# Is your Cockerpoo hyper?



## flowers (Mar 14, 2013)

Hi All
I am not yet a Cockerpoo owner but have really enjoyed reading the forum threads and looking at pictures and meeting Cockerpoo owners in the park whilst researching whether a Cockerpoo is the right dog for my family. 

We have narrowed the search down to a Cockerpoo, Cavapoo or a Labradoodle.
Our last dog was a beautiful, perfect and gorgeous, gentle Labrador who we miss dreadfully, we have decided to downsize if and when we get another dog.

Every time I meet Cockerpoo owners in the park they tell me that their dogs are hyper and so,e of claimed that there dogs are neurotic and we have been told if we want a calmer dog we should go for a Cavapoo, I have also been told the same of the Labradoodle.

My question is.... Is this true? We would love a dog with spark and personality but not a dog that is so hyper that it bounces around all day and doesn't have chill out time and constantly wants to be on the go it would exhaust us! 

I wondered if the parent mix ie working or show cocker spaniel made a difference to temperament and how many of you have hyper Cockerpoos or is it down to the breeding and the time and training put in that will determine how your Cockapoo behaves.

Thank you so much for any advice.


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## lady amanda (Nov 26, 2010)

Lady is mixed with an American cocker, and hyper is definetly not what I would use to describe her at all...now when she was a new little puppy sure she had lots of energy, but at a year, she has calmed down, and is quite happy to have a day snuggling on the couch! obviously still with a walk in there, and some play time.


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

I don't think cockapoos are hyper. They are very active outside but calm and placid inside. They still have their hyper moments when everyone comes home in my family and they are excited. All puppies can be hyper but mine were by far the most calm in our puppy classes and their obedience class out of all the pedigrees and crossbreeds.


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## SamRinde (Jun 10, 2013)

Frankie is still a puppy so I can't speak for the adult cockapoo, but good god Frankie is hyper sometimes!

Now, he is very tired after playing with other dogs in the dog park, but walks and indoor fetch doesn't make him as tired. That's why he is hyper sometimes, I think he gets a little stir-crazy. But on weekends, when we can go to the dog park, he'll be very calm after that. He wakes up around 6:30-7, and we'll eat and play indoors, then go to the dog park. After an hour of romping around with other dogs, he is exhausted. And once he's tired, he is much more calm the rest of the day. He'll just sleep, wake up to chew some nylabones or antlers, go back to bed, fetch a little more, etc. 

The old motto is certainly correct - a tired dog is a good dog. As long as they get the exercise, they are calm. Frankie needs a fair bit of exercise to get tired, in my opinion. 

Of note - I never had a dog growing up and my only point of reference is an 11 yr old Bichon Frise that my fiancee's parents have. That dog goes for about 30 minutes - 1 hour walk a day and literally sleeps for the rest of it. That is not what Frankie does... lol.


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## fairlie (Sep 7, 2013)

Rufus is of dubious parentage and is definitely hyper. He is calming a bit now that he is three but only just a bit. He does best with a lot of exercise and stimulation but even after a ton of training he still gets overly excited when we go out, get in the car etc...

He is a puppy school drop out because we could not contain his frenzied energy around such a distraction. Thankfully for us and him we live in a place where he can keep busy all day and there is always a lap to snuggle in when he crashes.


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

The poodle is a very active bright energetic breed - don't be fooled into thinking that they are curly haired lap dogs.... Any poodle mix is going to be a dog that will probably have a coat that needs more than average care taken of it and regular trips to a grooming salon and regular at home coat care too. Poodles need plenty of mental and physical stimulation and some poodles can be nervous - any poodle cross will have poodle characteristics. Really important that you get to know something about the poodle side of any pup you decide to purchase and if posible meet the sire if that (as is often the case) is the poodle. Poodles can be described as Tigger on speed.
Puppies and young dogs have lots of energy and need plenty of opportunity to exercise and benefit from training.
My cavapoo is 75% poodle - she is a full on active dog, who loves to run, leap, swim, jump and cuddle. My cockapoo is at the mad dizzy charge around or chew everything stage. They are both fantastic dogs and I wouldn't change anything about them


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## Tinman (Apr 23, 2013)

