Cavapoo temperament: a small dog with a big personality (in a good way!)

Cavapoo (cavoodles) have spread all over the world as one of the most popular and loved cross-breeds. Apart from cute appearance, their popularity can be explained by the cavapoo temperament.

Cavapoo tend to be remarkably smart (remember, part of their ancestral genes comes from poodle, and poodles are one of the smartest dogs in the world). Cavapoo are very trainable, capable to learn new tricks and commands with ease.

They are also people-orientated breed and are likely to have a desire to please, which makes them obedient and pleasant dogs, a good combination a lot of pet owners want to see in their animal.

Cavapoo temperament is well-suited to be one of the best breeds for people who want a close, loyal companion. Cavapoo love their people and love being around them at all times. Sometimes that can translate into a bit (or a lot) of separation anxiety, so it is very important to properly train your puppy to avoid separation anxiety. Companionship is great – but you might not want a very “clingy” dog.

Along the same lines, cavapoo really do best in households where their owners are around them most of the time. They love their people – normally the whole family, although they might pick one or two favourites. If you are the only person living in the house and you spend lots of time at work, a cavapoo might not be the best idea for you.

If you tend to travel a lot and plan on putting your cavapoo in a kennel, that might also be not ideal as cavapoo prefer not to be separated from their owners for a long time.

What are the good sides of having a cavapoo?

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

Affectionate, social, loving

Your cavapoo will will show you lots of love and affection. If you are away, they will wait for you and greet you back with enthusiasm. They will often follow you around your house, trying to be a part of everything you do. They aren’t a standoffish type of breed. Instead, they will try to become the center of your world, while you will definitely be the center of theirs.

Are cavapoo good with children?

Cavapoos are very affectionate and outgoing dogs. They are good with children, because they tend to be very playful just like children. However, be careful introducing your cavapoo (especially a puppy) to your kids. Kids can get rowdy, especially in presence of a puppy, and could accidentally hurt of frighten your cavapoo.

That may cause a sense of fear towards children in your dog which may be hard to deal with later.

Apart from children, cavapoos are great companions for older people. Really, a person of any age can find cavapoo temperament very suitable for their lifestyle and for what they are looking for in a dog.

Cavapoo temperament: energy levels

Like some other small breeds of dogs, cavapoo may have an incredible amount of energy for their size. This is not necessarily true for all cavapoo and really depends a lot on their genetics. Some can be more high energy than others. F1 Cavapoo (bred from King Cavalier spaniel crossed with poodle) will likely have a bit more excitement tendencies, and more energy.

A cavapoo that has two cavapoos as parents will normally have a more stable, level personality without excessive excitability. If you are looking for particular temperament of your cavapoo – do ask a breeder about your potential puppy’s parents.

If your cavapoo is bred from poodle and spaniel, you can also find out whether the poodle parent was a miniature poodle or toy poodle. If the parent was a miniature poodle, you will likely get a cavapoo with a more solid, stable temperament (less irritability, more patience).

Would you recommend other people to have a cavapoo, why or why not?

Yes I would definitely recommend this breed. I think they are great dogs if you are looking for one that is on the smaller side.

Tina, mom of Maggie, the Cavapoo from Hoboken, NJ

Cavapoo temperament: puppy vs adult cavapoo

Although adult cavapoo are fairly laid-back, young cavapoo puppies can be quite a bit more energetic! If you are having a hard time looking after your cavapoo puppy due to their high energy levels, be assured that it will likely pass as the puppy matures. It is very common among all types of dogs, and is especially so with cavapoo. Like human children, puppies simply have lots and lots of energy and excitement exploring their new world for the first time.

Although cavapoo are generally not overly barky, some may be more vocal than others. That will also depend on the dog’s genetics as well as their environment and training. Some cavapoo may bark when a stranger is at the door, but they are normally entirely non-aggressive and will likely meet the stranger with enthusiasm just like they would a family member.

Don’t expect your cavapoo to be a guard dog, that will likely not happen 🙂 However, in some cases the cavapoo might have more tendency to protect the house and the people if it has inherited a lot of the poodle genes. (Poodle can and sometimes do make great house guards).

