Labradoodle vs. Cockapoo: The Key Differences (With Pictures)

In the last couple of decades, designer dog breeds have become extremely popular with the dog owners of America—none more so than the Labradoodle, which is a cross between a Labrador Retriever and a Poodle. These dogs come in a variety of sizes, colors, and coat types, so this developing dog breed offers a little bit of something for everyone.

Labradoodles are generally known for their happy-go-lucky and friendly temperament. The Cockapoo, although less popular, does still frequently pop up. This cross between a Cocker Spaniel and Poodle is typically smaller than the Labradoodle.

So, what’s the difference between these two similar-looking dog breeds? Let’s find out.

Visual Differences

At a Glance

Labradoodle Overview

Temperament

Labradoodles are generally considered to be friendly and outgoing dogs. Their original purpose was to serve as the ideal service dog, so they were bred to be bulletproof, so to speak. As time has gone on and more people have begun breeding these dogs, though, their temperament has become a bit of a genetic crapshoot.

While most Labradoodles are known for their excellent personalities, there are some who have undesirable temperaments, like being standoffish or anxious. Because this is not a developed breed and is bred by backyard breeders at a much higher rate than by responsible breeders, these undesirable traits may continue to be bred into these dogs over time.

Training

Labradors and Standard Poodles are breeds known for their high intelligence, trainability, and loyalty, and this is often passed down to their Labradoodle offspring. They are usually relatively easy to train dogs, although you may have to make sessions feel like a game to keep the dog engaged.

While some Labradoodles have a Standard Poodle parent, some are being bred from Miniature and Toy Poodles. Unlike their Standard cousin, smaller Poodle breeds are less outgoing and intelligent, and they may be more stubborn, causing their Labradoodle offspring to be harder to train than if the parent were a Standard Poodle. There is a chance, though, of a Labradoodle taking on more of the trainability of its Labrador parent.

Health & Care

Labradoodles are at risk for the same health conditions that their parent breeds are, including hip dysplasia, cruciate ligament injuries, arthritis, hemangiosarcoma, bloat, collapsed trachea, and epilepsy.

Responsible breeders perform all necessary health testing on their dogs before breeding them. These tests include either OFA or PennHIP, as well as genetic testing for a variety of conditions and an evaluation by a veterinary cardiologist to certify cardiac health.

Without appropriate health testing, inherited health conditions are easily passed from parent to pup, leading to the continuation of disorders. When considering Labradoodles, you must keep in mind that they are a cross between two breeds, which doesn’t make them double the likelihood of developing disorders, but it does mean they can be susceptible to disorders present in both parent breeds.

Grooming

One thing that many people underestimate significantly when bringing a Labradoodle home is their grooming needs. Due to the combination of breeds, Labradoodles can have wildly different coat types, meaning they can have varying grooming needs between individual dogs.

A coat type that is often developed by Labradoodles, though, is a combination of Poodle and Labrador coats that is easily matted. It’s extremely common for Labradoodles to develop severe matting without thorough daily brushing.

Suitable for:

In general, the Labradoodle can be a great family dog that is easy to train. You are likely to have the most family-friendly temperaments out of pups who have a Standard Poodle parent. The smaller Poodle breeds are more aloof and stubborn, which may be passed on to their Miniature and Toy Labradoodle offspring, making these dogs less appropriate for the family setting.

Most Labradoodles require at least an hour of exercise every day, so they tend to do well in homes that are active and committed to providing exercise and entertainment to their dog. They also need to be in a home that is committed to meeting their grooming needs and learning what those needs are based on the coat type each individual dog develops.

Cockapoo Overview

Temperament

The Cockapoo is usually known for its outgoing and fun nature, as well as its sense of curiosity. Both of their parent breeds are known for these personality traits, so they are likely to be passed to their offspring.

Like the Labradoodle, the temperament of individual Cockapoos is based on the genetics the dog receives from its parents. If its Poodle parent is uncooperative and aloof, it’s possible for these traits to be passed to the pups.

Some Cockapoos have been known to develop aggression issues due to an inability to determine boundaries, even during play. This can lead to growling and biting. It’s important to catch these behaviors while the dog is young and teach appropriate play.

Cockapoos may need additional training and work to help them understand appropriate boundaries, as well as understand that biting is not an appropriate thing to do.

Training

Cocker Spaniels are usually considered merry dogs that can be a little bit naughty, but overall loving and willing to listen, although you may have to get through a little stubbornness. Since their Poodle parent can also be a bit stubborn, you may run into stubbornness during training sessions. This can often be remedied by keeping training sessions short but consistent, as well as interesting and fun.

Overall, Cockapoos are usually intelligent dogs that love spending time with their people, which can make training relatively easy. They want to be with their people and make them happy, so lots of praise and positive reinforcement can provide Cockapoo the confidence it needs to learn new skills and tricks.

Health & Care

Like the Labradoodle, the Cockapoo is at risk for developing the conditions that both parent breeds are prone to. These conditions can include epilepsy, intervertebral disc disease, glaucoma, progressive retinal atrophy, patellar luxation, cherry eye, and skin and ear infections.

Their risk for skin and ear problems can be decreased with appropriate grooming and ear cleaning when necessary, but some Cockapoos are simply more prone to these issues, regardless of how attentive their owners are.

Grooming

The good thing about a Cockapoo is that if you know anything about its parent breeds, then you know you’re getting a dog that will require frequent grooming.

There is still a range of coat types you may get since the Poodle has a dense, curly coat, while the Cocker Spaniel has a flat, silky coat. The combination of these coats usually results in a curly coat. However, this coat sometimes has the silky texture of the Cocker Spaniel coat, which makes it highly prone to matting. Daily brushing and routine grooming are essential for Cockapoos.

Suitable for:

Many Cockapoos are well-suited to family homes, but they may not be the ideal dog for a home with small children. They are usually active dogs that do well in homes that are willing to provide them with physical and mental stimulation every day. They require a home that is willing to keep up with their moderate to high grooming requirements.

Which Breed Is Right for You?

Both the Labradoodle and Cockapoo can be wonderful, outgoing, and trainable dogs that are a pleasure to keep. There is always a risk of behavior problems with both of these designer breeds, though. The risk of this, and inherited health conditions, is reduced when breeders are responsible and perform all health testing on their dogs before breeding them. If you’re purchasing a pup from a breeder who has only performed blood or saliva tests on their dogs, then they are not a breeder you should be purchasing a puppy from.

No matter how responsible the breeder is, both of these breeds can have a broad variation in their coat type, although the Cockapoo’s coat types are a little more standard than the Labradoodle's. Cockapoos tend to be significantly smaller than Labradoodles, but some people have begun breeding Labradoodles into Miniature and Toy versions.

Related Read: 

• Cockapoo vs Maltipoo: How Are They Different?

• Australian Shepherd vs Labrador: How Are They Different?

Featured Image Credit: (L) yhelfman, Shutterstock | (R) Lee Ph, Shutterstock