Cockapoo

Like every breed, the Cockapoo is not the right fit for every home. Based on the breed’s typical traits:

• Use positive, reward-based methods from puppyhood.
• Teach them to enjoy handling and grooming, as they will need plenty of it.
• Teach them to give up prized items happily.
• Try dog sports such as agility or pet gundog work to give them an active job.
• Socialise them with cats, but always supervise them around other small animals and birds.

• Children

  Often good with children, with supervision.

• Other dogs

  Usually sociable with other dogs.

• Cats and small pets

  Often lives with cats when introduced carefully.

• Garden

  A garden is helpful.

• Being left alone

  Usually copes only with short periods alone.

• First-time owners

  Best with an experienced owner.

Not yet reviewed by a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice: speak to your vet about your own dog’s health.

• Ear problems

  Both parent breeds can have excessive hair inside the ears, with the potential for infections or foreign bodies entering the ear canal, so regular ear care matters.

Responsible breeders and rescues are happy to talk about health, and any pressure to decide quickly is a reason to walk away. Before taking a Cockapoo home, it is reasonable to ask about:

• Health testing of the parents. Ask which health tests the parents have had for conditions known in the breed, and to see the results.
• Veterinary and vaccination records. Puppies should have had a first vaccination and a vet check, with records you can take home.
• Microchip information. In England, Scotland and Wales puppies must be microchipped and registered by eight weeks old. Ask who the chip is registered to and how the transfer works.
• Registration paperwork. Registration papers, where they apply, record pedigree. They do not by themselves prove health or how a puppy was raised.

There are two costs: bringing a Cockapoo home, and looking after one well. Puppy prices depend on the breeder, health testing and demand; the adverts below show what sellers are asking today.

Ongoing costs are the ones new owners most often underestimate: food, insurance (which usually rises with age), routine vet care, vaccinations and parasite treatment, dental care, grooming, training, bedding and equipment, and boarding or a sitter for holidays. Budget for the whole of the dog’s life, typically 12–15 years, not just the first year.

If you have decided the Cockapoo suits your life, take the same care choosing where your dog comes from. Meet the puppy in person, see it with its mother, and look at how the litter is raised.

• Check who you are dealing with: every Mypetzilla advert shows the seller type and what we have checked.
• Ask about health testing, vaccinations and the microchip before you commit.
• Take your time. Do not be rushed by deposits or "last one left" stories.
• Meet in person before paying anything, and keep conversations on Mypetzilla.

Cockapoos do come up for adoption, through rescue organisations, breed rescues and private rehoming, often because an owner’s circumstances have changed rather than any fault of the dog. An adult dog arrives as a known quantity: its size, coat and character are already on show.

Rescues will usually talk you through the dog’s history, any medical care, and the home it needs, including children, other animals and time alone. Be honest about your circumstances: a good rescue would rather place a dog once, well.