If you’ve ever considered adopting a Cavapoo, you must’ve wondered how the owners of such dogs can maintain their soft luscious double coats.
While it’s not rocket science to know that every dog requires basic dog care routines like regular bathing and brushing, but to know how to properly provide the right amount of care and grooming needs a bit of research.
Thus, to help you keep a clean fur-free house and a healthy dog, this post will teach you a bit more about Cavapoos and how to take care of them.
How do I Know if my Doodle Has a Double Coat?
Cavapoos are known to have double coats. One can easily recognize this by checking the length and texture of their coats.
The undercoat is usually shorter, softer and more closely packed than the topcoat, which is usually known as the Guard Hair. This topcoat is long and the hair strands are thicker.
What Type of Coat Does Cavapoo Have?
As the name suggests, ‘Cavapoos’ are dogs that are born from crossbreeding a Miniature Poodle and a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
This crossbreeding not only benefits by preventing the dog from inheriting certain illnesses which are usually passed on to purebreds but it also provides the Cavapoo with a unique double-coated fur of Cavalier colors of Blenheim or Tan.
This external coat on a Cavapoo insulates them from extreme climates. If the Cavapoo has more of a poodle coat, which is fluffy and curly, then it helps them to reduce the amount of hair shed.
This is also the reason why many Cavapoos are a preferred dog breed when it comes to adopting, as less shedding means a less messy house.
Cavapoos are also the best friends of people suffering from certain dog allergies as Cavapoos are hypoallergenic dogs. Hypoallergenic dogs are dogs that shed less allergen than most dogs.
Even though Cavapoos are grouped with dogs that shed less, the shedding can have variations depending on various factors like genetics, age, the shedding period, health, and cleanliness.
Many times a Cavapoo may completely take after the Cavalier and have a similar coat that isn’t that hypoallergenic.
Having a double coat also proves very useful as it blocks out harmful UV rays which protect the dog from catching serious life-threatening illnesses.
The guard’s hair is comparatively rougher than the soft undercoat of a Cavapoo. The shedding of the guard hair is often faster than the undercoat hair.
The coat also turns lighter with age, hence, getting a Cavapoo of a shade darker than the one you want is always recommended. Ruby, Chestnut, Chocolate, Blenheim, black, cream, and tan are the most common colors of a Cavapoo.
These mostly come in a combination of two colors. We may also see a Cavapoo with a solid black or brown color. A tri-colored Cavapoo can also be found.
As puppies, these dogs have a smooth fur texture which grows into a more rough and thick one as they become adults. Cavapoos usually have a curly to wavy outer coat, but in some rare cases, one can even find a completely straight-haired coat.
They usually grow to a height of 9 to 14 inches. Having one of its parents as a Miniature poodle instead of a Toy Poodle can increase its chance of being slightly taller than average Cavapoos.
Why Should You Adopt a Cavapoo?
Cavapoos are very mild, friendly, and obedient. They easily get attached to their owners and may find it quite difficult to adjust without them.
Due to crossbreeding, the Cavapoos also inherit intelligence which allows them to learn tricks and commands much faster than most breeds.
However, since Cavapoos have around three to four heat cycles per year, the females could get a bit irritable during these periods.
They are generally very playful with kids and provide immense support to elderly people. One can expect a cavalier to live up to 13-15 years of age.
Cavapoos were first bred as designer dogs in the 1950s in America to create a hypoallergenic breed. The pre-existing poodle craze was slowly rubbing off on Cavapoos causing an ever-increasing demand for Cavapoos in the 1990s for their silky and curly low shedding coats.
Cavapoos are still in massive demand even in the current day and age, increasingly spotted on various Instagram posts and reels. They are highly intelligent and playful.
Cavapoos are also preferred due to their miniature size and their ability to be transported and carried everywhere and anywhere.
Breeding and Genetics
A Cavapoo can be bred in many ways. The type of Cavapoo will depend on the breed and Cavapoo generation the parents belong to.
The F1 Cavapoos are those Cavapoos that have been crossbred from a purebred Poodle and a pure breed Cavalier King Charles spaniel. Breeding two F1s will result in the second generation of Cavapoos called F2.
The further breeding of different Cavapoo generations will give us a third multigenerational type of Cavapoos called F3. If you crossbreed an F1 and a pure breed of either Poodle or Cavalier, it will result in F1b, F2b, F1bb, or F2bb.
Usually, Cavapoos that are directly bred from two pure breeds enjoys the most health benefits. However, even after this deliberate crossbreeding, a Cavapoo may still inherit certain medical conditions.
Diseases like entropion, cataracts, hernias, epilepsy, or Legg-calve Perthes can be inherited from purebred parents.
Grooming Tips and Techniques
Grooming a Cavapoo can be both; fun and exhausting. A Cavapoo can be styled creatively and uniquely due to its thick double-coated fur.
But since the breed is known for having matted hair at times, it can be quite the hassle to de-tangle it. It takes gentle and regular efforts to tame a Cavapoos coat.
A pin brush is often used alongside a bristle brush to groom the guard coat and the undercoat. Regular trimming is also very important. Luckily a Cavapoo can be perfectly groomed at home without the need of a professional groomer.
Even though you may have to make an initial investment for grooming equipment, it is still better than spending excessive money on professional grooming.
A Cavapoo will do fine with bathing every once a month. Frequent showering or over bathing can cause the Cavapoo to lose its essential oils which may lead to dry skin and the formation of Dander.
Besides bathing proper ear cleaning and nail clipping are also required to prevent infections. But you have to be very careful while performing these cleaning routines to not hurt the dog.
Do Cavapoos Have An Undercoat?
Cavapoos experience a seasonal shedding of their undercoats to regulate the temperature. They mostly shed their coats during the spring and fall season.
Diet also plays an important role in maintaining healthy fur. A bad diet will cause the hair follicles to weaken resulting in loss of hair.
Since feeding a Cavapoo can be tricky at times due to their picky eating habits, the owner might have to plan meals that suit well with the dog.
See also: Can Cavapoos Eat Raw Meat?
Conclusion
While Cavapoos do have a pretty silky double coat, it could be a challenge to maintain their healthy texture and color. If given the right amount of love and care your Cavapoo will thrive brightly and happily.
