Black Cavapoo Guide: Haircuts, Price, Temperament & More!

The Black Cavapoo (AKA Black Cavoodle or Black Cavadoodle) is a cross breed between a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and a Black Poodle. Their friendly, affectionate and playful nature paired with their teddy bear appearance makes them highly sought after, fetching high prices!

If you are interested in Black Cavapoos keep reading this article to find out the all the answers to your questions about this dog breed!

Table of Contents

What Is A Black Cavapoo?

A Black Cavapoo is a Cavapoo that features black in their coat. There are two main types of Black Cavapoos: solid black and bi-colored black coats. Solid black Cavapoos are all black while bi-colored black Cavapoos have patches of other colors. Black coloring arises from recessive gene so not many Cavapoos have this coloring.

While black is a very common Poodle color, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are only occasionally solid black. When breeding Black Cavapoos, breeders usually cross a black Poodle with a black & tan or solid black Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. This increases the chances of producing Black Cavapoos however not many puppies will inherit a solid black coat as it is a recessive gene. Bi-colored black coats are more common than solid black coats.

Are Black Cavapoos Rare?

Black Cavapoos are pretty rare. The majority of Cavapoos have light toned coats such as gold, cream, red or ginger. Black coloring comes from a recessive gene which is the main contributing factor as to why Black Cavapoos are rare.

black cavapoo and chocolate cavapoo — Black Cavapoo & Chocolate Cavapoo via @freddie.and.archie

Black Cavapoo Characteristics

Black Cavapoo Characteristics
Size	Depends (either a Teacup, Toy, Mini or Standard Cavapoo)
Temperament	Outgoing, affectionate, playful.
Activity Levels	Moderate to high.
Exercise Requirements	30 to 60 min per day.
Lifespan	9 to 12 years.
Coat	Black wavy, curly or straight single coat.
Eyes	Brown.
Shedding	Low.
Apartment Adaptability	Can live in an apartment if given enough exercise daily.
Good with Children	Yes.

Coat Types

Wavy Hair

Cavapoos with wavy hair have a coat that features light, loose waves which gives them a teddy bear appearance. Wavy coats are one of the easiest coat types to groom, especially when compared to curly coats, as they are so much easier to brush. This coat type is also known as a fleece coat.

Curly Hair

Cavapoos with curly hair have a coat that more closely resembles the coat of a Poodle than a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Their coats are much denser and thicker than Cavapoos with wavy coats. You see curly coated Cavapoos mainly in cross-back generations where a Cavapoo has been bred back to a Poodle. This coat type is also known as a wool coat.

Straight Hair

Straight hair coats are not that common for Cavapoos and are hardly ever seen in Cavapoos that have solid black coats. This coat type is most commonly seen in Cavapoos that have a higher percentage of Cavalier King Charles Spaniel genes over Poodle genes. Cavapoos with straight hair are hypoallergenic just like curly and wavy Cavapoos.

Black Cavapoo via @georgiatheblackcavapoo

Coat Color Changes

Do Black Cavapoos Change Color?

Some Black Cavapoos change color while others don’t. If they change color, it is a lightening of the tone towards a dark grey or silver. A Black Cavapoo will never completely change to a totally different coat color.

Black Cavapoos can fade color when they mature if they have inherited the “fading gene” from the Poodle. Any changes will occur within the first 2 years of life until they reach their final adult color. Some Black Cavapoos don’t fade at all while others can become a lighter shade near the root of their hairs.

Black Coat Variations

Black and White Cavapoo

Most Black and White Cavapoos are parti-colored however some are considered to be mismarked with white. A Black and White Parti Cavapoo has a mainly white coat with black patches while a mismarked one has a small white patch on it’s paws or chest. Mismarked Black and White Cavapoos fall under the category of bi-colored coats.

Black and White Cavapoos are quite rare but they are not as rare as solid white or solid black coats. Parti Black and White Cavapoo are more common than Cavapoos with a mainly black coat with a white patch on their chest.

