A brown Cavapoo with its tongue out

Cavapoo Insurance, Care and Health Advice

The Cavapoo, also known as the Cavoodle, is a crossbreed of the Cavalier King Charles and the Poodle. This breed guide gives you all the information you need to know about this outgoing and affectionate breed.

They’re quick learners, so you can look forward to teaching them lots of neat tricks. They don’t like to be left alone and will demand your attention, but in return you’ll get lots of hugs and kisses. Find out more about Cavapoos in this dog breed guide.

Cavapoo Facts

Dog breed type icon
Type
Crossbreed
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Lifespan
10 - 15 years
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Size
Medium
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Weight
5 - 11 kg
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Height
23 - 36 cm
Dog breed temperament icon
Temperament
Playful, loving, sociable
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Exercise
60 mins per day
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Grooming
Low maintenance

Is a Cavapoo Right for Me?

If you’re looking for an intelligent, playful, loving canine companion, the Cavapoo could be the perfect breed for you.

Because of their outgoing, playful and affectionate personalities, they’re a good choice family pet for lively households, in particular families with children and other pets. They don’t tend to like being left alone for long periods, so a house full of people to play with and keep them company is ideal. 

A cute Cavapoo puppy playing with a toy

What Are Cavapoo Puppies Like?

Cavapoo puppies look like cute teddy bears and will make you want to cuddle them all day! Luckily that is exactly what they love to do. They bond with their humans quickly and won’t want to spend time apart.

This breed is really intelligent and will learn quickly, so make sure you start toilet training your puppy early. The sooner you start training, the fewer accidents you’ll have.

A brown Cavapoo lying in their bed

Life with a Cavapoo

A Cavapoo’s energy is infectious – you won’t have much time to snooze on the sofa because they’ll want to be up and about playing with their toys and running around with you. They have active minds and will look to you to provide them with the mental stimulation they need. So, having the time to play games and go on lots of long walks will be a regular feature of life with your Cavapoo!

Caring for Your Cavapoo

Cavapoos have a bit of a reputation for being fussy eaters. It’s nothing to worry about, they’ll soon eat when they feel hungry! But if your dog is losing lots of weight and regularly not eating that’s a different matter. If this happens, it’s best to take your dog to the vet to get them checked out for any underlying health problems.

A guide to the amount of food your dog needs will be printed on the food packaging. This varies depending on the brand, dog breed, age and size. If you think your dog is getting a bit too chubby round the middle, you can reduce their portion size slightly.

You can also increase it if you think they’re not getting enough to keep them at an ideal weight. Your vet will also be more than happy to give you some advice if you’re unsure how much you should feed your dog.

Cavapoos generally have short to medium length hair that can vary from wavy to very curly. A weekly brush will help to keep any tangles at bay.

It’s also a good idea to give your pooch a regular haircut once a month or so. This keeps their coat at a manageable length to help keep it clean and healthy and prevent any skin problems. If you’re not confident about giving your dog a haircut, take them to a doggy salon. Here, they’ll give them a bath and short back and sides for you!

Training a Cavapoo is usually pretty easy as they’re very intelligent and eager to please. They can be encouraged with positive reinforcement using toys or their favourite treats. Make sure treats are limited though, so they don’t gain weight! Cavapoos usually pick up obedience training really quickly and because of their boundless energy, they can make great agility dogs too.

They’re an energetic breed, so need about 60 minutes or more of exercise every day. Ideally, this should be split into two walks. Cavapoos can get bored quickly, so make sure your pooch always has plenty of toys to play with and gets plenty of exercise to burn off all that excitable energy. 

Cavapoo Insurance

Everypaw’s Cavapoo Insurance is covered by our Dog Insurance comes with a range of cover levels to choose from and additional benefits as standard with every policy. And if you need some advice about your Cavapoo, extra peace of mind comes from Petcall. Our 24/7 vet helpline service who you can call whatever the time of day and night for advice about your Cavapoo’s health, care well-being, nutrition and behaviour.

