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Alexandra, it sounds like you're taking about a Labradoodle (Lab/Poodle mix) rather than a Cockapoo. (Cocker Spaniel/Poodle mix) My mom had a Lhasapoo (Lhasa Apso/Poodle) before I was born, and loved that dog to pieces. She was very intelligent and gentle with us kids, although my mom reports that she growled at me when I was a baby because I insisted on poking her in the eye with a bottlecap. I certainly don't blame poor Tasha for that one.

My dogs (spayed and neutered rescues both) are Shiloh, the Treeing Walker Coonhound (that's him in my avatar pic) although the rescue folks called him Cooter, poor baby, and Sadie, who appears to be a red-and-white Beagle with Terrier ears.

This is the two of them snuggling on a chair in our sunroom:

Mine are Brindle (she's a brindle, we weren't very original) and Damage. Both Great Danes.

I do apologise, you are absolutely right, I was. That was careless of me!
However, I do see the problems associated with mixing breeds... the intention is to get the best of the two combined, but sometimes it can backfire and combine the worst.... which is a shame. A very good reason to not go messin' further (as if we haven't already messed enough!)

Thank you for pointing that out - and so tactfully, too!!

Speaking of mixing breeds.....there are a few breeders out there that are mixing Great Danes with English Mastiffs.....Gods, that is a BIG dog!

This trend wories me....
When we mix breeds that have already been specifically bred for sise (my last-letter-of-the-alphabet key, on this keyboard, doesn't work!) tmperament and presence, as well as specific 'jobs' (bear baiting, protection) we really do not know he outcome.
I am currently working on a law case with a lady whose pet cross-mastiff just attacked another dog, straight out of the blue, completely unexpected... no growling, no warning, no hackles, no barking....nothing. Whumph! went straight for it.....
This is a toughie, but the bottom line is this: No large dog, that attacks another dog without any apparent motive, is acting unusually, or out of character.
My partner is a senior Law student, and this is one of the major topics he has had to study very carefully for his exams (we're talking british Law here, I just need to emphasise) but because of my job as a Dog Behaviourist, it's vital I know these precise legal details for any ramifications....
There are several laws pertaining to animals, here in the UK:

The Dangerous Wild animals Act;
The Dangerous Dogs Act:
The Domestic Animals Act, and
The Domestic produce animals Act.
The bottom line in all of them is that basically, an animal will act within the parameters of its natural temperament, even if the behaviour is deemed unusual or unreasonable. For example, a [censored] will protect her puppies from perceived danger, if she feels a danger is present, even if up to that point she has been timid, and docile. Even if aggression seems to go entirely against her character, it will not be deemed unreasonable for her to behave aggressively if she feels threatened.

There are many other scenarios, but the bottom line is that the owner is liable, if he or she has not kept the animal under reasonable control, and has been seen to behave negligently with regard to securing or restraining the animal in such a way as to make it difficult for it to behave aggressively and cause accident or injury.
the penalties are commensurate with the level of damage, ie, the animal's behaviour at the time of the incident, the circumstances surrounding the incident, and the injured party's 'contribution' to the incident are all taken into account.

So messing with big breeds is just asking for trouble....
In my humble opinion.....

We have a cockapoo aptly named Kirby. If it's on the floor, he sucks it up!

I quite agree with you. These breeders here that are mixing Danes and Mastiffs are only breeding for size, not for temperament. This isn't good. Not only are they messing with temperament, but they are diluting the main breeds as well. In my opinion, deliberate cross-breeding is ignorant and these breeders are just plain idiotic.

All of my dogs are rescued or throw-aways.

I have Angie--a Chesapeake Bay Retriever/Labrador mix--she weighs about 100 pounds and is my friend and protector. She also alerted me when my woods caught fire last summer! Good dog!

I have Jake and Elwood--two black Lab/Chow mixes. They're playful and so, so sweet.

And my recent rescue, Sadie. A chocolate Lab/German Shepherd mix. She was very jumpy and anxious when I first got her but now she's happy as can be. So pretty and super-smart, too.

We have many puppy mills around here and the mixed-breeds are often dumped only to give birth in the woods or at a dumpster.

For one of my dogs, a black Labrador, my family and I couldn't agree on a name, so we ended up with "J.D.," which stood for "Just Dog." He was an awesome pet who lived 12 years and died last January of a tumor around his heart.
We now have Cleo, a chocolate Lab, named for her Cleopatra-like eyes and Beau, a gorgeous Newfoundland named for his striking markings.

Best,
Candyce

We have a Shorkie. His name is Peanut. When we first got him we had a laudry basket in the back for him to sleep and he fell asleep right away and looked like a peanut because of his markings