Tuesday, July 16, 2019

What Size Will my Cockapoo Puppy be?

I am a member of several dog forums as well as social media groups related to Cockapoos, Poodles, and Cocker Spaniels and I have seen a recurring theme that I would like to address: the size of your puppy. I have read over and over where people post complaints online stating that their now adult dog is bigger or smaller than what the owner expected so the breeder must have lied. I realize that there are some people out there that will say anything to make a sale but I don't think that's the majority of breeders out there and it's upsetting for a buyer to automatically post that "the breeder lied" just because they are unhappy.
With a mixed breed it is very important to understand that you have two different breeds creating a new one which will result in a constant stream of variation. Cockapoos take on the traits of both the Cocker and Poodle and one may lean more towards one breed versus the other hence resulting in a litter where there are different colors, different coats, different heights, and different weights. When you ask a breeder what size a puppy will be full grown it's almost as if you are expecting them to be psychic because they will never be able to give you a 100% guarantee on what size that puppy will end up being. After a human has given birth if the doctor asks what that child will weigh at age 18 do you think the parents would be able to give a valid answer? When someone asks a breeder what size their puppy will be they will answer based on the size of the parents and based on past puppies ( if any,) and that's all that they have to go by. Don't ever expect or demand a guarantee on an adult size, it's unrealistic.

If you are adopting a mixed breed dog it's important to do your research on both of the breeds involved, see what size they are, what colors they come in, what their average heights and weights are, what their health issues are, habits are, etc. so that you are prepared for what you may get in the mixed puppy.
Understand that the height and weight of a puppy is based on genetics, they can be as large as a great great grandparent that the breeder may or may not know about, and their weight can also be affected by their environment. If an owner is feeding low quality food, isn't providing adequate exercise, smokes in the house, doesn't provide mental and physical stimulation this can all result in poor health and being over weight.
I too have been the victim of a buyer freaking out because their dog ended up being 2 pounds over the projected size that the person had in their head. I never guarantee the size of a puppy and tell people the average size of my pups based on past experiences. I don't want people to be unhappy about their dogs but I also think it's unrealistic to complain over two pounds or love your dog any less because they're a little bigger or smaller than what you had wanted. If you are particular about what you are looking for first do your research on the breeds involved in the mixed breed you are interested in and second tell the breeder what you are hoping for with the understanding that they ultimately cannot control the size that your dog will end up being.

For information on us and our available puppies please visit our website at: www.cutecockapoos.com