A Cavapoo (also known as Cavadoodle or Cavoodle) is a mix between a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and a Poodle. In addition to genetics being the primary influencer as to how big your Cavapoo will grow, certain factors such as exercise, food consumption and health can also affect a dog’s growth.
Cavapoos are classed as a small breed dog, and usually weigh between 12 and 25 pounds when fully grown. The average Cavapoo will grow between 9 – 14 inches tall depending on the type of poodle used to breed.
Although Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and Poodles are both small dogs, the size of the Cavapoo will depend a lot on the parent Poodle. Cavapoos are bred from either a Miniature or Toy poodle in order to create their cute and cuddly size.
At what age is a Cavapoo fully grown?
In general, puppies become full grown adult dogs between the ages of one and two years. Puppy maturation is a process, however, that varies from dog to dog depending on size, breed, sexual maturity, and socialization.
As Cavapoos are small breed dogs, they are usually fully grown by the time they reach their first birthday. You may notice, however, that from the ages of 4-6 months of age is when your Cavapoo will gain the bulk of their weight before any significant size growth starts to taper off.
This definitely correlates with our Cavapoo, who’s weight gain almost doubled in the first few months that we had her. Each month we would weigh her in order to calculate her flea treatment and were staggered by how much she had grown. At 7 months of age, Rosie’s weight gain is minimal, as she is starting to reach maturity.
Just because your Cavapoo has reached their adult size in terms of weight and height does not necessarily mean that they have reached sexual maturity.
Cavapoos tend to have their first estrous (heat) cycle from around 6 months of age. This means that your dog may have reached sexual maturity before it is fully grown. This is why you need to be really careful not to socialize your Cavapoos during this time as your puppy may end up expecting puppies before she is physically or mentally mature. It is also why vets are willing to do sterilization on small breed dogs, such as Cavapoos, from 6 months of age.
How big will my Cavapoo grow?
If you are wondering just how big your Cavapoo is likely to grow, then the biggest indicator will be to look at their parents.
A Cavalier King Charles Spaniel has a size range of between 12 to 13 inches tall and can weigh up to 18 pounds. Depending on whether your Cavapoo is mixed with a Toy or Miniature Poodle will make all the difference as:
- Toy Poodles do not usually grow much taller than 10 inches in height and usually weigh between 4 to 6 pounds.
- Miniature Poodles can grow to a height of 10 to 15 inches and can be significantly heavier weighing between 10 to 15 pounds.
This means that if you have a Cavapoo that has a Toy Poodle parent then you can expect your puppy to grow to around 12 inches at the shoulder, while Cavapoos born to a Miniature Poodle parent can reach up to 14 inches at the shoulder.
It is also important to note that even if two dogs have the same parents, they are unlikely to turn out to be the same height or weight. In most litters, you will have a big puppy, some average-sized Cavapoos and then the ‘runt’ of the litter. And, whilst they may all look similar at birth, it is not until they reach adulthood, that you will notice significant differences between each dog.
You may also notice that your female Cavapoo is smaller in height than her brothers. This is because female dogs tend to be more compact than their male counterparts, just like many other animals.
How much should my Cavapoo weigh?
Our Cavapoo Rosie is 7 months old and weighs a little over 13 pounds. We have been told by our vet that she is unlikely to grow significantly from this point onwards.
This is because, by the time a Cavapoo hits 7 months of age, it has already achieved around 75% of its full weight and grown to roughly around 90% of its full height (see chart).
Cavapoo v Cockapoo height difference
When we are out and about on walks, we always get asked if Rosie is a Cockapoo. This is probably because a Cockapoo is slightly more well-known, but also because the two breeds look physically alike.
The average height of a Cockapoo is 10-15 inches while the Cavapoo when fully grown reaches around 9-14 inches tall. Whilst they may be relatively small in stature, both breeds are big on personality and great with adults and children alike.
Cavapoos are half Cavalier King Charles Spaniels so are considered to be more laid back (after all these pure breeds were considered to be lap dogs), whilst Cockapoos are part Cocker Spaniel so have high energy, hunting backgrounds. It is also said that Cockapoos are the barkier breed but let me assure you that our Cavapoo Rosie can answer a backyard bark with as much gusto as a big breed dog.
See also: Cavapoo vs Cockapoo – what’s the difference?
Conclusion
I think we can all agree that regardless of backgrounds and breeds, predictions and parentage, all dogs are truly unique. And, when it comes to our Cavapoo Rosie, she is the perfect addition to our family, just the way she is.
