We do our best to give you answers to the most commonly asked questions that we receive from our puppy families.
It’s easy! Just fill out and submit our Waitlist Application. When we receive it, we will contact you to see if you have any additional questions, ask how you would like to submit your deposit, and provide you with our purchase contract. After we receive your signed purchase contract and deposit, we will send you a receipt for your deposit, a copy of the purchase contract which includes our signature, and conformation of your placement on the waitlist. It’s that easy!
Puppies adopted as pets (without breeding rights) are $2500. If you would like a puppy with breeding rights, please contact us.
Yes, we require a $500 deposit to be added to our waitlist. However, unlike most breeders, your deposit is fully refundable as outlined in our purchase contract. Additionally, your deposit is applied to the total cost of your puppy; it is not a separate fee from the cost of your puppy.
Yes, please click here.
That’s not a problem at all! When a litter of puppies is born you will be notified if a puppy from the litter is or is not available to your family according to your rank on the waitlist. If a puppy is available, you will be given 72 hours to decide if you will or will not take a puppy from the litter. If you decide not to take a puppy from the litter, you will remain on our waitlist, retaining your rank.
Option #1: We are happy to meet you anywhere within three hours driving distance of Farmington, New Mexico for a delivery fee of $200. If you are interested in having your puppy driven further, or even delivered to your front door, please ask us for a personalized quote.
Option #2: You can fly into one of our nearby airports (Albuquerque International Sunport or Durango-LaPlata County Airport), then fly home with your puppy. We will meet you inside the airport to transfer your puppy to you. Our delivery fee to meet you at the Albuquerque airport is $200 and at the Durango airport is $75.
Option #3: Your puppy is also able to be delivered to you via the service of a flight nanny company. (A flight nanny is a person who is hired to personally fly with your puppy in the cabin of an airplane to your airport. Most flight nannies are off-duty flight attendants who fly standby.) Our delivery fee to meet a flight nanny at the Albuquerque airport is $200. We are available to be a personal flight nanny to your puppy if desired; please ask us for a personalized quote.
Please note- For the safety of our puppies, we do not allow them to be flown in the cargo of an airplane. Puppies must fly in-cabin accompanied by a person.
We accept personal checks, Zelle, PayPal, Venmo, and Cash App.
Yes, we are happy to share our top-quality genetics with other breeders. Our goal as a breeder is to develop the highest-quality Cockapoo lineage possible, and that is only attainable if we share our exceptional genetics.
Cockapoos are a hybrid breed created by crossing a poodle and a cocker spaniel. This “designer” breed began in the 1960’s. Cockapoos are known for their friendly, affectionate, and playful personality, intelligence and trainability, lack of shedding, and low odor. They make excellent family pets, as well as one-person owners. Cockapoos are very social and people orientated, therefore they are not suited to being left alone for long periods of time. They do well in any environment, from an apartment in the city to a farm in the country, as long as they are given your attention and love.
Conformation: Cockapoos should have a square and sturdy conformation. They should be the same length (chest to rump) as height (top of shoulder to ground). They should never appear low and long, or tall and narrow. The top of their back should be level, and they should stand on straight forelegs and moderately-bent hindlegs. A Cockapoo’s head should be moderately rounded with large, bright eyes that are well-spaced, and ears that hang close to the head, starting above the eyes and hanging below the jaw. The tail should be set in-line with the Cockapoo’s back and carried in-line or higher with the back.
Size: There are three sizes of Cockapoos-toy, miniature, and standard. Cockapoo size is determined by their height at the shoulder. A toy Cockapoo stands 10-inches or less; a miniature Cockapoo stands 11-14-inches; a standard Cockapoo stands 15-inches or more at the shoulder. The weights of Cockapoos can vary, but a toy Cockapoo typically weighs under 12 pounds, a miniature Cockapoo typically weighs 13-20 pounds, and a standard Cockapoo typically weighs 21 or more pounds.
The Teddy-Bear look: True Cockapoos will have the teddy-bear look, which is achieved by their soft, fluffy coats, round faces, round, bright eyes, smaller noses, hanging ears, and puffy tails. How a Cockapoo is groomed is one of the factors in attaining this attribute.
The Cockapoo temperament is what makes this breed so well-loved and desirable. They are very social, outgoing, and jovial dogs. They love people of all ages and are very playful. They are extremely intelligent which makes them easy to train, and gentle natured which makes them a great family dog. They are comfortable and happy in any environment from a big-city apartment to a country farm.
