Cockapoo

Persephone

Persephone

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Hi, I never venture in here as I am strictly a cat person :p

However my Mother has decided she wants a Cockapoo (mental) and I wondered if anybody had anything to say or any recommendations for breeders in the SW?

She has spotted this one http://www.polycinders.com/ which is quite close to us.

I have to say I am totally shocked at the price!
 
Persephone! You're obviously lost - get out of here whist you still can.... believe me, I've seen the posters in this forum go for the jugular where subjects like this are concerned. Hope...you...make. it out alive!!!
 
millreef said:
Persephone! You're obviously lost - get out of here whist you still can.... believe me, I've seen the posters in this forum go for the jugular where subjects like this are concerned. Hope...you...make. it out alive!!!
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LOL :D
Not the type of dog I'd go for and :o @ the price of them, but each to their own :)
 
Lol, I have just realised it's a Cockerpoo as well!

I suspected it may not be too popular, I need enough ammo to put mother off.

I could buy another horse with that!
 
My horse cost me less than that!!


However she looks a bit dodgy to me, lots of pictures and no info on parents etc.


If your mum wants a small dog my friend has just got a 5month pug x jack russell (puggle in designer name no more than cocker spaniel x poodle) from a rescue. Lovely little dog. Have a look in rescues, they will also cost her a lot less.
 
a_toffee_xmas_pud said:
My horse cost me less than that!!


However she looks a bit dodgy to me, lots of pictures and no info on parents etc.


If your mum wants a small dog my friend has just got a 5month pug x jack russell (puggle in designer name no more than cocker spaniel x poodle) from a rescue. Lovely little dog. Have a look in rescues, they will also cost her a lot less.
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I don't see how she can keep all those dogs in the house, unless it's a mansion!

Mother won't even look at rescues because she says they only have Staffies!

Perhaps I'll ring around the rehoming centres!
 
Does you mother realise that cockapoos in the USA are not the same cross as the ones on the puppy farmer advert you have linked to?

Puppy farmer = someone who produces puppies for money.

That site is pure back yard breeder with pet quality stock producing expensive mutts to sell to the gullible. Googleing the phone number brings up lots of litters - usually advertised as by our dog out of our pet bitch........including some not long ago by their white standard poodle that is not on the website -smaller doodles easier to sell perhaps?

Plenty of small hairy mutts in rescue and they are as predictable as those crossbreeds or try breed rescues. We have have pure bred puppies as young as 17 weeks this past year.
 
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s4sugar said:
Does you mother realise that cockapoos in the USA are not the same cross as the ones on the puppy farmer advert you have linked to?

Puppy farmer = someone who produces puppies for money.

That site is pure back yard breeder with pet quality stock producing expensive mutts to sell to the gullible.

Plenty of small hairy mutts in rescue and they are as predictable as those crossbreeds.
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Just out of interest what is the difference?

You are the first to say puppy farmer, but that was my suspicion!
 
If she is going for that cross under the impression that they won't moult, she needs to be warned that it doesn't always work that way.

To guarantee a non shedding coat she needs to go for a pure bred, not a cross.

Nothing in there about either bitch or stud dog being hip scored which is vital as both breed prone to Hip Dysplasia. Equally both breeds are prone to Progressive Retinal Atrophy, so again vital both have had eyes checked.
 
In the USA they use American cocker spaniels not English cockers.
Two different breeds and the rescues in the USA there are full of them. They do shed and they can be very hyperactive.


What is wrong with getting a nice mini poodle?
 
piebaldsparkle said:
If she is going for that cross under the impression that they won't moult, she needs to be warned that it doesn't always work that way.

To guarantee a non shedding coat she needs to go for a pure bred, not a cross.

Nothing in there about either bitch or stud dog being hip scored which is vital as both breed prone to Hip Dysplasia. Equally both breeds are prone to Progressive Retinal Atrophy, so again vital both have had eyes checked.
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I don't believe the moulting is an issue tbh, she just likes the look of them :rolleyes:

Her last dog was a Cocker and he went blind, I wonder if that was the same thing :(

Great info, thanks :) Tbh I don't want her to get one, I think it's a total rip off.
 
s4sugar said:
In the USA they use American cocker spaniels not English cockers.
Two different breeds and the rescues in the USA there are full of them. They do shed and they can be very hyperactive.


What is wrong with getting a nice mini poodle?
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Ah ok :( poor dogs :(

Probably a huge misconception, but I always thought Poodles could be a bit snappy?
 
Poodles are rarely snappy and I've been grooming for nearly 30 years. You can keep a poodle in a scruffy trim and it won't take any more trimming than if you get a (rare) non moulting cocker cross.
Cockers are usually far worse temperaments and snappy ones from puppy farm stock are often beyond rehoming when I get them referred.
 
I thought poodles were snappy too, but have met some lovely standard ones and wouldn't dismiss them for my next dog :) Haven't met a mini one yet though

I got my sprocker (springer x cocker) from a rescue - so they are deffo worth a look! Think we were lucky though, she was an incredibly easy dog to have around :D
 
Although the kennel in the link isn't the worst sort of puppy farmer, imho reputable breeders are those who breed to improve their breed, not to just produce puppies for sale. As cockerpoos are a cross the breeders can't exactly claim that, and those prices are absolutely ridiculous.
Poodles are actually great little dogs in the right hands, very intelligent, however many people totally spoil them, and treat them like toys, which doesn't do them any favours.
Yes there are sadly many staffies in rescue, but there are plenty of other breeds and crosses too, try and get your mum to look on the websites of some rescues local to you.
 
