Homing Your Cockapoo Puppies

By the time you’re ready to let your Cockapoo puppies go to a new home, you will be knowledgeable about the breed and the responsibilities of dog ownership. However, not everyone that rings your number grab themselves a Cockapoo will, so you must inform them about the challenges as well as the fun aspect of having a brand new puppy.

Fortunately Cockapoos are quite low maintenance compared to larger breeds but that doesn’t mean they’re no-maintenance. If you encounter someone with a mobility issue asking about one of your puppies, you may want ask how they plan to exercise the dog each day?

The bottom line is a responsible breeder ensures their litter does go to good homes. People aren’t perfect, but your gut instinct should be enough to make sure you give some inquiries a thorough screening.

Prepare yourself with some questions to ask interested parties who enquire about the availability of your puppies; here are some ideas:

1. What has attracted the person or family to the Cockapoo breed?

2. Who is going to be the primary carer of the dogs needs?

3. How is your work schedule?…have you considered the time needed for exercise, grooming and basic obedience training?

4. Are you sure you or a family member is not allergic (Cockapoos are light-shedders but they do shed some hair)

5. What veterinarian practice do they intend to use? Will they be getting pet insurance in case a major operation is needed?

6. How seriously do they take training their dog.  A happy dog is one that pleases its master and happy owners have obedient dogs not naughty ones.

7. How often will the dog be by itself?  Cockapoos are bred as a companion dog so they do suffer from separation anxiety and not good on their own for long periods.

8. Puppies need to play–will the new owner have time to do this quite intensively at first and then walk the dog at least once a day?

9. Will they be registering the dog with the local breed club? Or showing their dog or meeting up with other Cockapoo enthusiasts?

You should also provide written documentation on a number of items:

• Vaccination/health records
• Feeding instructions
• Health guarantees,
• Return policy
• Any health or genetic tests
• Sales agreement/contract

Register Your Litter Soon After Whelping

If you have bred a Cockapoo and the mother or father was a Poodle or Cocker Spaniel then you can register the litter with the Kennel Club (KC). If you have mated a Cockapoo with another Cockapoo then you will not be able to register it with the KC as they only acknowledge pure breeds.

You can register your litter here

A dog with a kennel club registration allows you to create a record of the dogs place on the family tree. The dog will be also be listed on the kennel club health test finder database which is useful as approved health tests will be logged. To use the database you will need to have the KC registration number of the dog.

Registering the litter with your breed club

F2 Cockapoos can be registered if the breeder is registered with the CCGB. More information can be found here

Since there is only 27 registered breeders in the UK this is not often going to be possible. If you are going to breed your Cockapoo, we recommend you looking into applying to the CCGB scheme. An online form can be filled in here

Care Plan For The Female Cockapoo After Whelping

The Mum’s Diet

After whelping, it’s normal for the bitches’ appetite to slow down and take on little food. This should only last for a few days however before her appetite returns and it should get back to normal after about three weeks. It’s important you monitor food intake because if the bitch is starving herself of the necessary nutrients that come with a high quality dog food eclampsia can set in. This is also called ‘Milk fever’ because the puppies sudden demand for milk means there is also a sudden demand for calcium from the bones of the body. A deficiency of available calcium results in tonoclonic contractions of the skeletal muscles.

Eclampsia most commonly occurs in first litters and toy breeds, so this is particularly relevant to Cockapoo breeders. Good nutrition during pregnancy is the best way to protect against eclampsia and the main symptoms are:

• Clumsy walking
• Fever and high temperature
• Diarrhea
• Whining, panting
• Poor maternal care towards the puppies

If in doubt call your vet. Eclampsia can be treated quickly and effectively through a IV drip feed.

Three weeks after whelping the mother will need 2-3 times more food than her normal pre-pregnancy diet. This will help provide the milk supply for the puppies. Since there is a marked extra intake in food, split the meals to 3 or 4 servings a day but don’t allow her to just gulp down or 1 or 2 big meals. The food mix should be the same as during the last third of the pregnancy. The bitch’s weight will be 5-10% heavier than her pre-pregnancy weight and it won’t be until she no longer needs to nurse her puppies that her diet can be return to normal. Gradually going back to routine exercise will help shed excess weight.

