What to feed a Cavapoo puppy
A Cavapoo puppy — a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel crossed with a Poodle — is a small, fast-growing puppy that usually settles as an adult somewhere between a toy and small breed in size. A complete puppy food formulated for small breeds is the right starting point, fed in stages as they grow rather than left on one fixed amount.
Why small-breed puppy food fits this cross
Small-breed puppy foods are built with smaller kibble pieces sized for a small jaw, and with a nutrient balance that suits a dog expected to finish growing well under a large or giant breed's timeline — usually somewhere around ten to twelve months for a dog this size, rather than the eighteen to twenty-four months a giant breed can take.
Both parent breeds bring their own considerations: Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are known for a hearty appetite and a tendency to gain weight if overfed, and Poodles are often chosen partly for a lower-shedding coat that some owners find easier to live with. A complete puppy food with a reasonable, rather than excessive, calorie density suits a Cavapoo better than one built for a large, high-energy breed.
Feeding through the growing months
Most small-breed puppy foods are fed in several smaller meals a day while young, tapering to fewer, larger meals as the puppy matures — the exact schedule and amount depend on the specific food, so follow the guidance on the pack for your puppy's current weight rather than a fixed rule of thumb.
A Cavapoo's coat, whether closer to the Cavalier's silky coat or the Poodle's curl, benefits from a diet with a reasonable fat content to support healthy skin, which most complete puppy foods already provide without needing anything added. Regular grooming does more for coat condition day to day than any single ingredient in the bowl.
Foods that suit this breed
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Pedigree Tasty Minis Puppy Treats Chewy Cubes with Chicken
Soft chewy puppy training treats with 13% chicken and added calcium, 125g
£2.25
Forthglade Complete Puppy Chicken with Liver Grain Free — 18 x 395g Trays
Sold as a case: 18 x 395g trays. A complete grain-free wet food for puppies, built on 71% chicken and 4% chicken liver
£35.89
Harringtons Puppy Turkey & Rice
Complete turkey puppy food with 30% protein and feeding bands by adult weight
£6.49
James Wellbeloved Grain Free Puppy/Junior Dry Dog Food Turkey & Veg
Grain-free turkey and potato kibble for puppies and junior dogs, evenly balanced recipe
£12.75
Wagg Puppy Treats
Puppy Treats in a 120G pack, with 23.2% protein and 7% fat and full label detail
£1.49
Burns Puppy Junior Original Chicken Rice
A complete puppy and junior food with dried chicken 31% and controlled fat at 15%
From£14.99
Lily's Kitchen Puppy Chicken Recipe — 6 x 400g Tins
Sold as a case: 6 x 400g tins. Complete 400G wet puppy chicken recipe with 67% fresh chicken
£22.79
Pooch & Mutt Puppy Bite Size Beef Jerky
Bite-size beef jerky training treats for puppies, scaled by dog size
£3.99
Whimzees Puppy
Softer dental chews for puppies over three months old, grain free and gluten free
£7.99
Burns Grain Free Puppy Duck Potato
Grain-free duck and potato puppy food with a prebiotic, for starting a new litter on a novel protein
From£16.49
Lily's Kitchen Puppy Recipe Chicken — 10 x 150g Trays
Sold as a case: 10 x 150g trays. Complete 150G puppy chicken recipe with 67% chicken and salmon oil
£16.89
Common questions
- When should I switch my Cavapoo from puppy to adult food?
- Most small breeds are ready to move to an adult food somewhere around ten to twelve months old, once they have reached roughly their adult size. Your vet can confirm the right time for your individual puppy, since growth rates vary between dogs.
- Is a grain-free food better for a Cavapoo puppy?
- Not automatically. Whether a food should be grain-free depends on whether your puppy shows a genuine sensitivity, not on the breed itself, and there is no evidence that Cavapoos as a group need to avoid grain. A vet is the right person to advise on this if your puppy has digestive issues.
- How much should I feed my Cavapoo puppy?
- Follow the feeding guide on the specific food you are using, based on your puppy's current weight, and check in with your vet at routine visits to make sure they are growing at a healthy rate. Amounts change quickly in the first year, so revisit the guide as your puppy grows rather than sticking to one fixed portion.
- Are Cavapoos prone to becoming overweight?
- The Cavalier side of the cross is known for a strong appetite and a tendency to gain weight if overfed, so measuring meals rather than free-feeding, and keeping treats to a small share of the day's food, is worth starting early rather than correcting later.
Related
Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.