Struggling with what to ask? Not sure what your options are, but want to make sure you find the perfect fit for your family?
Hopefully some of your questions are answered here! If not, send me a message and I'll be happy to answer any other questions you may have! I want to make sure that we find the perfect fit for your specific lifestyle. I always assist in the choosing process, as I want everyone to be as comfortable as possible throughout the whole process!
A Quick Timing Explanation
A lot goes into our process- and while I'd love to give everyone an exact time frame, unfortunately that is just not possible. We try to predict when our girls will go into heat, which helps us know when puppies will be ready for their new homes, but most of the time that is left up to nature! Two factors that are most commonly variables: when the girls go into heat, and exactly when the pups are born. Gestation period in dogs is 58-68 days, most often pups are born on the 63rd day. Then the puppies are not ready to go to their new homes until they are 8 weeks old. Typically we get a general idea of the time frame when the girls go through their cycles, and then a specific date for pick up day when the pups are born! We do scans shortly before birth to confirm a final puppy count and then it's just a waiting game until the puppies are born!
Litter Size and Frequency
Our girls typically have 4-6 puppies per litter. To ensure that we always have puppies to send home with our waiting list families, we breed two mommas at a time. We typically have a spring round of two litters, a summer round of two litters, and a fall round of two litters. We really only know exactly which mommas we will decide to breed when the girls go into heat and then I evaluate which pairs to breed based on their age, current weight, and completed health testing. Our mommas are bred between the ages of two and four year old, and each girlie has between one and four litters. I make evaluations on how many litters each girlie has based on aptitude as a mother, milk supply, and overall contentment and ease of pregnancy and delivery. We typically do one litter a year with each momma, or one in the spring and one in the fall, depending on how the timing of the heats go. We do no more than four total, and sometimes less before retiring them to a pet home- often with one of their sweet pups!
Christmas and Winter Litters
We are cautious when planning for a Christmas or winter litter. Many times, lots of travel and big family gatherings can be stressful for young puppies. Their exposure to large crowds should be limited and they need to have enough time set aside to nap frequently to best aid in their transition to their new homes. We typically only breed for Christmas/winter litters by special request, and families must be prepared to bring their new puppy home after their holiday events, or structure their holiday around the needs of their new best friend and family member! If you are interested in this time frame, please contact me for more information. Some years we will do one Christmas time litter, some years we do not.
Cocker Spaniels and Poodles - Uniquely Combining Two Breeds
A Large Variety of Color
Cockapoos inherit their coat colors, textures, and patterns from both the Cocker Spaniel and the Poodle genetics. Some colors are traditionally only found in one or the other breeds, but get passed on to the offspring, and sometimes combine for very unique results. Each Cockapoo generation is going to be slightly different in terms of coat type, hypoallergenic features, and shedding or not shedding. Since the Cockapoo is a crossbreed, the amount of genetics that the Cockapoo receives from the Cocker Spaniel versus the Poodle is going to have a significant impact on what your dog looks like. Cocker Spaniels are very different from Poodles in terms of shedding, pet allergies, and personality, as well as color. We have several different options depending on your unique circumstances. Below we have an explanation of colors so that you know how to refer to your preferred look. Keep in mind that we are constrained to certain options for certain litters, when asking for specific colors.
Possible Cockapoo Coat Colors and How to Refer to Them:
Black
Black
Black
Black can range from a shiny black colour to a flat matt black. Black coated dogs are accompanied by black noses and black paw pads.
Brown
Black
Black
Browns can range from a light brown to a deep rich brown. The genetics that produce brown hair, also produce brown noses and paw pads, and dilute (green or hazel) eyes.
Red
Black
Apricot
One of our most popular colors, red! Variations in genetics lead to differences in concentration of the pheomelanin or pigment deposited in the hair. This complex mix of genes produces a spectrum of color in the red family.
Apricot
Apricot
Apricot
Apricots and reds can be anything from a light biscuit colour to a deep russet red. The two different terms are used to refer to the intensity and darkness of color.
Cream
Apricot
Cream
Technically just a lighter shade of the red gene, this color is often referred to as cream, buff, blonde or champagne.
White
Apricot
Cream
The lightest of the cockapoos can be completely white. Typically there are multiple dilution factors at work.
Cafe Au Lait
Cafe Au Lait
Cafe Au Lait
Diluted browns are usually referred to as Cafe Au Lait, and Silver Beige. This colouring is derived from the poodle side and often these two colours can get mixed up. Cafe Au Lait is a diluted brown and the coat will gradually fade by age of two.
Silver Beige
Cafe Au Lait
Cafe Au Lait
Silver beige are normally born brown and then gradually fade as well. They have a lovely silvery sheen to the coat. They can range in colour some being almost a platinum color. Silver beige colouring normally shows at 6 weeks of age in the face and paws and gradually lightens as dog ages.
Blue
Cafe Au Lait
Blue
Blue cockapoos are another dilute shade of black taken from the poodle side, where the coat has a dark gun metal grey running through it. Blue poodles are born black and turn blue by age of 2.
Grey
Silver
Blue
Another solid colour that is caused by fading genes. Grey is lighter than blue on the dilute color spectrum, but the dilution genes are the same.
Silver
Silver
Silver
If a black cockapoo inherits the poodle fading gene black coats can on occasion get much lighter, silver hues to their coats, this is in no relation to their age.
Possible Cockapoo Markings and How to Refer to Them:
Parti Coloured
Parti Coloured
Parti Coloured
Partis are usually around 50% white and another colour. With Parti colored pups you can also get ticking which are freckles of colour normally seen when dog is clipped short.
Tan Points
Parti Coloured
Parti Coloured
Black and Tans and Brown and Tans are also sometimes known as Phantoms. They usually have a lighter color appearing on their "eyebrows," muzzle and throat, legs and feet and below their tail.
Tri Coloured
Parti Coloured
Tri Coloured
Tri Color pups are typically Parti coloured accompanied by Tan points or Black and Tan/Brown and Tan with a white chest (that marking is known as Tuxedo), or other abstract white markings. This puppy is a Black and Tan with a white chest and chin.
Tuxedo
Brindle
Tri Coloured
The aforementioned white chest marking!
Roan
Brindle
Brindle
Roan is a colour pattern of single white hairs and white patches intermingled with the base color. This is a black roan.
Brindle
Brindle
Brindle
Brindle/Sable, while very complicated genetically, results in a mix of black and red hairs.
Merle
Ticking
Ticking
The Merle Gene is a much-debated topic among Poodle Breeders. The Merle Gene in an incomplete dominant lightening gene. The debate centers around whether or not merle was naturally occurring in poodles, or if another breed was introduced to produce this color. We have seen many quality merle poodles, all of which genetically test as 100% poodles, so while we don't breed specifically for this color, it does pop up occasionally in certain litters.
Ticking
Ticking
Ticking
Ticking is freckles on the white markings of Parti Colored dogs. They are easy to see when the hair is cut shorter, often on their legs and noses.
Pink!
Ticking
Pink!
Just kidding! Tiny is wearing a pet-safe dye in this photo. She was part of a gender reveal! Tiny's cream colored hair made her a perfect fit for the part!