Hand Rearing Cockapoo Puppies

Sometimes it’s necessary to manually feed puppies from a bottle. This could be because a large litter has been produced, mastitis, or sometimes the bitch is simply unwilling to let the puppies feed from her.

Choose a popular brand of puppy formula and carefully follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Cow’s milk is a poor substitute as it does not contain the high levels of calcium, calories or phosphorous where as branded formula is scientifically formulated to give the puppy what it needs.

Get into the habit of weighing each puppy daily and keeping written records. You want to be sure steady weight gain is happening and this will also help you gauge they are taking on the right amount of milk whether it be from the mother or a formula.

If a puppy gets diarrhea then half the formula quantity until stools become solid again and gradually increase it to the recommended level. You are looking for solid well formed stools and steady weight gain as a sign things are progressing well. If diarrhea does not clear up soon, phone your veterinarian as this is dangerous for a puppy if it continues.

Other tips are:

• Prepare formulas daily and dispose of anything unused
• Practice good safe hygiene standards to stop bacteria spreading and risk of infection
• Warm formula to a 100 degrees before letting it cool
• Use a bottle and nipple and hold at an angle to avoid air bubbles
• Enlarge the opening of the nipple with a hot needle to increase flow
• The puppy should have enough milk flow to be able to suck vigorously from the bottle
• Consult a veterinarian if nursing is difficult as the puppy may need tube feeding which is best administered by the vet.

Delicate Cockapoo Puppy Massage

The mother will naturally lick her puppies which provides the stimulation needed to allow the puppy to urinate and defecate. However, if the puppies are orphaned you will have make sure this happens. Take a cotton ball and dip it in warm water and gently rub the anal region. A delicate body massage also helps to stimulate circulation and wake the puppy up when it’s time to feed. You can use a soft damp cloth to stroke the puppies sides.

New Born Cockapoo Puppies

Temperature Control

Maintaining the correct temperature is very important for new born puppies. A new born puppy cannot regulate its own temperature so you must provide it with a comfortable warm environment. If the puppy is too cold it is more susceptible to infectious diseases and if too hot the puppy might die.

For the first five days of life the environmental temperature should be kept between 85-90 degrees.The environmental temperature can gradually be reduced to 80 degrees from the seventh to tenth day and further reduced to 75 degrees by the end of the fourth week.

Most breeders use a heat lamp or a insulated electric heating pad to provide warmth, but you must always make sure the puppies can crawl to a cooler place if they get to warm.

Nursing

Every puppy needs to start nursing from the bitch as early as possible. Of course it is a natural instinct but make sure every puppy from the litter is nursing from the mother. The milk produced by the bitch contains colostrum which provides the puppy with vital nutrients to give it immunity from infectious diseases.

Canine Mastitis

Some bitches contract mastitis which is a breast infection and will prevent the puppies from nursing at the breast. This isn’t common but you should be aware of it so look out for these signs:

• Enlarged, swelled nipples that are painful when touched
• Discoloured milk
• The mother does not wanting to feed her litter and snappy
• You detect a bad odor from the nipples
• Fever like symptoms
• The mother is listless and off her food

Canine Mastitis is caused by scratches from the puppies claws around the teets, or when nipples become cracked or chapped from over use. This leads to bacterial infection to the milk ducts. If left untreated it can lead to sceptic shock and the bitch will die so do act early and call the veterinarian!

If Complications Arise Consult Your Veterinarian

As a breeder you should have a phone number on hand of a veterinarian. It is a good idea to let your veterinarian know that a litter is planned and have an out of hours number ready just in case.

You should call your veterinarian if the mother exhibits:

• Any signs of distress or acute pain
• Contractions lasting in excess of 45 minutes without the arrival of a puppy
• Long gaps between puppies (if over 2 hours have passed between puppies being born)
• If the mother starts, shivering, trembling, or collapses
• If the mother passes a dark green or bloody fluid before the birth of the first puppy. After the dam has successfully birthed the first puppy, this discharge is perfectly normal.
• If there are no signs of going into labor passed the 64^th day of pregnancy.

