Have you decided to adopt a new cavapoo puppy into your family? That’s great! But it also means that there will be a lot of things you will need to consider and a lot of decisions you will need to make in these months before and after you get your new puppy.

Cavapoo puppies are absolutely adorable, so I am actually a little jealous that you will soon have that little creature in your home. However, it is still a puppy, so get ready for a lot of work you’ll have to do.

I don’t want to scare you off though 🙂 It will be a blast. I wanted to create this Ultimate guide to cavapoo puppies to give you a bit of an overview of what you should probably think about before you get you new puppy. Here are a few things I wanted to touch on:

Cavapoo puppies: choosing the right breeder

I already have an extensive article on how to choose a cavapoo breeder that you can trust.  Go and read that to get more in-depth information. In this guide I want to just summarise a few points.

First of all, you really need to find a trusted breeder. Do not get your puppy from a puppy farm (a kennel that only cares about money so they create lots and lots of puppies without regard to their health, temperament or well-being.)

A good breeder will always health-test the puppy’s parents to eliminate any potential genetic issues in the puppies. A good breeder will always let you know such health-testing has been done and that the puppies are free from genetic diseases. They may even provide you with a certificate.

Other health considerations that a reputable cavapoo breeder will always have in mind is proper vaccination and deworming.

Of course, the conditions in which the puppies are bred and raise also play a great role in the puppies future health. If you have a chance to visit the potential breeder of your cavapoo puppy, always do that.

Take a look at the conditions in which the puppies are raised. If the kennel area is clean, warm and overall nice, that is a good sign. If it is messy, dirty and disorganised, you may be better off with a different breeder.

Have a look at puppies themselves. Do they look healthy, happy and energetic? That is a good sign. If the puppies have signs of disease, such as bad coats or discharge from eyes or ears, that’s a sign of potential current or future health issues.

If you decided on a breeder, do check their testimonials/references to see what their previous customers have said about them. A good breeder will always have lots of testimonials.

Ask your breeder about the puppies’ grandparents and previous generations, not only about their parents. This is particularly important when it comes to puppies’ health, as many diseases can skip generations.

What do you love most about your cavapoo?
That he loves us more than anything. He’s always wanting to snuggle up. Always have a loving companion by your side. Extremely trainable and lots of fun.
Lani, mom of Milo, the cavapoo from London, UK

Cavapoo puppies: which puppy to choose from a litter

Now that you picked your breeder, how do you choose your cavapoo puppy? There are a few considerations here.

Puppy’s temperament

Think of what type of a puppy would do best in your home as part of your family. Would it be a calm, placid, shy puppy that would make a great companion for you if you prefer peace and quiet? Or maybe a loud, energetic puppy that would be a playmate for your kid?

All cavapoo puppies are great, and you will love them regardless, but it can still be wise to pick for temperament. Arguably, picking for temperament is smarter than just picking a puppy you like visually. Always wanted an apricot cavapoo but a little black cavapoo temperament seems nicer to you? Pick the black one!

Once the puppy is yours, you will love them no matter what color, especially if they fit your personality. However, if a puppy is too busy, or too energetic, or too shy for your liking, it might make things a little more complicated.

Cavapoo puppies: boys or girls?

Would you pick a boy or a girl if you had a choice? This is never an easy question!

Cavapoo puppies are absolutely adorable regardless of gender. You will probably love them equally whether they were a boy or a girl. However, there are a few things you may want to consider when choosing between a boy and a girl.

Most breeders would say that although both genders of cavapoo puppies are wonderful, there are some differences between male and female cavapoo. Female cavapoo in general tend to be somewhat more independent than male cavapoo.

A male cavapoo may become a “velcro” dog, meaning that they will follow you everywhere and be happy to sit on your lap and never leave your side. A female cavapoo in general won’t be quite that “velcro”, although some definitely are. So if you want a dog that will follow you like a shadow, you will more likely find that in a male cavapoo rather than a female cavapoo.

Cavapoo puppies: Bringing you puppy home

So you finally picked your breeder, and then your puppy. Now it’s time to finally bring them home.

