Today's bonus episode features a popular doodle mix that is nearest and dearest to my heart. CAVAPOOS! Out of all of the doodle mixes in the world, this is the doodle that currently holds my heart as my own. Find out why his name is Nestle and who his favorite person is (okay, it's me!)
This episode will answer cavapoo questions like:
– How big do cavapoos get as an adult?
– Are cavapoos good dogs?
– Are cavapoos easy to train?
– What is the mix in cavapoo?
– Are cavapoo good for first time dog owners?
– Are cavapoos smart?
– Why you shouldn't get a cavapoo
– How much exercise does a cavapoo need?
– What is a “cuddle cavapoo”?
– What does a black cavapoo look like? (Like Corinne's!)
I polled hundreds of families of this mix asking why they chose this particular dog, and I will share their answers throughout this episode.
Cavapoos Featured in This Episode:
I polled hundreds of families of this mix asking why they chose this particular dog, and I will share their answers throughout this episode.
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Read the transcript:
(autogenerated)
Corinne Gearhart- The Doodle Pro: [00:00:00] For today's bonus episode featuring some of the most popular doodle mixes. We're going to feature one that is nearest and dearest to my heart. I pulled hundreds of families of this mix asking why they chose this particular dog, and I will share their answers throughout this episode. You could view pictures of the dogs they talk about in our show notes.
Let's talk about Cavapoos!
Debbie K. shared, “Their gentle demeanor, makes life with a kava poo pure joy. The poodle mix makes them very smart and easy to train. Also, nonshedding, no major health issues. They can be relaxed or spunky. Good with kids. Loves everybody.”
Cavapoos, also known as cavoodles and cavadoodles, are a mix between the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and the poodle.
You might be wondering [00:02:00] why these are so special to me as I obviously adore all doodles. . Well, that's because the cavapoo is the mix of my present dog. My heart dog, Nestle, his older sister, was a late-standard poodle named Hershey.
She faded from chocolate to a silver beige color as poodles tend to do so her name didn't even match her anymore. , when this black kava poo puppy came into our lives unexpectedly, my family said we needed to name him chocolate too.
That's where his name Nestle came from. Here's my dirty secret. I don't even like chocolate . Just like I'm a dog trainer who's allergic to most dog breeds. I've had two family dogs named for chocolate and salty foods are my vice, his name, and hard to photograph black fur aside, he's my perfect best friend.
And our worlds are both better for having each other in them I'll share a picture of my Sweetness Lee [00:03:00] in the show notes.
You can also follow his funny antics on my Instagram at the Doodle Pro. Let's start with the history of the kava poo. Kava poos are a very popular doodle mix because of their loving and affectionate nature and smaller size, they have the gentle attentiveness of a toy breed and the athleticism of a sporting span
this adaptability, very strong connection to their person and size make them a very popular family and therapy dog. Let's talk about the history of one of the Cavus two breeds, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Quite a mouthful for a breed.
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is seen in art from the 16th Century on King Charles I and his son, King Charles II were so devoted to Cavalier Spaniels. They were eventually named after the younger King. They were originally bred to [00:04:00] warm laps and drafty castles and chilly carriage rides, which essentially means they were bred to cuddle, which works if you work from home every day like I do. Hillary P shared, We chose a kava poo eight years ago because over 40 years we have had Cavalier King Charles Spaniels We so loved them all, but they all died with heart problems. The last one, Ellie, was just 10 years old and the oldest we had, we had decided to have a cross mix in the hope that it wouldn't have heart trouble.Our Molly at eight years is very fit with no heart problems. I am so happy to hear that. Hillary,
If you want to learn about the other half of the cavapoo, the poodle side of the gene, make sure to catch episode 12 where we dig into all the different natures, the different sizes of the poodle and their personality temperaments, and what they bring to the equation when [00:05:00] mixed with the other breed to make your favorite kind of doodle.
This includes their longer puppyhood and higher level of anxiety in addition to their great intelligence and nonshedding. The Kapo mix started in the 1950s in Australia, like where most of our other doodle mixes originated. Anne reached the US and the UK. By the 1990s, their popularity has only continued to explode from then
they come in the colors cream, fawn, chocolate, black like mine, Nestle gold, chestnut white, and even tri-color based on their generation of kava poo, they can have very flat coats like the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, loose wavy coats, or tighter curl or fleece coats like the poodle side.
Their grooming needs are as high as other doodles, all based on the texture of coat course, the curlier and more fleecy coat results in a lower shedding and higher grooming needs
many [00:06:00] kava poos can be a mix of different coats, but they're going to need to go to the groomer once a month. They can cost less than their larger doodle counterparts, as groomers often charge based on size, but this is an additional expense to keep in mind. They are great work or stay-at-home companion as long as you're still able to be deliberate about getting their enrichment and socialization in.
Cavalier And poodles are often one-person dogs, which means they get along with other people in the family, but they really connect to one. This does mean they can get very attached to one person and can be prone to some separation anxiety.
