The best generations of Cavapoos are undoubtedly the F1, F1b, F1bb, F2, F2b, and F3.
The generation that you select for your designer dog comes down to the amount of Cavalier King Charles Spaniel or Poodle mix you desire your Cavapoo to have.
The generational markings also reveal the ancestry of your Cavapoo, which is important for many reasons.
Knowing which generation your Cavapoo is gives insight to your dog’s temperament, physical traits, and genetic health issues.
Pretty straight-forward, isn’t it? Well, It’s a teeny bit more complicated than that. Let’s get into it!
First, There is the F1 Generation of Cavapoos
What does the letter “F” stand for?
The letter F in F1 is an abbreviation for “Filial Hybrid.”
Now things begin to get interesting when numbers are attached to the letter “F!”
The F1 Cavapoo is the first-generation hybrid between two purebred dogs: Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and the Poodle (Toy or Miniature).
So, the result is … (drum roll please). A Cavapoo with an equal 50% mix of Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and Poodle!
What is the significance of this?
It means that your Cavapoo will have the best features of BOTH parents.
So, what physical traits should you expect from your F1 Cavapoo?
First, consider that you can expect your pup to have Hybrid Vigor. Hybrid Vigor refers to the mating of two purebred dogs (in this case) to produce a breed that has the best traits of both parents. The result is a healthier and longer living dog.
Now on to other remarkable features you may expect from this cross breeding.
Two of the attributes sought by mating a purebred Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and a purebred Poodle are the features of being hypoallergenic and non-shedding. However, while the F1 Cavapoo may be allergy friendly, this trait is lower compared to the other generations of Cavapoos. And there’s the possibility that a F1 Cavapoo’s coat could be more like a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (which means longer hair, with some of it decorating the floor).
Other marks that a F1 Cavapoo might possess could include:
- Loyalty (from the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel)
- Intelligence (a trait of both parents, but especially from the Poodle line)
- Outgoing personality (prominent traits of both Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and Poodle).
- Long, floppy ears (like his Cavalier King Charles Spaniel parent).
- Tight, beautiful curls (from his Poodle bloodline).
- He may be laid-back, gentle, and easy-going (like the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel). So, if you’re dreaming of a guard dog, you’re out of luck! While he may bark at an intruder, he’ll quickly warm up to that person and smother him with kisses.
- Your Cavapoo might excel in being an attention-getter (due to his Poodle mix). So, get your pitching arm ready to throw a ball and then sit back and see him catch it in mid-air. Watch him sit, lay down, and roll over on demand. And after his entertaining show, he’ll expect you to throw him a treat or two!
- Your F1 Cavapoo could resemble a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel with a “flat-face” and large protruding eyes.
- Or, he could take after the Poodle and have a more rounded head, intense eyes, and teddy-bear look.
Being a blend of both dogs, be aware that sometimes this union will birth a pup turned more toward the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
Other times the result may be more Poodle like. And you may not know which parent’s genes will be more prominent in your little puppy until later!
The F1 Cavapoo is one of the most bred varieties of the Cavapoo and, is usually less expensive than some of the other generational pups.
The bottom line? You’ll have the best of both worlds in your F1 Cavapoo!
Now, On to the F1B Generation of Cavapoos
The F1B Cavapoo is a first-generation puppy from the breeding of a purebred Poodle or Cavalier King Charles Spaniel to a F1 Cavapoo.
Usually, it’s the Poodle that’s bred to a F1 Cavapoo.
Dissecting F1B means “Filial,” 1st generation, and back-crossing to a purebred Poodle.
Percentage wise you’ll have a Cavapoo with 75% Poodle genes and 25% Cavapoo blood.
I’m WELL familiar with the F1b Cavapoo because that’s what our “Opie” is! You might be interested in reading more about Opie by clicking here.
If you’re wanting a canine buddy with a great intellect, tight curls, entertaining qualities, and undivided loyalty, then the F1B is for you.
But it even gets better! A F1B Cavapoo is mostly hypoallergenic and non-shedding.
If you have allergies, you won’t have to worry about sneezing your head off around a F1B Cavapoo.
And, put your broom in storage because there won’t be any Cavapoo hair to sweep up!
What About the F1BB Generation of Cavapoos?
The F1BB Cavapoo is a reverse F1B.
