Two of the cutest and littlest puppies in the adorable doodle dog family are the Cavapoo and Cockapoo. Get ready for darling puppy overload! If you are ready to adopt a puppy, are you a Cavapoo or a Cockapoo family? Please review the suggested differences to help you make the choices.
1. Cavapoos and Cockapoos are adorable, but there is a size difference between them
Standing in this left corner, the super cute Cavapoo weighs between 11 to 22 pounds and measures between 11 to 17 inches high. Depending on their poodle parent, whether from a mini poodle or a toy poodle, thoses parental genes will help determine the height of the super cute Cavapoo.
Standing in this right corner, the super adorable Cockapoo weighs between 12 to 24 pounds. On the other hand, a cockapoo usually reaches between 10 to 15 inches tall This differs slightly from the cavapoo, but such a small amount can be a huge difference when it comes to these smaller dogs. The Cockapoo’s height will also depend on their poodle parent’s type and size.
Inquiring about the poodle parents will help estimate how big the Cavapoo or Cockapoo will grow to be.
2. Are Cavapoos and Cockapoos healthy dogs? Is one more healthy than the other great ball of fuzz?
Both of these breeds because of the mix of poodle, cocker spaniel and King Charles spaniel they are both generally healthy. Their genes have a strong blend which allows for hybrid vigor. Both of these breeds, Cavapoo and Cockapoo, have the poodle’s high intelligence which helps with puppy training, and the adorable fuzzy family member adapting to your lifestyle and home.
Both the Cavapoo and Cockapoo have long lives, but the Cockapoo usually live longer than Cavapoo. The Cockapoo typically lives to around 14 to18 years while a Cavapoo usually lives 13 to15 years. Nutrition, exercise and a loving environment, as well as their parents’ genetics, play a factor on how long the Cavapoo and Cockapoo live.
Both the cavapoo and cockapoo are not usually prone to many health problems, though eye problems have popped up in both breeds.
Sometimes a genetic mutation that causes PRA being shared amongst many breeds, including those that create these crossbreeds. Genetic testing to rule out the possibility of eye problems like PRA can be conducted. Often many breeders have the genetic testing to rule out the possibility of eye problems like PRA.
Since PRA has been genetically mapped, therefore PRC can be discovered through genetic testing in most cases.
When buying a puppy of either breed, be sure to ask if genetic testing has been performed. At the very least, request that an eye exam is given to the puppy before you purchase it.
3. What is PRA and what does it do to my Cockapoo or Cavapoo?
PRA is Progessive Retinal Atrophy which damages the eyes. Atrophy means the partial or complete wasting of a body part. Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA), is a group of degenerative diseases that affect the eyes’ photoreceptor cells in the retina. The two main photoreceptor cells of the retina are the rod cells and the cone cells. The dog’s eyes contain many more rods than cones. Rod cells are responsible for vision in low light conditions and for detecting and following movement. Cone cells are responsible for detecting color. Cone cells do not work very well in low light
With this disease, PRA, the cells deteriorate over time, eventually leading to blindness in the affected dog.The retina is a light sensitive layer of cells at the back of the eye that contains cells called photoreceptors. When light enters the eyes, it is focused by the lens onto the retina, where it is converted into electrical signals that are sent to the brain for processing and interpretation.
There are two main forms of PRA recognized in dogs, an early onset or inherited form, also called retinal dysplasia, which is typically diagnosed in puppies around 2-3 months of age, and a late onset form that is detected in adult dogs, usually between the ages of 3-9 years.
It is common for the late onset form to be called PRA. In general, PRA is an inherited disease that occurs in many breeds of dogs and also occurs in mixed breeds. In the majority of dogs, it appears to be inherited in an ‘autosomal recessive’ pattern, meaning that the affected dog must have inherited the defective gene from both parents. The breeds commonly affected include Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, American Cocker Spaniels, and English Springer Spaniels.
