Cavoodle (Cavapoo) Dogs: A Complete Guide to the Designer Breed

Are you familiar with the Cavoodle, aka Cavapoo dog breed? Dogs from this breed look adorable, don’t they? Just a glance at these cute teddy bear-like canines can steal anyone’s heart. And if you are bringing this fur friend home, knowing everything about them will help you take their proper care. So where to look for this information? Right here.

Read on to learn about the Cavoodle/Cavapoo breed dogs, their personality, grooming needs, and health problems they are susceptible to.

Cavapoo dog breed

History

Nicknamed a ‘designer breed’, Cavoodle is a crossbreed between Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and Poodle dog breeds. Also known as Cavapoos, Cavadoodle, and Cavapoodle, these dogs were bred in Australia during the 1990s to get a combination of the affectionate and gentle nature of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and the intelligence and low-shedding qualities of Poodles in one dog breed.

Specifications

• Size: Small

• Average weight: 5 to 12 kg

• Average height: 25 to 38 cm

• Lifespan: 10 to 14 years

• Coat appearance: Medium length and wavy or curly coat. They have a variety of coat colours including golden, brown, cream, chocolate, etc.

The Cavoodle size (height and weight) depends on the parent breeds, especially whether they are bred from a Miniature Poodle or Toy Poodle.

Cavoodle personality

Cavoodles are one of the most endearing canines and are affectionate and loyal to their people. They go along well with children. Sweet in nature, these dogs greet both friends and foes with a wagging tail. Cavapoos are the happiest around their humans and share a very strong bond with them. This strong family attachment makes Cavoodles prone to separation anxiety as they just can’t bear the absence of their people, even for short durations.

Speaking of the Cavapoo temperament, these dogs are extremely intelligent and obedient. They are always eager to learn and please their human parents and thus are easily trainable. Cavapoos have active and adaptable personalities and excel at all sorts of canine sports.

Cavoodle grooming needs

Cavoodles have coats of various colours, textures, and lengths depending on their lineage. Cavoodles are claimed to be hypoallergenic. Though no dog breed can technically be 100% hypoallergenic, the low-shedding coats make Cavapoos a preferred choice for allergy-prone humans. Whether curly or wavy, brushing a Cavoodle’s coat once every day helps keep their fur untangled, knot and mat-free.

These teddy bear-like dogs have floppy ears which makes them susceptible to ear infections. Regular ear cleaning is, therefore, required. Cavoodles can also suffer from dental issues just like other small breed dogs. So, cleaning their teeth regularly is a must to maintain their oral hygiene.

Cavapoo health problems

Though generally healthy, Cavapoos inherit some health conditions from their parent breeds. Some of the most common health concerns in Cavoodles include:

• Mitral Valve Disease (MVD): Cavapoos inherit vulnerability to this heart disease from Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. It is more prevalent in small breeds and can lead to Congestive Heart Failure, leading to the death of the animal.

• Hip dysplasia: It is the abnormal development of the ball and socket hip joint, leading to improper joint formation. Though it has a genetic link, hip dysplasia can also be caused when puppies grow too fast due to overfeeding.

• Patellar Luxation: Another health condition caused by abnormal joint and bone development, Patellar Luxation is the dislocation of kneecap.

• Syringomyelia and Chiari-like Malformation (CLM): Another condition inherited from Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Syringomyelia (neck scratcher’s disease) is the development of fluid-filled cavities in the spinal cord. It is the secondary condition to Chiari-like malformation which is the mismatch between the brain and skull size.

• Eye diseases: The Poodle lineage makes Cavoodles prone to eye diseases like entropion, glaucoma, progressive retinal atrophy, etc.

To conclude

Cavoodle is a charming mixed dog breed that can live comfortably with their families in tiny apartments as well as big houses. With a people-friendly personality and moderate grooming needs, Cavapoos make fantastic pets. When given proper care to tackle genetically inherited health problems, Cavoodles generally lead a healthy and happy life and prove to be good companions.