Cockapoo coats come in a wide variety of colors. Common solid colors are black, chocolate, buff (or white), red, and apricot. They also come in the color phantom (black or chocolate with tan points) and sable (a mostly lighter colored coat with black-or chocolate-colored tips on the ears and tail). Any of the above colors may have abstract white markings, like white on their chest or paws. The term “tri-color” describes a Cockapoo that is phantom colored with abstract white markings.
Parti-colored Cockapoos have multiple colors in their coat, one of which must be white. In a parti-colored dog, no single color is particularly dominant in the coat, and the different colors may be anywhere on their bodies. Their coats may be described as bi-colored parti (two colors in their coat) or tri-colored parti (three colors in their coat).
All the above coat colors may be altered by the merle, roan, or brindle (rare) gene which changes the pattern and presentation of any the colors. Sometimes a dog’s color is called blue or gray; these dogs usually have a black or phantom coat that has been altered by the merle gene to appear a grayish color. Some Cockapoos inherit the “fading gene”. If a puppy is born with this gene, its coat color will lighten over time.
Cockapoos have three different types of coats: tight curly/ wooly, medium curly/ wavy, or flat/ smooth. All three coat types meet American Cockapoo Club breed standards, but the flat/ smooth coat is generally less desirable it is not as fluffy and dilutes the Teddy-Bear look.
While there are no dogs that are 100% hypoallergenic, Cockapoos come pretty close! Among dogbreeds, the term hypoallergenic is used to describe a dog that is less likely to trigger an allergic reaction in humans. Usually, it’s not a dog’s hair, but their dander (dead skin cells) which is attached to their hair that causes most pet allergies. A Cockapoo’s low dander count and non-shedding coat make them an allergy friendly breed.
To understand Cockapoo generations, you first need to understand that Cockapoos are hybrids. The word “hybrid”is a genetic term referring to the result of a cross between two genetically unlike individuals. In Cockapoos, the two genetically different individuals are the Poodle and the Cocker Spaniel; their mating produces a hybrid, which is the Cockapoo.
To keep track of generations, scientists use the term “filial”(F). Filial pertains to the sequence of generations following the original parental generation. The original parental generation includes two different purebred animals. Each generation following the parental generation (P generation) is designated with an F followed by a number that indicates the generation sequence (F1, F2, F3,etc.). This is standard scientific nomenclature when identifying generations for most living organisms-from Cockapoos to livestock to fruit trees to people.
In Cockapoos, the parental generation is the breeding of a Poodle with a Cocker Spaniel. Their offspring are designated as first filial generation or F1 Cockapoos. If you breed an F1 Cockapoo with an F1 Cockapoo their offspring will be a second filial generation or F2 Cockapoos.
Poodle x Cocker Spaniel = F1 Cockapoo
F1 Cockapoo x F1 Cockapoo= F2 Cockapoo
F2 Cockapoo x F2 Cockapoo= F3 Cockapoo
F3 Cockapoo x F3 Cockapoo= F4 Cockapoo
F4 Cockapoo x F4 Cockapoo= F5 Cockapoo
The term multi-generational refers to any Cockapoo that is designated as an F3 or higher-generation.
The above types of breeding, no matter what filial, results in Cockapoos that are 50% poodle and 50% Cocker Spaniel hybrids. As filial generations increase (F3, F4, F5, and beyond), so does the genetic stability and phenotype predictability of the offspring. Each subsequent multi-generation dog is able to produce more consistent offspring then the generation before it. This is how different breeds are developed. Throughout the course of many, many generations, only dogs with the specific traits that are chosen to represent that breed are allowed to reproduce. Therefore, undesirable traits are not passed to future generations.
Now, let’s talk about what the “b” means in filial generations (F1b, F2b, etc.). The “b” stands for the term “breed-back”. It means that a filial generation was bred back to a parent generation. In our context, it means that a Cockapoo was bred-back to either a Poodle or a Cocker Spaniel, and the resulting offspring are no longer pure filial generations (true Cockapoos). A Cockapoo that is bred to a Poodle produces offspring that are genetically 75% Poodle and only 25% Cocker Spaniel. Likewise, a Cockapoo that is bred to a Cocker Spaniel produces offspring that are 75% Cocker Spaniel and only 25% Poodle. The dogs that are produced should not be labeled as Cockapoos. A more appropriate term for these dogs would be either a Poodle-cross or a Cocker Spaniel-cross because genetically they highly favor one breed over the other, and are no longer an equal representation of both breeds. A true Cockapoo will always be equal amounts of Poodle and Cocker Spaniel.
