If you’ve ever been in a park on a Saturday morning, you’ll have seen them. Among the Labradors, terriers and pugs you spot one smallish, fluffy, teddy-bear-looking dog, then another, and another, like you are watching a particularly canine form of cell division. Some are average-sized, some are tiny, and all are absolutely humming with energy.
These are the cockapoos – the designer breed that is now the most popular crossbreed and second most popular dog in Britain, according to the latest VetCompass data. First developed in the US in the 1960s as a cross between spaniels and poodles, they gained popularity in the UK 10 to 15 years ago thanks to their reputation for being easy to train, hypoallergenic, sociable, and good with families.
“Cockapoos are all things to all people,” says Dan O’Neill, a professor of companion animal epidemiology at Royal Veterinary College (RVC) who has worked on several studies about the prevalence of this breed. “It’s got good innate health, it’s a good size, it’s adorable and it’s easy to breed. Whether you’re male, female, young, old, breeder or owner, it’s the perfect utilitarian dog that’s triggering what humans want socially right now.” Their popularity skyrocketed during the pandemic: their price rising by 168 per cent between 2019 and 2020. By 2022, they were among the most expensive dog varieties in the UK, costing an average of £1,336.15.
But there is a backlash brewing against these excitable balls of fur. Despite their widespread popularity, the Royal Kennel Club currently refuses to recognise the cockapoo as an official breed. One vet even described being subject to boos when talking about cockapoos at a conference. Over email, the Cocker Spaniel Club, when asked about cockapoos, said they were “not able to comment on the breeding of cross breeds/mongrels” (O’Neill describes the use of mongrel as “derogatory”).
Prince George pictured on first day at Eton College
The future king Prince George arrived at the prestigious boarding school Eton College, where he will follow in the footsteps of his father Prince William and uncle Prince Harry, for his first day on Tuesday.
Royal family arrive in rain
George’s parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales, accompanied him from their nearby home Forest Lodge in Windsor, braving the heavy rain to escort him to school.
Eton fees exceed £63,000 per year, with a rigorous academic selection process. It has turned out twenty prime ministers over the years, as well as educating royalty.
Hopes for privacy
Eton is used to catering to famous children with security requirements, including recent royals from Ethiopia and Nepal.
It is expected that George will be largely free from press intrusion over the next five years, though some photos of him playing sport or acting in school plays are possible.
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What next for Monty Don after Gardeners’ World exit
Monty Don is to step down from presenting his weekly BBC show at the end of its current series later this year, following more than 20 years at the helm.
Don will see out this season before stepping down
- Don, 71, has hosted since 2003, initially from Berryfields in Buckinghamshire.
- He began welcoming audiences to his own garden, Longmeadow, in Herefordshire, in 2011.
- Viewers enjoy glimpses of his dogs alongside gardening tips and tricks.
- He plans to continune writing and work on other BBC programmes.
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That connection with millions, not just in Britain but across the world, who share a love of gardens, plants and the natural world is something I have always treasured and which I increasingly believe to be at the heart of a life well lived.
Monty don, gardeners’ world presenter
Monty is utterly unique, a wonderfully engaging broadcaster with a soothing, calm presence who has inspired so many with his passion for gardening. We will miss him on the show hugely.
Kate Phillips, BBC’s chief content officer
UK politics
Greens vying for Starmer’s old seat in October by-election
With the by-election to replace former prime minister Sir Keir Starmer just a month away, a local Green Party politician is challenging Zack Polanski for the nomination.
In-fighting for the Greens
The by-election to replace Starmer as the MP for Holborn and St Pancras will take place on 8 October but the Green Party, Labour’s main opposition for the seat, is still yet to select its candidate.
Polanski (right) announced his intention to run last week, but local Camden Green councillor Hamza Chowdury (left) said he wants to stand and has the support of six of the ten Green Camden councillors.
We don’t need another MP who arrives during an election campaign, puts out a few leaflets, makes a few promises and disappears once the votes are counted… I’m asking you choose someone who is already here.
local councillor Hamza Chowdhury
How are the Greens’ chances?
At the 2024 general election, held the seat with 49 per cent of the vote, ahead of independent candidate – who is in the upcoming by-election – in second place on 19 per cent. came third on 10 per cent.
