Cockapoo vs Cavapoo: Comparing Temperament, Size & Maintenance

Cockapoo vs Cavapoo – what’s the difference between these two Doods? The Cockapoo is a cross between the Cocker Spaniel and Poodle, whereas the Cavapoo is a hybrid cross between the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and Poodle. Although these two Poodle mixes share quite a few similarities, such as their allergy-friendly and low-shedding coats, their purebred Spaniel parents do pass on slightly different traits to their Doodle descendants. 

Most notably, Cockapoos are just a tiny bit bigger than Cavapoos, and they come in more size varieties as well. But what other key differences are there that you should know about? In this guide, we’ll cover everything from the Cavapoo vs Cockapoo appearance to  personality, and even health so that you can make the right decision for you and your future best pal!

Table of Contents

• Cockapoo Vs Cavapoo At A Glance
• About the Cavapoo: History & Key Characteristics
• About Cockapoo: History & Key Characteristics
• What’s The Size Difference Between Cockapoos vs Cavapoos?
• Cavapoo Vs Cockapoo: Temperament
• Cockapoo Vs Cavapoo: Appearance
• Cavapoo vs Cockapoo: Grooming & Maintenance
• Cockapoo Vs Cavapoo: Health & Wellness
• Cockapoo Vs Cavapoo: Lifespan
• Cavapoo Vs Cockapoo: Training & Environment
• Cavapoo Vs Cockapoo: Cost
• Cavapoo Vs Cockapoo: Are They Family Friendly?
• Cavapoo Vs Cockapoo: Which Is The Puppy For You?
• Cockapoo Vs Cavapoo: Final Thoughts

Cockapoo Vs Cavapoo At A Glance

With their Poodle and Spaniel heritage, Cockapoos and Cavapoos can be quite similar small dogs to an untrained eye. As we already know, the biggest difference between these two Doodles is that Cavapoos are a cross between the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and Poodle, and the Cockapoo is a cross between the Cocker Spaniel and Poodle. 

The most noticeable differences between these Doodles come from their different purebred Spaniel parents. Cocker Spaniels are slightly larger than Cavaliers, which is often the case with Cockapoos vs Cavapoos, too. On the other hand, both are very similar thanks to their Poodle heritage – they’re low to non-shedding dogs, which means that they’re usually great for people with allergies. 

In terms of their personality and temperament traits, Cavapoos and Cockapoos are both highly sociable, loving, and intelligent little dogs. However, Cockapoos can be somewhat more energetic than the more laid-back Cavapoos.  

About the Cavapoo: History & Key Characteristics

The Cavapoo is a hybrid breed between the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and Poodle. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel-Poodle mix is also called Cavadoodle or Cavdoodle. Like any Doodle breed, these pups sure have plenty of names to choose from!

It’s thought that Cavapoos were first bred in the 1950s to achieve a hybrid breed that combines the best of both worlds – the playful, affectionate, and calm nature of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, and the intelligence and low-shedding coat of the Poodle. 

Although the Cavapoo has quite a long history, they only became more popular and intentionally bred in the 1990s. Today, the Cavapoo is one of the most well-known and popular Doodle breeds out there, especially amongst the smaller Doods. 

They’ve got a sweet and gentle temperament just like their Cavalier King Charles Spaniel while they often benefit from the hypoallergenic genes that are inherited from the Poodle’s side of the lineage. 

About Cockapoo: History & Key Characteristics

Cockapoos are a mix between the Cocker Spaniel and Poodle. Cockapoos date back to the 1960s, which makes them one of the oldest Doodle breeds along with Cavapoos. 

Even though Cockapoos have been around for decades, they also became more popular in the 1990s when Doodle breeds started to gain more popularity in general. 

This beautiful hybrid breed uses either an American Cocker Spaniel or an English Cocker Spaniel along with the Poodle parent. Like Cavapoos, Cockapoos are known for their friendly and outgoing temperament. And, of course, the cutest looks.

Additionally, Cockapoos also benefit from the low-shedding genes from the Poodle’s side of the lineage, making the Cockapoo more suitable for people with allergies compared to the purebred Cocker Spaniel Parent.

What’s The Size Difference Between Cockapoos vs Cavapoos?

