Is the Cava-poo-chon the world's most perfect dog? The adorable pet is said to be smart, healthy, hypoallergenic and will never lose its puppy-face. The cava-poo-chon is said to be the answer to the decades-long search for the "dog-face fountain of youth"
"There's always been a market for these forever-ish young dog," veteran trainer Steve Haynes of Fidelio Dog Works in Austin told the Huffington Post. "Until recently, specialized dogs like miniature Yorkies and miniature Maltese were the go-to dogs."
According to the Huffington Post, Haynes trains over 50 cava-poo-chons. The new breed of dog is quickly gaining popularity for people looking for a small, friendly, low-maintenance and super cute pet. The cava-poo-chon was created by Linda and Steve Rogers of Timshell Farm in Pine, Ariz.
According to their website, the dog is a King Charles spaniel and bichon frise mix bred with a miniature poodle. Linda and Steve enlisted the help of a geneticist and reproductive veterinarian to create the "triple cross" cava-poo-chon.
Linda and Steve said the dog can live for over 20 years, weighs 10-15 pounds and people can pick from a range of color choices and from two different types of coat - curly or very curly. The cava-poo-chon also comes with a price tag between $2,000 and $3,500.
"[It's] the best of three dogs," Linda said.
According to the Huffington Post, 12 of the dogs have been certified to work as therapy dogs in nursing homes and hospitals and 58 families have already contacted Linda and Steve to get a second cava-poo-chon.
"Never have we had a more loving, sweet dog. She wants to say hello to everyone," Amy Wolf of Austin said adding that she and her husband moved into a new house two months before getting Callie. "We've met tons of people while walking her. We feel much more connected with this neighborhood than the previous one, all because of [Callie]. She makes us more approachable, and we fell a lot safer."
The cava-poo-chon's features are described as having a "teddy bear look" with large/round eyes, square noses, wide faces, soft-curl lower-shedding coats, long ears with little curls and a sturdy bone structure, the Timshell Farms' website sates.
Because the dog is cross bred the American Kennel Club does not recognize it as an official breed of dog but that hasn't stopped people from flocking to Timshell Farm to buy the pet.
"I have been blown away," Brande Bradshaw of Austin said about his 6-month-old cava-poo (there is no bichon in her) named Bridgette. "She is amazing, the cutest puppy."