*It is important the conception date has been verified with your veterinarian)

Cockapoo Puppies Are Born

After going into labor, most bitches give birth without complications and without human intervention. A puppy will appear in its own sac (or placental membrane) which needs to be removed in order for the newborn pup to breathe. The mother will sometimes eat the membrane, this is perfectly natural. The maternal instincts of the female allows her to instinctively tear off the membrane and then severe the umbilical cord with her teeth. She will then lick the newborn Cockapoo puppies all over to stimulating breathing.

It is important you keep track of how many placentas are delivered. As with human placentas, if the placenta is not delivered it will cause complications and put the female at risk of surviving labor.

What the breeder must do if the mother does not remove the puppy from the placental membrane or sever umbilical cord?

1. The membrane should be torn open by the puppy’s head and peeled downward until the puppy can be carefully removed.
2. Remove any mucus or fluids from the puppy’s mouth and nose and gently rub the puppy with a towel to stimulate circulation.
3. The umbilical cord should be tied with unwaxed dental floss and cut approx two inches from the abdomen. The cut end should be covered with iodine to prevent infection.

You must act fast—a puppy can only stay inside the sac for a few minutes before the oxygen supply is depleted.

It is very important for the puppies to suckle soon after emerging from the womb. Immediately after labor, the bitch will begin cleaning her puppies, keeping them warm, and allowing them to suckle. Suckling allows the puppies to ingest colostrum (a milky substance containing maternal antibodies which is produced in the mammary glands after birth).

Until the Cockapoo puppies immune systems are mature, the colostrum milk serves to fight possible infections away. To make sure the puppies are getting proper nourishment, weigh and record their weight during the first two weeks.

Introduce Your Dam To A Whelping Box

Cockapoos are perfect for whelping boxes because of their size and you will want to introduce it to her at least a month before the due date so she can become accustomed to her new environment.  Some pregnant females will start to seek out a safe, warm, quiet place in advanced stages of pregnancy so, if you see these signs, prepare an area or box for her to start getting comfortable.  You want to make her as anxiety free as possible.

Although the whelping box should be a cozy environment bare in mind it also needs to be roomy for the litter and for you to reach in an out when the puppies when born. Be aware the pups will need something to crawl under to stop them be squashed by the bitch so inserting a shelve along one side is a good idea.

Line the box with newspaper so it can be easily removed when soiled and replaced with fresh paper.  After whelping put some carpet down or bath mats to help the puppies gain traction under their slippery paws and learn to stand.

Natural Breeding

Once you have screened your Cockapoo bitch to make sure she is fit and healthy to be bred you can consider next steps.

A young bitch should not be breed in her first season (under 12 months) as it will be detrimental to put her through the trauma of pregnancy and feeding a litter at such a young age.  A pregnancy is quite an ordeal for a dam so she should not be bred in consecutive years as she will need time to recuperate.

On average the length of the bitches reproductive cycle is two-four weeks. The estrus period when bitches are ready to mate varies greatly between breeds and dogs within the same breed.  If you are mating with a stud dog who lives far away then you may want to have the bitch examined by a vet who can carry out an ovulation test to pinpoint the cycle with accuracy.

Where should the mating take place?

In most cases, the bitch will reside with the stud as they are more accepting of a new environment it is more likely the stud dog could get disinterested if placed a new environment.  An experienced bitch is a good partner for a young stud dog.

When the actual mating commences the male will mount the female until ejaculation takes place.  They will rest together for a period of ten–thirty minutes, this is called “tie time” and your stud dog can manifest bulbus glandis after they separate which is a polite way of saying “swollen penis”.

As a dog breeder, you should respect the time that the animals are joined and they may move around together and appear stuck – do not try and separate them however as it could cause injury, just wait for separation to happen naturally.