Trouble with these designer crosses is that no consideration is given to breeding for improvements and existing health issues may be exacerbated, particularly as it is rare (but not unheard of) to find breeders of the designer crosses who health test.

I'd suggest looking for a small breed with health tested parents. You can see health checks on the KC webiste. Alternatively, this rescue has foster dogs all over the UK:
http://manytearsrescue.webs.com/dogslookingforhomes.htm#815280926

There are normally pictures but I think they're having issues with their website today. :(
 
Or try the rescues on this page - http://www.dogpages.org.uk/breedp.htm

People are usually happy to arrange for someone to meet their breed and if they don't suit that is not a bad thing - better to find out before getting a puppy. A lot of dogs end up with rescues because they were not what the people expected.


Do ask your Mum if she would take the work of a car salesman rather than looking on the Consumer's Association site when buying a car as the people pushing these crosses are in it for the money. Breed rescues would rather you didn't get one if that dog is not right for you either as a rescue or a puppy from a reputable breeder.
 
Hmm, according to their website they had a litter born 22nd November 2011, and now one due mid Jan, churning them out a bit aren't they!:mad:
Suggest your mum asks how many litters the bitch due in January has had, and when she last had a litter. The KC has quite strict rules about the number of litters a bitch can have, and how often. Of course these crosses are not kc registered so some unscrupulous breeders use cross breeding as an excuse to have more litters from their bitch than they should.
 
They also need a breeders licence and it looks like they have advertised more litters in the last year than they have bitches on the website.
 
We have a cockapoo whose breeder does all the health checks etc. Our cockapoo is really lovely! Everyone who meets her loves her and then wants a cockapoo themselves. Shes very active though and needs a lot of exercise! But at the same time she is a real lap dog and will just sit on your lap for hours. The only thing annoying is the fact that she has to be clipped every 6-8 weeks or they look a mess and get knotty coats really easily. You need to brush them with an afro comb as well or their fur gets all frizzy. Also, you have to get a proper dog groom to do them because they need the fur in their ears trimmed or they get really sore itchy ears.
Although I disagree with the extreme prices of a cross breed, I do think its a goo way to go as fewer health defects (even if both dogs suffer from the same health issue, it may be caused by different genes which means the crossbred puppy is much less likely to get the health issues, though getting the parents health checked should still be done) As cockapoo's have a very long life expectancy compared to pedigrees- apparently they can live till their 18 +.
Our breeder is: http://www.martinshawkennels.com/ Ours is black (which happens to be the cheapest) but i think black look better than the other colours anyway. The ginger ones scare me a bit!
And im confused at those who say that non moulting ones are rare when every single one I have come across is non moulting??

Anyway, Im just going to hide behind a large rock now before people start throwing things.
 
Your dog sounds great rowy. Just had a look at that breeder you link and read that they have 3 litters from their bitches and then at 4 years old they are retired and rehomed to "a fireside home". I'm sorry but if a breeder cannot offer a bitch who has given them 3 litters a home for life then they have too many dogs.:(
 
Also that site has some blatant lies eg. "We only breed cockers from a field or working background the reasons are two fold,firstly `cocker rage` is unheard of in pure bred working cockers this is an inherited aggressive response to certain situations that is found in some not all `show` strains of cocker spaniel.Secondly the coat is easier to care for and does not require clipping every 8 weeks like a show cocker." Last cocker I saw with rage was from full working lines.
 
puppies007.jpg


All staffies in rescues? We got Winston (cocker) as a 10wk old puppy. £150 including vaccinations, neutering and microchipping
 
rowy said:
Although I disagree with the extreme prices of a cross breed, I do think its a goo way to go as fewer health defects (even if both dogs suffer from the same health issue, it may be caused by different genes which means the crossbred puppy is much less likely to get the health issues, though getting the parents health checked should still be done) As cockapoo's have a very long life expectancy compared to pedigrees- apparently they can live till their 18 +.

And im confused at those who say that non moulting ones are rare when every single one I have come across is non moulting??
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The part about less likely to get the health issues is utterly unscientific: please don't tell me the breeder told you this because it's rubbish! Who says crosses live longer than pedigrees? Where is the proof and the study and control groups? If you use two dogs with the same health issues, the genetic reasons will be similar so any health issues will more likely be exacerbated, not lessened.

Pups from a non moulting and moulting breed cross will be in a particular ratio of non moulting/moulting. There is no guarantee of coat type until the pup is grown. There are absolutely no guarantees and if a breeder tells you all the pups will be non moulting, then they are lying, basically. From the Australian guy who first ever bred labradoodles, I believe only one pup was non moulting in his first litter.

The breeder you link says people can visit pups of a week old: I have never heard of any decent breeder allowing people to visit pups so early. :( Smacks of puppies for profit, that site. Re-homes to fireside home? Many Tears rescue has a ton of ex-breeding cockers usually. :rolleyes:
 
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