Eric Krause said on Nov 28, 2010 1:17 AM

The world’s greatest dog is now two and half years old. I grew up with champion bred bird dogs who proved to be excellent companions as well as fantastic field dogs, but the Cockapoo puppy which we brought home from Jan’s house in West Orange is the most incredible dog we ever been around. We originally choose the Cockapoo because of my wife having dog allergies and is very sensitive pet hair and dander. Our Cockapoo does not shed and has no or very little dander and is a very clean dog. I now may come home on a cold winter Sunday afternoon to find him cuddled up taking a nap with my wife; seeing how close they have become is amazing when considering that my wife, who was not a “dog person” and once thought we should not have the dog on the second floor to ensure she would not suffer from allergy issues. Leo’s was socialized with people, children , and other dogs, and that socialization when combined with his excellent breeding and nice size makes him welcomed when visiting friends and family, quite frankly he is often the most popular family member. Leo is large for a Cockapoo, something Jan predicted; but he is perfect for our family because while he is still small enough to be a lap dog (well, a large lap), and he is big and strong enough for a long hike. My daughter says “he’s a glass is half full” type dog, meaning he exudes happiness; which from what I have read is typical of Cockapoos. He is proud and happy, with his long tail usually held high like a feathery plume, and usually walks with almost with a prance. The prideful strut which he presents is the type of personality I’ve seen fondly sought by dog show judges; it has made me wonder about his father’s background knowing Jan’s connection to her mother’s champion Poodles. He does not display dominant behaviors found in many male dogs such as mounting. This good behavior most likely is due to being neutered before reaching maturity but it should also be attributed to Jan’s breeding and his proper socialization skills. The high intellect of the Jan’s Cockapoos is quickly apparent and should be kept in mind when training. The dog’s great desire to please allows for easy training, but trainer needs to remember the well bred Cockapoo’s ability for independent thinking and problem solving, something inherited from his distant ancestry to field dogs. A soft touch, balanced with providing him with an understand “why” something needs to be done is important to this highly intelligent “breed”. Do not underestimate the importance of a well bred dog, something perhaps even more important for Cockapoos who have become very popular and yet because they are not being recognized as a purebred breed do not have an association for protecting set breeding standards. While we consider him to be the world’s greatest dog, I am sure he is not unusually for one of Jan’s Cockapoo.