The Havapoo and Cavapoo both make great family pets, and their shared parentage means that these breeds are remarkably similar.
There are a few differences that could help you to decide which of these two breeds is the better choice for your lifestyle, however.
Havapoo And Cavapoo Traits
The Havapoo and the Cavapoo are what we call “designer dogs”.
They are mixed breed dogs that are “designed” by combining two specific breeds to get a mix of certain traits.
The Havapoo
The Havapoo is the result of breeding the Havanese and the Poodle and is a good breed for novice dog owners.
The average Havapoo lives between 10yrs to 15yrs.
The Cavapoo
The Cavapoo is the result of breeding the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and the Poodle and is a good breed for a novice dog owner.
The average Cavapoo lives between 10yrs to 15yrs.
Appearance
The Havapoo
The Havapoo grows to between 8″ and 15″ tall and can weigh anywhere from 10lbs to 45lbs (although toy poodles are the preference for many breeders, and these dogs grow to 20lbs or under.)
The Havapoo has a rounded face like the Havanese and maintains some of the Havanese waves in its coat, but more often tends to have a fur coat resembling the Poodle coat.
The Havapoo can have a solid-colored coat, a dual-colored coat, and a tri-colored coat. Common colors include
- Chocolate
- Brown
- Fawn
- Liver
- Gray
- White
- Black
- Cream
The Havapoo is relatively easy to groom and less likely to trigger allergies than other famous dog breeds.
The Cavapoo
The Cavapoo grows to between nine” and fourteen” tall and can weigh anywhere from 8lbs to 25lbs.
The Cavapoo maintains long King Charles Spaniel ears and has a more poodle-like coat with curls and waves.
The Cavapoo can have solid-colored skin, a dual-colored jacket, and, occasionally, a tri-colored coat! Common colors include
- Fawn
- Cream
- Gold
- Chocolate
- White
- Chestnut
The Cavapoo needs a regular and meticulous grooming schedule.
Maintaining a grooming schedule helps keep your dog more allergy-friendly than some more traditional breeds.
Allergy-Friendly Status
Most Poodle breeds are significantly less triggering for allergy sufferers, and since the Havapoo and Cavapoo are both Poodle mixes, both are easier for allergy sufferers to tolerate.
Although the Havapoo and Cavapoo are less triggering to allergy sufferers, neither dog is 100% allergen-free since the proteins that cause allergy symptoms are also in saliva and urine.
Temperament
The Havapoo
The Havapoo is a playful and outgoing dog that is naturally friendly and social.
The Havapoo tends to be a little more confident and less prone to anxiety than the Cavapoo.
The Havapoo is easy to train, is extremely loyal to its family, and has a low prey drive – good news for homes with other small pets like guinea pigs, rats, and mice!
The Cavapoo
The Cavapoo is a playful and outgoing dog that is naturally friendly and social.
It is not uncommon for this mixed breed to experience anxiety, however.
Like the Havapoo, the Cavapoo is easy to train, is extremely loyal, and has a low prey drive.
Intelligence and Training
The Havapoo
The Havapoo is an intelligent breed that thrives on reward-based training and always aims to please.
The Cavapoo
The Cavapoo is an intelligent breed that responds well to positive reinforcement and has a history of excelling in therapy dog work.
Health
The Havapoo
The Havapoo is at risk for health conditions that affect both the Poodle and the Havanese.
These include:
- Deafness
- Chondrodysplasia
- Patella luxation
- Heart murmurs
- Progressive Retinal Atrophy
- Collapsed trachea
- Epilepsy
- Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease
- Addison’s Disease
The Cavapoo
The Cavapoo is at risk for health conditions that affect both the Poodle and the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
These include:
- Heart disease
- Mitral Valve Disease
- Luxating patella’s
- Hip dysplasia
- Allergies
- Cataracts
- Syringomyelia
- Progressive Retinal Atrophy
- Collapsed trachea
- Epilepsy
- Addison’s Disease
Havapoo Vs. CavaPoo Direct Comparison
Appearance
The Havapoo and the Cavapoo are the same height but depending on whether the Havapoo is born to a toy poodle or a standard poodle, the Havapoo can be larger than the Cavapoo.
The Cavapoo has a longer coat than the Havapoo and has more demanding grooming requirements.
Allergy-Friendly Status
As poodle mixes, the Havapoo and the Cavapoo are less likely to trigger allergies than other breeds because they shed less.
Keep in mind that this does not mean that they are “hypoallergenic it simply means that they are less likely to cause allergic reactions in people with mild allergies.
Anyone with severe dog allergies is still likely to suffer from allergy symptoms with a “hypo-allergenic” dog.
Temperament
Both the Havapoo and Cavapoo are friendly, loyal, and have a low prey drive, but the Havapoo is slightly more confident and less prone to anxiety.
Intelligence and Training
Both the Havapoo and the Cavapoo are easily trainable with positive reinforcement and a little treat bribery!
But require shorter training sessions to prevent burnout and boredom.
Health
The Havapoo and the Cavapoo have heritable conditions that can influence their lifespan (10yrs to 15yrs.)
The Havapoo seems to have a slight edge over the Cavapoo, though, as the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel has a high incidence of cardiac problems.
The Havapoo and the Cavapoo have an increased likelihood of dental disease simply by being small breed dogs.
Dental complications are avoidable with regular dental cleanings and annual professional cleanings.
Conclusion / Summary
Determining whether the Havapoo or Cavapoo is the right choice depends on what you are looking for in your dog.
If you are looking for a dog less likely to suffer separation anxiety or separation anxiety or for a giant dog, the Havapoo would be a better fit.
In contrast, if you are looking for a dog to take part in therapy dog work, the Cavapoo might be a better choice.
Ultimately, both designer breeds make for great companions and family dogs!
