So you have finally decided to choose a Cavapoo as your home pet. I can tell you from experience with Rosie that this is a great decision based on so many factors.
Rosie is affectionate, energetic, loyal, adorable, and yes, a bit mischievous at times. She is also an F1 Cavapoo, and if you do not know what that means, I can tell you that the variations can get a little more confusing!
There are 2 different variations of F1, including F1b and F1bb, so you came to the right place to understand the differences.
What is an F1, F1b, and F1bb Cavapoo? An F1 Cavapoo is the first generation of a Cavapoo cross breed. The first generation F1 Cavapoo is an even split between a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and a miniature poodle. F1b and F1bb Cavapoo’s are bred with an emphasis on the toy poodle and are second and third generation Cavapoos.
If you are already confused, that is natural. Since a Cavapoo is already a cross breed, there are multiple numbers and categories that are used to distinguish the breeding attributes of a Cavapoo.
In this article, we will focus on the 3 types of F1 Cavapoo to make better sense of what the differences are between the variations and how each generation is produced. Read on to find out more about these Cavapoo variations.
What is an F1 and F1B Cavapoo?
As mentioned, an F1 and F1b Cavapoo are categories designed to distinguish between the breeding dynamics that extend from a first-generation F1. A Cavapoo F1 was originally bred to produce a low-shedding, hypoallergenic designer dog that features characteristics of both the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and the poodle.
The key to creating a Cavapoo lies in the assertion that the parents are both purebred Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and poodles, which is the job of breeders to present registration paperwork that confirms the purity of the two breeds. This is essential to getting a real F1 Cavapoo, which is the foundation of recent research that was conducted by the University of New Hampshire:
Dog breeds change intentionally over time as the desires of dog breeders change.
University of New Hampshire
Therefore, the breeders intentions for creating dog variations are on the rise, and with our experience with Rosie, I can tell you that the practice is well worth it and completely safe.
So what does the ‘F’ and ‘b’ mean anyway? The f stands for filial, which is a Latin interpretation meaning son and daughter.
This is a way of distinguishing a Cavapoo is a cross breed that is the product or two different purebred parents. The F1 Cavapoo is the direct descendant of Cavalier and the poodle, which also means that the F1 is a 1st generation Cavapoo from the purebred parent variations. Are you still with me? Good, because there are also two more descendants that can be attached to an F1 Cavapoo as well.
The F1b Cavapoo is a hybrid of the first generation Cavapoo that is produced by breeding an F1 Cavapoo with a purebred poodle. This is favored by some breeders to try and reach the true non shedding and curly coat characteristics that descend from the poodle instead of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
The ‘b’ stands for backcross, and this usually means that the 1st generation Cavapoo is bred with the poodle (rarely the Cavalier) to produce a new variation of Cavapoo that strongly favors the poodle.
Another term for this practice is ‘hybrid vigor’, which means, according to Veterinary Journal, that cross breeding can be used for either aesthetic purposes of breeders or, in some instances, as a way to limit health issues, which in the case of a Cavapoo, usually is concentrated heavily in the genetic traits of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels over poodles.
Hybrid vigor can be used to improve coat type and cancel out health issues with one dominant breed or, hybrid vigor can be used to bring out more of the poodle variant for people with severe allergies seeking to achieve a non shedding Cavapoo. There are few research models available on hybrid vigor and hybrid dog benefits in general, but the practice seems to be relatively safe with Cavapoo.
What Is an F1bb Cavapoo?
F1 Cavapoos and F1b descendants are the first and second-generation variants of the original purebred parents, but there is also a third-generation Cavapoo, the F1bb. F1bb Cavapoos are not much different from F1 and F1b Cavapoos except that an F1bb is a double variation of backcross and is also bred with a purebred poodle and sometimes a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
The concentration of the poodle is even higher in the F1bb than F1 and F1b Cavapoos since the strong emphasis on poodle genetic traits is higher. The third generation is optimal for breeders seeking as close to a non shedding and hypoallergenic dog as possible.
A breeder is less likely to seek F1bb Cavapoo puppies since the generations have been mixed far too much, and health concerns can be more prevalent in the third generation, especially if the breeder used the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel as the main variant.
Furthermore, Cavapoos have only been around for roughly 30 years, so there is very little research available on the overall health of this breed, much less for the F1b and the F1bb Cavapoo.
How Big Do F1 & F1B Cavapoos Get?
For any Cavapoo, the size is going to always be determined by which of the parents was larger in size, and the poodles are a bit larger than Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. The non shedding and hypoallergenic qualities of Cavapoos are the main talking points of potential buyers, especially those with severe allergies, however, the small size of Cavapoos is also a major selling point.
An F1 Cavapoo will generally not grow any larger than 14″, and this is because the poodle variant is stronger due to the larger size than the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. The F1b Cavapoo will also be around the same size as the F1, and again, this is if the breeding favored the poodle over the purebred Cavalier.
