Cavapoochon Dog Breed Info & Characteristics (2024 Guide)

Adorable! Cheerful! Affectionate! If you are looking for a dog that has these three lovely traits, go get a Cavapoochon which is a small dog with lots of wonderful features and uncountable love.

It is a mixture of three dog breeds; Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Toy Poodle (the smallest Poodle), and Bichon Frise. It is a cross between a Cavachon (Cavalier+Bichon Mix) and a Toy Poodle.

It is one of the most popular designer dogs in the UK and the US. If you are planning to get a Cavapoochon puppy and looking for a detailed breed guide, read this post carefully so you can get all the necessary information about the breed.

Note: Get a puppy from a well-reputed breeder and not a puppy mill. Find the best Cavapoochon breeders in the UK.

Now, let’s find out more about this sweet dog below.

Cavapoochon Breed Quick Profile

History and introduction

We’ve found different theories about the origin of the Cavapoochons, but it seems that the founders and first breeders of this specialty triple-cross are Steve and Linda Rogers of Timshell Farm.

The Rogers were among the first three breeders offering Cavachon puppies. Then they first conceived and founded the Cavapoochon breed, with a red, Miniature Poodle Sire and Cavachon females.

This was done after careful consultation with a reproductive specialist vet.  The London Times ran a special article about the Cavapoochons that went worldwide, and three of the Rogers Cavapoochon puppies were featured on the Today Show in 2013.

After being featured on the Today Show, Cavapoochons instantly became a hot cake because of their adorable face, soft and fluffy coat, overloaded intelligence, and eagerness to please.

Features and appearance

Height and weight

To estimate the final height of a fully grown Cavapoochon dog, we can reference its parent breeds. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel typically reaches a height of 12-13 inches, the Toy Poodle falls within the range of 9.4 to 11 inches, and the Bichon Frise stands at 9 to 12 inches. Therefore, it’s reasonable to expect that a Cavapoochon may reach a height of anywhere between 9 to 13 inches.

Likewise, considering the weight ranges of its parent breeds, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel typically weighs between 13 to 18 pounds, the Toy Poodle falls in the range of 4 to 6 pounds, and the Bichon Frise weighs between 6.6 to 13 pounds. Therefore, it’s reasonable to anticipate that adult Cavapoochons would likely have a weight range of up to 18 pounds.

Coat and colours

They have low-to-no-shedding coats that are curly and soft. Being a product of deep red Poodle, their major colour would be red or any of the red shades. We haven’t found any evidence yet of another colour pattern in this breed but a blend of red, brown, and golden.

Cavapoochons have a “Teddy Bear” face, with large and round eyes that are wide-spaced. Their wide face has a square-shaped short nose and long ears that usually have curls or waves while they may have a soft-curl or loose-wave coat.

Do you remember the forever-young Peter Pan? Cavapoochons are also known as the Peter Pan puppies because they keep their puppy-cuteness and innocent face as adult dogs. They are known to have gentler energy/activity levels – playful and fun, but never hyper or yappy.

According to breeders, they are among those breeds that have the longest lifespans and may live up to 18 years.

What are the pros and cons of having a Cavapoochon dog?

Pros a.k.a Positive Traits

Friendly and loving:

While getting a dog, people usually expect a friendly and loving companion that showers its love on them, and the Cavapoochon is an ideal dog breed for those who are looking for a lovely and friendly dog.

It is a mixture of 3 intelligent and friendly dog breeds and that is why it would not disappoint you in terms of friendliness. Moreover, this dog is extremely social and always remains happy.

Excellent behaviour and easily trainable:

Well-bred Cavapoochon puppies will have high intelligence (Poodle), sparkly personalities (Bichon Frise), and very gentle natures (Cavalier). This combination makes them especially easy to train, with their quick mind and eagerness to please.

New puppy owners should work with an in-home trainer or a virtual trainer. It will help you prepare for your new puppy before it arrives, as well as help you with potty training, obedience commands, walking on a leash, and establishing good habits and behaviours from the start. It’s easier (and a lot more enjoyable) to work with your puppy, in the beginning, to put good habits in place, rather than having to correct bad habits later on. A professional trainer will help you get off to a great start with your new puppy!

Ideal family pet:

They love being surrounded by people and prefer spending their time with their humans. These well-balanced dogs can easily adapt to any family and lifestyle. Due to their playful nature, they love to play games with their humans, especially tug-of-war is their favourite.

Ready to accompany you:

Imagine you are in the bathroom and your fur baby is along with you because he always wants to keep you in his sight. You may expect that from Cavapoochon dogs because they are more likely to attach to you and will accompany you anywhere you go.

Low-shedding coat:

Cavapoochon is considered one of the lowest shedding dogs because two of their parent breeds are considered hypoallergenic, i.e., Poodle and Bichon Frise. So, being a product of 2 low-shedding breeds, this dog is more likely to have a low-shedding coat. For this reason, they are considered an ideal dog breed for those allergic to dog dander and hair.

