MAX

About:

Max is unique in every sense of the word. She was a happy accident, when a former employee accidentally walked Poly (Cocker Spaniel Female) while in heat, with Desmond (Standard Poodle Male). Normally for Maxi Cockapoo litters, the Dam is the Standard Poodle with the Sire being a Cocker Spaniel. The reverse was Max’s case. Poly’s gestation went smoothly and Max came into the world healthy and happy. As an only puppy, she received a lot of attention, not only for her sweet disposition, but also her flawless markings. Her name is an ode to my childhood dog, Max, a Black & White Lab-mix that went on many hiking and camping trips with us as a family.

Ancestry/Genetics:

Max has amazing ancestry on both the Sire and Dam’s sides. On her Dam’s side, both her mother (Poly) and grandmother (Gracie) were healthy breeding females. As AKC registered Cocker Spaniels, both Poly and Gracie proved their healthy genetics with each litter, and had beautiful parti & sable puppies. In over 10 years of combined breeding, we’ve seen time and time again the quality of their offspring. These healthy genes are encouraging when considering Max’s future litters. Additionally, her father, Desmond, has sired many healthy litters (mostly Goldendoodles) and is an OFA certified and AKC registered Poodle.

Above, you will see Maxine’s genetic panel, cleared for all genetic diseases that historically arise in Cockapoos. Furthermore, Maxine is not a recessive carrier for any of these diseases, meaning that she is unable to produce offspring with these tested diseases.

Above is Max’s second genetic panel, taken at a later date. As you can see, this panel extends further than just what is tested for cockapoos, and instead includes diseases more specific to Poodles and Cocker Spaniels.

Maxine’s results were great! She is clear on all diseases again, except for having one recessive copy for CDDY with the potential for IVDD. This is compared to Kona who has two copied of this gene. After much discussion with my vet and other breeders, it turns out this is commonly seen in small dogs, especially hybrids such as cockapoos. Maxine has only one copy of the gene, received by her Cocker Spaniel mom. However, both Maxine and Kona are not carriers of chondrodysplasia mutations, which give us a better prospect for our puppies.

The reason it’s common? Over time, we’ve selected dogs to be shorter in certain breeds, such as Cocker Spaniels and miniature/toy Poodles. With this comes the negative side effect of CDDY and/or IVDD as we’ve shortened their legs and it alters how the spine is impacted. Essentially, this means they are more susceptible to intervertebral disc issues with age and with high impact activities (jumping/landing from tall heights). Since this is unfortunately common in both Cockers and Poodles, it is therefor so in Cockapoos.

Cockapoo and Cocker Spaniel breeders that I have discussed this with have given me the same response : “yup, every time”, because they too have tested and received similar results. When chatting with my vet, they assured me that it isn’t a serious threat to the over all well-being of our puppies. So long as they are not over worked or required to perform excessive jumping and landing. Apparently, it is nearly impossible to find a Cocker Spaniel, Poodle, or Cockapoo without at least one if not both copies for CDDY, which leaves them open to IVDD.

The solutions? Our studs are selected to complement our girls’ genetic panels, to produce healthy, happy puppies. If we cannot avoid CDDY as many other breeders cannot, we recommend what all other Cocker Spaniel, Poodle, and Cockapoo breeders recommend: don’t over stress their spines with age. Puppies are tough, and my adult Cockapoos still hike and swim regularly with me. I recognize that with age, we will slow our activities down, and they may need a hand up on the bed with age. Thankfully, that is why I selected Cockapoos to breed. They are easily picked up and handled. It’s simple really. Get steps if you have a high bed, and try to reduce high impact jumping and landing as your Cockapoo ages.

Interestingly enough, Maxine does not have two, but only one recessive copy for this mutation. The reason why? Her dad is a standard poodle, and therefore was not short and never had a single recessive copy of this gene, but her Cocker Spaniel mom did. If you are seriously concerned about CDDY, I suggest selecting one of Maxine’s puppies that may be larger in size. Additionally, please discuss any concerns ahead of time with your vet.

As a friendly reminder, we offer a two year health guarantee on all of our puppies. If your puppy displays signs of any genetic disease, and is tested and confirmed by your vet, we too will take the puppy for a veterinary exam and offer a full refund should a third-party vet find the same results. We take the health of our puppies seriously, and any hereditary illness needs to be determined right away for the safety of our continued work and healthy genes. We have had stellar reputations with our puppies and have bred our lines for generations, giving us a great sample size to look at for diseases. When joining our list, you will get a copy of our Purchase Agreement and Health Guarantee which details the aforementioned process in detail.

Hypoallergenic:

Max has a beautiful, loose-curl coat! The color of her markings come from the Dam’s side, with partis stretching back for generations, and her thick fluffy coat coms from her Sire’s side. In comparison to Kona, Max shows a light curling and waving to her coat, often called “loose”. While grooming, it is unlikely to get any shedding from Max, but it is safe to say that she is a low-shedding dog. When the time comes, she will be bred to an AKC registered Poodle, with a majority of the litter expressing coats of a curlier nature, with even less likelihood of shedding.

Temperament & Intelligence: Max’s Tests

One of the latest developments in our understanding of a dog’s intelligence has come from Duke University’s Duke Canine Cognition Program. Their center has developed simple yet effective tests to determine a range of intelligence displayed by your dog. With millions of potential outcomes, the tests are designed for us to better understand our companion’s everyday coordination of their world, and their bond with us.

“The Duke Canine Cognition Center (DCCC) is dedicated to the study of dog psychology. Our goal is to understand the flexibility and limitations of dog cognition. In doing so, we gain a window into the mind of animals as well as the evolution of our own species. We can also apply our knowledge of dog cognition to improving programs in which dogs are bred and trained to help humans (e.g., service dogs for the disabled).”

The Results:

I am super lame and haven’t had the guts to ask a friend for 3-4 hours of help. This test takes a LONG TIME and requires two people. I did it for Kona and literally felt bad afterwards for roping my friend into helping me. There is a lot of starting and stopping of a stopwatch, while someone else holds your dog. I will have Max’s results up within the next 4-6 months, but I highly encourage families to do this test. It is fun, just time consuming! Test results aside, Max expresses a healthy desire to play and romp around with her sisters. She is fearless with strangers, new situations, or outdoor obstacles such as rivers or logs. A true ball of happiness.