Should I Adopt A 4 Month Old Cockapoo?
Filed under Care & Training Q&As
I found a 4 month old cockapoo at my local shelter, and I want to adopt him. I’ve had family dogs before, and I’m definitely a “dog person,” but by wife is definitely not a “dog person,” and this will be the first dog she has ever lived with. She’s ok with getting a small dog, but she’s still very apprehensive. I’m really wondering about three things:
1. Will adopting this puppy at four months of age create any real behavioral or training challenges I should be aware of?
2. Is this a good dog to adopt as a first pet for a woman who is somewhat afraid of dogs and insists she is “not a dog person?”
3. Are there any other key pieces of information I really need to know before moving forward with this?
Any and all advice you can provide will be GREATLY appreciated!
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Since this dog is small and it is a cocker spaniel poodle mix i think you will be ok. Cocker spaniels are very territorial so if you get it you cant get another. poodle are very popular and love people. both those dogs mixed will be great. I have a cocker terrier mix. i think you should go for it. you may need to house break it since it is young and train it but that’s it. i think its great you are considering rescueing . Go for it!
straight up answer, NO
the ‘cockerpoo’ is a cross breed dog, why dont you look up the breed characteristics of the cocker spaniel and the poodle and decide if there are any factors there that you would not suit you as family.
Other than that speak to the shelter staff who will be able to advise you best on the character of this little fellow and at 4 months he is still easily molded and trainable. I personally crate train my puppies and have had older puppies who soon settle into their routines and are happy. Enrol yourself AND your wife for puppy classes and well done for thinking about the shelter puppy first!
Its a small dog, potty training may be a problem. Most small dogs tend to bond with one owner. I am sure it has grooming needs. Theses days it isn’t just get a dog give it water and food and hope for the best..
Training and obedience is key here. So is exercises for your dog. If these things are not met you will have problems.
Its like having a child, they are high maintenance and are a big responsibility for the next 12- 14 years.
Personally if my husband didn’t agree with getting a dog , I wouldn’t get one.
The bottom line you both have to be leaders for this dog.
Just consider how much time you can spend with the puppy. If she is only 4 months she will need training. If you and your wife are not willing to give 100% care (training, spay/neuter, vet visits) I would not adopt. Figure out your schedules how often will you be able to play/let pup out. Puppies are big responsibilities it just depends on you.
I don’t think adopting a 4 month old puppy will be cause for any troublesome behavioral issues. He may not be as easy to mold as a younger puppy, but that is nowhere near as hard as adopting an adult dog like I did. My dog was about 1 year old and it was a bumpy road but it worked out ok. You will need to ask the shelter about the dog’s previous history, and you may need to be pretty firm and insistent about that. The staff at my local shelter were so secretive that I had to do some detective work to figure out his real date of birth!
As for the issue with your wife being afraid of dogs and apprehensive, there is no way to know. It depends more on her personal feelings about the dog than anything else. Has she met the dog yet? This is a mixed breed, which is perfectly ok if you ask me, but you’ll have to research both breeds, the cocker spaniel and the poodle. One book I read on dog behavior suggests that the dog will behave more closely to the personality of the breed that is more prominent in its appearance, but all personality traits associated with the breeds are as likely to appear. The only way to really know is for you and your wife to go hang out with the puppy, take him for a walk, and see what you feel about it.
I would also give your wife time to read more about dogs and dog behavior so she won’t be scared by normal things a dog might do. You will need to shoulder most of the responsibility too, since she will have no clue how to housebreak the puppy or teach him basic manners around the house. Take a look at the Humane Society’s website, they have great advice for people thinking about adoption.
Good luck, and I hope you do adopt the puppy!
Four months old is not a bad age as long as the dog seems fairly friendly, not cringing in the back of the cage. Also, most of the time when a dog has been in a shelter for an extended period of time you do not see their true personalities so be aware that you may not see some issues until after an animal has begin to settle into its new home. How long has she been in the shelter and was she a stray or an owner surrender? If she was an owner surrender then you may want to find out specifically why they turned her in. Cockapoo’s will require regular grooming, any dog requires training & regular healthcare visits. Are you & your wife prepared for the financial/time commitment that is going to be required? Many behavioral issues can be addressed with positive training but you have to be willing to learn to communicate & read your dog. They can’t really tell you why they are having a particular behavior/reaction. It is important to be willing to speak to experienced people for assistance with training. I can’t stress the committment required for training enough & your wife needs to be willing to participate as well. Training opens communication with your dog and enables you to understand each other. BTW most training is for the owner, not the dog
but it definitely strengthens your relationship. I love my dog but I made a commitment to my husband. Who would I choose if i had to pick between them? I’m not sure but he has always been supportive of my love for dogs. Has she seen the dog? If she has & still has reservations its not fair to force them on each other. You don’t want to be ina position to choose between your wife & the dog. Most likely the dog will lose & that’s not fair to it either.
A Cockapoo is a smaller dog so your wife might be less nervous around it if that is what she is worried about but i suggest that you talk to your wife and take her to the shelter to get to know the dog if she will go. All dogs need basic obedience training to be a good member of society. if you decide to do this I would find an obedience class to take it to. many times the shelter will give you some names of people who do obedience training.
Before you adopt the pup, find out from the shelter what her history is. Who had her before and what temperament does she have. Also, if your wife is apprehensive about the dog, the dog will sense that and take advantage of her – ie dominance issues could be a issue. Also, up to 4 months is the time that dogs should be socialized with people and other pets. If this pup has been in the shelter for some time, ask the shelter what they have done for socialization. I don’t have Cockapoos so I don’t know much about the breed firsthand. Good luck.
The only Cockapoo I ever met was a 6 or 7 month old at the dog park who played with my dog and seemed to be very sweet. Has she been spayed yet? Some shelters jump the gun and spay too early, which could result in problems later on.
Friends have had cockapoos and they are sweet dogs (at least the 3 I have known) and being that it is a small dog, that would be a good 1st choice to start out with. I commend you on wanting to adopt, but make sure you both are comfortable with the decision as adopting a pet should be a lifetime committment.
My question is – is your wife apprehensive because she has never had a dog or is there some other issue behind it? I had a friend that never had a dog growing up and she was afraid of them because she had never been around them.This same person said she was not a dog person. Well – we became friends about the same time I had gotten a German Shepherd puppy – I taught her what I knew about dogs and she has been a converted dog lover ever since(lol), especially with GSD’s. She and her family currently have 3 dogs – 2 Lhasa’s and 1 German Shepherd – since she was old enough to support herself and be on her own – she has had at least 1 German Shepherd in her household.
But you should arrange a meeting if you haven’t already with your wife and the cockapoo and see how they get along. Also I advise training classes that you and your wife go to – knowing how to handle a dog will put her more at ease and build confidence as well as a bond. I would enroll in puppy classes and go from there – as they will be an invaluable tool for both of you and the dog.
Hope I helped some