All dogs need stimulation, interaction with their owners and play time, as well as physical exercise. Because cavapoo often do tend to have higher energy levels, it is especially important for you as an owner to meet their needs in terms of being able to let that energy out.

That may mean taking your cavapoo on regular and long walks, providing them with active play time ( with toys, sticks, or just running around with them – a cavapoo will happily play with you if they don’t have any other toys 😉

Don’t think that your cavapoo is a little lap dog  – they aren’t. They are active little creatures thriving in high energy activities such as walking, running, playing, play-fighting, fetching things, swimming in the lake, etc. A walk in the park will likely be your cavapoo’s favorite activity. Hopefully it will become your favorite activity too, because your cavapoo will really need it 🙂

What do you love most about your cavapoo?

They are warm, loving little creatures who just want to be cuddled. They are smart, quick to learn, affectionate and such well-natured dogs.

Yvette and Mat, pawrents of Thelma and Louise, the two cavapoo puppies from Sydney, Australia

A cavapoo will need a 30-60 minute walk at least once a day! You can also take them for a few shorter walks throughout the day. Your cavapoo will be very happy if you can take them for hikes or long walks during the weekend too. Whether you live in town or in the countryside, just take your cavapoo with you when you go for your daily errands.

Your dog will be very happy, and you will have a companion! Some employers even allow small dogs like cavapoo in the workplace! (Although don’t expect your cavapoo to get your work done for you 😉

Apart from physical activity, it is important to maintain your cavapoo mental abilities as well. Remember, cavapoo are bred from poodles, who are extremely intelligent, and king cavalier spaniels, who are also very smart. Cavapoo need mental stimulation.

This may involve playing games, learning tricks and commands, and simply socialising with you, members of your family or other people around you.

The more you take your cavapoo out and invest time in their well-being, the happier and smarter they will be. If you as an owner are unable to provide enough mental stimulation, your cavapoo may get bored and sometimes even depressed.

That is not the situation you want to end up in, as depression and boredom often translates into negative behaviours in dogs, such as destructive chewing, excessive barking, nervousness and aggression.

What are the good sides of having a cavapoo?

Goods are that he’s lovable and so easy to train. He’s playful and always up for an adventure but also happy to relax and laze around and do nothing. He gets on with everyone and doesn’t malt.

Arshiyah, Pawrent of Merlot, the cavoodle puppy from Manchester, UK

Socialisation matters

Like with any other dogs (and even children!) socialisation matters greatly when it comes to your cavapoo. Socialisation means exposing your dog, from early puppyhood, to various situations and everyday activities and people, so that your dog gets used to its new environment, feels safe around people and grows up to be a confident, stable dog.

A good breeder will play a big role in your puppy’s socialisation, by spending lots of time with them, introducing them to new objects and toys, and exposing them to normal sights and sounds of the household since birth and until the moment you pick your cavapoo puppy up. From then on, it’s your job to continue the puppy’s successful socialisation.

This means, again, spending lots of time with them yourself and exposing them to other people  – members of the family, friends, guests, strangers outside the house. If you puppy gets used to seeing lots of different people, it will learn to not be too excited / excitable around people.

It is important to expose your puppy to different kinds of people, including men, women, children and older people (have you met dogs that are afraid of children, for example?)

It is also important to take your puppy into different situations, such as car rides, bus rides, walks outside in various environments. If you do that since your puppy is young, you will raise a confident, calm dog that feels at home in any environment and makes you proud as an owner. It’s great to have a dog that you can take anywhere with you and know that it will behave exactly as expected and be friendly and nice to everyone. Ultimately that should be a goal of any and every owner.

With cavapoo, you will likely be able to raise a fantastic dog, a loyal and loving companion and a true friend. Cavapoo temperament has been carefully bred and is well-suited  for exactly this purpose – which is why these little dogs are so popular and so loved all around the world. If you combine cavapoo natural temperament, their kind, loyal and loving nature and their high intelligence, with some training, you will be absolutely be happy with the kind of dog you will get from it.

What are the good sides of having a cavapoo?

We like that they are calmer dogs. She definitely has energy as a puppy but she is pretty chill half the time and we like that she is a nice balance of being active and laying low.

Abbe, mom of Ellie the cavapoo from Chicago

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.