One of the biggest differences between the Cockapoo vs Cavapoo is their size. This is mostly due to the fact that the purebred Cocker Spaniel and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel aren’t the same size. Cocker Spaniels are typically slightly taller and heavier than the Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. However, both pups can be mixed with three different sizes of Poodles – Toy, Miniature, and Standard Poodle. Therefore, the Cockapoo vs Cavapoo size boils down to the size of the Poodle used in the mix. 

Most commonly, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are crossed with either Mini or Toy Poodles. On the other hand, Cocker Spaniels are often crossed with either Toy, Miniature, or Standard Poodles.

Let’s take a closer look at the Cavapoo vs Cockapoo size comparison:

	Cavapoo	Cockapoo
Teacup	N/A	Weight: Under 6 pounds Height: less than 10 inches
Toy	Weight: 7-13 pounds Height: 9-12 inches	Weight: 6-12 pounds Height: 10-11 inches
Miniature	Weight: 13-25 pounds Height: 12-16 inches	Weight: 13-25 pounds Height: 11-15 inches
Standard / Maxi	N/A	Weight: Over 25 pounds Height: 16-22 inches

Although both Cavapoos and Cockapoos are similar in size, the Cockapoo does come in four sizes, compared to just two Cavapoo sizes. As the Cocker Spaniel is a slightly larger dog, they are also crossed with larger, Standard Poodles as well.

All in all, Toy Cavapoos and Toy Cockapoos are pretty much the same height and weight. Likewise, Mini Cockapoos and Mini Cavapoos come in the same size range. 

Cavapoo Vs Cockapoo: Temperament

When it comes to Cavapoo vs Cockapoo temperament, they’re both intelligent, easily trainable, and loving pups with a happy and friendly disposition. But as with any dog, especially any hybrid breed, each pup has their own unique personality and temperament. Some pups are more laid back while others enjoy more attention.

That being said, both Cavapoos and Cockapoos may take more or less after their Poodle or Spaniel parents. Just like their size and coat type, it all depends how much do they inherit from each of the purebred parents. 

Both Cavapoos and Cockapoos have a similar temperament and they’re usually happy-go-lucky pups that enjoy attention and human company. But as they so enjoy being around their humans, it can also lead to separation anxiety. Neither of the pups should be left alone for long periods of time, but it might be slightly worse for Cockapoos. 

Cockapoos can also be somewhat more energetic than Cavapoos. Although both Doods are relatively outgoing, Cavapoos tend to be calmer and more chilled compared to Cockapoos. For some owners, it might even seem that their Cockapoos won’t stop bouncing off the walls. Therefore, a Cockapoo might need a tad bit more exercise per day than a Cavapoo. 

Lastly, as Cockapoos tend to be more energetic than Cavapoos, some owners have also reported Cockapoos to be more vocal. They might bark more, whine, and groan, as if they want to communicate like us humans do.  

Cockapoo Vs Cavapoo: Appearance

In terms of the Cavapoo vs Cockapoo appearance, they both look fairly similar. This includes their size and coat types. But as we mentioned above, there’s more variety in the Cockapoo sizes, as they also come in the Maxi Cockapoo size.

Regarding their coat types, both Cavapoos and Cockapoos come in three main types of coats – straight, wavy, and curly. As both Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and Cocker Spaniels come with double coats, some Cavapoos and Cockapoos can inherit the more shedding straight coat with an undercoat.

Although usually less desired than the wavy and curly coat types, even straight coat Cockapoos and Cavapoos shed considerably less than their purebred parents. On the other hand, Cavapoos tend to have a silkier hair texture, which makes grooming them slightly easier. 

Additionally, as both Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and Cocker Spaniel can come in a variety of coat colors, both Doods can inherit any color that’s seen on their parent pups and Poodles. Most commonly, these colors include various shades of brown, tan, beige, cream, white, and even black. They can also come in fun patterns, such as tri-color or tuxedo. To see the variety of coat colors and patterns that both these dogs can sport, click the buttons below.

Moreover, Cockapoos usually come with a longer muzzle that’s inherited from the Cocker Spaniel parent, whereas Cavapoos have a shorter button nose inherited from the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel parent. 