In May’s local elections, the Greens made gains to become Labour’s main opposition.
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UK sanctions on Israeli West Bank settlements spark backlash
The UK Government faces backlash after announcing sanctions on Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank as part of what Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband has called a “reset” of Britain’s relations with Israel.
Sanctions on Israeli settlements
Land seizures and displacement of Palestinian populations in the West Bank have sharply escalated over the past three years. Other countries including Spain, Ireland, Belgium and the Netherlands have already implemented sanctions.
Israel’s leading human rights group, B’Tselem, said settlers had taken 100,000 hectares of land from Palestinians during that time – about 18 per cent of the West Bank – and 64 communities of around 4,000 residents have been displaced.
New position
The UK’s new stance under Prime Minister Andy Burnham will see a ban on imports from illegal settlements in the West Bank and providing services to settlers.
Miliband said the British Government believed the occupation as a whole was unlawful, going beyond the previous position that only described the settlements themselves as illegal. He also said there was increasing evidence that Israel had committed war crimes in Gaza.
What are the sanctions?
- Israel’s free trade agreement with the UK means only goods from the West Bank will be affected.
- These include Medjool dates, mangoes, grapes and avocados.
5 min read
The British Government agrees that there is ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in areas of the West Bank, perpetrated by settler terrorists. And all too often, the Israeli government has turned a blind eye to this.
ed miliband, foreign secretary in the house of commons today
Was Trump told?
- Burnham discussed the Middle East with US President Donald Trump in a phone call on Monday.
- It is unclear to what extent Trump was briefed on the sanctions in advance, or what his reaction was.
- However, several Israeli and US officials have already criticised the UK’s stance.
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US hints at ‘retaliation’
I don’t know what all of the national sanctions or repercussions or retaliations will be from the US, hasn’t been announced yet.
Mike Huckabee, the American ambassador to Israel, has called the sanctions “Jew hate” and hinted that the US could retaliate against the UK, including by some states barring deals with British businesses.
What about Israel’s response?
Israeli President Isaac Herzog labelled the trade ban a “gross interference” in the country’s upcoming elections and said it placed Britain “on the wrong side of history”.
Meanwhile, the country’s foreign minister, Gideon Sa’ar, said Israel will introduce several countermeasures in response to the UK’s “hostile” actions. Israel is to close Britain’s consulate in East Jerusalem and has kicked it out of the US-led mission for Gaza.
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Domestic reaction
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp is among those voicing domestic criticism of the move by Burnham’s government.
He called the sanctions “performative posturing” which will be “practically very difficult to implement” and said that the Conservative Party does not support them as they “risk damaging an important security relationship” with Israel.
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How to be more grateful for daily life in five easy steps
The world feels like a difficult place at the moment, and it can feel very hard sometimes to find things to be thankful for; when we are overwhelmed, we have less capacity to notice and reflect on the good things. Yet, ironically, proactively cultivating gratitude is one of the things that can actually help us feel less stressed.
NHS GP dR RADHA
The science
Research has shown that feeling or expressing thanks can actually alter our brain.
- The balance of neurotransmitters change; more serotonin and dopamine (feel good chemicals) are produced.
- This can be long lasting if we make gratitude a regular habit.
- We also get a decrease in our cortisol (stress hormone) levels which helps lower anxiety.
- Being grateful can strengthen the nerve pathways which triggers positive emotion.
How can we build gratitude?
Change your words
Instead of seeing something as a problem, try to see the opportunities within it.
Our brains are very receptive and what we read or write can alter our emotional system.
Express it
This will not only make you feel good, but you will also get a positive response from others.
How can we build gratitude?
Notice more
Throughout your day, try to notice all the things that are going well; has someone opened a door for you, or smiled?
The basics
By being thankful for the small things every day, we are far more likely to be and stay healthy so that we can enjoy them.
What to do
Gratitude can lead to feelings of optimism, lower our blood pressure, and improve sleep quality.
- Write down what potential good aspects there are to the things you don’t feel like doing, or even what could be worse about it.
- Spend a few minutes writing down three things that you are looking forward to that day, or the good things that have happened to you that day.
- Say thank you to yourself for the things you have achieved, or managed to get through and changed that day.
Sales of battery
electric vehicles hit a record high last year.