One important thing to remember here, apart from all the excitement of a new puppy, is that puppies are first and foremost a lot of work. If you have never had a puppy before – you may be very surprised, if not shocked, how much work they can be. It is very important to understand that, and the fact that it’s extremely important to be ready to put a lot of effort and work into your new cavapoo puppy so it can grow into a really good, obedient, comfortable-to-live-with dog.

If you slack off during these first months and don’t “parent” your puppy well, you may end up with a dog that’s not well-behaved, well-socialised or well taught to live in your home.  Remember that you are solely responsible for what kind of dog this puppy will grow into. Don’t expect the puppy to be calm and docile and do what you want them to do right away. They have to be taught to behave, and what is and is not allowed in your home.

Follow our cavapoo training guide to learn more.

What do you love most about your cavapoo?
Spending time with her- Shes so affectionate she can cheer me up on my worst days. A nice walk in the park with your best bud at the end of a long day is just the right pick me up!
Lauren, mom of Perri the cavoodle from Cheltenham, England

Puppy safety and puppy-proofing the house

I decided to include a short mini-guide to puppy-proofing your house here although I have a larger article about it in the works. Here are a few steps you will want to follow to help integrate your puppy in your household safely.

I want to re-iterate again that puppies are a lot of work. So is puppy-proofing the house. You are doing it with several goals in mind.

For one, you are trying to create an entirely safe zone for a puppy where nothing can ever happen to them. You are also trying to protect your things, such as you furniture, your household objects, your valuable items, your mobile phone, cords, clothes etc etc.

Cavapoo puppies can be very busy (really, all puppies are). They are like little kids constantly on the move exploring everything in site. Except they explore by chewing things.

Anything your cavapoo puppy finds on the floor will end up in its mouth. It may be your sock, your phone, your carpet, a piece of chewing gum that fell under the couch, a piece of candy (which can be dangerous for your pup!) an electrical cord etc.

So the first thing you will want to do is look around your home and find and eliminate any objects that might present danger to your new puppy.  Hide away electrical cords, especially ones that are attached to electric appliances that a puppy could easily pull off wherever they are located and onto the floor – such as your TV or computer. A puppy chewing on cords will not only damage the cords and break your appliance, but they can also accidentally electrocute themselves, or drop something heavy onto themselves.

Protect your furniture

A puppy will chew anything they can find, and your expensive new sofa is no exemption. Protect the legs of the furniture by wrapping them, or removing the furniture temporarily somewhere where the puppy can’t go. Close your wardrobes and dressers and don’t leave anything out on the floor or on the sofa where your puppy can jump up. Basically, remove anything chew-able from anywhere the puppy can get to.

Heights

Protect your puppy from falling down. You will be surprised at how agile your cavapoo puppy is and where it can get when you are not looking, If there are any high surfaces in the house, your puppy may be at risk of falling or even intentionally jumping off somewhere high. Although cavapoo puppies are normally not fragile, they can still easily hurt themselves, for example, break a paw. You don’t want that to happen.

Remove poisonous household items 

This includes washing solutions, dish soap, other cleaning solutions, antifreeze, any cosmetics/ shampoos that  may be in open access. Cavapoo puppies can be very determined and it won’t be very hard for a puppy to open your shampoo bottle or cleaning solution bottle after a whole lot of chewing.

Remove plants that can be poisonous

Really, any plant can be poisonous in various degrees, but the worst include Castor Bean, Sago Palm, American Yew, and the Autumn Crocus.

Remove all things that can hurt your cavapoo puppy if they fall on top of him. Puppies really like biting and dragging things, so if there is a heavy plant in a vase, especially one that the puppy can reach with its teeth, it can overturn and possibly hurt your dog. Same goes for computer or TV on a stand, which your puppy can pull down by the cord.

Be your puppy’s guide around your house

Take them into every room where they are allowed to be and spend some time with them. Spend a lot of time with them. Show them what they can and cannot do. You may have to repeat a few times, but eventually they will get it. (Use your most confident voice and say a loud and clear “NO!” when a puppy does something you don’t want them to do. Normally, if a puppy is well socialised at the breeders’, they will already know the word “no” by the time they arrive at your home.)

