Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

anna42hmr

hello

we are contemplating buying a puppy, we have owned dogs in the past, but not for some years. One of the breeds we are considering is Cavalier King Charles Spaniel has any one on here got one, or had one? what is your experience of them, do they make good pets?

Are they expensive to keep (ie prone to certain diseases??) are they more expensive to insure than other breeds?

Minniethemoocher

We have a Cavalier, she is just lovely! The sweetest little dog! Have a look on this forum http://www.ckcsforums.com for loads of advice and info.

mookiandco

We have had 4 cavaliers in the past and they are the most super dogs. They are very gentle and good with children (ours were even deemed suitable to play with prince william and prince harry). They are prone to heart murmurs though, so ask about the history of any puppy you consider. We had a ruby one and some tricolours, however the ruby cavalier was really beautiful.

Buddy_Banana

Hi
Check out the link below which will give you some info about the breed.
My advice is to make sure it is very well socialised - meet people, kids and other dogs when he is young to make him happy and confident.
I had one for a while - I knew when I got him I shouldn't as the breeder had them stacked in cadges in the kitchen and he was extremely nervous - he weed when the cat walked in the room, when anyone approached and was a difficult situation, he was even scared of toys as he'd never had any. He was only used to being around the other dogs until he was 5 months old.

They are fantastic little dogs and great with families, just make sure you get one at no younger than 7 weeks old and no older than 10 weeks if you are after a puppy otherwise he will miss the important socialisation period within the litter (learning bite inhibition etc). - mine was already 5 months old which means I had no time to socialise him with objects, people, kids or other animals!

http://www.petplanet.co.uk/petplanet/breeds/Cavalier_King_Charles_Spaniel.htm

They are great dogs however - also look to see if they have puppy classes in your area

Good luck

lolarentt

We look after one on a regular basis (lots of other breeds as well, up to Newfoundland and Rotweiler - the latter only the once!). Very affectionate although looking much like a pyjama case, happiest sitting on someones lap being petted. Very pleasant nature but not exactly Mr Dynamic! He has had a heart problem (and very costly op) and some problems with his male 'bits' when he was younger although he's fine now.

louisdog

We have a black and tan CKCS, Louis, he is 10 years old, he is fantastic! I would not agree that they are just lapdogs though - he used to do dog agility classes when he was young, and obedience classes, and was a PAT (Pets as Therapy) dog visiting people in hospitals, and he also loves swimming in ponds, lakes and the sea, as well as long muddy walks.

He does have a heart murmour but is on tablets for that and the insurance pays for those.

He also loves being on laps and is very affectionate.

feesh

We socialise one for Hearing Dogs at weekends and he's bonkers but we adore him. He's very soppy, just loves having his belly tickled and being towel dried and having his ears rubbed - in fact anything involving him getting a fuss is just heaven to him! He loves playing fetch too (but only in the house, on walks he just likes to sniff).

He's not that bright , but then again he can't be too stupid or he wouldn't be in training to be a Hearing Dog I suppose! He still pulls on the lead but responds well to other commands.

He loves comfort, e.g. a soft bed, soft laps (neither of which he is allowed under Hearing Dogs rules but he takes his chances sometimes!) and generally sleeps a lot, not very active although we do take him on some very long muddy walks which he secretly enjoys (although will conk out afterwards!). He hates going out in the rain though.

The biggest thing we have noticed since we had him is that EVERYONE wants to come up to you in the street and talk about him, and if they don't do that they make cooing noises as you walk past! It can be a pain sometimes, but generally it's quite sweet! It's like walking round with a celebrity! Lots of people say they were thinking of getting one and ask what he's like to live with etc.

If I was getting a dog, I personally wouldn't get one, I would go for (a) a rescue dog preferably mongrel as I hate all this breeding, it messes up the gene pool and (b) I would get a more "doggy" dog as he's not quite outdoorsy enough for me. But we do love him and I can see why people adore them!

becky2011

I have 2 cavaliers. My first cavalier, Millie, I have had from a pup and she is the soppiest dog that I have ever know! She loves her walks, playing with toys and socialising with people and other dogs. Like feesh said, everyone will come up to you in the street which I find really nice!
My other cavalier is called Kasper and is a rescue dog. He is very different and was on deaths door when we got him. He is wary of everything and barks continuously when we are out walking or if there is a loud noise outside. But he has changed tremendously since we got him 6 months ago. He has began to trust most people and is generally happier because he doesn't appear to be stressed anymore. He loves his walks and has just began to play with toys too, he was very scared of toys and balls until recently.
I grew up with cavaliers and they are beautiful, loving dogs, very faithful and I think quite obedient. I wouldn't part with mine for the world!

beachbeth

We have 4 Cavaliers and absolutely adore them. They all have their different personalities but they are all very loving and easy going. They are very happy dogs, always wagging their tails.

Our oldest, we bought when she was 3 and, even though she trots happily by your side when on a walk, she goes mad barking at anyone we pass! She wouldn't hurt anyone, its just barking and probably something to do with her upbringing by her previous owner. However, my other 3 that Ive had from pups are lovely and will happily say hello to anyone we meet.

If you want an easy-going dog that will just sit by your side whatever room in the house you are in then I would recommend a Cavalier.

redchili

The correct age for acquiring a CKCS puppy would usually be at least 10 weeks old from any reputable, health-focused breeder in this breed in the UK or US. Younger than 8 weeks, puppies are significantly more prone to behaviour problems and the puppies are way too small and immature in this breed.

They are a fantastic breed but can be expensive and the breeding scene is absolutely awash with people who breed these sweet dogs casually as well as puppy farm dogs and supposed 'champion line' imports from countries like Ireland (which has an enormous puppy farm industry). So be very cautious as plenty of disreputable people will sell lower priced dogs that may end up with very expensive health problems. Be sure also to get a breeder who is club registered and club involved in the US - CKCSC or ACKCSC, or CKCS Club in UK -- not just someone with AKC or KC registered puppies as this is very easy to get and means little except it's the most basic qualification and starting point. Be very cautious of internet sellers too, there are some real scammers out there and people with sites that make it look like they are responsible breeders.

They are definitely very active -- one of mine does agility and all will happily walk for a couple of miles, swim etc -- though they are definitely also an inside dog -- they can't be left out in a yard all day or get separation anxiety problems and don't always suit people who work all day.

This is a breed prone to two very serious health issues: 1) mitral valve disease (MVD) or heart disease -- because of indiscriminate, casual breeding, 50% of cavaliers will have a heart murmur by age 5 and most cavaliers will eventually succumb to this condition; and 2) syringomyelia-- caused by most of the breed having a skull too small for their brain which can cause neurological problems. See https://www.smcavalier.com for info. Other breed issues include luxating patellas (loose knees, which can require require surgery to repair, hip dysplasia and eye problems). Most dogs from reputable show breeders have a far lower incidence of all of these. I have four CKCS,of which 1 has a murmur first acquired at 8, and one has moderate syringomyelia and is on pain medication.

The wikipedia entry on the breed is pretty good: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cavalier_King_Charles_Spaniel

Also check out:

https://www.cavaliertalk.com

https://www.cavalierboard.com

Some good sites with info on finding breeders:
http://www.thecavalierclub.co.uk/start.html
http://www.dallarock.com/lookingforcavalier.htm
http://www.ckcscsw.org/Page9-CKCSCSW-BuyerEducation.asp

In the UK, ring the CKCS breed club and get list of club breeders with litters and start your research there. Definitely avoid small ad puppies!