Starts at £22,995 for the smaller battery
Available with either a 40kWh battery or a larger 52kWh pack, that offers almost 255 miles, the latest, retro-inspired Renault 5 is both a joy to behold and a hoot to drive.
The interior has been lavished with a level of detail that’s typically reserved for more expensive cars.
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A champion of EV efficiency
It offers a remarkable 491 mile range on a single charge from the 85kWh battery.
It is a technological masterclass inside with the ability to option screens that span the entire width of the dashboard, including an optional display for the front passenger.
Priced from £37,400
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It’s a lot of money to part with, but this is arguably all the car you will ever need.
The £89,000 Macan is a premium SUV that somehow manages to blend Porsche’s reputation for dynamics and sporty driving with everyday practicality.
The 95kWh batteries can go from 10 to 80 per cent in as little as 21 minutes from the fastest public charging outlets.
With the business class-style six seat configuration costing a staggering £76,995, it is by far the most expensive Kia ever made, but it backs up its financial demands with a suite of genuinely useful and impressive onboard technology.
It’s fast, goes a long way between stops and charges relatively quickly but the interior is bland, the onboard technology is infuriating and the experience is devoid of emotion.
All of its gadgetry can’t disguise the fact that performance is weak, even for a typically zippy EV, the ride is fussy at slower speeds and it’s not in the least bit enjoyable to drive on a country road.
- While good value (prices start at £17,935) for the 200-mile max range, there are more interesting options from Hyundai, Citroen and Renault for similar money.
- It attempts to wow with tech, much of which hinders, rather than helps.
- There’s no tangible benefit over mounting your phone to the dash.
- Simply an average driving experience, adequate range and slow charging speeds.
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The kitchen gadgets under £25
Victorinox paring knife
It’s comfortable to hold, with a point sharp enough for scoring pastry.
ProCook cast iron pan
For unbeatable searing and heat-retention, cast iron is the top choice.
Tesco chopping board
Priced at just £22, I’ve yet to find another board that matches it for sheer value and quality.
The kitchen gadgets under £25
Pyrex jug
It is the perfect vessel for blending smooth sauces, melting butter, or warming stock. It won’t stain like plastic and the red measurements never fade.
Salter scales
“I’ve had my slim little set of Salter Disc Scales for over a decade, and I’m delighted to see they are still made to exactly the same reliable design today.”
Microplane grater
It uses photo-etched stainless steel teeth that stay razor-sharp for a decade, something the lookalike copycats simply can’t match.
Braun hand-held blender
It’s an essential for everything from making velvety soup to getting the lumps out of white sauce.
Bodum cafetiere
As well as delivering great results, cafetieres are easy to clean and there’s no ongoing filter paper costs or pod recycling to deal with.
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The kitchen gadgets under £25
Oxo peeler
What truly sets it apart is the chunky, rubberised handle that absorbs pressure and stays completely non-slip, even if your hands are wet. It is inexpensive and incredibly durable.
Falcon pie dish
Made by fusing porcelain onto heavy-gauge steel for smooth durability, it is dishwasher, freezer, hob, air-fryer and oven-safe.
The golden rules for a happy, secure relationship
Psychiatrist and neuroscientist Dr Amir Levine, author of bestselling book , explains why we behave the way we do in love.
Golden rules for happy relationships
Start with your own behaviours
The foundation of a secure, connected life is being what I call CARRP: that means being consistent, available, responsive, reliable and predictable. All of these qualities can be enacted in small gestures every day.
Express your needs
People need consistency and connection to feel safe. This is not, ‘You hurt my feelings by never replying to me’, it’s more ‘this is the kind of contact that helps me feel secure’.
Golden rules for happy relationships
The appendix ‘inflammation’ rule
If a relationship repeatedly inflames your nervous system, you need to disengage and deprioritise it.
Lean on community
You don’t need hundreds of friends. You need people and places that regularly remind you that you belong.
Stop blaming childhood
Humans are much more complicated than: ‘this happened to you, therefore you are doomed to be anxious’.
Reach for a
secure script
When something unsettles you in a relationship, your first reaction is not always the most accurate one.
If you’re anxious, your brain may jump very quickly to: ‘this is the beginning of the end’. If you’re avoidant, your brain may say: ‘this person wants too much from me, I need to get away’. So one very practical thing you can always do is pause and ask: ‘What would a secure person do here?’