Cons a.k.a Negative Traits

We believe that no dogs or dog breeds have any negative traits. It’s just about the compatibility of a pet with the owner.

Frequent grooming

Dog breeds with low-shedding coats come with a huge responsibility, i.e., frequent grooming regularly. The low-shedding breeds do shed hair but they remain in their coat and you need to groom and brush them to keep their coats matt-free.

Separation anxiety

Separation anxiety is one of the common problems in such dogs that become deeply attached to their families and when they are left alone for some time they keep crying, barking, howling, chewing, and becoming destructive. It is important to train your CavaPooChon dog for such a scenario as you may need to leave him alone for less or more time.

Temperament and behaviour

One word for Cavapoochon’s temperament, Exceptional! All of its parent breeds have been cited as breeds with excellent temperaments and you’d find this dog no less than them. They love their families, especially children and tend to play with them all the time.

They love being the center of attention and would easily get along with strangers and other pets. Being the product of Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, they bark at strangers and other small animals so you should train them from an early age to keep them from this behaviour.

Grooming

They require regular grooming like other low-shedding breeds. It is recommended to brush them at least once every two days to prevent their coat from being strangled. A visit to the professional groomer every three months would be best to keep their coat healthy and shiny. Along with that, you should bathe them regularly. If you bathe them once a month that would be perfect.

Brushing their teeth, trimming their nails, and checking their ears for any dirt should be your routine from the day they arrive at your house. If you make it a habit for them to brush their teeth, bathe, and trim their nail from their puppyhood, they won’t consider it something they should avoid.

Exercise and training

Almost every dog needs exercise, some have low energy and many of them have loads of energy, so you have to manage their exercises and other activities as per their needs. For Cavapoochons, up to 60 minutes of walking, exercise, and other activities would be enough to keep them healthy. Also, they are intelligent dogs, you should do some canine enrichment and mental stimulation activities as well.

Some of their favourite activities for them are tug-of-war, fetching the ball, hide ‘n seek, etc.

Puppy price and maintenance cost

It depends. If you get a Cavapoochon puppy from a responsible breeder (that you must do), it will cost you up to £3,000 in the UK and $3500 in the US (maybe less or more depending on various factors). A responsible breeder takes care of its dogs and puppies and ensures the breeding of only genetically healthy dogs by testing them. The Cavapoochon’s parents MUST be tested for hips, eyes, patella luxation (kneecap slip), cardiac issues, and others. So, to avoid expensive medical bills, get a puppy from a well-reputed Cavapoochon breeder.

When it comes to their maintenance cost, the first year of their life may cost you more because you need to get them essential puppy supplies, vaccination costs, micro-chipping, and many others. So, we can assume that the first year of maintenance of this pup will cost you around $1000 and onwards up to $750 in the following years.

Diet and nutrition

No matter the breed you get, a high-quality diet is your dog’s basic right. For Cavapoochon puppies, you should consider a combination of wet food, kibbles, and frozen food. If you are unsure, the breeder you are getting the puppy from would help you in this regard.

One small cup of food would be enough for them, you may feed up to three small meals a day. Vets and trainers also suggest giving them occasional treats during training sessions.

Once the puppy reaches adulthood, you may gradually increase its food but make sure you don’t overfeed them or it may gain weight which is not good for its health.

Common Health & Genetic Issues of Concern in Cavapoochons

The “speciality triple-cross” breeding widens the gene pool three times, which greatly reduces or eliminates the risk of genetic health issues in the puppies. But, what’s also important is that all three of the dogs (Cavalier, Poodle, Bichon) in the puppy’s background must be tested and found to be clear of heart, eye, and patella luxation.

With triple crossbreeding, with only parent dogs that are tested and found to be free of genetic faults, the puppies have very few, and very minor health issues, if any at all! See the OFA website for a list of breed-specific, genetic health issues and tests.

However, some most common diseases mentioned below that a puppy may inherit if the parents are not tested.

Heart problems

They may inherit a heart condition named Patent Ductus Arteriosus from Bichon Frise that affects their heart and lungs. To prevent this disease, the best practice is not to breed the Bichon Frise if this condition is present in them.

Although it is an inheritance disease, they may show the symptoms when they start to become old age.

Eye infections

The most common condition a Cavapoochon may inherit from the Cavaliers is Dry Eye Syndrome. It can further lead to several types of eye infections including impaired vision. There are different medications to treat dry eye syndrome and work dramatically to improve the pets’ eyes.

Ear infections

The thick fur in the dog’s ear may be an ideal place for dirt and earwax to stay there for a long time. It may lead to inflammation and other infections. This trait is usually inherited from their Poodle parent and may be a tricky thing to deal with. So, it is recommended to keep an eye on your pup’s ears and make sure there is no excess fur and/or dirt stuck in the ears.

Final words

Cavapoochons are adorable, friendly, and playful dogs that become ideal family dogs for all types of families. They give you unconditional love and expect the same love. Moreover, their low-shedding coat makes them the perfect breed for those with allergies. If you are getting a dog for the first time and looking for an easy-maintenance dog, Cavapoochon is the right choice for you.