To start things off, Cockapoos, although a popular choice among potential owners, is not yet recognized as an official breed, despite its long history. As most can tell from its name, Cockapoos are the results of the inter-species breeding between Cocker Spaniels and Poodles.

Cockapoos first appeared in the 1960s, possibly as the results of accidental breeding. However, the results turned out to be a positive one, bearing the intelligent, low shedding and almost odourless traits of a Poodle and the easygoing and loving traits of a Cocker Spaniel. Such a product was well-received, and Cockapoos as a "species", officially took off.

When word began spreading, the positive traits of Cockapoos only served to raise the popularity of Cockapoos even more. Eventually, Cockapoo clubs began appearing. However, they are largely unaffiliated with each other because of their conflicting opinions on how Cockapoos should be bred. On one camp, there are breeders who are keen to make Cockapoos a purebreed by breeding it within multi-generations using Cockapoo parents. On the other camp, there are breeders who prefer the classic method of breeding a Cocker Spaniel with a Poodle to create a Cockapoo.

Despite its popularity, Cockapoos are still not recognized as an official species of dogs by major bodies such as the American Kennel Club. This is because as a hybrid breed, Cockapoos have a random chance of inheriting any of the traits from their Cocker Spaniel and Poodle ancestors. This causes inconsistency of traits for this "breed", thus being unable to qualify as an actual, official breed.

Currently, there are three separate major Cockapoo clubs, namely the Cockapoo Club of America (set up in 1999), the North American Cockapoo Registry (set up in 1999) and the American Cockapoo Club (set up in 2004). These clubs are dedicated to establishing Cockapoos as a recognized dog breed, generally advocating the multi-generation breeding method. This is because doing so can help establish consistent and desirable traits among Cockapoos.