Meet the Cavapoochon: the dog that never ages

The Cavapoochon is not the first (and won’t be the last) man-made hybrid breed.

It seems like science is all powerful nowadays. After cloning sheep, it's not a big leap to artificially modifying other animals. Several researchers and pet breeders have decided to experiment in order to minimize or remove genetic defects in pure breeds since the 50s.

A mix of three breeds

The latest creation is the Cavapoochon, a dog species that is the result of three crossbreeds: the King Charles Cavalier, the Toy Poodle  and the Bichon Frise. The creators are Linda and Steve Rogers, helped by a geneticist and a reproductive veterinarian. They have created a hypoallergenic dog that doesn’t bark and that gives us the impression that it never ages, as it keeps the appearance of a puppy. It’s not that they have discovered the elixir of life, but they have extended its life expectancy, as they can live around 20 years.

But what is the motivation hidden under this story? The idea was to pick up the best of the three breeds, as all of them are well known for having a docile character, very similar to human ones, so they that they can help in nursing homes and hospitals as therapy animals. However, there is also another reason: there is a constant desire to keep the eternal affection that a puppy radiates that disappears as soon as it grows up.

Defenders and detractors

The debate is open: detractors argue that Cavapoochons are more likely to have congenital defects, a violent or unstable character and tend to suffer more from rare diseases. Defenders, for their part, only see advantages: a dog without any deadly genetic disease and with a longer life expectancy.

On one hand: A very cute dog, extremely intelligent, hypoallergenic and able to work in hospitals, schools, and nursing homes as  a therapy or company pet. On the other: Its genetic mix leads to a huge diversity in the characteristics, which means that these dogs lack the reference point for the official standards.

There are so many opinions. Which is yours?

Source: Mascotea / Guioteca / Mascotadictos / Lapatilla