Study: Designer Crossbreeds Show More Undesirable Behaviors

A new study from the Royal Veterinary College in the United Kingdom has revealed that popular designer crossbreed dogs, including cockapoos and cavapoos, often exhibit more undesirable behaviors than their purebred parent breeds. Published in the journal PLOS One, the research challenges common assumptions about the temperament of these poodle mixes, which have surged in popularity over the past decade.

The study drew on responses from nearly 9,500 dog owners who completed the Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire, a standardized tool that evaluates traits such as aggression, excitability, fear, and trainability across 12 scales. Researchers compared three crossbreeds—cockapoos, a mix of cocker spaniels and poodles; cavapoos, from cavalier King Charles spaniels and poodles; and labradoodles, crosses of labrador retrievers and poodles—with their respective parent breeds. Only dogs five years old or younger were included to minimize age-related influences on behavior.

In 44 percent of the 24 comparisons between each crossbreed and its parents, the mixes showed higher levels of problematic behaviors, such as owner-directed aggression, stranger-directed fear,...