Cockapoos are loved for their friendly personalities, intelligence, and charming appearance. Their coat colours and patterns, combined with the low-shedding, often hypoallergenic traits inherited from Poodles*, make them especially appealing. Behind these colours lies a fascinating world of genetics, which also determines their susceptibility to certain health disorders.
 

This guide explains Cockapoo coat colour inheritance in detail and provides an overview of breed-specific health concerns.
 

*No breeder can guarantee a dog will not trigger allergies. Low-shedding breeds like Cockapoos produce less hair and dander, which can reduce allergic reactions.
 

Basic Genetics Terms

• Locus (plural: Loci): Location of a gene on a chromosome.

• Allele: One version of a gene; each dog inherits one from each parent.

• Dominant Allele: Expressed even if only one copy is present.

• Recessive Allele: Expressed only when two copies are present.

• Homozygous: Two identical alleles at a locus.

• Heterozygous: Two different alleles at a locus.

• Autosomal Recessive Disorder: Appears only when a dog inherits two copies of a faulty gene; carriers are healthy but can pass on the faulty gene to offspring.

• Eumelanin: Black/brown pigment.

• Phaeomelanin: Red, yellow, or cream pigment.
   

Cockapoo Coat Colours and Genetics

Cockapoo coat colours and patterns are determined by the alleles found at multiple loci. By combining the alleles from both parents, breeders can predict possible puppy coat and skin colours. The following explanations of each Locus give percentages of how many Rudy and Caramel puppies will have various traits, but these numers actually represent the statistical probably of each puppy in a litter having that trait. There is a 50% chance that each puppy will have a Sable coat. That's exactly what happened in the first litter, but it could have been 2 or 4 or even all six inheriting the Cocker Sable allele from Rudy. Likewise, While there was a 25% probability of each puppy to inherit Rudy's Parti allele at the S Locus, 67% of the first litter inherited this allele. This is no different than tossing a coin repeatedly and having it come up heads four times in a row.
 

E-Locus (Extension Locus)

Determines the base pigment type:

• E: Normal extension, allows normal black/brown and red/yellow expression

• eH: Cocker Sable, sable shading that lightens with age

• e: Recessive red/cream/apricot; overrides other loci when homozygous

Example:

• Caramel: e/e → apricot

• Rudy: e/eH → sable

• Puppies: 50% probability of apricot, 50% probability of sable
   

A-Locus (Agouti Locus)

Controls patterns like tan points or shaded sable, only expressed if E-Locus allows:

• at/at: Tan points (black/brown coat with tan markings) - All Rudy/Caramel puppies carry tan points

• ay/ay: Shaded sable - not possible for a Rudy/Caramel litter

• a/a: Recessive black - not possible for a Rudy/Caramel litter

Example:

• Caramel: at/at → tan points hidden by apricot coat

• Rudy: at/at → tan points faintly visible on sable coat
   

K-Locus (Dominant Black Locus)

• KB: Dominant black (solid black if E-Locus allows)

• kbr: Brindle pattern

• ky: Allows red/yellow pigment

Example:

• Caramel: n/kbr → e/e apricot or e/eH sable at E-Locus overrides K-Locus, so all Rudy/Caramel puppy coats are apricot or sable
   

B-Locus (Brown/Liver Locus)

Determines eumelanin colour:

• B: Black pigment

• b/b: Brown/chocolate pigment (affects coat, nose, paw pads, lips, eye rims)

Example:

• Caramel and Rudy: B/b → ~25% chance b/b puppies (may appear as “phantom chocolate” if E-Locus partially suppresses eumelanin- see photos of Pup 1, Litter 1).
   

D-Locus (Dilution Locus)

• D/D or D/d: No dilution

• d/d: Diluted black → blue, diluted brown → lilac

Example:

• Caramel: D/D → no diluted puppies expected since all will get a D from Caramel
   

Merle

• n/n: No merle

• Merle carriers: One copy produces merle pattern

• Double merle: Two copies can cause blindness, deafness, skeletal defects

Example:

• Caramel: n/n → cannot produce merle puppies

• Rudy wasn't tested for Merle, but there has only been one merle puppy in any of his litters, a sure sign that puppy's merle allele came from its mother.
   