Cavapoo vs Cockapoo: Grooming & Maintenance

Cockapoo vs Cavapoo grooming and maintenance is pretty much the same. The key differences come into play when we compare their different coat types within the hybrid breed. As we mentioned earlier, both pups can come with either straight, wavy, or curly coats. 

Curly Coat

Curly coat Cavapoos and Cockapoos are the most hypoallergenic of the bunch, as they shed the least and thus don’t leave any loose hair and dog dander around the house. 

However, curly coated Doods are the highest maintenance of them all, as their textured hair is most prone to matting. For this reason, regardless if you have a curly-haired Cockapoo or a Cavapoo, you would have to brush them on a daily basis to help remove dead hair from the fur and prevent matting.

Wavy Coat

The wavy coat type combines both traits from the Poodle and the other purebred parent. Wavy coat Cockapoos and Cavapoos are usually the easiest to maintain, as they don’t shed much nor are they as prone to matting compared to curly coats.

But as we mentioned, there can be a significant difference between wavy-haired Cavapoos and Cockapoos. That’s because some Cockapoos with wavy coats may come with a lightly shedding undercoat. Meanwhile, Cavapoos will always have a single layer of fur. 

Although wavy coat Cockapoos may come with an undercoat, you’re likely not going to have to deal with loose hair around the house or on your furniture. Nevertheless, we recommend that wavy coat pups also get in their daily brushing session, or at least every other day. 

Straight Coat

Straight coat Cavapoos and Cockapoos take more after the other purebred parent with their straight, silky locks. Again, the key difference here is that straight-haired Cockapoos will most likely also inherit a shedding undercoat, whereas the Cavapoo won’t. 

Although straight coats might be less prone to matting than curly coats, you’ll still have to brush a straight coat regularly to help remove any dead hair from the fur. This also helps reduce any loose hair that would otherwise float around in your house. 

Regardless of their coat type, both Cavapoos and Cockapoos also require regular hair trims to keep their hair healthy and at a decent length. You can opt for either a longer or shorter hairdo, but keep in mind that longer hair might become more easily knotted than shorter hair. 

Cockapoo Vs Cavapoo: Health & Wellness

Hybrid breeds like Cockapoos and Cavapoos are often considered healthier than their purebred parents. That’s because Doodles benefit from hybrid vigor. This means that they’re less likely to inherit certain health problems that are prevalent in their purebred parents.

Having said that, when adopting a Doodle from a breeder, it’s crucial you adopt your pup from a reputable and ethical place that does extensive health and genetic testing on their breeding dogs. This helps reduce the risk of the puppies inheriting any serious hereditary illnesses.

In the Cockapoo vs Cavapoo health debate, both pups are at risk of a few health conditions. These include eye diseases like progressive retinal atrophy and cataracts, joint problems like hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, and patellar luxation, allergies and sensitivities, and ear infections. 

In addition to that, Cavapoos are at a higher risk of heart mitral valve disease (MVD), which is a common condition in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. Similarly, Cockapoos might be at a higher risk of kidney problems, such as familial nephropathy, which is more common in Cocker Spaniels. 

Cockapoo Vs Cavapoo: Lifespan

Due to hybrid vigor and superior health, both Cavapoos and Cockapoos usually enjoy long, happy, and fulfilled lives – providing that you feed your pup a healthy diet, keep them at a healthy weight, and let your pup exercise regularly, of course. And let’s not forget all the love, care, attention, kisses, and hugs that these pups need!

On average, both Doods have a life expectancy of around 12 to 16 years. However, Cockapoos might have a slight advantage, as they can even live up to the old age of 18 years, whereas Cavapoos have an estimated lifespan to about 16 years.

Cavapoo Vs Cockapoo: Training & Environment

Thanks to the highly intelligent Poodle parent, the trainability of the Cockapoo vs Cavapoo is rather equal. Both Cockapoos and Cavapoos are clever pups that are generally easy to train. Regardless if you have a Cockapoo or a Cavapoo, they tend to pick up new cues, tricks, and skills relatively easily. 

On the other hand, many Cockapoo and Cavapoo owners have noticed that as young puppies, both of these Doods have a short attention span, which makes training them a bit tricky during those early life stages. 

