Research debunks belief that designer crossbreed dogs are healthier.

The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) has undertaken the world’s largest study into the health of designer crossbreed dogs and revealed that the overall health of three common designer crossbreeds (Cockapoo, Labradoodle and Cavapoo) is largely similar to their parent purebred breeds. These findings debunk common public beliefs about the superior health of these designer crossbreed dogs and provide vital information to assist potential dog owners when deciding which type of dog to acquire.

Designer crossbreed dogs are created by the intentional crossbreeding of longer established ‘purebred’ breeds to create new ‘designer’ breeds, such as the Cockapoo (a cross between a Cocker Spaniel and Poodle). The UK has seen a significant increase in demand for these designer crossbreeds over the past decade, particularly since the pandemic, with many designer crossbreeds now surpassing the popularity of their parent breeds. For example, there were more Cockapoo dogs (653,597) owned in the UK in 2023 than either Cocker Spaniel (562,951) or Poodle (105,369) dogs.

Much of this meteoric public demand has been driven by a widespread belief that designer crossbreeds are a healthier option, due to somehow breeding out of harmful health effects caused by inbreeding that is common in purebred dogs. However, this new RVC study has revealed that specifically for Cockapoo, Labradoodle and Cavapoo, the risk for the 57 most common disorders did not differ between these three most common designer crossbreeds and their purebred parent breeds in 86.6 per cent of the disorder comparisons. Of the 13.4% disorders comparisons that did differ, these were almost equally split between designer-crossbreeds having higher risk for 7.0% and lower risk for 6.4%.

The study - led by Gina Bryson, master's graduate; Dr Rowena Packer, Senior Lecturer in Companion Animal Behaviour and Welfare Science; and Dr Dan O’Neill, Associate Professor in Companion Animal Epidemiology, all at the RVC - surveyed 9,402 UK owners of the three most common designer crossbreeds (Cockapoo, Labradoodle and Cavapoo) and their parent breeds (Cocker Spaniel, Labrador Retriever, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and Miniature, Toy and Standard Poodles). The owner-reported health information was then collated and the risk of each breed having the 57 different most common disorders found in dogs was compared.

 Key findings include that:

• There was no difference in disorder risk between these three most common designer crossbreeds and their purebred parent breeds in 86.6 per cent of the disorder comparisons.
• Designer crossbreeds had a higher risk of 7 per cent and a lower risk of 6.4 per cent of disorders.
• The risk of dietary indiscretion, vomiting and diarrhoea was higher in all three designer crossbreeds compared to their shared parent breed, the Poodle.
• All three designer crossbreeds had a higher chance of ear infections than their non-Poodle parent breeds. Additionally, Cockapoos had higher likelihood of itchy skin than their parent breeds, a disorder often caused by allergies.
• Both Labradoodle and Cockapoo had a lower risk of patellar luxation (slipping kneecaps) compared to Poodles yet the Cavapoo did not differ in odds compared to either parent breed.
• Of the 13.4 per cent of disorders comparisons that did differ, these were almost equally split between the breeds.

These findings show that the risk did not differ at all for the majority of disorders between the designer crossbreds and their parent breeds. The findings also largely debunk beliefs held by some people that designer crossbreeds are somehow damaged or defective by not having the ‘pure’ blood of purebred dogs and must therefore be less healthy than the parent purebred breeds.

Based on these results, when considering purchasing a dog, the researchers encourage owners to instead consider other factors such as the specific expected health issues, suitability of the breed’s size, behavioural and husbandry needs for their lifestyle, and likely temperament to decide upon their chosen breed. Additionally, owners should focus on acquiring puppies or dogs from a high-welfare source regardless of whether they are pure or crossbred, including only buying puppies from breeders who will allow visits in person prior to purchase, and sell puppies from the place that they were bred with their mother present.

Dr Rowena Packer, Senior Lecturer in Companion Animal Behaviour and Welfare Science at the RVC and senior author of the paper, said:

“The popularity of designer crossbreeds, particularly Poodle crosses, has boomed over the past decade in the UK. With cute teddy bear-like features, their aesthetic appeal to many households is clear. However, our previous research discovered that many are purchased based on assumed characteristics that are not well-evidenced, such as perceptions they are hypoallergenic, good with children, and have good health.

“This study has demonstrated that although the health of designer Poodle-crosses is no worse than their parent breeds’, it is also no better. This means that owners should still be strongly focused on purchasing from breeders who prioritise health and temperament over looks in their breeding decisions, and not to assume their puppy will automatically be healthy due to being a crossbreed.

“Prospective owners should be extremely mindful that the popularity of Poodle-crosses means they are at high-risk of coming from poor welfare sources such as puppy farms and illegal imports to meet this demand, which could negatively influence their future health and welfare.”

Read the full paper HERE