How do I find a good Cockapoo puppy?

[LisaNJ25]

My aunt just bought one 2 weeks ago from the mall pet store for $500 He did not come with papers.

Here he is:

 

[daisax]

He's adorable, but he looks neither cocker, nor poodle. Maybe lab and some kind of terrier?

 

[Nana Annie]

I am really sorry that I opened this can of worms. Anyone who thinks that "PUREBRED" breeders are all above board is crazy. I have seen many an Aussie breeder that I wouldn't get a puppy from. I also believe that this is why we have problems with many purebreds (mini aussies for one) they tend to be over bred. Cockers went through that in the 80's.

There are good people who care about their dogs and trace the linage etc. that aren't show dog raisers.

I think there are problems with show dog breeders too. For example, many probably all aussie breeders will put a pup down because they aren't quite the right color to "enhance" the breed. My aussie I have now would never have made it in the show ring when she was born. But, the breeder a friend of mine "saved" her from the freezer knowing that I wouldn't breed her or show her or even register her. I just wanted a family pet. And as she grew her coloring is wonderful and she could have been in the ring had I not altered her or more then that wanted to.

This "Holyier then thou" attitude has to stop this isn't what I wanted from the thread. I just want to find a nice dog for my mom that isn't from a puppy mill. Small true family breeder was what I wanted. I am so sorry that I offended anyone.

We are all dog lovers that is the fact so lets all just love our dogs and let this thread die so that no more controversy is brought us.

Thanks for your help, I do believe that everyone here is well intended. I just didn't mean to bring up such a "SORE SPOT". Please accept my apology.

I don't think anybody here has ever stated that all purebred breeders are all above board.

In fact, quite the opposite. From every thread and every post I have ever read on these boards about the subject, potential puppy owners were counselled to do their research. There have been many posts helping potential puppy owner with knowledge that helps them determine that they get their puppy from a reputable breeder.

You are so right in that cockers and many other purebreds have been overbred, ruining the dog as it was meant to be. But that was not done by reputable breeders, it was done by backyard breeders and puppymills who didn't care enough to do the health screenings, who didn't care enough to do long, expensive work in determining why two dogs should be bred. People who decided that Sunny should be bred to the neighbor's Max without figuring out if Sunny and Max are compatible, aren't carriers of genetic diseases, that their temperaments are compatible etc are the ones that are responsible for the overbreeding of the popular breeds. The puppymills that indiscriminately put a male dog in a filthy, small pen with 25 females that are bred on every single heat, just so they can sell them for $500.00 a pop in a petshop are the ones who overbred the dogs.

Responsible breeders do NOT make money on a litter. They breed for the betterment of the breed, hoping to get one or two puppies better than what they have out of the litter.

And now that you have insulted the reputable breeders by saying they all kill their unwanted puppies, let me put the facts straight for you. Yes, culling was popular long, long time ago. But now that there is limited registrations, spay and neuter contracts etc, 99% of the reputable breeders embrace these tools to make sure that EVERY puppy in their litter gets a good home, whether it is pet quality or show quality. The limited registrations allow the new puppy owner to register the puppy, but it does not allow showing or breeding. Spay and neuter clauses in the purchasing contracts make sure the puppies are never bred. In my 30+ years in the business, and being around many of the top breeders in the country almost every weekend, I can assure you that "putting puppies in the freezer" is not what reputable breeders do.

Again, no reputable breeder would purposely breed a mixed breed dog.

OP - you said you had never heard of a puppymill before you started researching a puppy from your mother. So, consequently, you cannot yet fathom the horrors of them and the impact they are having on alll good dogs in general.

People are buying these extremely poorly bred dogs from flea markets, pet shops and fronts posing as small breeders. Then the two neighbors will breed the two puppymill dogs together, perpetuating the nasty tempered, genetic disease carrying lines again and again.

Please do your research and look for a reputable breeder. And that won't be somebody breeding mixed breed dogs.

 

[Nana Annie]

He's adorable, but he looks neither cocker, nor poodle. Maybe lab and some kind of terrier?

I agree. Very, very cute puppy

But he definitely looks like he is half terrier. I also don't see any poodle in the dog, although he does have the eyes and facial features of a cocker. The coat is far too wirery to have come from either a poodle or a cocker - it looks more like a terrier coat.

But he is absolutely adorable and terriers make fantastic pets. Just be diligent in training him not to dig as a puppy

But it does prove a point - $500.00 for a mutt?

I got my last puppy - both parents are Best In Show Winners, breed winners at Westminster Kennel Club and multi-group winners, from a breeder that can tell you the background of every dog in the pedigree for at least 7 generations - what health problems each dog carried, what their temperaments were like and most of all - what the reasoning was behind breeding the two dogs together for only $100.00 more than the pet shop price of a mixed breed puppy whom the buyer has no idea what the history of it is.

 

[LisaNJ25]

He's adorable, but he looks neither cocker, nor poodle. Maybe lab and some kind of terrier?

I have no idea.. I thought he looked a little off also.. but I am not a dog owner. The paperwork from the store says Cockapoo.. but I am clueless... maybe when he is groomed lolol

 

[Abbie]

OP, to answer your question, I'm sure your mom can find a wonderful cockapoo, if that's what she wants, by watching the local paper for a few weeks or months. We have two wonderful, non-shedding cockapoos that were both bought locally from the newspaper. I'm sure both would be considered "backyard breeders" but we've gotten two absolutely wonderful sweet dogs from two different backyard breeders, so it's certainly possible. Since it's not held to any breed standard, there will be variances on the size so if Mom wants one she can carry/hold, she should look for one where the parents are both small obviously. I hope she finds what she wants!

 

[damo]

I would check out the cockapoo (spoodle) message boards to find a group in your area.

http://disc.server.com/Indices/220822.html
http://cockapoo.meetup.com/

 

[daisax]

The fact remains that there are dogs out there of every breed, shape and size and they are already here..do they not deserve a loving home ?

Yes. The shelters and rescue organizations are full of them. Offer those dogs a home instead of creating a market demand for carelessly bred dogs or those born into in the inhumane world of puppy mills.

A dog should be a 10-15 year committment. It should be a happy, healthy and loving member of your family. Too many don't get that chance because of ill health and bad temperaments. Too many hearts have been broken because people didn't realize that a scrupulously bred pup bred by somebody devoted to the breed costs a couple hundred more than the dogs in a box at the flea market, and LESS than the dog in the pet store, either of whom are a complete genetic crapshoot. So they fell in love with soft brown eyes, took the pup home, and a few thousand dollars in vet bills later realized that just.maybe. the "breeder" didn't know what he was doing.

We're only asking people to put as much care into where they get the next member of their family as they do into the 180 day mark for their Disney ADRs.