What do you love most about Maggie?

I just absolutely love her temperament. She is unbelievably sweet and tremendously friendly. She loves absolutely everyone she meets. Not to mention she is super snuggly. Their temperament is a huge positive. Also they are very smart and training has been so much fun. She’s an absolute sweetheart and completely adorable.
Tina, mom of Maggie, the Cavapoo from Hoboken, NJ

Provide your cavapoo puppy with a safe place

Part of this is crating your puppy. The importance of crating cannot be overstated.

Every dog owner should have a crate and use it often. A crate is not a cell for your cavapoo puppy and you don’t have to look at it that way. Dogs actually like having a small dark place to hide in. A crate serves exactly this purpose. Teach your puppy to stay in the crate for short periods of time first. Teach them that it’s a safe place. (To make it feel safe, cover the crate with a blanket or any other cover so that it’s dark inside.

Place a nice soft dog bed inside so your puppy can feel soft and comfortable.) You can even feed your puppy in the crate – that way they associate it with something really good. Why crate your puppy? First, because there will be times when you need your cavapoo puppy to be in the crate. When you need to leave the house for a period of time and are worried about your puppy’s safety if left alone, crate could be your best friend. (Do not crate your puppy for more than 3-4 hours though!).

Crate can also a major part of house training. (An article on this to follow). Crate can also be a safe zone for your puppy when you simply cannot supervise them even if you are in the house. As cavapoo puppies age, they normally grow to really like their crate. A lot of dogs will sleep in their crate even without you crating them.

To pick the right crate, choose one that will be big enough for your cavapoo when they mature into an adult dog. A dog should be able to fully stand up and turn around in its crate. Pick a wire crate. To get your cavapoo puppy used to the crate, start with getting them to be in it for short periods of time – 10 -15 minutes at a time.

Put some of their favorite chew toys in the crate so your puppy can enjoy the time there. If your puppy whines at first, cover the crate completely with a blanket and let them be there for a shorter time, then let them out. Always give them a treat when they go in the crate – that will make them associate the crate with nice things. 

Provide your puppy with the right food

I write more about cavapoo food including puppy food here.

Give your puppy lots of toys. Puppies explore world through chewing. If you puppy has lots of toys available to chew on, you have more chances to keep your house intact as they might not be as interested in chewing your furniture and other objects.

If your cavapoo puppy is chewing something they are not supposed to chew, tell them “NO!” and replace the object with a chew toy. Eventually your pup will remember which objects are and aren’t OK to chew. Good discipline is one of the key aspects of your life with your puppy. If he or she knows the rules from the start, your life with them will be so much easier and more pleasant.

Potty-train your cavapoo puppy

This one really deserves a separate article which I will add to this site shortly.

Provide your puppy with lots of interaction

Although a good breeder will have socialised your puppy well even before you picked them up and took them home, your job of socialisation will still be going on once the puppy is yours. It is very important to take your cavapoo puppy out for lots of walks and let them learn about the outside world, other people and other dogs.

The more things and people and dogs your puppy meets, the more socialised and “easy’ they will be. A puppy needs constant interaction and stimulation, and it’s up to you to make them familiar with the world in which they will live. If you keep your young cavapoo puppy away from other people or dogs, they may grow up too shy, or scared of their environment, or overly excitable.

This may result in a number of behavioural issues which you really don’t want in your puppy – such as fear, aggression, marking behaviour, avoidant behaviour etc. All these things are easy to avoid if you take time and effort and expose your puppy to the outside world.

This is it for now! I hope this guide will help you take better care of your little cavapoo puppy and raise them into a perfect dog!

If you are looking for a cavapoo to adopt, check out our articles on how to find a reputable breeder. You can find such breeders in: Reputable cavapoo breeders UK, Cavapoo breeders in Ontario, Canada, and Cavapoo breeders in Alberta, Canada. You can also adopt a puppy from Cavapoo Rescue. Don’t forget to read about Cavapoo pros and cons.