(Please note that this is an extremely simplified lesson in Cockapoo genetics. Genetics and the inheritance of genetic traits is much more complicated.)
Searching for the perfect Cockapoo puppy to join your family is a big task, and it is important that you are as knowledgeable and informed as possible when making your decision. Here are some basic questions that we suggest you should ask every breeder while conducting your search.
Why do you breed and what are your qualifications?
Are all of your dogs registered with the American Cockapoo Club and health tested, and if so, can you provide the certificates/ reports? Do your dogs trace back to parental generations with American Kennel Club registrations?
Describe the conformation of each parent dog. Describe the personality of each parent dog.
What generation are the parents and puppies?
Where are all of your dogs housed? Can I visit where you raised your puppies and keep your dogs, or can I video chat you to see these things?
What socialization and training do you provide puppies? Give specific details.
Describe the type and frequency of updates you provide families once puppies are born?
Are puppies examined by a licensed veterinarian and given a written good bill of health before being transferred to their families? (Note-this should be done around 6-8 weeks of age.)
When are vaccinations given, and does a licensed veterinarian administer them?
Do you provide a health guarantee? (Note-be cautious because some breeders require you to feed a certain food or vitamin for their guarantee to be valid. They do this because they get kickbacks from the company that sells the food/ vitamin.)
What is your adoption process?
Do you require a deposit to join your waitlist, and is it refundable?
Can I see your purchase contract?
Can you provide three or more references from past puppy families so that I may contact them about their experience with you?
A good breeder will happily answer all of your questions, and even provide you with information beyond the scope of your inquiries. If a breeder cannot or will not readily provide you with answers to any of these questions, that is a red flag and you should proceed with caution.
Food and water bowls – Stainless steel and ceramic bowls are best; plastic bowls may leach chemicals into the food and water.
Kennel – Kennels with dividers are nice to use when potty training because they limit the amount of space your puppy has for sleeping. A large space allows a puppy to sleep on one side of the kennel and potty on the other side. We recommend a create that has double doors and is at least 30L x 22W x 24H.
Leash, collar, and optional harness – Our dogs wear collars while at home, and only wear a harness for walks and other outings. When a harness is worn continually, its friction against the dog’s coat tends to cause mats.
Grooming tools – Nail clippers, a metal comb, slicker brush, and curved grooming scissors for trimming around the eyes between grooming appointments is all you will need for grooming.
Appropriate chew toys and bones – Please diligently research and speak with your veterinarian about what types of chew toys and bones are safe for your puppy. Just because a toy or bone is sold at a pet store, it does not mean it is safe!
There is a copious amount of different dog food brands available, and the internet is full of contradicting and misleading information. It is best to talk to your veterinarian about the food they recommend. Our adult dogs are fed Purina Pro Plan Performance food, which has 30% protein, 20% fat. Our puppies are fed Puring Pro Plan Puppy food, which has 33% protein, 20% fat. Both foods do not contain legumes (peas,beans, lentils,etc.) which have been linked to cardiovascular disease in dogs.
If you chose to feed meals, a young, small puppy needs 4-6 meals per day. Our puppies and adult dogs are not fed meals, but at all times have food and water available to them in their bowl. We do not feed meals because we have found that having food constantly available promotes healthy eating habits, such as only eating when hungry and only eating until satisfied. Our dogs have always been at healthy weights with the feeding method.
You will need to take your puppy to the vet for a health exam within three days of receiving your puppy to satisfy the requirements of the purchase contract. After this exam, you will need to take your puppy to the vet to continue its vaccinations at 10-12 weeks, 16-18 weeks, 12 months, and every 1-2 years when they are an adult.
A Cockapoo’s coat is wonderful because it does not shed, but the trade-off is that it needs groomed more often. You should brush your dog’s coat several times a week, as well as take it to a professional groomer to be clipped every 2-3 months. We find that brushing our dogs is enjoyable and relaxing, and the time spent grooming is worth not having our house and clothes covered in dog hair.
Neuter is a Latin word that means “of neither sex”. It is the removal of an animal’s reproductive organs (either all or part) to prevent reproduction. In dogs this is done surgically by removing the testicles of a male dog or by removing the uterus and ovaries of a female dog. The correct terminology for the removal of the reproductive organs of a male is castration, however for dogs many people use the term neuter. The term spay is used for the removal of the reproductive organs in female dogs.
