Friendly, lively and intelligent, Spoodles have a beautiful nature that matches their beautiful appearance. A cross between a Cocker Spaniel and a Poodle, Spoodles (also known as Cockapoos) make lovely family pets that happily get along with older children and other pets, including cats. These social butterflies need an outlet every day for their energy, especially a run around with other dog pals. Outgoing, they do best with company during the day. Once playtime is over, Spoodles are content to simply cuddle up next to you and snooze.
Spoodle Facts
A mix of Cocker Spaniel and Poodle, Spoodles come in 4 different sizes. This includes the teacup Spoodle, which weighs around 2kg and grows up to 25cm; the toy Spoodle (weighs around 5kg and grows up to 24cm); the miniature Spoodle (weighs around 7kg and grows up to 35cm); and the standard Spoodle (weighs up to 14kg and grows up to 40cm).
- Breed Group: Cross / ‘Oodle’
- Height: 25-40cm
- Weight: 2-14kg
- Life Span: 12-15 years
- Coat: Long
- Colour: Various including black, brown and gold
What Does a Spoodle Look Like?
A Spoodle is the kind of dog you look at and instantly melt. With their long wavy ears and hair and large dark eyes, they’re very sweet looking dogs. Because they’re a crossbreed, every Spoodle looks a bit different - they can take after either their Cocker Spaniel or Poodle parent. Their coat comes in a range of colours too, including gold, blonde, brown and black.
Their solidly built bodies reflect their energetic personalities - Spoodles are built to run, jump and play.
Spoodle
Spoodle Temperament: Playful Pal
Lively, playful and affectionate, Spoodles are ideal family pets. They charm everyone they meet thanks to their sociable and outgoing personalities - who can resist their teddy-bear cuteness? Although they’re great with children, they’re not big fans of rough and tumble so they’re best suited to homes with older children. Adaptable, Spoodles will live nicely alongside other pets in your home, including cats.
Because they’re such a sociable breed, Spoodles are best suited to homes where someone can be with them most of the day. They’re not a sit-quietly-and-enjoy-their-own-company kind of dog. Doggy daycare or dog walkers are good options for working dog parents. Known to bark when visitors arrive, they make good guard dogs. However, their friendly, non-aggressive nature means their bark is far worse than their bite!
Super intelligent with a curious nature, training them is both fun and easy - they really enjoy physical and mental challenges. As long as they get plenty of exercise every day, you’ll have one happy pup. Once their exercise is done, expect a Spoodle to cuddle up with you on the sofa and snooze the afternoon away.
Keeping Spoodles Healthy: 4 Issues to Watch Out For
As 2 breeds in 1, Spoodles are less likely to experience the health issues that their parent breeds might. There are still a few things to be aware of though, some of which can be avoided if you have the medical history of your Spoodle puppy’s parents.
Cataracts
Cataracts cause the lens in your Spoodle’s eye(s) to become cloudy, which affects their vision. Signs of cataracts include your Spoodle suddenly running into walls and other objects. If you’re worried about their vision, take them to your vet. They can be surgically removed.
Joint Problems
Spoodles can suffer with patellar luxation, which is when their kneecap doesn’t sit nicely in its groove but slips out of place. It can be painful and cause them to move awkwardly. Treatment depends on how severe their case is, it can be managed with medication or surgery. Another joint problem Spoodles are at risk of is canine hip dysplasia, where their thigh bone and hip joint don’t fit together properly. This causes pain and lameness but can be treated with medication or surgery.
Allergies
Although Spoodles are great for people with allergies, they’re actually prone to allergies themselves, including food allergies, contact allergies and inhalant allergies. Treating allergies is usually simple - either medication or removing the allergen from their diet or environment.
Liver Disease
It’s not known why but Spoodles are more prone to developing liver disease than other breeds, especially copper toxicosis and chronic active hepatitis. Liver disease stops their liver from working properly and can be dangerous. Look out for symptoms like weight loss, loss of appetite, increased thirst, blood in their poo or wee, seizures or vomiting.
Caring for Your Spoodle Dog
The good news: Spoodles don’t shed, making them great for people with allergies or anyone with an aversion to vacuuming. The not-so-good news: to keep their coat at its best, they need regular trips to a professional groomer.
Grooming:
Keep your Spoodle looking as adorable as possible with regular coat brushing. You’ll need to brush and comb them a few times a week to get rid of any dead hair and avoid mats and tangles. Every 6 weeks, take them to the groomer for a clip.
Every day, give the area around their eyes a gentle wipe. This will help avoid tear stains. Their teeth should be brushed daily too, to prevent tartar building up. Finally, every week or so clean your Spoodle’s ears to get rid of any dirt or debris and ward off painful ear infections.
Nutrition:
Like most Poodle crossbreeds, Spoodles are prone to tartar build up on their teeth. Although this can be avoided with daily toothbrushing, feeding them a premium dry food helps keep their teeth clean too. With Spoodles being a crossbreed, you can choose to feed them a breed-specific diet such as Royal Canin Cocker Spaniel Dry Food or Royal Canin Poodle Dry Food or Wet Food.
Spoodles love their food. Because they’re so energetic and intelligent and enjoy daily training sessions (usually with treats!), it’s easy to overfeed them. Keep an eye on their weight and if you’re concerned, chat to your vet.
Exercise:
Spoodles are little bundles of energy. They need daily runs or walks to properly tire them out. Aim for at least 30 minutes every day. They also need their social side to be nurtured - they love running around with other dogs. Regular visits to the dog park will help this social butterfly stay healthy and happy. While you’re there, chuck a ball for them - games of fetch are top of their to-do list.
Training Your Spoodle
Spoodles love to please their human, which makes training a breeze for both of you! If your Spoodle has a bit more Poodle in them than Cocker Spaniel, you might find they’re a little stubborn. Plenty of patience and perseverance (and delicious treats) will help them learn the ropes in no time.
With their intelligence, expect your Spoodle to pick up the basics - like sit, stay and come - quickly. Friendly and outgoing they might be, but Spoodle puppies still benefit from early socialisation and puppy training classes so they grow up to be well-adjusted, well-mannered adults.