The very first hybrid dog that was designed for health and behavioral benefits was the cockapoo. The cockapoo is a mix between the Cocker Spaniel and, again, the poodle. The cockapoo has been around since the 1960s, which actually makes it less genetically varied than the newer mixed breeds. http://dogtime.com/dog-breeds/cockapoo#health There are different sizes of cockapoo, teacup, toy, miniature, and standard. The sizes come from the different type of poodle that is used in the mix, or from two cockapoos of a certain size.

The health issues of a Cocker Spaniel that pass to a cockapoo are cataracts, patellar luxation, hip dysplasia and allergies. A serious health issue that is kept from being passed to cockapoos is primary seborrhea, which affects the skin. Seborrhea is the overproduction of skin cells and a malfunction of the sebaceous glands, which cause the skin to get oily, flaky, and causes a bad smell. http://pets.webmd.com/dogs/dog-seborrhea This condition is not a serious health risk, but does not make the dog very enjoyable to cuddle with or pet. The breeding with the poodle gets rid of the tendency for this skin issue. The cockapoo shows that the health benefits of genetic variation not only increase a dog’s lifespan, it makes the dog a more enjoyable pet to have.

For information about finding a cockapoo breeder visit the following link: http://www.americancockapooclub.com/train_info.asp

Picture taken by: Scb0825 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cockapoo1.jpg