Forget your run-of-the-mill staffies, labradors and golden retrievers – the most in demand dog breed this year was, in fact, not a purebred at all.
The Cavoodle – a cross between a Cavalier King Charles and a poodle – was almost unheard of 10 years ago but now potential dog owners are desperate to get their hands on one of these little fluffballs, making them the fastest growing dog breed in Australia, according to pet insurer Bow Wow Meow who surveyed over 300,000 pet owners.
A cavoodle (Cavalier King Charles x poodle).
What is essentially a mutt has been re-branded as a “designer dog breed” and canine lovers have come to realise there’s considerable benefit to having the best traits and features of two breeds rolled into one. In fact, cavoodles aren’t the only mutts gaining popularity. Others include old favourites such as the Maltese Cross and newly created cross breeds like the Schnoodle (Schnauzer x Poodle), Cockapoo (Cocker Spaniel x Poodle) and Puggle (Pug x Beagle).
This shift in popularity can be attributed to our changing lifestyles. The rise of apartment living is better suited to smaller dogs and the desire for a low-shedding pup is also high on the list of priorities for those with allergies, which is why poodles are often used in cross-breeding – hence the ‘oodle’ in many of the names.
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