The one area this breed tends to need some patience with is house training. For some reason, Cavapoos typically aren’t as quick as other breeds to catch on to potty training. With patience and understanding, they’ll learn though!

Cavapoo Dog Breed Activity Requirements:

Cavapoos require moderate exercise, with at least one half hour walk per day at minimum. It’s always recommended to keep walks stimulating not just physically but mentally as well with variations of route and smells.