Loneliness elsewhere
When people talk about loneliness, they often assume it means you don’t have enough people in your life. But you can be surrounded by people and still feel lonely if those relationships leave you feeling excluded, ignored or disconnected.
What to do
- Build a community that works for your temperament and gives you regular, reliable moments of connection.
- You can still be kind to people while not treating them as someone who belongs in your inner circle.
- Explain what you need. Sometimes people simply don’t realise how you are experiencing them.
- Check in with people: does this person actually feel that I’m reliable? Do they experience me as predictable? That’s the only way that you can start to become more secure.
Many owners have bitten off more than they can chew
My wife and I are among the many fans of the crossbreed. Our three-year-old dog, Mona, is a cockapoo, and like every other pet owner, I think our dog is the greatest creature that’s ever lived. But I have become acutely aware that more and more people have problems with cockapoos, both as owners and general members of the public. More than once, people have told me about a cockapoo they know who has come to ruin their friend or family member’s life because of the dog’s anxiety or inability to trust them around children. (Of all of the mixed-breed dogs, cockapoos scored much higher for levels of undesirable behaviour like resource guarding or separation anxiety than labradoodles, cavapoos, or their purebred parents, according to a study from the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), published this year.)
Rather than the easy, cuddly dog of its reputation, people online are lamenting that “cockapoos are awful family pets”, and “cockerpoos [sic] are the bane of my life”.
Mona is not a typical cockapoo: her parents and her siblings have that distinctive teddy bear cuddliness, but her coat is flat and silky with bursts of fluff along the legs, making the “poo” part of her imperceptible to most. She is, however, absolutely full of energy: while very calm at home, she has been known to be territorial when other dogs come near her ball. She can also be very bossy: she’ll bark at me to throw the stick again (and again, and again). Then there’s the mess. We’d naively assumed that she would somehow be low-shed before we brought her home: she is not. I am constantly vacuuming, finding hairballs and fighting to undo matting behind her ears.
Keeping up with their energy levels is a full-time job. Other cockapoo owners have told me, “It seems almost impossible to give them all the stimulation they seem to need,” Aggression is another common problem. One owner describes how their adopted cockapoo will snap at their other dog. “The biggest concern is that we also found out that my wife is pregnant,” he says. “I’m scared that if we don’t get her reactivity under control, we’ll have to rehome her.”
But there’s resentment from even non-cockapoo owners. As one friend put it to me: “I just hate what cockapoos have come to stand for, this designer dog that’s perfectly bred to serve and look cute for humans. When we’ve got around 7,000 dogs being euthanised by councils each year, not to mention brimming shelters. It feels selfish.”
Whenever Mona acts up in public, there is a small, shameful part of me that worries we’ll both be judged: me for buying into a fad with my designer dog, and Mona for being badly behaved. So often when people assume she’s a cocker spaniel, I just let them. People seem to be more forgiving of a mental dog when it is a heritage breed.
It’s in their genes
O’Neill explains that the cockapoo is a surprisingly complicated dog. “From a biological perspective, a cockapoo is a cross between a cocker spaniel and a poodle. But when you drill down into it, it’s not that simple.” For one thing, there is no one kind of spaniel or poodle, but there are several varieties within each breed: is your spaniel American or English? Working or show? And what size poodle are you breeding with?
Then there’s the way the family tree impacts genetics: you can have first-generation cockapoos (F1) from a spaniel breeding with a poodle; second-generation cockapoos (F2), which result from breeding two cockapoos together; or an F2B cockapoo, where a cockapoo is bred back with its parent breed. (Mona is F2 – both her parents were cockapoos, but for whatever reason she appears more cock than poo.)
The heterogeneity is why they are not recognised by the Royal Kennel Club as a breed. “The Royal Kennel Club only registers and develops breed standards for established pedigree breeds, which have a defined history, consistent characteristics and a breeding population that can be traced over generations,” explains Charlotte McNamara, chief canine wellbeing and engagement officer at The Royal Kennel Club. “Crossbreeds can, of course, have their own characteristics, but these can be less predictable, particularly where dogs are bred from different types or across subsequent generations.”
