Cockalier vs Cyprus Poodle - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

Unfortunately the Island of Cyprus may well be beautiful and have a wonderful climate, but when you take a deeper look, the island has a serious problem with feral cats and stray dogs.

The many sanctuaries battle to keep up with the volume of neglected and abandoned animals on the island. One of the dogs found on the Island of Cyprus is the Cyprus Poodle. Some people say that the Cyprus Poodle is a cross between a poodle and a terrier.

Today this small dog is sought after in other countries for his loving personality and attractive looks.

Known also as the Cockalier Spaniel, the Cockalier is a sweet crossbreed – a mix between the Cocker Spaniel and the Cavalier King Charles spaniel.

Both of these spaniels do have some differences. The Cockalier is a designer breed that hails from the USA. Because he is a hybrid breed the Cockalier isn’t recognized by the American Kennel Club, but as a hybrid, it is recognized by the American Canine Hybrid Club (ACHC).

The Cyprus Poodle is such an attractive little dog with his jaunty personality and his dense, curly hair.

He stands in the region of 20 to 30cm and can weigh roughly 3 to 6kg. His hair is essentially cream or white with orangey tips and some people claim he is a cross between a poodle and a terrier.

He is a small dog. His curly coat is woolly and can be in a number of different colors such as white, ivory or apricot or even other colors.

The curly haired Cyprus Poodle isn’t a huge shedder but regular clipping keeps him looking nice and makes sure the coat doesn’t matt.

He has floppy ears, a long tail and brown eyes. He loves to go for a swim and then to dart around the place so he may require a bath every now and again to keep his beautiful coat clean and free of matting.

Temperament:

The Cyprus Poodle is an even tempered dog and he makes the perfect family pet, forming close bonds with his human family members.

He is playful, social and friendly and gets on well with children in the home as well as any other pets. He may be a small, friendly dog, but he will need training and socialization if you want him to be obedient and relaxed around other people.

The Cockalier is a medium-sized dog standing at between 30 and 38cm in height and weighing roughly between 5 and 12kg.

The coat of the Cockalier is silky and wavy. The coat is medium length and can be in colors such as golden, red, black or maybe white and brown.

The ears are fairly long and floppy, the eyes brown and expressive and the tail docked. If left, the tail is long and feathery.

Temperament:

The Cockalier is lively, gentle, intelligent and friendly with his human family, though he can be a little bit aloof with strangers.

He bonds very strongly with his family. They’re robust and are playful with children. They’re active dogs too and love nothing more than a hectic ball game. They don’t know when to stop and can become utterly exhausted if you don’t stop the game.

Have him trained and socialized and then he becomes even more amicable and he’s smart enough to learn basic commands without any trouble.

Your Cyprus Poodle is just dying to be a member of a human family because he has a lot of love and friendliness to give.

He wants lots of love and attention in return though. He doesn’t like to be put out in the garden and forgotten about. Make sure that he is a fully involved family member.

He is such a friendly, loving, social little dog and in exchange for your love and care, he is guaranteed to make you a most wonderful and loyal friend.

The Cockalier is such a clever dog and he wants to please. He just loves his human owners, protecting them against strangers. He doesn’t take too kindly to strangers, preferring to devote all his love and loyalty to those he knows.

He just craves attention and wants to be in your vicinity all the time. He is also good with children and will get on well with other pets in the home.

Once you’ve had a Cockalier in your life, you’ll want to reconsider having one of them again as they make awesome pets and companions.

Because the Cyprus Poodle is a cross-breed, he is a robust, long-life dog and not likely to get ill very easily.

Your Cyprus Poodle can have between 1 to 6 puppies but there are tremendous health benefits waiting for your pet when you ensure that he is rather neutered or spayed in the case of a female. Make sure too that he has all his vaccinations up to date. Make sure he has an excellent diet, a warm, dry place to sleep, he is exercised and that he gets regular check-ups from the vet.

There are some common dog illnesses that you want to look out for. When he is a puppy make sure that he gets the necessary vaccination against life threatening illnesses such as parvovirus, distemper and rabies.

There are some diseases that do affect poodles a little more than with other breeds, and one of these is Cushing’s Disease.

Cushing's Disease:

This is an illness that comes about when the body of your dogs makes too much cortisol. It is difficult for you to see symptoms of this disease in your pet, but if he is displaying unusual behavior, then you want to get him to the vet who can decide on treatment for him.

The Cockalier is a healthy dog breed and can reach between 12 and 15 years of age. Look out for common canine health issues such as hearing loss and ear infection and vision issues.

Ear Infections:

Cockaliers that have an ear infection will shake their head and scratch their ears. The inside of the ears may be red and there may be an unpleasant smell coming from the ears. Your pet will need to see the vet.

Mitral Valve Disease:

This is a common disease with King Charles Spaniels where the mitral valve wears out and leaks and is associated with a heart murmur.

The earliest sign of a leaking mitral valve is normally a heart murmur, but it doesn’t mean heart failure is imminent, but congestive heart failure will eventuallt occur. Your dog will tire when walking, be lethargic and also have a cough. It will definitely be time to see the vet.

Diet:

A cyprus poodle makes such a good pet and you will want to ensure that you feed your one an excellent diet so that he remains healthy and content.

Some people are overwhelmed at the sheer variety of commercially manufactured dog foods today, but the choice can be made a lot simpler by sticking to the better quality ones where protein is at the top of the ingredients list.

Home made food such as cooked brown rice, vegetables and cooked chicken will be excellent for your Cyprus Poodle as well as including some raw meat in the diet. Make sure he always has access to cool, clean water as this water is essential to his health, making it possible for all his bodily functions.

Grooming:

Brush his hair regularly and brush his teeth 2 or 3 times a week. Make sure to use toothpaste and toothbrush specially designed for dogs.

Exercise:

Your poodle will happily slot into life with you in the city or the country, but even if you have a garden, you can’t expect your dog to always find his own entertainment. Take your poodle for walks and play games with him so that he remains healthy and content.

Diet:

When you choose one of the commercially manufactured dog foods there are, you want to avoid those more inferior ones that have ingredients in them that can cause your dog to get sick.

Look for the high-quality ones and choose the foods that have natural, wholesome ingredients in them. The vet can always help you with your decision to select a food that will of benefit to your pet.

Try to give your pet some good homemade food too such as some raw meat occasionally as well as boiled chicken, vegetables and brown rice. Fresh, cool water should be constantly available.

Grooming:

The Cockalier is going to require some brushing because he sheds quite a bit. Some dog owners prefer to get the Cockalier professionally trimmed. During grooming, check your pet over for any unusual lumps.

Your Cockalier will also need to have his nails trimmed, and because of the long ears, you will need to look inside the ears to ensure there is no redness and signs of infection.

Also, the teeth should also be checked.

Some dog owners don’t have the time or they don’t want to probe inside their pet’s ears and then a doggy-grooming-parlor can be a good idea as they do all this for you.

Exercise:

The Cockalier is an energetic dog, requiring a lot of exercise and games. These dogs love water games and will love you spraying him with water from the garden hose. Failing that, he’ll jump right into the swimming pool with you. Ball games are just up his street, and he will remind you every day that it’s time for his walk.