These are the sizes you can expect when your F1 or F1b Cavapoo is fully grown; the puppy stage is obviously much smaller, and extra care will need to be in place with Cavapoo puppies due to the small sizes relative to humans.
What Do F1 Cavapoos Look Like?
Rosie is an F1 Cavapoo, and as you can see, she has a curly coat type which resembles her poodle parent who was a red coat male, as well as strong Cavalier King Charles Spaniel features on her face. Her ears are also strong indicators of her Cavalier King Charles parent and her overall size and coat type are relative to a poodle.
A Cavapoo will look different depending on which parent his/her genetic traits favor the most. Since an F1 Cavapoo is 50 Cavalier and 50 poodle, it will usually appear like most Cavapoos that are frequently seen in images. But it must be understood Cavapoos can change color as they age, which is caused by the 50 poodle variant in his/her genes.
Instead of grey or white hair that we all associate with aging, Cavapoos (and poodles in particular) seem to go through a coat color lightening as they age. Puppies and young adults have strong coloring in their coats, but you will usually notice the luminosity of the coat fade a bit as time goes by.
Coat color can be unpredictable since a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel has 4 different coat colors, and a poodle has upward of ten different colors. It is all dependant on the genetic selection that occurs when the pure parent is pregnant with an F1 Cavapoo. You will have to take pleasure in knowing that the coat color of the puppy will be a surprise.
An F1 Cavapoo, and most Cavapoos, may have stronger facial features resembling the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. The ears will typically be floppier than a poodle and the snout, eye framing, and tail will likely resemble the King Charles Cavalier Spaniel.
F1b Cavapoos will likely have stronger features related to the poodle parent, which is combined with the original purebred poodle apparent in the F1 Cavapoo. F1bb Cavapoos have more instances where curly coats and stronger poodle features take over than even F1b Cavapoos.
Do F1 Cavapoos Shed?
An F1b Cavapoo will shed; all dogs shed at least to some degree. People with allergies sometimes seek out Cavapoos due to the popular talking point of the breed being hypoallergenic less likely to shed, but it should be understood that seasonal shedding at the very least is to be expected. As Cavapoos move further down the 50 poodle, 50 Cavalier distinctions into F1 B and F1bb, shedding does diminish a great deal as more and more of the poodle DNA becomes almost entirely dominant.
An F1 will shed when brushed or groomed, but I never notice a large amount of shedding with Rosie. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel will shed a great but the poodle is well known to less inclined to shed due to the curly and wavy coat features of the toy poodle.
Are F1 Cavapoos Hypoallergenic?
An F1 is sometimes labeled as a hypoallergenic dog, but in all honesty, there really is no such thing. A person with allergies will still see those allergies act up because allergic reactions to dogs are caused by shed skin and pet dander and not so much dog hair. All dogs shed fur, but just like humans, they will also shed dead skin each day and this clumped accumulation is typically referred to as pet dander.
A Cavapoo dog takes a longer amount of time to release excess fur, but it is incorrect to assume that Cavapoos are hypoallergenic. Once the puppy stage is over and a Cavapoo puppy reaches adulthood, the shedding will start to pick up, but a better way to look at this question is to understand that Cavapoos are maybe less prone to aggravate allergies than other types of dogs.
This is even more so with F1b and F1bb Cavapoos.
What is the difference between F1 and F2 Cavapoo?
F1 Cavapoos are the first descendants of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and the poodle. F1 Cavapoos are 50 poodle and 50 Cavalier in their genetic makeup. F2 Cavapoos are a special variation that comes from the mating of one F1 with another F1, thereby producing a breed that is split in its genetic makeup between f1 Cavapoos.
An F2 Cavapoo will have a similar temperament to its F1 family as well as a coat that is curly and wavy, and most of the traits that you can expect from an F1. An F2b Cavapoo will also have a curly and way coat and temperament similar to the F2, but there are some uncertainties in other family characteristics due to the F2b Cavapoo being bred from an F1 and F1b.
How do you know whether to get an F1 or F2 Cavapoo puppy?
An F1 or even F1b Cavapoo will be hard to distinguish from an F2 or F2b Cavapoo. One thing that is certain is the increasing lack of Cavalier King Charles Spaniel features in favor of stronger association with the poodle once the 50 Cavalier and 50 poodle distinction become less apparent.
An F2 Cavapoo may resemble a poodle more than anything else, and this is not a popular selling point that many potential buyers would consider. There is no doubt that either Cavapoo type will have a mild temperament and may have a wavy coat, but the final decision rests with you and what aesthetic or personal characteristics you feel would guide you in your purchase.
Final Thoughts
So there you have it, these are the differences between an F1, F1b, and F1bb Cavapoo. Whatever Cavapoo you decide to purchase or breed, it is crucial to purchase Cavapoo puppies if you wish to have a Cavapoo with your family for years. There are only minor aesthetic differences between these three similar types of Cavapoo breeds.