Their genetic diversity could be part of the reason behind their behaviour problems. Unlike traditional dog breeds where their characteristics are consistent between litters, there are no guarantees with a crossbreed. So while you may hope you will get the best traits of both a cocker spaniel (playful, trainable, friendly) and a poodle (intelligent and affectionate), those same traits can co-conspire to make a dog genetically predisposed to resource guarding with growling and snapping, fussy behaviour (poodles’ intelligence can backfire, leading to them refusing food they don’t like), separation anxiety (both dogs are bred to bond closely with their owner) and excessive energy.
Too smart for their own good
Hannah Birrell, The Dog Psychologist, is an experienced and qualified dog behaviourist based in London who says “cockapoos make up maybe 20 or so per cent of my workload, although that has varied – and that is a huge number given the vast array of breeds that we see”.
She often sees owners who have found that having a smart dog has backfired. “People think that getting a very intelligent dog is a good idea because you can teach it all sorts of things, but the dog can end up training you. That intelligence means that a dog can just get bored and needs to find its own ‘jobs’, and that’s a significant proportion of the cases we see in terms of behaviour issues.” Smart dogs like cockapoos will quickly learn that when they do something “naughty” (steal a sock, push a ball out of reach, refuse to get on lead) they get more attention. And so they will return to that trick when they’re bored or frustrated, slowly driving their owner insane.
Similarly, dogs with working history like cocker spaniels have a lot of energy that needs to go somewhere. If they are not given enough stimulation, that can turn either into frustration or anxiety, which can then be channelled into destructive or aggressive behaviours.
Don’t blame the dog
That said, only about seven per cent of a dog’s behaviour can be attributed to genetics according to O’Neill. Cockapoos are popular with breeders because they produce big litters (thanks to their genetic diversity), and as their popularity spiked during the pandemic, unscrupulous breeding practices proliferated. “Part of [their behavioural problems] may have been down to mass production of cockapoos: in the last couple of years there was a huge amount of money to be made from them,” he explains.
When there’s money to be made, breeders can be indiscriminate about which dogs they breed together, who they sell them to, and crucially how they care for them before they’re sold. The first 12 weeks of a puppy’s life are fundamental to how they can function in human society: how well they are treated and socialised can be the difference between a dog that is scared and reactive, and one that is good-tempered and calm. If a puppy is unvaccinated, kept in a kennel and never exposed to children or traffic, they are going to struggle immensely once introduced to a pet environment.
“Anytime we see a breed get popular [like cockapoos] we see an influx of illegal puppy smuggling, which itself leads to lots of behaviour issues and health issues,” says Dom Burk, behaviour officer for Dogs Trust.
It’s significant, too, that this popularity increase happened during the pandemic. Owners who bought in on a whim were not equipped to properly socialise or train their dogs. Many of Britain’s army of cockapoos joined households during lockdown, so when the world opened up again, they inevitably struggled.
The cockapoos are here to stay
There’s no telling whether cockapoos will retain their crown as second most popular dog in Britain for long – other crosses with ridiculous portmanteau names (cavapoos, labradoodles, pomskys and bernedoodles) are all making their mark on parks across the country, and the backlash to cockapoos may already be putting potential future owners off. But O’Neill believes that the cockapoo is here to stay.
“The current Vet Compass data shows that cockapoos are the second most common dog breed in the UK and the numbers are growing. We now have a Cockapoo Club [who celebrate the crossbreed and promote their ethical breeding], and I predict it won’t be very long before the major kennel clubs start recognising cockapoos and registering them.”
The good news is that almost any problem that is projected onto cockapoos can be solved with better breeding practices, better socialising, and better training. In my experience, cockapoos are delightful. We just need to understand them for what they are: dogs, not a trend.
“People see the cockapoo as the perfect family pet,” says O’Neill. “ So [they assume] it will be wonderful when I’m there and then just sit there until I come back and put the batteries back in.”
While many of the problems with cockapoos are attributed to the dog, they really stem from us humans. Humans who want to make fast cash from breeding a popular dog type; humans who bring dogs home without researching what it takes to actually care for them; humans who expect animals to be products with manufactured consistency.
Birrell agrees. “A large part of my job is trying to bridge the gap between the dog that exists in front of you and the dog in your mind”, she says. “Sometimes the dog in your mind doesn’t exist.”