What is an F1 Cockapoo?

As you may or may not already know, Cockapoos are by far the most popular of all crossbreeds in the country and fourth of all breeds in general. This means there is greater demand for Cockapoos than many of the recognised pure breed or pedigree dogs, including English Bulldogs and Labradors.

What is an F1 Cockapoo? An F1 is a Cocker Spaniel, and Poodle bred together to create a Cockapoo. This is known as the first generation crossbreed. After that, F1b (1 cockapoo parent and one spaniel parent), and F2 (2 cockapoo parents).

One of the most confusing things, if you are new to crossbreeds and particularly Cockapoos, though, when looking at dogs for sale adverts is the rather confusing names they are given. For example, you may come across a Cockapoo for sale advertised as a Cockapoo, F1 cockapoo, F1b cockapoo, or F2 cockapoo.

When it comes to dog ownership, whether you choose to adopt or own, we feel strongly that you should do as much research as possible. You need to ensure that a Cockapoo is right for you and that a dog, in general, is right for you.

As it would be helpful to understand these F designations, that’s what we will discuss in this post. We want to ensure you understand the jargon so you know exactly what you are getting.

First things first.

What Exactly is a Cockapoo?

Just in case you are not aware, Cockapoos are hybrid dogs that involve the crossing of a Cocker Spaniel with a Poodle (any size). However, the name also acts as an umbrella descriptor for all generations of Cockapoos, whether Cockapoos crossed with other Cockapoos and Cockapoos crossed with one of the parent breeds.

What do these F Designators Mean in Relation to Cockapoos?

The F, followed by a number that is often placed after Cockapoo dogs and litters, is a reference to the actual crossing or mixture involved with the creation of that dog. For example, a first-generation cross of Cocker Spaniel and Poodle, those where Cockapoos have been bred with Cockapoos, and all other combinations.

The F, therefore, tells you the ancestry of the litter or dog is, but should not be seen as some indicator of the dog’s worth or quality, but is noted to describe the origins and background.

So, what do the Different F designations Relate to Cockapoos?

• An F1 Cockapoo meaning refers to the first-generation cross-breeding of a Cocker Spaniel and Poodle.
• An F2 Cockapoo refers to mating two first generation Cockapoos bred with one another.

What are Throwbacks?

There is quite a bit of variation regarding individual dogs’ appearance, especially regarding F2 Cockapoos. You may even find that some will look like their grandparents, be it the Cocker Spaniel or the Poodle, than a more conventional Cockapoo.

These are known in the world of cross-breeding as throwbacks or a puppy with the ‘grandfather effect’. However, this ‘grandfather effect’ and the precise appearance the dog will have as an adult will only be apparent once they are between six to eight weeks old.

What is Back-Crossing?

While discussing this subject, it is important to note that Cockapoos are not always the result of a crossing with a Cocker Spaniel with a Poodle or just two Cockapoos together. You have what is known as back-crossing, which is mating a Cockapoo with one of the parent breeds.

You know that a dog is a back-cross because it has the letter b next to the F designation. For instance, an F1 Cockapoo bred with a Cocker Spaniel or a Poodle will have the designation F1b, while an F2 Cockapoo mated with a Cocker Spaniel or Poodle will have the F2b designation.

Many breeders rely on back-crossing to avoid the ‘grandfather effect’ found in subsequent litter generations. For example, when a first-generation Cockapoo, or F1 Cockapoo, does not have a coat that sheds less, as is usually desired, they could be bred back with a purebred poodle to strengthen enhance this particular trait in that particular dog’s puppies. Back-crossing is also used to allow breeders to tweak their puppies’ appearance or improve their desirable characteristics.

An Overview of Cockapoo Generations

To better understand the different generations and their relevant designations, we have laid the types of cockapoo below:

• F1 – Cocker Spaniel and Poodle bred together to create a Cockapoo (two purebred dogs as parents). So the f1 cockapoo meaning is 2 purebred dogs bred together.
• F1b – Poodle or Cocker Spaniel bred together with an F1 Cockapoo
• F2 – Two F1 Cockapoos bred together
• F2b – Either a Cocker Spaniel or Poodle bred together with an F2 Cockapoo or an F1b Cockapoo and an F1 Cockapoo
• F3 – Two F2 Cockapoos bred together
• F4 – Two F3 Cockapoos bred together

The numbers beside the F continue more or less indefinitely, so you can, believe it or not, eventually have an F10 Cockapoo which would be two F9 Cockapoos bred together.

If that all sounds straightforward, we might be about to blow your mind a little. Because when you mate two Cockapoos from different generations, like an F1 Cockapoo with an F2 Cockapoo, it gets a bit more complex.

If there is a generational gap between the F designations of the parents, the one in the middle is used to describe it. Mating an F3 Cockapoo with F1 Cockapoo results in an F2 Cockapoo.

However, when there are no generational gaps, like mating an F1 Cockapoo with an F2 Cockapoo, the highest number is the number used.

Admittedly, it can be a bit overwhelming and complicated to understand the generations of these mixed breeds and F designations, particularly if you are new to hybrid dogs and breeding. We hope the above chart helps to make it a little simpler. When in doubt about anything, just ask a reputable breeder, and they will be able to explain things to you.

It is still an important part of buying and adopting Cockapoos that you need to understand, so you don’t get lost with all the different jargon.

What is the difference between an F1 and an F2 Cockapoo?

An F1 is a purebred Cocker Spaniel, and a purebred Poodle (either a toy poodle, miniature poodle or standard poodle) bred together to create a Cockapoo.

An F2 is Two F1 Cockapoos bred together

Should you get an F1 or F1b Cockapoo?

That really shouldn’t matter. They may look slightly different, but both are wonderful dogs please remember that these dogs are not purebred and if you are unsure what generation your cockapoo is, then any reputable breeder will let you know.

What Is An F2B Cockapoo?

An f2b cockapoo is a Cocker Spaniel or Poodle is bred together with an F2 Cockapoo or an F1b Cockapoo and an F1 Cockapoo.

What is an F1bb Cockapoo?

An F1BB Cockapoo has been back bred twice to a Poodle. They are the result of breeding an F1B Cockapoo with a Poodle. These are not very common.

Final Thoughts

Hopefully, this article has helped you understand the types of cockapoo out there. There are so many cockapoo types that it can be confusing at times.