Lacasapoo (Cockapoo & Lhasa Apso Mix) Info, Pictures, Traits

Breed Overview

The Lacasapoo is a mixed breed created by mixing the Lhasa Apso with another mixed breed, the Cockapoo. It is a small breed that rarely exceeds 15 inches tall with floppy ears and an expressive face. It can have brown or amber eyes and a brown or black nose. The coat of a Lacasapoo can be any length and comes in several colors. It's a dense fur that can be straight or wavy.

The Lacasapoo is a friendly and intelligent breed that will protect your home when you're not there. It's smart, easy to train, and doesn't bark a lot unless stranger people or animals are around. It will require a lot of attention and early socialization, but it's a good all-around dog for single people and families.

Lacasapoo Puppies

Lacasapoo Characteristics

Since the Lacasapoo is such a new breed, it's difficult to know what the price will be. Some areas have larger concentrations of breeders, and that means you are more likely to find one that breeds Lacasapoo or that they will have the resources to do it. Always perform diligent research on a breeder before you make any purchases to avoid puppy mills and other unscrupulous breeders that put profit before health. Puppy mills are bad environments for the parent breeds, and there's a higher chance the puppies will develop health problems as well.

There are ongoing costs to consider as well, like food, vet visits, flea medication, etc. You will also need plenty of treats and toys to help keep them entertained and well-behaved.

3 Little-Known Facts About the Lacasapoo

1. The Lacasapoo is one of the newest mixed breeds, created by using one of the oldest mixed breeds as a parent.

2. The Lhasa Apso parent breed is an ancient breed created to silently guard over the temple of the Dahli Lama and alert the monk of intruders.

3. The Cockapoo parent is created by mixing a Cocker Spaniel with a Poodle.

Temperament & Intelligence of the Lacasapoo

The Lacasapoo is extremely friendly and likes a lot of attention. Their small size makes them perfectly suitable for small apartments and cramped living arrangements while their attentive nature and natural curiosity allow them to feel at home in a large house with several family members.

The Lacasapoo is intelligent, easy to train, and makes a perfect watchdog. It has Poodle genes that bring high-level intelligence, and the Lhasa Apso parent provides the sentry genes, which keep the dog quiet unless it's warning you of danger.

Are Lacasapoos Good for Families?

The Lacasapoo makes a great family pet and is tolerant of children. If there are a lot of strangers that visit, like children's friends, etc., you'll need to socialize the Lacasapoo early to get it more used to strangers, or it will bark when the company arrives. However, it's very attentive to your needs as well as the other family members, and it loves attention and being around people.

Do Lacasapoos Get Along with Other Pets?

The Lacasapoo will get along with other pets, but you need to socialize them early as the Lacasapoo often sees other animals as intruders. If properly socialized, it can make lifelong friends with other pets, including rodents and birds, and will guard them as it will any member of the household.

Things to Know When Owning a Lacasapoo

Here is a small list of things to consider before you purchase a Lacasapoo.

Food and Diet Requirements

Since the Lacasapoo is a smaller size dog, it will not require very much nutrition. However, that means it's easy to overfeed them, and you want to avoid obesity as it will diminish their quality of life and shorten their lifespan. A high-quality brand of dry dog food with chicken or other whole meat listed as its first ingredient is best. If you choose a good brand, you don't need to worry if it's for small dogs, and you don't need a grain-free brand either. You only need specialized foods if the vet recommends them.

Though you don't require a specialized food, we recommend looking for brands fortified with Omega fats, probiotics, prebiotics, and antioxidants. These extra ingredients can help your puppy develop faster and provide protection from disease.

Daily Exercise Requirements

Since the Lacasapoo is so small, it can get most of its exercise following you around the house all day. It also makes frequent trips around the home while it performs guard duty. Thirty to forty-five minutes of light play or a short walk each day should be more than enough to keep your pet healthy and happy.

Training

With Lacasapoo's three intelligent parents, it's no surprise that they are easy to train and learn new commands quickly. They do not suffer from the short attention span that plagues many small dog breeds and like performing ad learning new tricks. As with any breed, positive reinforcement works best, which means to shower your pet with praise and give them a treat when they do the right thing. Once they begin to learn the trick and commit it to memory, you will not need as many treats, so you will want to limit them before your puppy gains weight.

Grooming ✂️

How much grooming your Lacasapoo requires will depend on which parent it takes after more. The length of hair and how much it sheds can vary greatly from one dog to the next, but you can expect to do a moderate amount of grooming, as it will likely have very dense fur that requires frequent brushing. Not properly brushing your dog can lead to tangles and knots, which can be painful and look messy.

Health and Conditions ❤️

Most mixed breeds have fewer health problems than purebreds, and the Lacasapoo benefits further from having a mixed breed parent. However, there are a few conditions that can affect any dog, and we'll look at those in this section.

Major conditions:

These are the major conditions associated with the Lacasapoo.

Addison's Disease

Addison's disease is a condition that affects the adrenal gland and hormone production. Symptoms of Addison's disease are somewhat vague but usually include vomiting, diarrhea, increased thirst, sudden weight loss, and increased urination. When the condition becomes more severe, it can cause your dog to collapse. In most cases, medication can alleviate the symptoms of Addison's disease, and your pet can go on to live a happy life.

Hip Dysplasia

Hip Dysplasia is a very common dog ailment that usually affects larger dogs but can affect any breed. A malformed hip joint causes Hip Dysplasia, and it causes the top of the thigh bone to wear down over time from rubbing on the hip joint. This condition can make it difficult for your pet to get up from a resting position and may cause them to have a swaying gait. Obesity and overactivity can worsen the symptoms and increase the speed of bone degeneration. Medication, weight reduction, and in some cases, surgery may be necessary to alleviate symptoms.

Minor conditions:

These are the minor conditions associated with the Lacasapoo.

Allergies

Your dog can suffer from allergies the same way humans do, but they are more susceptible to food allergies than us though they may just be more sensitive to different foods. However, they can develop a reaction to pollen or insect bites as well, mainly from flea bites or bee stings. Itchy ears and paws is a sign of a food allergy, while a rash may be from pollen for dust allergy. Symptoms of a pollen allergy will subside as the season changes.

Kidney Disease

Kidney disease is common in all dog breeds. Toxins in the environment and their food, cancer,  injuries, or infections can all cause the kidneys to degenerate and fail. The damage is usually irreversible, so early detection is critical. With early detection and treatment, your dog could go on to live many years with kidney disease.

Male vs. Female

Male Lacasapoos usually grow a few inches taller than their female counterpart. It also loves attention more and stays a puppy longer than the female. Females tend to get along a little better with children and are more independent.

Summary: Lacasapoo

The Lacasapoo is a great pet for the individual as well as the family. It guards and protects the home without being noisy, and it is not aggressive. It's the happiest playing games with the children or going for walks with their owners. It has a long-life span and will supply you with endless entertainment.

We hope you have enjoyed reading over our quick look into this relatively new mixed breed. If you are found something you like and would like to let others know about it, please share this Lacasarpoo complete guide on Facebook and Twitter.

See Also:

• Bull Jack (English Bulldog & Jack Russell Terrier Mix)

• Chonzer (Miniature Schnauzer & Bichon Frise Mix)

• Boxane (Boxer & Great Dane Mix)

Featured Image Credit: Pixabay