The Cavapoo: the calmer cross, with one thing to ask about
A Cavapoo is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel crossed with a Poodle. It is usually the quietest of the Poodle crosses, and it carries one health question worth raising directly with the seller.
| What it is | A Cavalier King Charles Spaniel × Poodle cross |
|---|---|
| Recognised breed? | No kennel club standard defines it |
| Parent size | Cavalier King Charles Spaniel: 12–13 inches, 13–18 pounds |
| Coat | Cavalier coat is silky; the cross is usually wavier and sheds less |
Figures above are from the breed-standard sources listed at the foot of this page. They describe the type, not any individual puppy.
Why it suits flats
The Cavalier is described by the AKC as adaptable, equally content with active owners and with homebodies, and good with children and other dogs. Crossed with a Poodle, the result is typically a small, sociable dog with a lower default energy level than a Cockapoo.
That makes it one of the easier crosses to live with in an apartment. It does not make it a dog that needs nothing — it still wants daily walking, company and training — but its idle state is calmer than most of the alternatives on this site.
The health question to ask out loud
The Cavalier as a breed is widely discussed in veterinary and kennel club literature for inherited heart and neurological conditions. Whether and how much a given cross inherits that risk is not something a web page can tell you about an individual puppy.
What you can do is ask the seller directly what health screening the Cavalier-side parent has had, and ask your own vet what screening they would expect to see. A seller who has done the work will answer readily. Treat evasion as information, and do not let anyone — including this page — substitute for a vet’s opinion on a specific dog.
Size and coat sit between the parents
The AKC gives the Cavalier at 12 to 13 inches and 13 to 18 pounds. The Poodle parent may be a Toy or a Miniature, and the adult Cavapoo generally lands between the two sides.
The Cavalier’s coat is silky and does shed; the Poodle’s does not drop hair. Crosses usually land somewhere in between — wavy, lighter-shedding than a Cavalier, and still needing regular brushing and trimming. As with every cross on this site, littermates vary, and puppy coat is not adult coat.
Good with people, which cuts both ways
Both parent types were bred to be companions, and Cavapoos are usually affectionate and easy with visitors and children. The corollary is the same as for the Maltipoo: a dog that loves company can struggle badly without it.
Build short, calm absences into the first month so that being alone is ordinary rather than alarming. It is much easier taught than untaught.
Heat and a short face
Cavaliers are moderately short-faced, and some crosses inherit that. Any dog with a shortened muzzle handles Indian summer heat less well than a longer-nosed one. Walk early and late, watch the breathing rather than the clock, and ask your vet what is normal for your particular dog.
Five questions worth asking before you buy
These apply wherever you buy, including from us. A seller who answers them readily is telling you something; so is one who does not.
- What health screening has the Cavalier-side parent had?
- Which Poodle variety is the Poodle parent?
- Can I see both parents, or at least the mother?
- How old is the puppy, and when can it leave its mother?
- What is the vaccination record so far?
Ask about a Cavapoo
Tell us your area and what you are looking for, and we will tell you what is actually possible — including when the answer is that nothing suitable is available right now.