About the Cavapoo
A Cavapoo is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel crossed with a Toy or Miniature Poodle. Like the Maltipoo it is a cross rather than a recognised breed, so there is no FCI standard and no Kennel Club registration behind it, and a litter will not be as uniform as a pedigree one. Buy on the parents, not on the label.
The appeal is easy to understand. The Cavalier contributes one of the softest temperaments in dogs — affectionate, brave without being sharp, and unusually good with children. The Poodle contributes brains, trainability and a coat that sheds very little. A typical Cavapoo lands somewhere between the two: a small, gentle, quick-learning dog who is content in an apartment and keen to be part of family life.
The traits to plan for come from both sides. Neither parent breed copes well with being left alone all day, and a Cavapoo left to itself will find ways to complain about it. The coat is usually wavy and low-shedding, which means combing most days and a groom every couple of months.
Reckon on up to an hour of exercise a day, less while he is still growing. In summer keep walks to the cool hours — some Cavapoos inherit the Cavalier’s shorter muzzle and find heat harder work. Ask the breeder about both parents’ health testing; with any cross, that is where the useful information is.
Origin, purpose and temperament follow the official FCI breed standard; exercise, grooming and family suitability follow The Royal Kennel Club (UK). Every puppy is an individual — ask us about the one you are considering.
Living with a Cavapoo in Cyprus
Summer evenings. Most Cavapoos have a normal-length muzzle, but some take after the Cavalier’s shorter face and tire quickly in the heat. From June to September walk at first light and after sunset, and keep play indoors at midday. The catch is that dusk is also when sandflies bite. They spread leishmaniasis from about May to October, so ask your vet about a repellent collar and the vaccine before the first summer. Ticks are covered in our puppy care sheet.
Ears. The long, heavy Cavalier ears fold over the ear canal and hold in warmth and moisture. On the coast, where the air stays humid all summer, that is how ear infections start. Look inside the ears once a week, have the hair there trimmed as your groomer advises, and dry them after every swim or bath. A sour smell or frequent head shaking is a reason to see the vet.
The heart. Mitral valve disease is the best-known health problem of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Before you choose a puppy, ask about the parents’ heart checks, and have your vet listen to your Cavapoo’s heart at every yearly vaccination.
Time alone. A Cavapoo follows its people from room to room. In a Limassol or Larnaca apartment where everyone is out at work all day, it will whine and bark, and the neighbours will notice. Start with short absences in the first weeks and build them up slowly.
