Birdwalk Farm Owner
Help - About Cockapoo Generations
What Generation?
Most cockapoos are first
generation - that is, a cocker and poodle cross (this is called
F1). These dogs are good family dogs and produce a reasonably
stable result. Those breeders producing only first generation may
produce some very nice pups and stay at that without endeavoring to
help establish the cockapoo as a breed. These dogs are important as
they provide the initial genetic base to create the cockapoo.
However, breeding cockapoo to
cockapoo is increasing in popularity as the hybrid endures and breeders
continue to develop it. Generational breeding helps to stabilize size
and looks, with size a most important factor. For example, an 8 lb
poodle and a 25 lb cocker could produce 8 to perhaps 30 lb pups (hybrid
vigor can increase size as well as factoring in anything in the recent
bloodline of either parent). The 2nd generation (F2) can have the
occasional pup (the "grandfather effect") - with more of the original
poodle or cocker in looks. We can tell if a pup is leaning to heavy to
cocker and likely to shed to a degree well before the time it would
leave for your home and advise you of this. By the 3rd generation (F3)
things start to stabilize in size and looks and it is rare to have a
throwback to the original. F2's and beyond can have more color
variation as the mix of color genes becomes stronger – that is to say
many colors are recessive and it takes a double recessive for them to
occur (both parents must carry the gene and pup must inherit it to be
that color) By F7 a breed is basically established to minimal variation
and is arguably (both scientifically and within the dog fancy) a breed.
Any generation can be bred to any generation and the mix is still
cockapoo – nothing more and nothing less. Any generation benefits by
genetic testing such as CERF or OFA. With careful breeding and
attention paid to healt,looks and temperament - we can avoid many of
the pitfalls of most purebreds.
As a cockapoo puppy buyer
you should be more concerned with the characteristics of the individual
dog than the generation. There can be some variation in any
generation but if you let us know what it is you are looking for in a
pup we can help you select the best pup for your family. No matter the
generation, as long as health, temperament and looks are what you want
you will have a good family addition. It is most important to realize
and remember that one can't take a cocker from the flea market someone
gave away that is aggressive, and a poodle from a free ad in the paper
that is a hype-active, yappy, ankle biter someone couldn’t stand and
expect a good pup – it would be a cockapoo but… (Please
understand that we are not saying that all cockers are aggressive or
all poodles yappy, but just as in any breed there are better individual
dogs than others and it is the better ones that need to be selected for
breeding). As in any breed, selection of parents determines the outcome
of the puppies.
The cockapoo is a hybrid – at
least in the first few generations. As such the characteristics of both
parents are evident to a degree as they should be. However – while the
vast majority of cockapoos will be low/no shedding (allergy friendly)
with little to no ‘doggy’ odor a very, very few may lean to heavy to
either parent breed. When the cocker coat is inherited to a
greater degree the pup may shed some. Pups that shed very
minimally as a pup usually grow out of it as the adult coat comes in.
Pups that are to cocker like will shed their entire lives. Any
breeder that says they never get a pup that might shed some either has
had very few litters or is living in a fantasy world. We can see this
characteristic before the pup leaves and advice you of that so you may
decide if that pup is going to fit into your home.
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Last updated 1/06 Copyright 2000, Birdwalk Farms