Cockapoos are dogs that result from crossing a poodle with a cocker spaniel. But sometimes, when you see these dogs listed for sale, you might see them listed as F1 cockapoos. That's just a more specific term for a dog that has one 100% cocker spaniel parent and one 100% poodle parent. A dog resulting from the breeding of two cockapoos would also be a cockapoo -- but not an F1 cockapoo.
F1 cockapoos can be great dogs, and many people consider them to be the best cockapoos. However, there are still a few things that are important to know before you bring home one of these dogs.
They may have a smooth or curly coat
Some F1 cockapoos take on a coat that's more similar to that of their spaniel parent. Others take on a coat that looks more like a poodle coat. Puppies in the same litter can have different coat types, too. It is hard to tell what type of coat a puppy will have when it is very young, but as it grows older, this will become more obvious. So, if you are set on getting a cockapoo with a specific coat type, you may want to wait until the puppies are a couple of months old before you choose one.
They come in two key sizes
The fact that the dog is an F1 cockapoo does not say anything about its size. If you want a good idea of how large the dog will be once they've matured, you need to know whether the poodle parent was a standard poodle or a miniature poodle. F1 cockapoos with miniature poodle parents stay much smaller, on average, than those with standard poodle parents. Since cocker spaniels are smaller dogs, you see quite a few of them crossed with miniature poodles.
They tend to be very healthy
Different dog breeds are prone to different health problems due to repetitive breeding of the same bloodlines. But when you cross two different breeds, the offspring tend to be healthier and less prone to disease. So, F1 cockapoos do tend to be really healthy dogs. Other cockapoos can be, too, but since F1s are a true cross between two different breeds, they really get the maximum benefits of this so-called "hybrid vigor."
With these things in mind, you should be more prepared to bring home your very own F1 cockapoo puppy. Keep these tips in mind when looking to buy F1 cockapoo puppies from local breeders.
Share