Black and Tan Cavapoo

Black and Tan Cavapoos are also called Phantom Cavapoos as they have a two toned coat where the secondary color (tan) is in specific locations. Black & Tan Cavapoos have tan patches on their muzzle, chin, throat, chest, legs, above their eyes and beneath their tail. These patches characterise the Black & Tan Cavapoo as Phantom rather than Parti or Bi-Color.

Black & Tan Cavapoos can fade if they inherit the “fading gene” from their Poodle parent. This is likely to happen as Black & Tan is Phantom coloring which comes from the Poodle side. The black sections of their coat may go lighter to a dark grey or charcoal.

Black and Grey Cavapoo (AKA Merle Cavapoo)

Black and Grey Cavapoo via @hazelcavap00

Cavapoos that have black and grey markings are very likely to be Merle Cavapoos. A Blue Merle Cavapoo has random sections of their black coat diluted to lighter colors in mottled patches. They also can have blue eyes and lack skin pigmentation on their paws and nose. It is the result of carrying the “M” merle allele and a negative “m” copy of the merle allele.

Despite their captivating looks, people who are thinking about getting a Blue Merle Cavapoo need to be aware that they are the result of poor breeding practices. They are likely to suffer from deafness and ocular defects (partial or total blindness). This is especially the case for Double Merles.

Black Cavapoo Price

Solid Black Cavapoos cost between $3000USD and $4500USD as they are very rare. Cavapoos that are mainly black with hints of other colors are a lot more common and sell for prices between $2600USD to $4000USD.

Black Cavapoo Haircuts

There are many different haircuts that you can give a Black Cavapoo. Some popular ones include:

Teddy Bear Cut
Puppy Cut
Summer Cut
Lamb Cut

Teddy Bear Cut

The Teddy Bear Cut is the most common haircut for Black Cavapoos. As the name suggests, it gives Cavapoos the appearance of being a teddy bear. The length of hair is between 0.5 and 1.5 inches on the body while leg and paw hair is kept quite short. What really gives Cavapoos the teddy bear appear is trimming the head into a rounded shape with scissors. Their face hair is then blended into their body hair.

Puppy Cut

The Puppy Cut is probably the second most popular Black Cavapoo haircut. Their hair is cut to 1.5 inches all over their body and legs. Ear hair is also left quite long. Some dog groomers don’t distinguish between Puppy Cuts and Teddy Bear Cuts as they are so similar but generally the length of hair is longer in a Puppy Cut than a Teddy Bear cut.

Summer Cut

The Summer Cut is most popular for Black Cavapoos during warm weather months as it will keep them feeling cool. It’s a very simple haircut where all of their hair is cut down to 0.5 inches or less all over their body. Be careful when asking a groomer for this haircut as some will interpret it as a full shave however shaving a dog isn’t always the best idea. This is because it increases the risk of sunburn, skin cancer and heat stroke. Their hair also may not grow back the same.

Lamb Cut

Lamb Cuts are most commonly done on Black Cavapoos that have curly hair or a wool coat. As the name suggests, it gives them the appearance of a lamb. The length of body hair is roughly 1 inch and then their leg hair is left a bit longer with rounding on their paws. Their faces are generally trimmed leaving quite long ear hair length.

Names For Black Cavapoos

Black Cavapoo Boy Names	Black Cavapoo Girl Names
Jet	Poppy
Mickey	Ash
Teddy	Panda
Tux	Willow
Batman	Cruella
Ollie	Sadie
Panther	Cindy

Black Cavapoo Temperament

Black Cavapoos have a very friendly and affectionate temperament. They love spending time with the family whether that is snuggling up on the couch to watch TV or participating in a game of sport. They are very cuddly but also a very playful breed. They are also very intelligent which makes training relatively easy as they pick up new tricks quite quickly.

At the end of the day, the coat color of a Cavapoo does not have much affect on temperament. Black Cavapoos have the same or very similar temperaments to Red or Apricot Cavapoos. Environment, generation and age has a bigger impact on temperament.

