Australia has spoken and the Cavoodle is the top dog choice for pet-loving households.

According to new data from national pet insurance provider, Petsy, New South Wales is home to the highest number of Cavoodle policyholders in the country, followed closely by Queensland and Victoria.

Hidden truth behind the designer dog

With their teddy bear faces, affectionate nature and low-shedding coats, Cavoodles (crosses between a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and a Poodle) have charmed their way into households nationwide. But behind the Insta-worthy photos and couch cuddles lies a dark side to the love affair Australians have with this breed.

The Cavoodle was developed in Australia in the 1990s as one of the country’s earliest designer dogs, however the first “oodle” arrived just a few years earlier with the now-famous Labradoodle.

Wally Conron, an Australian breeder working with the Royal Guide Dogs Association, first crossbred a Labrador and a Poodle in 1989 to help a vision-impaired woman whose husband was allergic to dogs. The outcome, the Labradoodle, was hailed as a breakthrough and the Labradoodle quickly gained popularity beyond service roles. However, Conron soon expressed deep regret.

In a now-famous interview,¹ Conron called the creation his “life’s regret”, describing the result as “a Frankenstein’s monster” due to the sheer amount of copycat crossbreeding.

“I opened a Pandora’s box. People are just breeding for the money… unscrupulous breeders are crossing Poodles with inappropriate dogs simply so they can say they were the first to do it.”

Wally Conron, Royal Guide Dogs Association

Health issues on the rise

As Australia’s favourite dog breed, the Cavoodle has followed a similar path into the spotlight and has also fallen victim to the downside of rapid popularity, including a rise in complex health issues driven by unscrupulous breeding practices.²

According to Petsy policyholder data, the top 10 insurance claims made by Cavoodle owners reveal a pattern of recurring health concerns including:

• Gastrointestinal and digestive disorders
• Ear disorders
• Skin conditions
• General ailments
• Eye disorders
• Anal gland issues
• Behavioural concerns
• Feet and claw problems
• Respiratory disorders
• Leg, hip and shoulder issues

NSW alone accounts for over a third (35.7%) of all Cavoodle policies, which means a significant number of owners are navigating these issues firsthand.

“Cavoodles may be Australia’s sweethearts, but too many are being bred without regard for health or ethics. We’re urging owners to dig deeper and ask the tough questions, choose your breeder wisely and protect your pup from day one.”

Monica Limanto, Founder of Petsy

Sources:

1. https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/sum-of-all-parts/designing-the-labradoodle/10726844 ↩︎
2. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10930939/ ↩︎

Top image: Jude Wilson/Unsplash

Do you have a Cavoodle that has experienced any health issues? Leave us a comment below.