Lacasapoo (Lhasa Apso & Cockapoo Mix): Info, Pictures, Care & More

The Lacasapoo is a new breed of dog that has been present for the past two decades.

If you are contemplating owning a Lacasapoo, you will love this adorable all-around pet. It is small-sized with an expressive face and floppy ears. It has brown or amber eyes and a black or brown nose.

The Lacasapoo is a unique combination of a purebred Lhasa Apso and a crossbred Cockapoo.

According to DNA, the Lhasa Apso has traces of mountain wolf genes. On the other hand, the Cockapoo is a cross between a Poodle and a Cocker Spaniel. Both breeds are friendly and affectionate, traits that are present in the Lacasapoo.

The Lacasapoo is loving, cheerful, outgoing, and affectionate.  This dog is loyal and protective towards its humans and always eager to please.

The breed is intelligent and learns commands and tricks fast. Its alert and wary nature towards strangers makes it a great fit as a guard dog.

Here is a detailed guide about this hybrid dog.

Lacasapoo Characteristics

Lacasapoo Puppies

The Lacasapoo is still a new dog breed, and there's no established price yet. You are more likely to find one from a breeder than from any rescue shelter, mainly because of having a pedigree parent and another highly sought-after mixed breed as the other parent. So, you want to ensure you are getting your Lacasapoo pup from breeders who prioritize health over profits. Make sure you perform diligent research and visit the breeding site before settling.

The Lacasapoo puppies are full of energy and love to play, but they also love cuddling in their downtime, which tends to remain true even as they grow.

Temperament & Intelligence of Lacasapoo

The Lacasapoo is an active and extremely friendly dog. It loves to please and enjoys getting attention from its owner. The dog remains alert and protective in the presence of strangers and may even bark at them.

The breed’s small size makes them suitable for small apartments. However, do not be disheartened if you have a large house. The dog’s attentive and curious nature helps it feel comfortable.

The Lacasapoo is intelligent and easy to train. Thanks to the Poodle genes, this hybrid has high-level intelligence. On the other hand, the Lhasa Apso’s sentry genes keep it quiet unless it senses looming danger.

This dog breed is a great family pet. It may form a closer bond with the owner but remain affectionate to other family members. It enjoys company but can also manage being left alone from time to time. When it comes to small kids, this breed is great at socializing with them.

The dog considers new animals as a threat and can be territorial. But with early socialization, the Lacasapoo does get along with other pets. In fact, the dog can create lifelong friendships with these pets and protect them like they would their owner.

Things To Know When Owning a Lacasapoo

Here are a few things to know before you bring this cute little dog home.

Food & Diet Requirements 🦴

The Lacasapoo is a small-sized dog with medium energy. Just one or one-and-a-half cups of a high-quality brand of dog food a day will meet their nutritional demand. You can include a few occasional snacks and treats, too.

Due to the Lacasapoo’s size, you can easily overfeed them. Therefore, have a regular feeding schedule, avoid free feeding, and limit their intake of treats. Keep in mind that overfeeding the Lacasapoo will lead to obesity, a condition that diminishes not only the quality of your pet's life but also shortens it.

When choosing the Lacasapoo’s food, ensure that it lists poultry, beef, fish, or real meat as its first ingredient. Also, go for diets fortified with probiotics, prebiotics, and omega-fats to help your pet's growth and immunity. Avoid grain-free diets and talk to your vet in case your dog needs specialized foods.

Exercise 🐕

The Lacasapoo breed does not need intense physical activities to stay fit and content. Thanks to its small size, it can benefit from following you around the home all day. The dog does not necessarily need a yard, but if there's one, they'll use the space to investigate and run around.

The breed needs at least a short walk and 45 minutes of light play daily to stimulate their mind and body as well as burn off energy.

Training 🎾

This hybrid dog is eager to learn and please, which makes it easy to train. Besides, it inherits intelligence from its parents. This helps the dog learn new commands fast with less repetition. Compared to other small dog breeds, the Lacasapoo has a longer attention span, and it enjoys learning new tricks and performing.

You should start the training and socialization at a young age. Doing so will help you set guidelines and rules. Lacasapoos can at times have resistive and conservative behavior during training. Should this happen, remember to stay calm, patient, firm, and consistent that you are the leader of the pack.

In addition, this dog breed thrives from receiving positive reinforcement. Praise your pet or offer its favorite treat after it obeys a command. Once the dog memorizes the trick, you should reduce the number of treats to prevent them from gaining extra weight.

Lacasapoos are sensitive and dislike scolding and punishment. It would be best if you refrained from yelling or hitting them during training.

Grooming ✂️

Depending on the parent the Lacasapoo takes after, it can have a short, curly coat or a long, straight coat. Either way, both coats need frequent brushing to prevent tangles and knots. The dog takes after its parents’ hypoallergenic nature and rarely sheds or drool.

It would be best if you also clipped the dog's long nails. Be careful not to cut too low as it could hurt the dog. Wipe its ears once a week with ear cleaning solutions and check for infections. Also, brush your pet’s teeth twice or thrice a week and provide dental chew toys.

You can include an occasional bath, too. However, refrain from frequent baths as it damages the skin’s natural oils.

Health and Conditions 🏥

The Lacasapoo has fewer health problems since it is a cross between a purebred and a mixed dog. Nevertheless, it may face these minor conditions.

Male vs Female

Lacasapoos males and females have a similar size and weight. The males, however, take longer to mature while the females are more independent and friendly with small kids.

3 Little-Known Facts About the Lacasapoo

1. The Lhasa Apso Was a Sacred Protector and Watchdog for the Temples of Buddhist Monks

In the past, the Lhasa Apso was only bred by nobility and monks, and its purpose was to protect and guard the temples and monasteries. The monks never sold this dog. Instead, it was offered as a gift to worthy visitors because it was believed to bring fortune and prosperity.

2. The Cockapoo Is a Mixed Dog

Unlike the Lhasa Apso, the Cockapoo is a cross between a Poodle and a Cocker Spaniel. And for this, the Lacasapoo is not considered a purebred dog.

3. Breeders Created the Breed to Reduce the Breathing Problems of the Lhasa Apso

The Lhasa Apsos have breathing problems due to their short noses, which breeders wanted to fix by mixing it with a Cockapoo.

Summary

The Lacasapoo is an active, friendly, and energetic pet that will provide you and your family endless entertainment. Despite its small size, the dog acts as a guard dog and will protect you without being noisy and aggressive.

You will enjoy being around this eager-to-please canine. It might even rub its joyous, well-mannered, and outgoing nature on you!

• See also: La-Pom (Lhasa Apso & Pomeranian Mix)