Designer Crossbreeds May Exhibit More Behavioral Problems, UK Study Suggests

A study conducted in the UK suggests that certain popular designer crossbreed dogs, specifically cockapoos and cavapoos, may exhibit more behavioral problems than their purebred parent breeds. The popularity of these crossbreeds has partly been driven by expectations of them being hypoallergenic, healthy, and suitable for children.

Prospective owners are advised to thoroughly research the characteristics of any breed or crossbreed to ensure informed selection.

Study Methodology

Researchers at the Royal Veterinary College analyzed data from 3,424 crossbreed and 5,978 purebred dogs. Data was gathered through an online questionnaire completed by owners of cockapoos, labradoodles, cavapoos, cocker spaniels, labrador retrievers, cavalier king charles spaniels, and poodles.

The questionnaire included 73 questions on dog behavior, used to generate ratings across 12 distinct behavior scales.

Key Findings

Cockapoos

Cockapoos displayed more undesirable behavior than poodles on six scales, including owner-directed aggression, stranger-directed aggression, dog rivalry, non-social fear, separation-related problems, and excitability.

Compared to cocker spaniels, cockapoos also showed more undesirable behavior in dog-directed aggression, stranger-directed fear, dog-directed fear, and trainability.

Cavapoos

Cavapoos scored differently from poodles on three scales. They performed worse than cavalier king charles spaniels on eight of the nine scales where differences were noted.

Labradoodles

Labradoodles differed from poodles on six scales, scoring better on all. However, they differed from labradors on five scales, scoring worse on all.

The authors of the study advise prospective owners to thoroughly research the characteristics of any breed or crossbreed to ensure informed selection.

Expert Commentary

Daniel Mills, a professor of veterinary behavioral medicine at the University of Lincoln, who was not involved in the study, described the research as a significant contribution.

Mills highlighted that behavior is a result of the interaction between genes and the environment, suggesting that cultural factors, such as owner behavior, expectations, and training, may be influential.

He indicated that further studies are necessary to identify the primary influences for the observed effects.