Cavoodle Temperament

General nature of Cavoodles

One defining characteristic of the Cavoodle is its gentle and sweet nature. They are bright and friendly dogs that are easy going and sociable since both of its parents have these characteristics. Although they look like a fuzzy faced little teddy bear, they are remarkably intelligent and easily trained. They are a playful breed that enjoys interacting with well-behaved children. It has patience and attempts to protect its family members by warning them of strangers and other perceived dangers. Since one of its parents is a Poodle, some Cavoodles can have a tendency to want a significant amount of attention and special treatment.

Activity level of Cavoodles

Cavoodles are mellow and relaxed dogs by nature, thanks to the influence of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel which has one of the most laid back personalities of all the breeds, but Cavoodles love to join their family in activities and on outings. These activities may include playing games at home or activities outside the home, such as running, walking and days out to the park etc. They also adapt well to being taken on family holidays and do not stress about being away from their normal surroundings while in the company of their family members.

The low exercise requirement of Cavoodles makes them suitable for small homes with little or no yard, but they will enjoy and benefit from a walk, especially Cavoodles living in apartments and units. They are just as comfortable whether living with a younger, active family or spending time on the couch with the family watching TV. Yes, Cavoodles will watch the television if that is a regular part of your routine!

Suitability of Cavoodles for children

Many families with children choose to adopt a Cavoodle after the recommendation of friends and family who already own them. There is no central body that actively promotes this breed or places any large scale commercial advertising to promote them, yet their popularity continues to rise—this is due to word of mouth from the many happy families who have made this little breed part of their family. Cavoodles are highly recommended by veterinarians and other dog professionals as a family pet due to their gentle disposition around children.

They are a breed that are very tolerant of children’s antics and will usually put up with most annoying behaviours from children and then try to sneak off when they get the chance. They are not a snappy breed but they are living creatures and, like all of us, have their limits on what they will put up with. Young children do need to be supervised while playing with any dog and especially while the dog is young, fragile and still developing in both mind and body. It is extremely important to educate children on when and how to handle dogs appropriately to avoid injury to either one and to prevent your dog from developing behaviours to avoid children who harass them.

Cavoodles and other dogs

Cavoodles are a naturally social breed who seem to get on well with other dogs and are very easy to socialise for this reason, as well as not being large or intimidating. This works well to avoid frightening new dogs they meet as well as their owners. Not many people are afraid of Cavoodles and owners of other dogs at a dog park feel as though your Cavoodle poses any treat to their dog regardless of the breed of their dog. The owners of larger and intimidating dog breeds, such as Rottweilers, can find it hard to find other dog owners who allow their smaller dogs to be playmates with the larger dogs, even if their larger dogs are friendly.

If you are bringing home a new addition to a home with a dog or dogs that are already established, then care needs to be taken to make sure that the transition goes smoothly. Generally it is easier to introduce a puppy into a home with established dogs as the established dogs rarely see the new puppy as a treat to their own position in the pack and a Cavoodle puppy with their easy going nature will usually be a little shadow to the older dog and make the older dog feel as though they are not at the bottom of the pack. Just be sure to lavish attention on the older dog to prevent them feeling left out with the arrival of the new puppy.

Cavoodles and other animals

Cavoodles get along very well with other animals and especially so if the Cavoodle is introduced to them while still very young. If you are adopting an adult Cavoodle, check with the previous owner whether it has lived with other animals in the past. Introducing an adult Cavoodle to other animal species that they have never encountered before is more difficult than with a puppy but a harmonious relationship can certainly be achieved. It also helps if the other animals are already established in the home before bringing your Cavoodle puppy home.

If you already have a cat, then the fear that has been taught to us from cartoons is that your Cavoodle will bully the cat but, in reality, the opposite is true. Cats are territorial animals and will usually be the ones to set the rules about how much interaction, as well as what type of interaction, they will have with the dog. While many cats are friendlyto, or at least tolerant of, a new puppy and will get along well with them, most will not be shy to give your puppy a swipe with their sharp claws, so supervision is a must until you can trust the two together. This supervision is similar for other pets you may have, from rabbits to birds, but you need to supervise more toward protecting the other animals from the Cavoodle puppy, who might consider them too tempting to chase them around the house like a living toy.

With a little common sense and early supervision, Cavoodles will blend in to a home with established pet very quickly.