When Does a Cavapoo Stop Growing?
People love puppies. Part of the allure of a small dog is that no matter how old they get, their small size always makes them appear a bit more puppy-like.
The Cavapoo, also known as the Cavoodle or Cavadoodle, is known for its small stature and playful, puppy-like personality. But if you have a Cavapoo puppy or are thinking about getting one, you may be wondering when that cute little puppy will be a full-grown adult.
As a Doodle dog expert, I get asked questions all the time by puppy owners wondering what size their dog will be. Cavapoos come in a variety of heights and weights – and some are surprisingly large!
In this article you will learn
- Why Height, Weight and Maturity matter (the trinity)
- Parents and genetics
- Puppy growth spurts and how to support a healthy growth rate
The short answer is that your Cavapoo puppy will stop growing at around a year of age, but the long answer is a bit more complicated and depends on several factors.
In general, large dogs take longer to reach adulthood, while small dogs reach their full height, weight, and maturity more quickly.
Height vs. Weight vs. Maturity
Puppies generally grow in height very quickly. Your Cavapoo will likely reach its full height by one year old. However, your Cavapoo will continue putting on weight, usually until about 18 months old.
Your puppy may even continue adding muscle until it is two years old.
Although your Cavapoo will have achieved most of its height and weight by a year old, it will likely still act very much like a puppy. Emotional and mental maturity tend to take a bit longer than physical maturity.
Around a year old, your Cavapoo is still learning and looking to you to establish firm boundaries. This age is when many people become frustrated with their puppies because while they look full-grown, they are still maturing mentally.
The Size of Your Dog’s Parents
The Cavapoo is a mixed breed of dog, with one parent being a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and the other a Poodle.
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is between 12 and 13 inches tall and weighs between 13 and 18 pounds when fully grown, usually reaching this size by the time it is 18 months old.
While most Cavapoos have a Toy Poodle or a Miniature Poodle as their other parent, any sized Poodle can be bred with a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel to create a Cavapoo. The size of your Cavapoo largely depends on the size of its Poodle parent.
A Standard Poodle is generally between 18 and 24 inches tall when fully grown and weighs between 40 and 70 pounds. A Miniature Poodle reaches a height between ten and 15 inches and weighs between ten to 15 pounds. A Toy Poodle is even smaller, weighing between four and six pounds and a height of fewer than ten inches.
See our full size guide for all Poodles (with size charts)
While Standard, Miniature, and Toy are the three officially recognized sizes of poodles, Teacup Poodles are even smaller. They do not have official breed standards, but are generally less than nine inches tall and weigh less than six pounds.
As a result of the varying sizes of the Poodle parent, Cavapoos are available in five different sizes: Standard, Miniature, Toy, Teacup, and Micro. Standard Cavapoos have a Standard Poodle parent, Miniature Cavapoos have a Miniature Poodle parent, and so on.
Micro Cavapoos are the smallest Cavapoos available and are usually the result of breeding two small Toy or Teacup Cavapoos.
The largest determinant of when your Cavapoo will stop growing is the size of its Poodle parent. A Standard Poodle is a larger breed dog that does not reach its full height and weight until 18 months to two years old.
Toy and Teacup Poodles are much smaller, reaching their full size by six to nine months. The larger your Cavapoo, the longer it will take to reach its full height, weight, and maturity.
The age your Cavapoo reaches its full size also depends on which parent it takes after more. Just as a human may have a closer resemblance to either their father or mother, your Cavapoo may resemble the size of one parent more than the other.
Every Puppy Is Different
Although looking at the parents of your Cavapoo gives some insight into how big your dog will become, and therefore when it will stop growing, every puppy develops on a unique timeline. Even puppies from the same litter can vary widely in size.
Look at any litter of puppies, and you will likely see a puppy larger than the rest, a runt, and puppies of various sizes in between.
The biggest puppy in the litter may not grow to be the largest dog. Your puppy’s size compared to its siblings can change by the time they are fully grown, and you may find that different puppies from the same litter grow at varying rates.
Health Factors
Other genetic factors, such as genetic health issues, may affect your Cavapoo puppy’s growth as well. Ask your breeder for the parents’ health history, and read about genetic health issues common to Poodles and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, because these health issues can affect your puppy’s growth.
Your Puppy’s Growth Spurt
Regardless of the size of your puppy, you will likely find that your Cavapoo puppy has a growth spurt between four and six months of age. All dogs grow rapidly at this time. This age is when your puppy will put on the bulk of its weight.
By seven months of age, your Cavapoo will reach approximately 75% of its total weight and 90% of its total height. Although your puppy is likely not done growing at this point, you should have more of an idea of the size it will be when full-grown.
How to Help Your Puppy Grow at a Healthy Rate?
Your dog’s growth will also depend on its nutrition and overall health. Feed your Cavapoo high-quality dog food, and ask your veterinarian if you should consider giving your puppy any supplements to ensure proper growth. Provide your puppy with daily exercise.
Attend all the recommended vet visits while your puppy grows. Your vet will ensure that your Cavapoo is growing properly and might be able to give you some insight into when your puppy will reach its full size.
Your Cavapoo will reach adulthood by two years old, but with the cute Cavapoo, that puppy sweetness may never fade. One of my favorite Oodle dogs!
