Cavapoo rescue dogs and puppies for adoption and rehoming in the UK

A Cavapoo is "a cross between a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and a Poodle", in Dogs Trust's words, and Dogs Trust names it among the popular Poodle crossbreeds. It is not a breed. It isn't on The Royal Kennel Club's Breeds A to Z, so it has no Royal Kennel Club breed standard, and we found no Cavapoo guide from Dogs Trust, PDSA, Battersea or Blue Cross when we checked on 16 October 2026. What follows comes from what the charities say about Poodle crosses, and from the two parent breeds.

That matters, because a cross can take after either parent. The Royal Kennel Club's guide to crossbreeds says crossbreeds often have a mix of their parents' traits, combined in ways that make it "difficult to predict how the puppies will look and behave". So a Cavapoo might lean towards the Cavalier, which PDSA calls kind, gentle and loyal, or towards the Poodle, which PDSA calls playful, adventurous and very obedient.

Doodle Trust, a UK-wide charity that rescues Poodle crosses, warns that they "get a lot of positive press" but "are absolutely not the right choice for everyone". It says every Poodle cross brings Poodle traits (high intelligence, sensitivity, a need for structure and significant grooming), and that they get bored easily. A rescue Cavapoo is an individual, so ask the rescue how this dog behaves at home, on the lead and with visitors.

Both parents sit in the same exercise band. The Royal Kennel Club lists the Cavalier, the Miniature Poodle and the Toy Poodle as needing up to an hour of exercise a day. PDSA says a Cavalier needs at least an hour a day, split into two or more walks with some off-lead time somewhere secure, plus play and training.

Doodle Trust, writing about Poodle crosses in general rather than Cavapoos, says most need 60 to 120 minutes of "proper daily exercise plus mental stimulation", and that without it many become frustrated, destructive or anxious. Ask the rescue what this particular dog needs.

This is where the parents differ most. The Royal Kennel Club lists the Cavalier coat as shedding and needing grooming more than once a week, and the Toy and Miniature Poodle coat as not shedding but needing grooming every day. The Royal Kennel Club's crossbreed guide warns that mixing two very different coats may produce a hybrid that "requires extensive grooming".

Doodle Trust says the "fluffy, teddy-bear look requires significant grooming" in both time and money, and that coats vary widely and can't be reliably predicted in a puppy. With a rescue Cavapoo, ask when it was last groomed and how it copes with brushing and handling.

A Cavapoo can inherit conditions from either side, so The Royal Kennel Club's crossbreed guide says breeders of a cross should do the health tests for both breeds. For the Cavalier side it asks, at a minimum, for heart screening for mitral valve disease (MVD) under its Heart Scheme and DNA tests for curly coat/dry eye and episodic falling, with eye testing as best practice. For the Toy and Miniature Poodle it asks for a DNA test for progressive retinal atrophy (prcd-PRA), with eye testing and hip scoring, and for the Miniature also a DNA test for osteochondrodysplasia.

PDSA calls heart conditions, most often caused by mitral valve disease, "a big problem" for Cavaliers, often first noticed as a heart murmur. It also lists Chiari malformation and syringomyelia (CM/SM), a very painful condition where fluid-filled areas develop in the spinal cord near the brain, which The Royal Kennel Club is studying through an MRI screening project. On the Poodle side, PDSA lists conditions including luxating patellas (slipping kneecaps), progressive retinal atrophy and epilepsy.

None of that means a given Cavapoo has these conditions, and a rescue dog's parents may never have been tested. Ask the rescue what vet checks the dog has had, including whether a vet has listened to its heart, and talk to your own vet about anything you notice later.

Doodle Trust says it rescues and rehomes Poodle crosses throughout the UK, assessing each one in a foster home. On its things to consider page it says "many of the myths that made them popular are the same reasons so many end up abandoned". Its list of reasons not to get one covers shedding, allergies and the time they need. The next section shows how many Cavapoos the rescues we list have today. When there are none, the newest dogs and the breeds that do have dogs are shown instead, and Cavalier and Poodle listings are worth a look.

PDSA says Cavaliers are known to be good around children, and PDSA says Poodles generally get on well with children and other pets with the right socialisation. Doodle Trust is more cautious about Poodle crosses: it says not all are suitable for homes with children, as some are sensitive to noise, unpredictable movement or hands-on handling. Go by the rescue's own assessment of this dog with children, cats and other dogs, which is often noted on the profile.

Both parents' guides flag this. PDSA says Cavaliers need constant company, can develop separation anxiety, and should never be left alone for more than four hours. Doodle Trust says many Poodle crosses are "Velcro dogs who want to be with you, not left alone". If you are out at work, tell the rescue, as they will know how this dog copes on its own.