In certain situations artificial insemination is used but this is rare with cross breeds as it is a detailed and expensive procedure.  Also, because F2 cross breeds do not have DNA certification, most veterinary practices would be unlikely to allow this process.

Perform Pre-Breeding Health Checks

Breeding quality puppies starts long before the dam and sire meet.  The term conditioning applies to dogs that have been well looked after.  This must mean standard veterinary care, testing for genetic problems, pre breeding health checks and regular exercise and healthy nutritious diet.

Here is a list of things you must do:

• A fit, well exercised dog with well defined muscle tone
• No hereditary diseases as proved by a health check (link)
• Good temperament (as opposed to snappy or insecure)
• Veterinary examination one month before breeding
• Vaccinations up to date
• Tested and treated for parasites
• Test sire for brucellosis which is a bacterial disease that leads makes a dog sterile and increased risk of miscarriage.

It’s worth noting the age at which any dog reaches sexual maturity – always wait for the dam and sire to be over two years of age before mating. Breeding a bitch before she is old enough will be detrimental to her health. Sires remain active at any time and stud dogs remain fertile to a ripe old age!

Kennel Club Rules do not allow, except with special documentation, the registration of a litter from a female less than 8 months or more than 12 years of age at the time of mating, or by a male less than 7 months or more than 12 years at the time of mating. (Check national Kennel Club guidelines for more information)

There are four periods to the bitches 12 month cycle:

Proestrus:

Lasts approx 9 days

The bitch will not allow breeding during this period. She will attract males however and pass a bloody discharge.

Estrus:

Period lasts approx 9 days

is the fancy name for when a bitch is in heat, this starts after about six months of age, although it can be delayed until as late as 18 months. The estrus cycles occurs every six months until quite late in life. The bitch will accept the male at this time.

Diestrus:

Cycle time approx 60 to 90 days

This occurs whether or not the bitch becomes pregnant and is the period when the reproductive tract is under the control of the hormone progesterone. False pregnancy is occasionally seen during diestrus.

Anestrus:

Cycle lasts between three and four months.

No sexual activity takes place.

Know your genetics

Genetics can be a daunting subject for people but as a responsible dog breeder you need at least to have a basic grasp of why it is so important so as to limit passing on regressive genes from parent dogs to puppies.

To the novice selecting a sire and dam based solely on looks is the usual mistake. However, breeding dogs should be predicated on an understanding of how the parental genes have contributed to the dogs looks and recognising that investigating each parent’s genetic health will determine if two dogs should indeed be mated at all. The greater the understanding you have the better, and the increased likelihood you will be blessed with a litter that has the natural intrinsic qualities you are looking for.

You should also know what problems can occur by breeding a Cocker Spaniel and a poodle (link). Although we know they are generally a good match there are underlying issues to be aware of and tested for. With out getting too scientific here is a simple explanation of how genetic defects are passed a long and manifest in the offspring.

One abnormal gene = one parent affected.  The abnormality will occur in all generations but may go undetected in some generations because it can be a mild or more pronounced. This underlines the importance of health testing because the owner may not be aware of the condition.

One abnormal gene + one normal gene. This is called heterozygous and dogs who are heterozygous are termed carriers of the condition. Carriers conceal the abnormality because they do not appear to be suffering from the mutation, however, they will pass on the abnormal gene to their puppies. Recurring mutant genes will continue to lie dormant before appearing when two dogs in the off-spring have been carrying the same mutation.

Two abnormal genes are diseases that follow a recessive pattern of inheritance or homozygous disorder, meaning dogs of successive generations will deteriorate with the inherited condition.

Polygenic disorders – too many different genes being passed on into one hybrid can result in problems making the underlying difficulties hard to diagnose and predict as the pattern of inheritance will change form litter to litter.  This type of mutation will occur if too many successive generations are breed from Cockapoo to Cockapoo and is less likely to happen if an original Cocker spaniel is breed with a poodle.

Chromosomal irregularity – mutation in a chromosome structure & number can lead to genetic diseases.  Canines have thirty nine pairs of chromosomes where genes are located. Serious mutations to the  structure & number will produce serious defects.

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