Here we will be comparing a Havapoo vs Cockapoo. By the end, you’ll have a better understanding of the two Doodle breeds, and so you can make a better decision in choosing between the two.
Obviously, both have poodles as one of their parents, and so they share many similarities from their high intelligence to low-shedding coats. However, there are also apparent differences between these two Doodle breeds.
Havapoo – Origin
The Havapoo is a designer doodle breed that is a cross between the Havanese and the poodle. Unfortunately, the Havapoo doesn’t have too many documented history, but the Havapoo is likely a relatively new breed that only has been around for a few decades.
However, it is well believed that the Havapoo originated from the U.S. and is officially recognized by many reputed kennel organizations, including the American Canine Hybrid Club.
Let’s take a look at the two parent breeds to understand where the Havapoo comes from.
Havanese
The Havanese dog breed, as the name suggests, originated from Havana, Cuba, and is believed to arrive in the U.S in the 1950s. They are famous for their long, silky coats, earning them the nickname ‘Havana Silk Dog.’ The Havanese is still the national dog of Cuba, until this day.
The Havanese is a very loyal companion dog, earning them the nickname “Velcro dog” (because they tend to always stick to the owners). Also, the Havanese is very trainable, and being a member of the Bichon type (little white dogs like the Bichon Frese), they are also surprisingly energetic.
Small, very loyal, and very friendly, making it among the most popular dog breeds available today.
Poodle
Poodles originated in Germany around 400 years ago, but Poodles are today the national dog of France.
The poodle is mainly famous for two things: being very intelligent, and due to their non-shedding coat, making them the favorite hypoallergenic breed for allergic owners. So, Poodles are very trainable, loyal, and very active.
The characteristics of the parent breeds above will dictate the characteristics of the Havapoo, as we will discuss below.
Havapoo: Temperament
The Havapoos are small dogs that are playful, energetic, and somewhat carefree. They are a loyal companion dog just like the Havanese, and so, they like being with their family a lot. They are also highly trainable and also very intelligent and curious, like their Poodle parent.
Havapoos like being the center of attention and are very playful. This can be a good or bad thing because this will mean they are also prone to separation anxiety. That is, when they get bored and left alone for too long, they can turn aggressive and even destructive.
Also, the small size can also raise the possibility of a small dog syndrome causing them to bark at visitors, the tendency of jumping up at people, climbing over people, and so on (although they bark a lot less than other small dogs).
Overall, the Havapoo is a very loving, and trusting dog, and is great at interacting with kids. Due to their small size, they are not very useful as a watchdog.
Havapoo: Health
As a crossbred dog, the Havapoo is generally healthier than their purebred parents due to crossbred dogs having a wider gene pool. However, the Havapoo can still potentially inherit health conditions that affect both their parent breeds.
Joint dysplasia, ear issues, and dental problems are some potential health issues in Havapoo, and below are some commonly seen health issues in this breed:
- Cataracts
- Deafness
- Patellar luxation
- Legg-Calve-Perthes disease
- Hypothyroidism
- Obesity
- Heart diseases and issues
It’s important to note that not all Havapoos will get any of these diseases.
You might want to give your Havapoo glucosamine supplements to help with their joint health. In general, however, they are very healthy breeds if you give them a proper diet and take them to the vet regularly.
Havapoo: Grooming
The Havapoo typically has a thick and curly coat that is prone to tangling. So, you’d need to brush your Havanese puppy at least two or three times a week. Also, you’d need to trim their long nails and regularly clean their eyes and ears to avoid infections. So, make sure to get a good grooming kit.
Like the poodle parent, a Havapoo will sheld minimally, and so it’s an excellent choice for allergic owners. In general, we can say that a Havapoo requires a low to medium level of grooming.
Havapoo: Lifespan
The Havanese parent has an average lifespan of 14 to 16 years, while the Toy or Miniature Poodle has an expected lifespan of 12 to 15 years.
So, the expected lifespan of a Havapoo is around 12 to 14 years. Longer life expectancy is not impossible: give them a healthy diet, the right supplements, and take them regularly to the nearest veterinarian.
Cockapoo – Origin
A cockapoo is a Doodle designer breed that is a mix between the Cocker Spaniel (can be American or English) and the poodle.
Let’s take a look at the two parent breeds to understand where the Cockapoo comes from.
Cocker Spaniel
The Cocker Spaniel is certainly one of the most admired breeds in the U.S. and is famous for being the smallest of the sporting spaniels, standing at around 14 to 15 inches. Cocker spaniels are notorious for being very easygoing and good-natured.
They are very happy and like pleasing their owners. Their cheerful disposition and beautiful coat (although grooming-intensive) make the Cocker Spaniel a treat to have.
Poodle
Poodles originated in Germany around 400 years ago, but Poodles are today the national dog of France.
The poodle is mainly famous for two things: being very intelligent, and due to their non-shedding coat, making them the favorite hypoallergenic breed for allergic owners. So, Poodles are very trainable, loyal, and very active.
Cockapoo: Temperament
Overall, the Cockapoo inherits the excellent temperament characteristics from both parent breeds, and so they are known to be fun-loving, always happy, energetic, and great with children.
They are very friendly and are also very intelligent (thanks to the Poodle parent). The Cockapoos were originally bred as a companion dog, and so are very loyal to their family. Very active and outgoing and can get along with everyone. So, they are not a barker, although you might want to get a bark deterrent trainer tool to help train the Cockapoo faster.
In short, the Cockapoo combines the intelligence of its Poodle parent with the gentle disposition of the Cocker Spaniel parent.
Cockapoo: Health
As a crossbred dog, the Cockapoo is generally healthier than their purebred parents due to crossbred dogs having a wider gene pool. This is called heterosis or hybrid vigor.
However, the Cockapoo can still potentially inherit health conditions that affect both their parent breeds, such as:
- Cataracts
- Hyp dysplasia
- Bloat and stomach issues
- Allergies
- Patellar Luxation
- Liver disease
- Ear infections
It’s important to note that not all Havapoos will get any of these diseases.
You might want to give your Cockapoo probiotics to help with their allergies and stomach-related issues. In general, however, they are very healthy breeds if you give them a proper diet and take them to the vet regularly.
Cockapoo: Grooming
The Cockapoo has a long coat that can be straight like the Cocker Spaniel or loose curls like the Poodle parent. Yet, the coat won’t be kinky. The Cockapoo has a richer variety of coat colors compared to many other Doodle breeds, and we can find Cockapoos in any color combinations that are seen in both Poodles and Cocker Spaniels.
So, the coat should be brushed daily, and you’d want to get a good grooming kit to take care of their grooming-extensive coat. Also. You might need to take them to a professional groomer regularly.
The floppy Cocker Spaniel ears also block air circulation, and so the ears must be cleaned weekly to prevent infections.
In general, we can define the Cockapoo to require medium to extensive grooming.
Cockapoo: Lifespan
The median life expectancy of a Cocker Spaniel is 11.5 years, while the poodle can live around 10 to 14 years.
So, we can expect the average life expectancy of a Cockapoo to be around 13 years. Generally, give them a proper diet, the appropriate supplements, and make sure to bring them to the nearest veterinarian regularly.
In conclusion
In general, the Havapoo is smaller than the Cockapoo (due to the Havanese breed being a Bichon type), and due to the long coat of the Cocker Spaniel, the Cockapoo will require more extensive grooming.
To summarize, both the Cockapoo and Havapoo are excellent companion dogs to choose from. Both are excellent with children, although you’d need to train and socialize them as early as possible.
Below is a Pinterest friendly photo…. so you can pin it to your Doodle Board!!