Traditionally, veterinarians have neutered dogs around the age of 6 to 8 months; this age was selected simply based on the need to reduce stray pet populations. However, recent research indicates that the best age to neuter a dog depends on the breed and sex, and that neutering a dog too early can cause an increased risk for joint disorders, cancers, and incontinence. New age guidelines for neutering have been created in order to avoid increasing the risk of these adverse health conditions. It is recommended that male Miniature Poodles are neutered no earlier than 11 months of age and male Cocker Spaniels are neutered no earlier than 6 months of age. Female Miniature Poodles did not show an increased risk, therefore no age recommendation is given, and it is recommended that female Cocker Spaniels are neutered no earlier than 23 months of age. Since Cockapoos are half Poodle and half Cocker Spaniel, we encourage people to follow the older age recommendation for neutering-males 11 months of age and females 23 months of age.
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2020.00388/full
Yes, it is always good for a dog to be kenneled trained. A young puppy needs a safe place to be if it has to be left unattended for a short period of time during the day, or during the night while you are sleeping. Once your Cockapoo has been completely potty trained, made it through the chewing stage, and matured into an adult (about 12 months old) it is safe to leave him/ her unattended outside of the kennel.
We understand the excitement of having a new puppy and the desire to take your puppy to different places, like the park, a pet retail store, or to visit your friend’s dog. But, until your puppy is fully vaccinated it is best to avoid exposing your puppy to areas where other animals, especially dogs, are or have been present.
It is best to start your puppy’s potty training the moment your puppy arrives at your home. Dogs are creatures of habit, so creating good habits from the beginning is essential. Set a schedule for taking your puppy outside for potty breaks; don’t wait until you see your puppy sniffing the floor or circling. We recommend using the bell system to house train your puppy as Cockapoos very quickly understand the concept and it speeds up the potty-training process.
We recommend two training programs. One is Baxter and Bella Online Puppy School. It is a one time payment for a lifetime subscription to a huge catalog of training videos, articles, blogs, podcasts, chatrooms, and other resources. Additionally, you can schedule a video with a professional dog trainer at any time. The second training opportunity we recommend is finding a local AKC Canine Good Citizen obedience course. You and your puppy will be able to attend in-person obedience classes which are taught by a certified trainer.
The decision for pet insurance is best evaluated on an individual basis. Please speak to your veterinarian to get more information about available programs, and if they are beneficial to you. We personally do not have pet insurance.
Our breeding program began as a homeschool project for our daughters. It was a hands-on approach to learning science (biology/ animal husbandry), writing (record keeping), and math (finances/ money), as well as teaching responsibility and the value of hard work. After raising our first litter and having such an amazing experience, we decided to do it again. And over time, our simple homeschool project evolved into our current breeding program.
As we cultivated our program, we recognized the lack of breed standards and developed lineages among Cockapoos across the United States even though the breed has been around since the 1960’s. So, we decided to focus our program on modeling the highest breed standards and developing the lineages, with the goal of transforming the Cockapoo from a hybrid breed to an AKC recognized breed.
Knowledge and experience matter when it comes to who raises your future family member, and our qualifications set us apart from other breeders. The director of our breeding program has a lifetime of knowledge and experience with animals from growing up in the country and raising every kind of animal imaginable. Her experience primarily involved raising horses, cows, pigs, chickens, and dogs, but the occasional cat, guinea pig, and parakeet also found its way to their loving home. Her family bred and raised AKC German Shepherds, and she whelped and raised her own litter of puppies at the age of 12. Throughout her school years she was very active in 4-H and FFA, showing dogs, horses, swine, and rabbits. She has a Bachelor of Science degree from Abilene Christian University in Texas, where she majored in Animal Science, taking courses in biology, animal husbandry, genetics, animal nutrition, feed analysis, ago-economics, and business management. After college, she bred and raised Weimaraner’s and volunteered with a Weimaraner Rescue program serving as a foster home. She is now happy to share her passion of raising and caring for animals with her family.
Yes, all of our breeding sires and dams are DNA health tested through Embark. Embark tests for genetic health conditions relevant to Cockapoos, as well as over 190 other genetic mutations associated with disease in dogs. It also provides us with information on coat traits, like color, length, texture, shedding, and more. DNA testing is an important tool in our breeding program as we strive to produce the healthiest Cockapoos possible. Each of our dog’s health reports are available on our website, under the “Parents” tab.
Yes, all of our parents are registered with the American Cockapoo Club, and can be traced back to American Kennel Club (AKC) paternal generations. All of our puppies are eligible for American Cockapoo Club registration, and our puppy families are provided with the needed paperwork to complete their puppy’s registration.
