The Cavapoo is a popular mixed breed dog for families looking for a low-shedding dog with a friendly and loving personality. But did you know that there are actually a few different types of cavapoo? Their genetics can vary greatly which means that coat type and hair colour can be very different even amongst puppies from the same litter.
Cavapoos are classed as designer dogs as they were originally bred to take on the best qualities from the Poodle and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. But there can be lots of variations and a Cavapoo puppy can have various gene combinations depending on their parents.
The Poodle size usually dictates the size that the puppies will reach on adulthood. Poodles can be standard, miniature or toy.
What do F1, F1B and F2 Cavapoo mean?
Breeders use a series of letters and numbers to refer to the genetics of puppies. If you’ve been looking for a Cavapoo puppy, you may have seen statements such as F1 Cavapoo puppies, or F1B Cavapoo puppies. This is how the breeder makes it clear what the genetic make-up is of the litter. These are widely used letters and numbers and it’s important you know what they mean before choosing a puppy to take home.
Even when you know a bit more about a puppy’s genetics though, it’s still impossible to be able to predict what a puppy will look like and what it’s personality will be as we just can’t predict which genes will be prevalent.
Cavapoo Generations – The Different Types of Cavapoo
There are lots of different types of Cavapoos, they are generally referred to as F1, F1B, F1BB, F2, F2B, F2BB, F3 or Multigen Cavapoos. Let’s take a look at what these letters and numbers mean and how you can use them to decide whether a particular puppy is likely to be right for your family.
What does the “F” mean?
The “F” means Filial Hybrid and is a term often used to describe dogs created from selected breeding. In simple terms, this just means that these dogs are a mixed breed rather than a pure breed.
What do the numbers mean?
The numbers refer to the generation. So a puppy described as an F1 Cavapoo means that it’s parents are pure breeds – a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and a Poodle.
F1 – First Generation
F2 – Second Generation
F3 – Third Generation
What does the “B” mean?
The “B” means “backcross”. This usually means that a Cavapoo has been bred back with a pure 100% poodle. This would result in puppies that are around 75% Poodle and 25% Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
F1 Cavapoo
An F1 Cavapoo is the easiest to understand. F1 Cavapoos have purebred parents – one Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and one Poodle. F1 Cavapoos are 50% Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and 50% Poodle.
With an F1 Cavapoo, you could get a puppy with a curly coat like the Poodle parent, or you could have more of a wavy coat like the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
As a mix of two pure breeds, the risk of health issues is lower with an F1 Cavapoo than it is with some of the other generations.
F1 Cavapoos can often be a little cheaper than other generations too as they are by far the most common generation there is.
As the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel makes up 50% of the F1 Cavapoo, you could see some shedding which is important to bear in mind if you have any allergy sufferers in the house. But generally speaking, all Cavapoos are low-shedding dogs.
F1B Cavapoo
An F1B Cavapoo has one purebred parent and one Cavapoo parent. The purebred is usually a Poodle resulting in 75% Poodle genes and 25% Cavalier King Charles Spaniel genes.
Puppies with more Poodle genes are more likely to have curly coats like their Poodle parent.
As the Poodle gene is prevalent, F1B Cavapoos tend to be low-shedding or no-shedding, so this can make them a great choice for allergy sufferers.
This generation can cost a little more than the F1 Cavapoo because of it’s hypoallergenic qualities.
F1BB Cavapoo
This is where things get a little more complicated.
An F21BB Cavapoo is a cross between an F1B Cavapoo and a Purebred Poodle. This means that their genetic make up is 12.5% Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and 87.5% pure Poodle. As with all the generations, the Poodle could be toy, miniature or standard.
F1BB Cavapoos are not all that common.
The F1BB Cavapoo is the best option for allergy sufferers as this generation has the highest percentage of the Poodle genes out of all the different generations.
Bear in mind that the high percentage of Poodle DNA means that these dogs can be quite high maintenance. They tend to have curly coats which need regular grooming in order to avoid getting matted and causing the dog any discomfort. Many owners use a slicker brush to keep their Cavapoo’s fur free from mats.
F2 Cavapoo
An F2 Cavapoo will have two F1 Cavapoo parents making it a 2nd generation puppy. This means that they actually have the same genetic make-up as an F1 Cavapoo and are 50% King Charles Cavalier and 50% Poodle.
F2 Cavapoos don’t tend to be seen too often as it is almost impossible to predict what their personalities will be like, what hair type they will have, or which features they will inherit.They could have a straight coat, a wavy coat or a curly coat like the Poodle.
F2B Cavapoo
An F2B Cavapoo has one F2 Cavapoo parent and one Poodle parent. This mix means the Poodle gene is likely to be prevalent leading to a higher maintenance coat.
F2BB Cavapoo
An F2BB Cavapoo has an F2B parent and a purebred Poodle parent. This is the most hypoallergenic of all the second generation Cavapoos as it has the highest percentage of Poodle genes. This will also mean it is likely to have a curly, high maintenance coat that needs regular grooming.
F3 Cavapoo
F3 Cavapoos or 3rd generation Cavapoos are the least common of all the different generations. They can be a mix of F1B Cavapoos and F2 Cavapoos meaning it’s impossible to predict whether they will be hypoallergenic.
Multi-Generation Cavapoo
A Multi-Generation or Multi-Gen Cavapoo is just another term used to describe any generation from F2 onwards. If you see a breeder advertising Multi-Gen Cavapoo puppies, they should be able to specify what generation they actually are.
Cavapoo Generations DNA Chart
It’s impossible to know exactly what percentage genes a Cavapoo puppy will inherit from it’s parents, but this table gives a general idea of the genetic make up of all the different Cavapoo generations.
| Generation | Usual pairing | Estimated DNA % | ||
| 1st Parent | 2nd Parent | Poodle | Cavalier King Charles Spaniel | |
| F1 Cavapoo | Cavalier King Charles Spaniel | Poodle | 50% | 50% |
| F1B Cavapoo | F1 Cavapoo | Poodle | 75% | 25% |
| F1BB Cavapoo | F1B Cavapoo | Poodle | 87.5% | 12.5% |
| F2 Cavapoo | F1 Cavapoo | F1 Cavapoo | 50% | 50% |
| F2B Cavapoo | F2 Cavapoo | Poodle | 62.5% | 37.5% |
| F2BB Cavapoo | F2B Cavapoo | Poodle | 81.25% | 18.75% |
| F3 Cavapoo | F2 Cavapoo | F2 Cavapoo | 50% | 50% |
| Multigeneration Cavapoo | Differs | Differs | Differs | Differs |
Which Generation is Best?
When you’re faced with choosing which Cavapoo to take home, it can be a little overwhelming to work out which generation is the best to go for. The truth is that it will very much depend on your own individual circumstances and what you’re looking for in a dog.
It’s true that an F1 Cavapoo is likely to have less health issues, but there are no guarantees.
Consider whether you’re happy to take on a puppy who will need lots of grooming and regular brushing. Any puppy with a higher than 50% Poodle DNA is likely to be curly with a high-maintenance coat. But even an F1 Cavapoo could still have a curlier coat.
Whichever generation you choose, Cavapoos are wonderful pets. They are loyal, friendly and eager to please so you’re bound to find the perfect new addition to your family.
You may also be interested in finding out more about Cockapoo puppies.
