Do Cavapoos Like to Cuddle? -

One of the most popular Poodle crosses of today, the Cavapoo, has the soft, teddy bear coat of both the King Charles Cavalier Spaniel and the Poodle, so it’s not surprising that everyone immediately wants to cuddle the fluffy pooch when they see them.

But do Cavapoos like to cuddle? Does this dog enjoy being picked up and getting so much attention from humans? This is what we’re exploring in this article.

How Does The Cavapoo Behave?

Whether they have more of the King Charles Cavalier Spaniel genes or more of the Poodle genes, a Cavapoo is generally one of the most friendly breeds of dog you will find.

They can be little clowns; showing off, doing tricks, and trying to impress you and others. They love all people and will get along with anyone, young or old, to the extent that they would make a rubbish guard dog.

They don’t mind being handled roughly by children, and will happily tolerate being cuddled or picked up by anyone.

Does The Cavapoo Like to be Lifted For a Cuddle?

The Cavapoo was first intended to be bred as a lapdog. In the beginning, breeders crossed the original Cavapoo with smaller and smaller dogs until they produced a dog they were happy with.

Yet the breed is still quite young, and one litter is very different from the next. One thing’s for sure though – all Cavapoos love to be cuddled.

So, today’s Cavapoos are a small enough dog, typically weighing anywhere from 11 to 22 pounds or 5 to 10 kilograms. This means that they are physically easy enough dogs to cuddle – and they definitely know it!

As long as you pick them up properly, the Cavapoo absolutely loves to be picked up for a cuddle.

Be sure to pick your Cavapoo up by gripping them under their chest and supporting their hindquarters, to avoid injury. Never pull their forelegs.

How Much Should You Cuddle a Cavapoo?

The Cavapoo is one of the most popular family dogs. They love to spend time with their people, whether relaxing or playing.

But the Cavapoo can actually develop separation anxiety very easily, so it’s important that you train them to tolerate being alone to a certain extent, from an early age. Otherwise, they could develop negative behaviors.

Make sure that you only cuddle your Cavapoo when you want to cuddle them – don’t let them climb into your arms or jump up into your chair at any hour of the day.

That being said, don’t push them off the chair or be rough with them, either. Just ignoring them when you don’t want to cuddle them should suffice for them to get the message in the future.

Do Cavapoos Like to Cuddle While Chilling Out?

Previously we mentioned how you should only cuddle your Cavapoo when you want to, but what about your Cavapoo? How can you tell when your Cavapoo wants to be cuddled?

You might think that when your Cavapoo is nicely relaxed, now is the perfect time to snuggle up with them.

But if they are too relaxed, touching your pooch suddenly could easily startle them, to the extent that your Cavapoo may nip you in alarm, or flee under a nearby table in fright.

Do this too often and you may find that your Cavapoo then develops a fear of humans touching them, constantly moving away when you sit down, or even leaving the room.

This doesn’t mean that there’s always anything wrong with cuddling your Cavapoo when you are relaxing together. You just need to take some minor precautions so as not to startle them.

When you are about to pet a chilled out Cavapoo, it is best to pet them when their eyes are open, so that they notice what you are about to do. However, you can pet them when their eyes are shut, too.

In this situation, just make some noise as you approach them, or you can verbally warn your Cavapoo when you are about to touch them.

However you choose to get their attention first, I’m sure your Cavapoo will love the time spent cuddling with you.

Do Cavapoos Like to Cuddle While Eating?

Perhaps you give your Cavapoo the odd scratch behind the ear while they curl up at your feet with a juicy bone, and maybe you pet them all over while training them when they get the hang of a new trick. Is this sort of thing the right thing to do?

Yes, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with cuddling your Cavapoo to show affection while they tuck into a treat when you’re relaxing together, and it’s very important to show positive reinforcement for a trick well-executed.

who could resist patting the head of an impressive, cute Cavapoo who has just sat, lay down, and rolled over completely successfully?

Is It Safe to Cuddle a Cavapoo While They’re Eating?

But does your Cavapoo ever growl at you when you go to touch them while they’re eating something? Do they worry you’ll grab the remainder of their chew, or lift their bowl before they’ve finished with it?

This type of behavior points to food aggression, something most commonly exhibited by dogs living in multi-dog or multi-pet households.

If your Cavapoo is showing signs of food aggression, under no circumstances should you attempt to cuddle them at this moment – it would not be safe to do so.

However, you shouldn’t allow your Cavapoo to continue to growl at you when they’re eating like this.

Your Cavapoo must learn that people do not mean anything negative and are not trying to take their food away when they touch your Cavapoo while they’re eating, especially if you are intending to socialize them or take them to agility classes or obedience classes.

Things like a casual ear scratch while they enjoy a treat by the fire or a head pat as you walk by when they happen to be eating ought to be fine. So, what can you do about this?

What Should I do if my Cavapoo Shows Food Aggression?

Well, if your Cavapoo is showing food aggression about their bowl, this is probably because they worry that their food is limited and will run out. They may also think that you are going to steal their food.

To combat this, make sure that you feed your Cavapoo consistently, at the same time every day. This will help them to learn that they will always get more food.

You could also try serving yourself and finishing your own meal before you even set your Cavapoo’s bowl down. This is a tactic that helps to establish you as the pack leader, allowing them to relax into their role as part of the pack.

The same tactics should work just as well for treats, like bones or training rewards.

You could also try only feeding your Cavapoo after their walk, too. This way, they feel like they’ve gone out and hunted their food down, fulfilling their instincts.

Conclusion

So now you know that the teddy bear Cavapoo is generally always up for cuddling! However, just be sure to go your Cavapoo’s attention before you touch them, and consider what your Cavapoo is doing at the time.

If you like this then read our Complete Cavapoo Guide: Must Read Facts here.

For more about Cavapoos see my other articles below

By Michelle McDaid