In other words, a F1BB results when a F1B Cavapoo is bred with a purebred Poodle.
It is the third generation of Cavapoos.
A F1BB Cavapoo, therefore, has 12.5% Cavalier King Charles Spaniel mix and 87.5% Poodle genetic makeup.
The reduction of the Cavalier’s DNA means that you may lose some of the personality of the Cavalier.
The increase of Poodle makeup, though, means you’ll have a dog that’s the most hypoallergenic.
A F1BB is also non-shedding and a more active dog.
If you have allergies and don’t want dog hair all over your home, the F1BB is the dog for you!
The F1BB also will have tighter curls because of its Poodle chemistry.
And, while the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is smart, your F1BB pet will be at the “head of the class” because of his large percentage of Poodle DNA.
But there is a downside to having a F1BB Cavapoo.
You’ll have to make more trips to the groomer to keep those curls from getting tangled. And that can be expensive!
Then, There’s the F2 Generation of Cavapoos
The F2 Cavapoo is a 2nd Generation Cavapoo, derived from two F1 parents.
The result is a puppy with a 50% Cavalier King Charles Spaniel bloodline and 50% Poodle genetic make-up.
Variation is the name of the game for the F2 Cavapoo.
His coat may be straight, curly, or wavy.
So, if you desire to own a Cavapoo but you want one with less maintenance (less brushing, fewer trips to the groomer), you may want to check out the F2 Cavapoo line.
Regarding the personality of the F2, you can expect something like the F1 and F1B.
The F2 will have a mixture of traits from the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and the Poodle.
And because prospected Cavapoo owners won’t know exactly what they’ll get, the F2 is not as popular as the F1.
I guess some people are afraid to take the risk!
Next In Line is the F2B Generation of Cavapoos (Multigen)
Now things are beginning to get a little complicated.
What exactly is the F2B Cavapoo?
Scientifically, the F2B Cavapoo results when a F1 is bred with a F1B.
The genetic breakdown is 62.5% Poodle and 37.5% Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
A F2B Cavapoo can also result by mating a F2 Cavapoo with a purebred Poodle.
What kind of coat does a F2B Cavalier have?
There’s no guarantee that his coat will be curly.
And there’s no guarantee that it’ll be wavy or straight.
It’ll be one of the three though!
The F2B is a low-shedding puppy that’ll please those concerned about allergies.
What Do You Know About the F2BB Generation of Cavapoos (Multigen)?
A F2BB Cavapoo is the offspring of a F2B Cavapoo and a purebred Poodle.
The F2BB will have DNA composition of 81.25% Poodle and 18.75% Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
Because of the Poodle dominance, the F2BB is the most hypoallergenic and non-shedding of the 2nd generation Cavapoos.
The F2BB will probably have curly hair like its Poodle parent. So, you better get the hair brush out!
Finally, There’s the F3 Generation of Cavapoos (Multigen)!
How do you get a F3 Cavapoo?
By breeding two F2’s!
The DNA composition of the F3 is 43-45% Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and 55-57% Poodle.
You’ll get a dog that’s mostly hypoallergenic and low shedding.
How does a F3 look? Well, it depends on the genetic makeup of the mother and father.
Here’s a Summary of the Generations of Cavapoos!
| F1 purebred Cavalier King Charles Spaniel x purebred Poodle, 50% CKCS, 50% Poodle | ||
| F1B Cavapoo x purebred Poodle, 25% CKCS, 75% Poodle | ||
| F1BB Cavalier King Charles Spaniel x purebred Poodle, 12.5% CKCS, 87.5 Poodle | ||
| F2 F1 Cavapoo x F1 Cavapoo, 50% CKCS, 50% Poodle | ||
| F2B F1 Cavapoo x F1B Cavapoo, 37.5 CKCS, 62.5 Poodle | ||
| F2BB F2b Cavapoo x purebred Poodle, 18.75% CKCS, 81.25% Poodle | ||
| F3 F2 Cavapoo x F2 Cavapoo, 43-45% CKCS, 55-57% Poodle |
Conclusion
Deciding which Cavapoo generations are the best depends on you!
What are you looking for in a Cavapoo?
Do you want a pup that’s turned more toward the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel or the Poodle?
Whichever generation you select you’ll get a pup that’ll steal your heart!
-Howell
