With their friendly and playful personality, it’s not surprising that the Cavapoo has skyrocketed in popularity. They are brilliant family dogs and easy to train, surprisingly athletic, and make a good service dog.
They love all people and can develop separation anxiety but should be okay with regular training.
However, what if you want to breed your Cavapoo? How many puppies do Cavapoos typically have, and what can you expect from the litter? How should the puppies turn out? Let’s explore this:
How does the Cavapoo litter vary?
The typical Cavapoo litter size can be anywhere from 2 to 8 puppies. While the average Cavoodle litter is around five or six puppies, Cavapoos have been known to have as many as ten puppies!
You can expect the litter to showcase a variety of colorings and coat types. For example, a Cavapoo’s litter will showcase a range of curly, wavy, or straight white, chestnut, gold, chocolate, fawn, or tri-colored puppies from the two very different breeds.
Some may be up to 25 pounds or have coats that require a lot of brushing and care, while other Cavapoos are as small as 9 pounds, with straighter, easy-care coats.
Can you breed a Cavapoo with a Cavapoo?
Yes. Being a crossbreed in the first place, Cavapoos have what is known as “hybrid vigor” or heterosis. This is a reduced propensity towards the diseases a full Poodle or pure King Charles Cavalier Spaniel might develop.
If a King Charles Cavalier Spaniel and Poodle are mated together, this is called an F1 cross. But when two Cavapoo crossbreeds are bred together, this is called an F2 cross.
These two generations may have very different colorings, markings and personalities depending on which traits end up dominant, even if they are dogs from the same family.
You may find that you are allergic to some of the Cavapoo puppies but not others. You may also see unexpected personality traits. However, as long as you socialize them well, all your Cavapoos should be good, well-natured pooches.
There’s a concern that the gene pool could become too narrow if you breed one Cavapoo too often. However, today’s Cavapoo gene pool is broad and diverse. Still, take both parent dogs to the vet for a health clearance before breeding them.
What two breeds make a Cavapoo?
As we touched upon, the Cavapoo comprises two breeds – the King Charles Cavalier Spaniel and the Poodle. These dogs are already incredibly popular pups in their own right, so it’s not surprising that breeders have now chosen to cross them.
The King Charles Cavalier Spaniel is a friendly dog, one of the original lapdogs. Cavaliers are loving and caring but can get dependent and are prone to separation anxiety.
So, you can’t leave a Cavalier alone for long periods. With their thin, straight coat and small lapdog size, KC Spaniels also cannot live outside. Like many small dogs, King Charles Cavaliers are alert and keenly attuned to the things going on around them.
This means a King Charles may bark when someone comes to the door, or they hear a strange noise. However, a King Charles Cavalier Spaniel isn’t suitable as a guard dog.
Though undoubtedly playful, the Poodle has a reputation for being regal and snobby. However, poodles have astute intelligence, with a keen ability for sports like hunting, agility, and obedience.
Like the KC Spaniel, the Poodle loves people and adores spending time with their family. They hate to be alone and love to play active games like tug-of-war. Poodles have a thick, curly coat that requires a lot of care, upkeep, and brushing.
What are Cavapoos known for?
As two popular breeds, Cavalier and Poodle crossbreeds have probably occurred now and then over the years. However, it is only more recently, in the 1990s, that people began to breed Poodles and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels deliberately.
People wanted to merge the sociable yet chilled-out personality of the Cavalier King Charles with the smartness and low-shedding, hypoallergenic coat of the Poodle.
This resulted in a small, low-allergenic potential lapdog pooch that everyone could love. The Cavapoo is still a relatively young, new breed without much history, but they are generally a friendly, playful dog that loves to play and curl up on your lap.
What should I be worried about with my Cavapoo?
Thankfully, the Cavapoo does have heterosis, making many health conditions far less likely. However, there are still a few health conditions that you should be aware of with the Cavapoo.
One is congenital heart attacks. Common in small dogs, a Cavapoo with a hereditary heart attack probably inherited this tendency from their King Charles side.
Then there’s progressive retinal atrophy. A condition that won’t necessarily cause any symptoms in your Cavapoo, PRA is when the retinas in your Cavapoo’s eyes stop working and may detach. This condition can lead to blindness but can also be treated.
Another Cavapoo health problem is slipping kneecaps. This condition can cause your Cavapoo to walk with a limp or other unusual gaits, but again, it can also be treated. This condition may also not even rear its head.
These conditions are rare thanks to the Cavapoo’s hybrid vigor and overall robustness. However, it just shows how important it is to get your Cavapoo tested before breeding so that they don’t pass on these conditions.
