Adopting a Cockapoo or Cavapoo in Glasgow: rescues, waits and costs

The count under the short answer is live: it shows every Cockapoo listed with us within about 41 miles of Glasgow, with a link to the rescue that has each dog. None of the dog rescues we list is in the city, and none specialises in doodles, so on many days the count is zero. That is why the Scottish doodle charity below is the main route, and our Glasgow Cockapoo, Cavapoo and poodle and doodle pages are the ones to check now and then.

Doodle Trust is frank about it. Its enquiry page says most doodles coming into rescue are "large boys", so there may be a considerable wait before it can match you with the right dog, and that the wait gets longer if you ask for a particular colour or coat type. Dogs are matched by suitability, not looks.

Being open helps. A larger dog, an older dog or a coat you hadn't pictured may still suit your home. Tell the charity honestly how your week looks, because the match is made around the dog's needs.

Dogs Trust describes the Cockapoo as a Cocker Spaniel crossed with a Poodle, and its Cavalier guide the Cavapoo as a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel crossed with a Poodle. Neither appears on The Royal Kennel Club's Breeds A to Z, and its crossbreed guide warns it is often "difficult to predict what the puppies will look like or what their temperament will be".

Battersea says people underestimate the time and training Cockapoos need, "which is why they're often given up". Doodle Trust goes further: "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 includes wanting a dog that doesn't shed, wanting a low-energy dog, and wanting a dog "for the kids".

Doodle Trust sets each fee by the dog's age and condition, and its enquiry page says all its dogs are neutered, microchipped and vaccinated before rehoming. The fee is not refundable if you return the dog through no fault of its own, and you must agree to return the dog to the charity if you are ever unable to keep it. If a poodle cross turns up further afield at Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home, about 42 miles away, a dog aged 6 months to 9 years costs £250 there, with a month's pet insurance.

Buy a puppy and the vet work comes on top of the £400 to £3,000 that Blue Cross gives for the puppy itself. PDSA estimates £415 to set up a small dog and £531 for a medium one, then at least £69 or £83 a month. Budget for grooming too: Battersea says a Cockapoo needs a professional groom every six to eight weeks.

Health problems can come from either side of a cross, which is why The Royal Kennel Club's crossbreed guide tells breeders to look at the tests for both parent breeds. Few rescue doodles come with tested parents, so the useful question is what a vet has found in this dog.

• Ears, skin and digestion (Cockapoos). Battersea says ear infections are common, that sore or itchy skin is often linked to allergies, and that Cockapoos are more likely to have long-term digestive issues and food sensitivities.
• Eyes. Battersea adds that Cockapoos can inherit progressive retinal atrophy (PRA), which causes gradual sight loss.
• Heart and spine (Cavapoos). On the Cavalier side, PDSA calls heart conditions, most often mitral valve disease, "a big problem", and lists syringomyelia, a very painful condition of the spinal cord near the brain.

Plan your week before you apply. Doodle Trust's enquiry page says that if you are out at work for much of the time or lead a busy life, a doodle is not the right dog for you, and its things to consider page says most need 60 to 120 minutes of proper exercise a day plus mental stimulation. The enquiry page also warns that most love water and can be "mud magnets".

Allergies are the other big question. Doodle Trust says "No dog is allergy friendly", that a puppy's coat can change in adulthood, and that a doodle may shed a great deal; Battersea says Cockapoos are not hypoallergenic. With an adult rescue dog, the coat is already grown, so ask whether anyone with allergies can spend time with it first.

No rescue sells a Cockapoo. You register or apply, the rescue picks the home that suits the dog, and you pay its fee. Puppies do reach rescue now and then, but many rescue doodles are adults, so be open to one.

Buying instead? Battersea links the cross's popularity to puppy farming and poor breeding, and points buyers to breeders who health test both parents. For anyone with allergies, Doodle Trust says to spend time with both parents of any puppy first. Breeders can also be searched through The Royal Kennel Club's "Find a puppy" service, and Police Scotland advises against paying for anything you haven't seen, and takes reports of online marketplace fraud.