Nevertheless, the key to raising a well-rounded and well-behaved dog is by sticking to their training routine from an early age. Make sure you start socializing your puppy to children, adults, and the elderly, but also cats and other dogs. You’ll also want to start with obedience training as soon as you bring your pup home, along with potty training and crate training. 

In fact, mental stimulation is just as important to Doodles as physical exercise is. Not only does your pup need to learn basic manners and desirable behaviors, they need to express their natural needs through exercise and mental stimulation. 

For this reason, you should make sure you have enough time set aside each day for exercise like daily walkies and jogs, but also playtime, fun games and puzzles, and training. All of these contribute to a puppy’s proper development, help curb destructive behaviors, and help them become their true selves. 

Finally, when comparing the Cockapoo vs Cavapoo, both can thrive very well even in an apartment setting. As they’re both small to medium sized breeds, they don’t require a huge house to live comfortably. Still, make sure your pup has the opportunity to exercise and roam around (while supervised!) during the day.

Cavapoo Vs Cockapoo: Cost

Like other Doodles, Cavapoos and Cockapoos are rather pricey to adopt. On average, you can expect to pay as low as $2000 and upwards to $4000 for either of these small Doods. The price usually varies between locations, but also depends on the demand, the breeder’s reputation, and breeding standards.

For example, backyard breeders and puppy mills (both of which you should avoid at all costs!) typically charge much lower prices for their Doodle puppies than reputable breeders who spare no expense on the dogs’ health and wellbeing.

In terms of ongoing costs after adoption, both Cavapoos and Cockapoos have pretty much the same requirements when considering food, grooming, vet visits, dog beds, toys, and so on. However, a smaller Toy Cavapoo is likely going to eat less than a larger Mini Cavapoo. The same goes for Cockapoos. The larger the pup, the more food they need. 

Additionally, some Doodle owners take grooming matters into their own hands, as it’s a great way to save some cash compared to taking your pup to a professional groomer every few months. For this purpose, we have created many useful grooming guides that will help you get started. 

Cavapoo Vs Cockapoo: Are They Family Friendly?

Lastly, which one is more family friendly – Cockapoo vs Cavapoo? Like other Doodles, both Cockapoos and Cavapoos are friendly and sweet-natured pups who get along well with the whole family. Owners praise both of these breeds as excellent family pets. 

They also tend to bond very well with their humans, making them great pets to have by your side at all times and snuggle up after a long day.

All in all, both Cavapoos and Cockapoos are kid-friendly, dog-friendly, and usually even friendly with strangers. And as they’re both affectionate pups, they don’t do well when left alone for long periods of time. 

Cavapoo Vs Cockapoo: Which Is The Puppy For You?

So, if you’re stuck with the final big question – Cockapoo vs Cavapoo – which one should you choose? 

Although both Cavapoos and Cockapoos are very similar, there’s one key thing that sets them apart – their energy levels. 

If you’re into regular exercise and enjoy going for hikes and adventures every weekend, the Cockapoo might be a better choice considering your lifestyle. Similarly, if you have a busier household with lots of action going on, a Cockapoo might fit in with the family dynamics a bit better. 

On the other hand, if you’re looking for a calmer, more chilled, and laid back Dood, the Cavapoo would be your best bet. Likewise, if you have a very small baby on the way or one that just joined the family, you might find that the calmer and quieter Cavapoo would suit your family better. 

What’s more, if you’re severely allergic to dog dander, you might want to consider a Cavapoo over a Cockapoo. As we learned, some Cockapoos may very well inherit a lightly shedding undercoat from their purebred Cocker Spaniel parent, which can be an issue for some people. In contrast, Cavapoos will always have a single layer of fur, meaning that they might also shed slightly less than Cockapoos.

Other than that, both of these Doodles are relatively similar in terms of their size, looks, and personality. They both make great family pets and above all they love their humans. So the choice is yours! 

Cockapoo Vs Cavapoo: Final Thoughts

To conclude, choosing between the Cockapoo vs Cavapoo, it’s not easy to make a decision. They’re both wonderful companions for singles and families alike. Not to mention, they don’t even look that different! Both of them are small to medium sized Doodles that have a friendly and sweet nature. 

However, there are some key differences in their temperament, which can affect your decision. We hope this guide has helped you decide which pup is more suitable to you and your household, so you can prepare for many years to come with an adorable little Doodle.