Summary: A large-scale survey of over 9,400 dogs reveals that popular “designer” crossbreeds—Cockapoos, Cavapoos, and Labradoodles—often exhibit more undesirable behaviors than their purebred progenitor breeds. The study utilized the Canine Behavioural Assessment and Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ) to debunk the widespread belief that these hybrids are naturally better behaved or easier to train.
While Labradoodles showed a more balanced behavioral profile, Cockapoos emerged with the highest frequency of unwanted habits, including aggression and excitability. These findings suggest that the rapid rise in designer dog popularity may be outstripping our understanding of their actual temperament and welfare needs.
Key Facts
- The “Cockapoo” Conflict: Cockapoos scored worse than their purebred parents (Cocker Spaniels and Poodles) in 16 out of 24 behavioral categories, including aggression toward owners and strangers.
- Behavioral Mismatch: In nearly 45% of all comparisons, the designer crossbreeds displayed more problematic behaviors than their purebred ancestors, while only 10% showed fewer issues.
- The Labradoodle Exception: Labradoodles were the most balanced of the trio, scoring better than purebred poodles in areas like owner-directed and dog-directed aggression.
- Myth Busting: The study directly challenges the “hybrid vigor” marketing claim that designer dogs are inherently more stable or family-friendly than established purebreds.
Source: PLOS
In a new, survey-based study of three kinds of “designer” crossbreed dogs, cocakpoos, cavapoos and labradoodles, all three showed more undesirable behaviors than at least one of their purebred progenitor breeds, with cockapoos displaying the most unwanted habits.
Gina Bryson of the Royal Veterinary College, U.K., and colleagues present these findings in the open-access journal PLOS One on March 19, 2026.
Cavapoos, labradoodles, and cockapoos are crosses between purebred poodles and cavalier King Charles spaniels, Labrador retrievers, and cocker spaniels, respectively. The popularity of these and other “designer” crossbreeds as pets is rapidly rising around the world, in part because of widespread beliefs that they tend to have more desirable behaviors—such as being easier to train, or better with children—than other breeds.
However, very little research has tested those beliefs. To help clarify, Bryson and colleagues analyzed survey data from U.K. dog owners for a total of 9,402 cavapoos, labradoodles, cockapoos, and their purebred progenitor breeds. The survey included the Canine Behavioural Assessment and Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ), a well-established way to analyze different dog behaviors.
For each type of “designer” crossbreed and each of its purebred progenitors, the researchers compared C-BARQ scores for 12 different behavioral traits. They found that, in 44.4 percent of those comparisons, the crossbreed had more undesirable behaviors than the progenitor breed. In 9.7 percent of the comparisons, crossbreeds had fewer problem behaviors, and no notable difference was found in 45.8 percent of the comparisons.
Of the crossbreeds, cockapoos had the most undesirable behaviors overall. Cockapoos scored worse than their progenitor breeds in 16 out of 24 behaviors, including owner-directed aggression, stranger-directed aggression, and excitability.
Cavapoos scored worse than their progenitors in 11 out of 24 behaviors, including excitability, separation problems, and dog-directed fear. Meanwhile, compared to their progenitors, labradoodles scored worse in five behaviors, but better in six, including showing less owner- or dog-directed aggression than purebred poodles.
On the basis of this study, the researchers call for wider awareness of potential crossbreed behavior issues to support dog welfare and to enable safe, rewarding dog ownership. Additional research could further deepen understanding of crossbreed dog behavior.
Key Questions Answered:
A: Not necessarily. This study found that Cockapoos and Cavapoos often struggle more with excitability and aggression than their purebred parents, suggesting they may require more intensive training than owners expect.
A: While Cockapoos struggled across the board, Labradoodles actually showed less aggression than purebred Poodles in some categories. This highlights that not all “doodles” are created equal when it comes to temperament.
A: The researchers aren’t saying “don’t buy,” but “be aware.” The goal is to ensure owners are prepared for potential behavioral challenges like separation anxiety or fear-based aggression that are common in these specific crosses.
Editorial Notes:
- This article was edited by a Neuroscience News editor.
- Journal paper reviewed in full.
- Additional context added by our staff.
About this animal psychology research news
Author: Hanna Abdallah
Source: PLOS
Contact: Hanna Abdallah – PLOS
Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News
Original Research: Open access.
“Comparing undesirable behaviours between ‘designer’ Poodle-cross dogs and their purebred progenitor breeds” by Gina T. Bryson, Dan G. O’Neill, Zoe Belshaw, Claire L. Brand, Rowena M. A. Packer. PLOS ONE
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0342847
Abstract
Comparing undesirable behaviours between ‘designer’ Poodle-cross dogs and their purebred progenitor breeds
Designer-crossbreed dogs (deliberate cross-breeding between two or more pure breeds) are exploding in popularity, often driven by beliefs that they commonly exhibit desirable behaviours such as being easy to train or being good with children, despite minimal supporting evidence.
This study aimed to fill this gap by comparing Canine Behavioural Assessment and Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ) scores between the three most common designer-crossbreeds in the UK and their relevant progenitor breeds.
C-BARQ behaviour data for all 12 sub-scales were collected in March 2023 via an online questionnaire of owners of Cockapoo, Labradoodle, Cavapoo, Cocker Spaniel, Labrador Retriever, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and Poodle dogs acquired aged ≤16 weeks from 1st January 2019. C-BARQ scores were analysed using multivariable linear modelling. Valid responses were received representing 9,402 dogs.
From 72 behavioural comparisons overall (3 designer-crossbreeds x 2 progenitors x 12 C-BARQ scales), designer-crossbreeds overall exhibited more undesirable behaviours than a progenitor breed in 44.4% comparisons and fewer undesirable behaviours in 9.7% comparisons, with no differences detected for the remaining 45.8%.
Cockapoos displayed the most undesirable behaviours of the three designer crossbreeds, and differed from Cocker Spaniels and Poodles in 16/24 comparisons, scoring worse for all 16. Cavapoos differed from Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and Poodles in 12/24 comparisons, scoring worse in 11.
In contrast, Labradoodles differed from Labrador Retrievers and Poodles in 11/24 comparisons, scoring worse than their progenitors in five behaviours, but better in six.
These findings suggest notable behavioural differences between designer-crossbreeds versus their progenitor breeds, with Cockapoos and Cavapoos in particular scoring worse.
Wider awareness by prospective owners of these potential issues around undesirable behavioural traits could avoid misbelief-driven acquisitions (e.g., designer-crossbreeds require minimal training, or are particularly suited to households with children) that risk public health (e.g., elevated dog bite risks) and relinquishment due to unmet expectations.