S-Locus (Parti/White Markings)

• S/S or S/sP: Up to ~50% white patches

• sP/sP: Mostly white coat

Example:

• Caramel: S/S → solid coat

• Rudy: S/sP → some Rudy/Caramel puppies will have small white patches, 4 of 6 in litter 1.
   

Furnishings (Facial Hair/Moustache)

• F/F: Fully furnished (long facial hair from Cocker Spaniel)

• f/f: Minimal facial hair

Example:

• Both Caramel and Rudy appear F/F → puppies will be fully furnished
   

Predicting Puppy Coats from Parent Genetics

By combining alleles from Caramel and Rudy, the expected puppy colours are:

• E-Locus: 50% e/e (apricot), 50% e/eH (sable)

• A-Locus: Tan points expressed only on sable puppies

• B-Locus: 25% b/b (chocolate), 75% B/- (black)

• K-Locus: Overridden by E-Locus in Rudy/Caramel e/e and e/eH puppies. No totally black puppies, buy one sable had black tips possible

• D-Locus: No dilution (it's mostly a trait with Weimaraners)

• Merle: None expected

• S-Locus: ~25% with small white patches, but 4 of 6 in litter 1 had them

• Furnishings: All puppies fully furnished

This approach allows breeders and owners to trace which alleles each puppy inherited based on coat colour.

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Cockapoo Health Concerns

Responsible breeders use DNA health tests to ensure puppies are healthy and to preserve genetic diversity.

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Testing Outcomes:

• Clear: Two normal genes; dog cannot develop or pass on the disorder

• Carrier: One normal, one mutant gene; dog is healthy but can pass the mutant gene

• Affected: Two mutant genes; dog likely develops the disorder
   

Eight Common Cockapoo Disorders:

From Cocker Spaniels:

1. Acral Mutilation Syndrome (AMS) – self-mutilation

2. Exercise-Induced Collapse (EIC) – collapse after exercise

3. Familial Nephropathy (FN) – hereditary kidney disease

4. Phosphofructokinase Deficiency (PFKD) – exercise intolerance

Shared (Cocker & Poodle):
   5. Progressive Retinal Atrophy – gradual blindness
   6. Degenerative Myelopathy – progressive spinal disease

From Poodles:
   7. Neonatal Encephalopathy with Seizures (NEwS) – early-onset neurological disorder
   8. Von Willebrand's Disease Type 1 – bleeding disorder

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Careful breeding using DNA tests greatly reduces the risk of these disorders. Caramel and Rudy’s litters are not at risk, as Rudy is clear of all 8 disorders and Caramel is clear of 7. She carries one allele for PRA-PRCD, but Rudy has none, About half of Caramel's Puppies will inherit one copy of this autosomal recessive allele from her, but two copies are required to cause the disorder and Rudy hasn't a copy to pass on.

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Hybrid Vigour vs. Inbreeding

• Hybrid vigour (heterosis): Puppies from genetically diverse parents are less likely to inherit harmful recessive genes. Benefits can include:

  • Better overall health

  • Lower risk of inherited disorders

  • Improved fertility and longevity

• Inbreeding: Increases risk of recessive diseases and structural issues due to closed gene pools. Purebreds often face higher health risks for this reason.

Cockapoos, as a crossbreed, often benefit from greater genetic diversity, which contributes to their health and resilience. Mike entered five generations of Rudy and Caramel's ancestor's names into an inbreeding calculator and the Co-efficient of inbreeding result is Zero.

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Conclusion

DNA health tests, careful breeding, proper veterinary care, balanced diet, and exercise are key to maintaining healthy, happy Cockapoos. Understanding genetics also helps predict coat colours and patterns, giving owners a window into how these charming dogs inherit traits from their parents.