How to Buy a Cavapoo (Cavoodle) Puppy in Australia

What is a Cavapoo, and does one suit your home?

Size comes mostly from the Poodle side: Dogs Australia's standard puts the Toy Poodle under 28 cm and the Miniature between 28 and 38 cm, while the Cavalier stands 30.5 to 32.5 cm. Ask which Poodle variety is the parent and what both parents weigh.

Both parent breeds are built for company. Dogs Australia says the Cavalier does not do well in a kennel and is happiest as a member of the family, and that Poodles should not be left alone regularly for long periods. If everyone is out all day, plan a dog walker or daycare before you buy.

Which health tests should a Cavapoo puppy's parents have?

Ask for written results, with dates, for both parents. A cross has no health scheme of its own, so the tests are those of each parent breed.

Dogs Australia's Cavalier page says there is no DNA test for the breed's major health concerns and that both conditions are progressive, so a dog may only show signs later in life. It recommends buying from breeders who are prepared to discuss them, and notes that the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club of NSW runs health clinics so breeders can test breeding stock regularly. The American Cavalier club (a US club) recommends a cardiologist exam every year for life.

What health problems can a cavoodle inherit?

• Mitral valve disease. PetMD calls it a leading cause of death in Cavaliers, and studies cited in a 2021 paper in the journal Animals found heart murmurs in all Cavaliers aged 10 or older.
• Syringomyelia. A 2011 study in the Veterinary Record found it on MRI scans in 25% of one-year-old Cavaliers and 70% of those aged six or more, all in dogs whose owners had noticed no signs. Watch for yelping when picked up and scratching at the neck or shoulder.
• Other problems on Pet Insurance Australia's cavoodle list include hip dysplasia, luxating patella, epilepsy, ear infections, dental issues, progressive retinal atrophy, and allergies and skin conditions.

Those disease rates come from purebred Cavaliers, not cavoodles, but PetMD warns that a Cavapoo can develop syringomyelia because of its Cavalier roots. Pet Insurance Australia's 2026 claims data shows single heart-condition claims for cavoodles of more than A$7,800.

How do you check a Cavapoo breeder and spot a scam?

The ACCC's Scamwatch warns that fake sellers create websites and ads for sought-after breeds, take an upfront payment for the puppy and its transport, then ask for more money before they disappear. In 2020 it named cavoodles and French bulldogs as the breeds most often reported. Before you pay anything:

• Check the numbers in the ad: a microchip and Pet Exchange Register source number in Victoria, a breeder identification number (BIN) in NSW, a supply number in Queensland or a DACO number in South Australia. In NSW, breed club numbers alone no longer count.
• See the puppy with its mother where it was raised, in person or on a live video call; meeting in a car park is a red flag.
• Search the ad's exact wording and run a reverse image search on the photos, as the ACCC advises.
• Walk away from 'hypoallergenic' guarantees, sellers with many crosses always available, and prices far below the market.
• Expect the breeder to ask about your home and offer to take the dog back.

You can browse Cavapoo puppies for sale by location on PetzLover and save the search to see new litters near you, so you can visit in person. Use the Report Scam button on any listing that wants money before you have seen the puppy.

How much does a Cavapoo puppy cost in Australia?

Animal Medicines Australia's 2025 survey found that owners who paid for a designer-breed dog obtained in the previous two years paid A$1,793 on average, more than for purebred (A$1,551) or mixed-breed dogs. Prices vary by breeder and state; pay for health-tested parents and careful raising, not for a colour or a 'teacup' label.

Budget too for grooming about every six weeks, dental care and heart checks as the dog ages. Only about a third of dogs bought in the survey period came desexed or council registered, so ask what the price includes.

What should you get when you collect your Cavapoo puppy?

1. A written agreement with the price, both parents' names and test results, and a health guarantee that says how heart and spine problems are covered.
2. The vaccination and worming record, and the microchip number to transfer into your name; in NSW this is done online through the NSW Pet Registry.
3. Register the puppy with your council; in NSW registration is due at 12 weeks.
4. Book a vet check within days and ask the vet to listen carefully to the heart. RSPCA guidance continues the core C3 vaccinations until at least 16 weeks.
5. Start short spells alone from the first week so the puppy learns to settle without you.

If you bought from a business selling in trade, the Australian Consumer Law may entitle you to a remedy for a problem that existed at the sale. No suitable litter nearby? Post a Cavapoo wanted ad, or read taking in a rehomed Cavapoo for an adult with a known size and coat.