The cockapoo : The UK’s most popular hybrid dog breed

While the cockapoo is not recognised as an official pedigree dog breed, they are so popular today that most people know exactly what you mean when you say you own a cockapoo-a dog that is a cross between a cocker spaniel and a small poodle, usually either a toy or miniature version.

Perhaps the best-known hybrid breed in the UK is the labradoodle, and you could be forgiven for thinking that this would also be the most popular hybrid breed-but the smaller cockapoo has really come into their own over the last couple of years, and now is more in demand than any other hybrid breed.

Because Pets4Homes is the UK’s largest pet classifieds website, we are in a unique position when it comes to identifying trends and fluctuations in the popularity of the various different breeds and breed types that are currently hot across the UK-and this article will explain why, by our reckoning, the cockapoo is currently the UK’s most popular hybrid dog breed. Read on to find out more.

What is a cockapoo?

A cockapoo is a dog produced from the crossing of a poodle and a cocker spaniel, and/or another cockapoo and either a cocker spaniel and a poodle.

This crossing is popular because it is intended to combine all of the best traits of both breeds-the intelligence, lively nature and cheerful, outgoing traits of both breeds, while also strengthening the genetic diversity of the dog in question, thanks to the benefits of hybrid vigour.

The coat of the cockapoo is one of its most popular traits-ideally, a cockapoo should inherit the poodle coat in large part, which gives them a curled or wavy coat that does not shed heavily, making them a good pick for people with allergies.

While there is no formal breed standard for the cockapoo and the price of dogs of this type can vary considerably, the cockapoo on average demands a price that is comparable to many pedigree dog breeds. This proves that cockapoo ownership is a clear choice made by those that desire them, and not simply a way of saving money when buying a dog!

It is important to note that because a cockapoo is not a pedigree breed and as such, has no formal breed standard or regulation, it is up to each individual breeder and buyer to assess the value and qualities of the dog in question, and to make conscientious choices in view of what is best for the dog.

How popular are they really?

Looking at our statistics that take into account trends on Pets4Homes in terms of the number of dogs advertised and what potential buyers are looking for the cockapoo is the only hybrid dog breed that appears in our top twenty dog breed rankings over both the last twelve months and the twelve months prior. The cockapoo falls in the tenth place spot for the prior year, and having moved up to seventh as of the year to date!

This means that the cockapoo has beaten out a large number of purebred pedigree breeds to get to their current ranking, including the English bulldog, Staffordshire bull terrier, Yorkshire terrier and German shepherd!

Additionally, the average price commanded by the cockapoo is around £770 per dog-more, in fact, than a significant number of pedigree dogs advertised on the site. You can see find our Cockapoo for sale section here.

Why is the cockapoo so popular?

So, why is the cockapoo so popular? Not just among the other hybrid breeds, but within the ranks of the pedigree dogs as well? There is no one individual answer to this, but a variety of potential explanations!

Everyone does of course pick the eventual dog that they buy for different reasons, and only the dog owner themselves can tell you their own theories-but often, popularity begets popularity, and so one the cockapoo began rising in the ranks, their popularity becomes at some level, self perpetuating.

To explain this in more detail, it is hard to get a feel for a dog breed or type that you have never seen, and so while a more unusual breed might be a good choice for you, if you have never seen one, you may not know this. However, as the number of cockapoo dogs in the UK has risen, more and more potential dog buyers will get the chance to see and meet them, and talk to their owners and form some opinions.

Cockapoos are undeniably nice looking little dogs, and they have a universal appeal among both people that generally prefer pedigree dogs, and those who do not. The fact that a cockapoo is usually recognisable as such and has a given title often fulfils the needs of people who would not usually consider a mixed breed dog, while those who do not support pedigree breeding can get on board with the hybrid vigour that the cockapoo benefits from.

Additionally, while there is no breed standard for the cockapoo, there are enough of them around now for buyers to be able to have a broad idea of the type of traits that the dog will possess, and how they are likely to behave.

It is also worth highlighting again the fact that the cockapoo coat also makes them a potentially viable option for people that are otherwise commonly allergic to dogs.

Finally, the cockapoo is a “medium” dog in most sense of the words, giving them a lot of universal appeal-small to medium size, medium coat care requirements, moderate ownership costs, and reasonably high energy levels without crossing over into “hard to manage” territory.

Do you own a cockapoo, or have a theory as to why they are so popular? Tell us in the comments!