Black Cavapoo Shedding

Do Black Cavapoos Shed?

Black Cavapoos do not shed much at all. They are classified as light to non-shedders as they only drop a little bit of hair here and there throughout the year and do not go through heavy seasonal shedding like other breeds. At the end of the day, the color of a Cavapoo’s coat does not have any affect on how much they shed.

When Is A Shih Poo Full Grown? (Size & Age Fully Grown)

One of the reasons why Cavapoos were originally bred was to reduce the heavy shedding characteristic of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel by crossing them with a Poodle.

Are Black Cavapoos Hypoallergenic?

Black Cavapoos are hypoallergenic as they are very light shedders and do not release much allergy inducing dander (dead skin cells) into the environment when they shed. In fact, all sizes of Cavapoo are hypoallergenic however some generations are more hypoallergenic than others e.g F1b, F1bb, F2b etc. The coat color of a Cavapoo does not have any affect on how hypoallergenic they are.

black cavapoo with tongue out — Black Cavapoo via @weepepperpotts

Black Cavapoo Size

Teacup Black Cavapoo

A Teacup Black Cavapoo originates from a cross between a Black Toy Poodle and a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. The breeder takes the runt of this litter and another litter and continues breeding smaller and smaller sized puppies until they consistently get the teacup size.

A fully grown Teacup Black Cavapoo will get to about 8 to 10 inches tall (20.3cm to 25.4cm) and will weigh 8 to 15 pounds (3.6kg to 6.8kg). They are a very small breed.

Toy Black Cavapoo

A Toy Black Cavapoo is the result of breeding a Toy Black Poodle with a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. They get to about 12 inches tall (30.5cm) and weigh 13 to 25 pounds (5.8kg to 11.3kg). Black Toy Cavapoos are slightly bigger than Teacup Cavapoos and slightly smaller than a Miniature Cavapoos.

Mini Black Cavapoo

A Mini Black Cavapoo is a cross between a Miniature Black Poodle and a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. They are in between the size of a Toy Cavapoo and a Standard Cavapoo.

Mini Cavapoos get to about 12 to 16 inches (30cm to 40cm) tall at the shoulder and weigh between 20 and 30 pounds (9.1kg to 13.6kg) when fully grown.

Standard Black Cavapoo

A Standard Black Cavapoo is a cross between a Standard Black Poodle and a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. They are the largest Cavapoo size and the most common Cavapoo size. Standard Cavapoos get to about 18 inches tall (45.7cm) and weigh between 25 and 40 pounds (11.3kg to 18.2kg).

Black Cavapoo Generations

F1 Black Cavapoo

An F1 Black Cavapoo is the first generation of the breed created by crossing a purebred Cavalier King Charles Spaniel with either a purebred Toy, Miniature or Standard Black Poodle. An F1 Cavapoo is 50% Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and 50% Black Poodle.

F1b Black Cavapoo

An F1b Black Cavapoo is created by crossing an F1 Black Cavapoo with a purebred Black Poodle that is either Toy, Miniature or Standard sized. The resulting dog is 25% Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and 75% Black Poodle.

F2 Black Cavapoo

An F2 Black Cavapoo is the second generation of the breed created by breeding a F1 Black Cavapoo with another F1 Black Cavapoo. They are 50% Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and 50% Black Poodle.

Black Cavapoo Pros & Cons

Black Cavapoo Pros	Black Cavapoo Cons
Black Cavapoo coats stay looking cleaner for longer as dirt can be hidden in it.	Solid Black Cavapoos are very rare and expensive.
Black Cavapoos are very friendly and eager to please.	Black Cavapoos are more heat sensitive than the average Cavapoo and can therefore easily overheat.
Black Cavapoos do not shed much and are hypoallergenic.	Black Cavapoos have high energy levels and need lots and lots of exercise.
Black Cavapoos are very intelligent and easy to train.	Black Cavapoos require a lot of grooming which can get expensive if you get it done professionally.