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Families should not pick popular pets such as cockapoos because they expect them to suffer fewer ailments, say researchers
The designer cross-breed dogs beloved by celebrities are no healthier than pure-breds, a study has found.
Cockapoos, cavapoos and labradoodles are extremely popular dogs that are bred from poodles and another breed, whether that is a cocker spaniel, a cavalier King Charles spaniel or a labrador – famous owners of which include Tiger Woods and Kelly Brook.
These dogs are often touted as being a healthier, better-behaved pet than either of its parental breeds, but data from more than 9,400 dogs revealed the trendy pets are no healthier overall, and have a similar level of risk of disease, research from the Royal Veterinary College found.
Sellers of the dogs claim they are healthier, but when scientists looked at 57 different ailments they found the same level of risk for 87 per cent of conditions.
There were some minor differences, the study found, with all the cross-breeds inheriting a voracious appetite and tendency to suffer from “dietary indiscretion” which includes eating unusual and unwanted items.
All three of the cross-breeds also suffered from an increased risk of diarrhoea and vomiting.
Cockapoos were found to be less likely than a poodle or cocker spaniel to have eye disorders, but are 3.5 times as likely to go to the vets after eating a foreign body than a poodle.
Labradoodles are 76 per cent less at risk of a knee condition called patellar luxation than poodles, but are three times at risk of having allergies and alopecia.
For cavapoos, they are half as likely as a cavalier King Charles spaniel to be obese, but more likely to suffer from vomiting and diarrhoea.
Animal welfare experts say the findings show that there is very little difference in the long-term health of these cross-breeds and their progenitor breeds and that this misleading propaganda should not be part of the reasoning for owners choosing to adopt or buy one.
Owners should instead pick their pet based on more accurate and applicable information, they say, such as actual expected health issues, size, behavioural tendencies and temperament.
Data show cockapoos are now the second most popular puppy breed in the UK, behind only the wildly en vogue French bulldog.
Labradors are third, with the cocker spaniel and chihuahua taking the fourth and fifth spots, respectively.
Meanwhile, figures from the RVC also show that there were more cockapoos (653,597) owned in Britain in 2023 than either cocker spaniels (562,951) or poodles (105,369).
Dr Rowena Packer, senior lecturer in companion animal behaviour and welfare science at the RVC and senior author of the paper, said: “The popularity of designer cross-breeds, particularly poodle crosses, has boomed over the past decade in the UK.
“With cute teddy bear-like features, their aesthetic appeal to many households is clear. However, our previous research discovered that many are purchased based on assumed characteristics that are not well-evidenced, such as perceptions they are hypoallergenic, good with children, and have good health.
“This study has demonstrated that although the health of designer poodle-crosses is no worse than their parent breeds, it is also no better.
Dr Packer added: “This means that owners should still be strongly focused on purchasing from breeders who prioritise health and temperament over looks in their breeding decisions, and not to assume their puppy will automatically be healthy because it is a cross-breed.
“Prospective owners should be extremely mindful that the popularity of poodle-crosses means they are at high risk of coming from poor welfare sources such as puppy farms and illegal imports to meet this demand, which could negatively influence their future health and welfare.”
Dr Dan O’Neill, associate professor in companion animal epidemiology at the RVC and co-author of the paper, said: “Ongoing public concerns about serious health issues affecting pedigree dogs are pushing people increasingly towards acquiring designer cross-breed dogs, but this new work suggests that owners wanting to avoid acquiring innately sick dogs should instead focus on avoiding extreme body shapes (for example, flattened faces, bulging eyes, skin folds) regardless of whether the dog is pure-bred or a designer cross-bred breed.”
The study is published in PLOS One.