Dogs that develop PRA should not be used for breeding. Since the disease is heritable, when a dog develops PRA, its parents and siblings should also be removed from breeding programs, even if they do not show any signs of the abnormality. The rationale for removing related dogs from breeding programs is that the typical inheritance pattern is recessive, meaning that affected dogs must have inherited the defective gene from both parents – unaffected siblings and parents are carriers of the defective gene, but will have also inherited a normal gene, so will not ‘express’ the abnormality. With selective breeding, PRA has the potential to become increasingly less common. Some genetic testing is available through various companies and may involve a cheek swab or blood samples. Additionally, certified eye exams performed by a board certified veterinary ophthalmologist can be done to help detect early signs and remove affected dogs from the breeding pool.
4. What are the signs of PRA?
PRA is not a painful condition, so it is rarely noticed in its earliest stages of development. The first sign that is usually noticed in a dog that has PRA is night blindness. Affected dogs tend to be nervous at night, may be reluctant to go into dark rooms, or may bump into things when the light is dim. Pet owners with dogs that are developing PRA often observe that their pet’s eyes have become very reflective when light shines on them, and that the pupils are more dilated than normal. Both eyes are affected. In some cases, the pet owner may not notice anything abnormal when their dog is at home but may gradually notice that their pet has become clumsier when in unfamiliar surroundings. For dogs with the inherited form, the initial sign may only be a loss of day vision or could be complete blindness.
5. How does PRA affect my Cavapoo or Cockapoo?
As PRA progresses, your dog’s vision will gradually worsen until he becomes completely blind. For the average family pet, blindness is not as significant as it would be in a human. Cavapoo or Cockapoo rely more on other senses such as smell and are able to move around well in their home environment, as long as furniture and other objects are not moved around. In the later stages, cataracts can develop.
6. How fast does PRA develop and how is it detected?
The speed of development depends on the breed and form of the disease. In most cases, the dog experiences a complete loss of vision over a period of 1-2 years.
If your Cavapoo or Cockapoo appears to have vision loss, based on a general ophthalmic examination that shows sluggish pupillary light responses and has dilated pupils, your veterinarian may suspect PRA. In the early stages, it may be difficult to observe any obvious changes to the retina, but as the disease progresses, the examination of the back of the eye with an ophthalmoscope will show increased reflectivity of a portion of the retina called the ‘tapetum lucidum’, changes in the optic nerve and changes in the retinal blood vessels. Your veterinarian will usually advise a referral to a veterinary ophthalmologist for confirmation of the diagnosis by means of additional sophisticated testing such as an electroretinogram (ERG), and to rule out other causes of blindness. The ERG is sensitive enough to diagnose PRA in Cavapoo or Cockapoo even before they begin to show obvious symptoms.
In some areas, genetic screening for inherited PRA may be available. This test may help detect carriers of the disease.
7. What is the treatment for PRA for your Cockapoo or Cavapoo?
There is currently no effective treatment available for PRA. To date, the use of antioxidant supplements or vitamins has not shown any measurable effect on this disease, although these supplements are not harmful to your pet and they may reduce stress on the lens cells and delay cataract formation. If a condition such as cataracts or retinal detachment has been determined to be the cause of your Cavapoo or Cockapoo‘s blindness, treatment of this underlying cause may prevent further loss of vision.
8. What are the personality differences between the Cockapoo and Cavapoo?
Both are considered to be good and friendly dogs who get along well with small children.The cockapoo and cavapoo are both considered to be healthy, although there are a number of differences between cavapoo and cockapoo.
The Cockapoo is more active with bundles of energy and might make a great family member if you have an active lifestyle. The Cockapoo do not stay home alone well and can quickly develop separation anxiety from their owners and family
Cavapoo is more laid-back and does not require as much grooming. How much time you want to spend on your new puppy will likely play a big factor in which puppy you select.
9. What are the grooming differences between the Cockapoo and Cavapoo?
Regarding grooming, these Cockapoo and Cavapoo differ widely. The Cavapoo is considered low-maintenance. Many Cavapoos are cut to keep their coat short, in which case they will only require the occasional bath. If a longer coat is preferred, weekly brushing is required to prevent tangles from forming.
The Cockapoo’s coat grows very quickly. It requires both frequent clipping and brushing to keep the coat from becoming tangled. If a Cockapoo’s coat is more similar to a cocker spaniel than a poodle, frequent bathing will be required to keep the long, silky coat clean.