
Why Cockapoos?
The Cockapoos are a very popular designer breed, the first actually. Created in America in the early 1950's.
It is a well thought out cross between a Cocker Spaniel, either an English or American, and a Poodle, either a Toy or Miniature, sometimes Standard Poodle.
The Cockapoo breed owes some of it's popularity to its parents, the loving, devoted and bouncy Cocker Spaniel, and the Smart non- shedding companion dog, the Poodle.
Cockapoos come in three sizes, depending on the Poodle in its ancestry.
We decided to use a Miniature poodle and our English Cocker Spaniel, as their sizes are similar. As adults, the puppies should be around 14 - 15 Inches to their shoulders and around 8 to 9 kgs in weight.
They are also a low shedding dog with the softest, medium length, wavy fur that can easily be trimmed. They are good pets for those with mild allergies, though they are not fully hypoallergenic and do still shed a small amount compared to most other breeds.
Many Cockapoo breeders advertise their Cockapoos puppies as hypoallergenic, although they aren't. Although they do inherit most of the poodle coat, people who are allergic to dogs are often allergic to the saliva or dandruff that all mammals have. They are perfect for house proud people who don't want hair all over their house and for people who have milder allergies.
English show Cockers and American Cockers are prone to separation anxiety and inappropriate barking. So we have our calm, silent working Cocker, who is bred for being obedient, silent and attentive to their owner, for working along Gameshoots. She is also a little crazy!
English Cocker Spaniel:
Height : 13- 15" at the withers
Colours: Liver, Black, Red, Golden, Lemon, Blue Roan, Liver Roan. White and black, White and red, White an Liver, White and Orange, Orange roan. All can have Tan points.
Strains: Working, Show.
The Working has light feathering around the legs, tail feet and ears. Ears are set higher and are shorter than the show strain.
The Show has longer hair under the stomach and on legs and tail, ears are set lower and hang longer.
Description:
Merry, sociable and trusting.
Working: Coat is short with feathering and needs occasional brushing, especially the ears. Does not need trimming. Soft and smooth.
Show: Coat is longer so needs weekly brushing and is usually clipped to shape. Ears are longer and are often clipped to shape. Soft and smooth.
The tail was traditionally docked to about 2-3 inches long, for both breeds as the breed standard. This practice is controversial and is only done because when dogs are working under thick cover when retrieving game. The tail can be undocked or partly docked, like Olive's tail.
Cockapoos are not docked. Only working breeds are legally docked, also docking is often a breed standard for some breeds.
All Cocker (and Springer) Spaniels were originally used in the fields retrieving game, Show strain English Cockers and American Cockers have been selectively bred for show.
Even though they have a slightly different appearance, both strains of English Cocker Spaniels are the same breed, and American Cockers are very close relatives, as they all, including Springer Spaniels, stem from the same relatively recent ancestors.

Liver/Chocolate with White flash - English Cocker Spaniel
Working strain

Blue Roan English Cocker Spaniel

Show
strain

Black English Cocker Spaniel, with a docked tail
Golden English Cocker Spaniel
American Cocker Spaniel:
Height : 12- 14" at the withers
Colours: Liver, Black, Red, Golden, Lemon, Blue Roan, Liver Roan. White and black, White and red, White an Liver, White and Orange, Orange roan. All can have Tan points.
Difference: American Cocker Spaniels are slightly smaller then their English cousins. They have lower hanging ears and a more domed head. Their muzzles are shorter. They have small facial folds, whereas English Cockers do not.
Description:
Warm, even-tempered and trusting. The coat is long and is trimmed. Long drop ears, short legs and small head. Soft smooth coat.
The tail was traditionally docked to about 2-3 inches long, as the breed standard. This practice is controversial and is only necessary when dogs are working under thick cover when retrieving game. Which American Cockers do not, as they are bred as show dogs, although many puppies are still docked as breed standard.

Golden American Cocker Spaniel

Chocolate and White American Cocker Spaniel

Black and Tan American Cocker Spaniel
Poodles
Height :
Standard:18 - 24" at the withers
Miniature: 12 - 16" at the withers
Toy : 8 - 11" at the withers
Description:
Smart, non- moulting, alert, faithful, active.
Super soft curly coat. Drop ears. Long legs and medium length coat which needs to be trimmed as it does not shed. They can be trimmed in any way, Poodles are often used for grooming competitions.
Colours:
Black, Apricot, Black & Tan, White, Cream, & White,
Blue, Silver, Phantom, Silver Phantom,
Black Phantom, Cream, Apricot, Champagne,
Chocolate, Cafe au Lait, Grey, Red, Liver, Red
Golden, Lemon, Blue Roan, Liver Roan.
All can have white chest flash called Tuxedo.
White and black, White and red, White an Liver,
White and Orange, Orange roan.
Sable, Chocolate Sable, Red sable, Blue Merle, Sable Merle, Liver merle, Merle and tan.

Black Phantom
Standard Poodle

Chocolate
Miniature
Poodle

White Toy Poodle


Poodles in Grooming Competitions
Cockapoos
Description:
Smart, low to non- moulting, alert, faithful, active, smart, sociable and merry
Super soft curly coat. Drop ears like the Cocker Spaniel. Medium legs and medium length coat which can to be trimmed as it does doesn't really shed.
Colours:
Black, Apricot, Black & Tan, White, Cream, & White,
Blue, Silver, Phantom, Silver Phantom,
Black Phantom, Cream, Apricot, Champagne,
Chocolate, Cafe au Lait, Grey, Red, Liver, Red
All can have white chest flash called Tuxedo.
White and black, White and red, White and Liver, White and Orange or Black Parti, Liver Parti, Lemon Parti.
Sable, Chocolate Sable, Red sable, Blue Merle, Sable Merle, Liver merle, Merle and tan.

Black Tuxedo Cockapoo - Clipped

Blue Merle Cockapoo
Adult

Chocolate and White or
Chocolate Parti Adult