Mine tend to be more hyper when they get in from their daily run around the fields and doodle dash around the lounge, across the couches & up the stairs! But they are both good at playing with each other, entertaining themselves & cuddling of an evening! 
They are not a lap dog, they need exercise - love the great outdoors like a day in the forest or beach (which dog doesn't) but they are a great dog, not too big to share the couch, and not too small they need carrying everywhere! X


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## Critterluvr (Dec 8, 2013)

I agree about the Poodle mix...Poodles need a lot more exercise and mental stimulation than the average dog. So it just depends on what you are looking for in a dog. I find I them extremely fun and entertaining.... But that is what I like. Having said that I only work part time and my kids are grown so I have the time and energy for a more active dog, plus we have acreage. 
I don't think that Labradoodles are a calm dog, every one I have met has been extremely hyper....perhaps find a reputable breeder that has good references and does health testing.
I think the Cavapoos are calmer than the Cockapoos and Labradoodles but the Cavalier breed has some health issues that are quite prevalent.


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## Lexi&Beemer (May 5, 2013)

I think there is a very big difference between hyper and neurotic. Lexi is full on hyper in moments. Her doodle dashes are hilarious and she has this look of extreme joy while running around like a mad dog. Beemer is a bit neurotic. He's more reactive to stimuli (visual and audio) and needs a little more from me to relax in the way Lexi does naturally. So they come from the same litter and look a lot the same so probably share many similar genetic traits but I guess the extra X makes a difference. But I think both would become more neurotic without the added physical exercise they get at this time. Maybe there will be a magical switch than goes off when they turn 1 in a few weeks but I'm not counting in it. Both are full of love and fun and wouldn't want to change a thing. 


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

I agree what everyone has said. Cockapoos are definitely not lap dogs although you can't get a more affectionate breed. Mine will lie against me and on top of my feet! They get their liveliness, intelligence and agility from the poodle.


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## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

They are usually lively fun characters and they need to be managed accordingly - think more springer than lab, although I do think a lot depends on the parent dogs, we had the choice of a pup from a calm sweet gentle cocker bitch or one from a younger very lively bitch, we saw her whizzing around, we saw this lively pup running about having to be returned from the outer edges of the garden where he kept trying to get behind things - my husband said 'we want one with character!' so that is exactly what we got! I have had to remind my husband on quite a few occasions what he said that day! I kept in touch with someone who had a pup from the other litter, he stayed a sweet calm dog (both litters had the same dad), so I think if you choose the breeder, breeding pair and pup wisely you can get one a bit less 'hyper', but that pup would still have high energy moments and make you laugh everyday which is what we love about our daft dogs. Oh and even my my with 'character' spends most of the day laying around now, as long as he gets a good off-lead run in the morning.


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## RuthMill (Jun 30, 2012)

Marzi said:


> The poodle is a very active bright energetic breed - don't be fooled into thinking that they are curly haired lap dogs.... Any poodle mix is going to be a dog that will probably have a coat that needs more than average care taken of it and regular trips to a grooming salon and regular at home coat care too. Poodles need plenty of mental and physical stimulation and some poodles can be nervous - any poodle cross will have poodle characteristics. Really important that you get to know something about the poodle side of any pup you decide to purchase and if posible meet the sire if that (as is often the case) is the poodle. Poodles can be described as Tigger on speed.
> Puppies and young dogs have lots of energy and need plenty of opportunity to exercise and benefit from training.
> My cavapoo is 75% poodle - she is a full on active dog, who loves to run, leap, swim, jump and cuddle. My cockapoo is at the mad dizzy charge around or chew everything stage. They are both fantastic dogs and I wouldn't change anything about them



Glad you posted this Marzi. I think people forget about the poodle a lot of the time, an amazingly intelligent breed in its self that requires a lot of mental stimulation and exercise. The majority of poodles I've met are all FULL of personality and some very hyper, I meet some owners on our walks and they are often amazed at how calm my two are compared to their poodles. That said, I've also met some very quiet docile poodles, there owners tell me they are not quiet and docile at home


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## flowers (Mar 14, 2013)

Wow thank you all so much lots to think about I think I will decide by looking at the parents and the puppies when the time comes and finding out as much about temperament I can. I know that poodles can be extremely lively as my neighbour had two and they were extremely intelligent and extremely bouncy.
They are also gorgeous though it is a difficult decision.


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