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Common Cavapoo Health Problems by Vetstream

Cavapoos are generally healthy, but they do suffer from some health problems that are common in Poodles and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. These conditions can be inherited from their parents. We’ve teamed up with veterinary experts Vetstream, to explain the most common conditions you need to keep an eye out for.

A Luxating Patella affects the kneecap. You might notice your dog hopping while holding up the painful leg. This is because the kneecap is unstable and doesn’t stay in the right place. It jumps out of the groove it should sit in and slides to one side. It will either stay in that position or jump in and out of place causing on-off lameness.

In most cases though, the kneecap stays out of the groove all the time. Sometimes, medication and rest can resolve the problem, but surgery is usually needed to stabilize the kneecap, keeping it in the correct position. 
 

Mitral Valve Disease is the most common cause of heart murmurs in dogs. The heart is a big muscle with four chambers that are separated by valves. One of these valves, the mitral valve, is located on the left side of the heart. Its job is to prevent blood from flowing towards the lung.

If the mitral valve is damaged, blood will leak out causing the heart to work harder. This can eventually lead to heart failure. Most dogs with mitral valve disease don’t show any signs of heart disease and no treatment is needed. But, if heart failure develops, drugs can be given to help manage the condition. 

Progressive Retinal Atrophy is a disease affects the dog’s eyesight. It causes the eyesight to deteriorate and eventually leads to the dog going blind. As vision is lost, the dog may become nervous in poorly lit places, have dilated pupils and increased eye shine. Unfortunately, there isn’t a cure and complete blindness usually happens within months to years.

Luckily, most dogs adapt to being blind very quickly, and are still able to lead long and happy lives. Your vet will be able to give you advice on how to manage this change, and how to make the transition to living with a blind dog easier for you and your dog.
 

Skin problems can be caused by allergies, bacterial and fungal infections, or parasites. If you notice your dog is particularly itchy and scratches a lot this is a classic sign of a skin problem. They might also lick and bite themselves causing wounds, scabs and even hair loss.

Sometimes, it can be difficult to work out the cause of a skin problem, so your vet might need to do some tests to get to the bottom of things. Luckily though, most skin problems can be quickly treated and managed with medication.

Quick Cavapoo Q&A

The Cavapoo is an intentional mix or crossbreed of two dog breeds, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and Poodle. It was first started in Australia in the late 1990s. The mix combines the calm nature of the Cavalier King Charles with the intelligence of the Poodle. Cavapoos are full of beans, so they’re suited to dog lovers with lively households, in particular families with children and other pets.

The Cavapoo’s coat isn't really a shedding coat compared to other dog breeds, mostly due to their Poodle parent. A weekly brush will help to remove any loose hair, it will also keep your dog’s coat tangle free and healthy. No dog breed is hypoallergenic, but because they don’t shed much, Cavapoos are a good breed choice if you’re an allergy suffer.

Cavapoos are considered to be hypoallergenic, meaning that dog allergy sufferers are less likely to react to Cavapoos. But you should spend time with a Cavapoo before committing to homing one.

An adult Cavapoo will grow to around 23 - 36 cm and will weigh between 5 - 11 kg. Male Cavapoos are usually bigger than females, and weight varies depending on diet, exercise and size. A Cavapoo is usually fully grown by the time it gets to one year old. 

This varies, but generally, a healthy Cavapoo can live to around 15 years old. Life expectancy can be affected by diet, weight, exercise and health conditions. Make sure your pet has regular health checks with your vet to keep your dog healthy and spot any problems early on.

That’s All You Need to Know About Cavapoos

Cavapoos are the perfect mix of calm and fun. While they love to play and have a lively personality, they are also happy to curl up on the sofa for a cuddle. They’re also small in size and relatively low maintenance, making them the perfect breed for most households.

Content provided from Vetstream's Vetlexicon Canis

Vetlexicon is the world’s largest peer-reviewed online clinical reference source. All our content is written and peer-reviewed by over 1,000 of the world’s leading veterinarians, ensuring relevance, accuracy and quality.

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