All of our dogs live in our home or a guardian family’s home as a valued member of the family. They live life right alongside us, from the everyday grind, to celebrating special events and holidays, and even going on vacations with us. They are cherished members of the family, and we treat them as such. None of our dogs are ever kept in dog runs or in a kennel setting. We utilize guardian families in our breeding program to purposefully keep the number of dogs per home low so that each dog is given a life of abundant love and attention.
All of our puppies are whelped and raised right in the middle of our home! Our puppy room is located in the center of our house, and is open to our main living area on one side and our bedrooms on the otherside. This is the perfect location for raising puppies as they are constantly exposed to the activities and noises of everyday life in a household. As the puppies get older, they explore beyond their puppy room, and we frequently take them to our big backyard for play sessions. Unlike other breeders, our puppies are never kept in a back room, garage, or even a separate building.
We have curated a detailed socialization and training program for our puppies that we begin from the moment they are born and continue until they join your family. Each week we focus on specific activities that build upon previous trainings and include exposure to new and different people, sights, sounds, smells, environments, and places. All of our puppies join their families knowing how to use a potty tray, sleep in a crate, come, and sit. Our training and socialization program creates confident and happy dogs, which makes the transition to their new home easy and promotes bonding with their family. Please see the “Our Program” tab on our website for more information.
Yes, we are confident in the pups we produce and are happy to offer our puppy families a one-year health guarantee. Please see our purchase contract (under FAQ-Adopting a Puppy) for the details of our health guarantee.
All of our puppies are examined by a licensed veterinarian and given a written good bill of health before joining their new families. It is important to us that our puppies are given the best start in life before joining their new family, so all of our puppies are also given their first set of vaccinations, which are administered by a licensed veterinarian, before joining their new families. Each puppy family is provided with their puppy’s full medical records when they receive their puppy.
No, we do not dock tails. We feel that the tail is aesthetically important to balancing the Cockapoo body, and Cockapoos are beyond cute with their tails attached! Tail docking begin in ancient Roman with the belief that removing a dog’s tail prevented rabies. It continued through time with working and sporting dogs as it was believed that removing the tail would prevent injury during activity, such as hunting or herding. For some breeds, tail docking began as a way to improve desired appearance, and some breed clubs today include cosmetic tail docking as part of their breed standards. Popular opinion seems to be changing though, as many people and organizations, such as the American Veterinary Medical Association, are opposing the practice.
Our Puppy Selections are held when the puppies turn six-weeks old. At this age, each puppy’s individual personality is starting to bloom, and families are better able to evaluate which puppy will be the best fit for them. Families are always welcome to come to our house for their Puppy Selection. If they are unable to make their selection in person, the selection can be done via video chat. Puppy Selections are done in order of rank on the waitlist.
Yes! Our puppy families are always welcome at any time to set an appointment to visit the puppies. We love it when families come for visits! Some of our puppy families live too far to visit the puppies in person, so we happily schedule video chats so that they too can view and interact with the puppies.
Our puppies are transferred to their new families at 8 weeks old. From the age of 6 to 12 weeks old, puppies enter a stage called the socialization period. During this stage, puppies learn about the world around them, like how it functions and what is normal in their environment. For the first two weeks of this stage (weeks 6-7), we expose the puppies to many new experiences, focusing on positive exposure to the world around them. This builds a puppy’s confidence and their resiliency to new experiences. It is an important factor in easing a puppy’s transition to its new family and home. During the remaining socialization period (weeks 8-12), it is important for the puppy to be in its new home. This gives the puppy the best chance at adapting to its new environment.
We require all puppies adopted as pets to be spayed or neutered after they reach sexual maturity. This helps in the battle against pet overpopulation. Please talk with your veterinarian about the proper time to spay or neuter your dog. Current research leads us to recommend male Cockapoos to be neutered after one year of age and female Cockapoos to be spayed after two years of age.
We are located in Farmington, New Mexico, which is near the Four Corners (where the borders of Colorado, Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico meet). We are just three hours northwest of Albuquerque’s International Airport. Farmington is an easy day drive from Denver, Colorado (7 hours), as well as from Phoenix, Arizona (6.5 hours). From Los Angeles, California we are an 11.5-hour drive, and from Dallas, Texas we are 12 hours.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us! We are always happy to provide information and answer questions.
Email: kokopellicockapoos@gmail.com
Phone/ text: (505)327-1781
Facebook messenger: Please visit our Facebook page to send a message.
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