There's a saying in the dog world that while I haven't seen scientific studies to prove this, I have seen it to be true in my experience. The wisdom is that female dogs love you, but male dogs are in love with you. I found that to be true with my personal experience. [00:07:00] My late standard poodle Hershey, she did love us and she was so happy to be by our sides.
But my current kava, Pou Nestle. I am his person. It's not full separation anxiety, thank goodness, but his world is incomplete. If he knows I'm around and he can't be near me, it can actually be a bit disappointing to other members of my family. Why does he love you the most? My kids would love for him to sleep in their room on a dog bed.
But he would never be able to sleep at night in another part of the house if he knew I was home. He loves each member of my family deeply, but the intensity isn't as strong between all of us. Once when my husband went to pick him up from a trainer we worked with when we were out of town,
my husband commented disappointingly, then Nestle looked happy to see him, and then looked right past him. Where's mom? He excitedly ran around the house looking for me [00:08:00] everywhere when he returned home and then resigned himself to sit on the couch and go next to dad.
Kava poos can get a reputation for being a bit velcroy. There's an urban legend that females don't attach as firmly to one person and could be a whole family dog. I've seen, the intensity of the attachment to a single person isn't always as strong with females as it is with males,
but it still is a dog-by-dog situation. Nestle was actually intended to be a dog for somebody I was helping find an emotional support animal for, and he was intended to serve as their therapy dog.
This was why his being so connected and such a lap dog was going to be very important as it was going to create comfort and help for this person to feel calmer and supported. Terry R Shared. I did a lot of reading before deciding and ended up choosing a kava poo due to their kindness, loyalty, and overall loving demeanor.
Their mixture of [00:09:00] spunk with chill is just perfect. I couldn't agree more. Terry Kava poos aren't limited to being a one-person dog. Socialization is very important, very early on,
it needs to be very deliberate and ongoing. It can feel really isolating if you have a dog that's suffering from separation anxiety as you feel like you cannot leave the home. You want to be able to leave your house knowing your dog is comfortable and you hope they can have their own social life enjoying other dogs and people too.
If you want to learn more about socialization, why and how to do it. Be sure to catch an upcoming episode where I interviewed the two trainers that literally wrote the book on it. Marge Rogers and Eileen Anderson. Lori r. Shared. When Basil Boy looks at me with those eyes, I understand him totally.
He is basically my bodyguard. The Cav Aoo averages between 13 and 18 [00:10:00] pounds, and they're a nice portable size. A Kansas breeder named Dorothy originated what she calls the cuddle Cav Aoo in her breeding program. Puppy perfectionist. Instead of crossing the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel with a toy or small mini poodle, she crossed the Cavalier
with a standard poodle or a larger mini poodle to get a larger size. This keeps the affectionate nature in a sturdier size. I have a neph-dog, my sister's dog, who is one of her cuddle cavapoos, and he is just delicious.
He's probably one of the most cuddly dogs I've ever had The pleasure to love.
Cavapoos have a longer expected lifespan than some of their larger doodle counterparts. When you're looking at health conditions, they can be prone to hip dysplasia, congenital heart defects from that cavalier side, progressive retinal atrophy, slipping kneecaps,
and you need to watch for their safety with [00:11:00] younger kids as the more petite sizes, little bones can be smaller and more vulnerable to getting hurt if kids were to pick up or squeeze too hard. But we don't wanna be doing that anyway. Both poodles and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are very eager to please, very intelligent, and sociable.
Neither of the original breeds has the, Everyone's my best friend level that a golden does, but they're not as aloof or cautious as some other mixes can. They're very affectionate with their family and good with other dogs and young children. They're playful but can follow your lead. Their activity level and needs for a job are very adaptable to who you are and the lifestyle you live.
If you're going for miles-long walks and wanna go hiking every weekend, they're athletic and can go along for the ride
if you're working from home, of course you'd give them exercise every day. But if your dream is a dog that can really settle in with you as you watch Bachelor in Paradise, as [00:12:00] I did last night, rubbing Nestle's tummy, they're down for that too. I don't think I saw judgment in his eyes. Really. They just wanna be with you.
They're able to be both speeds. Unlike some higher energy, the higher drive needs like the Aussiedoodle or Bernedoodle, they don't need a job. They still need enrichment. This is still a vibrant living being not a stuffed animal, but they don't need a focused job to keep them out of trouble as much. Their medium energy can really adapt to who you.
They are more cautious with changes. So if you rearrange the furniture or the weather's suddenly really different, or if you have a new member of the family they're really in tune with their environment and their people. If you are looking for a starter doodle, the kava poo can be an excellent choice as long as you're intentional about that early and sustained socialization. Spend more time at home than not, and are prepared for the [00:13:00] extensive grooming needs
When you bring home your kava poo as they're prone to that Velcro e nature, you're going to want to let them experience being home without you and being separated from you in a positive way early on. We have an amazing episode coming with the separation anxiety expert Melaina Day Martini, and she's going to give us advice on helping doodles with that condition and how to prevent it.
So be sure to catch that episode when it airs. To learn more, we will resume our bonus breed episodes in two weeks featuring the ever-popular bernedoodle.
