Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
General
Today's Cavalier King Charles Spaniel if the direct descendant of the small sized Toy spaniels that were seen in so many of the pictures in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. They were given the name King Charles Spaniels as it was a great favourite of King Charles 11 and it is said that he was often seen with 2 or 3 following behind him.
After King Charles 11 passed, so too did the popularity of this breed and what then became a favourite at the royal court was the Pug. The Cavalier King Charles was bred with the Pug, which resulted in a shorter snout and domed head which resulted in the King Charles Spaniels of today.
There is often confusion between the Calalier King Charles Spaniel and the King Charles Spaniel. The difference is that the Cavaliers have a muzzle and the King Charles have a very flat face.
At Crufts in 1926-1930, there were special prizes given for ‘Blenheim spaniels of the old type’ and the word ‘Cavalier’ was chosen to distinguish this type from the flatter-faced type which was known as the King Charles. This effectively saw the emergence of the Cavalier King Charles (the old type) as a separate variety from the King Charles. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club was formed in 1928 but the Kennel Club did not recognize the Cavalier as a separate breed until 1945.
This breed is known to be very friendly towards people and other dogs, and a pleasure to have in the family. The only negative thing that can be said about this breed is that due to bad breeding practices by commercial and puppy farmers in recent years, the reliability of the temperament of this great breed has been affected at times, with the result that some Cavaliers have been found to be aggressive, timid and/or shy. You should always get your pup for a Responsible and Caring breeder who will be able to supply you with a Cavalier with the correct type of temperament.
Today's Cavalier King Charles Spaniel if the direct descendant of the small sized Toy spaniels that were seen in so many of the pictures in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. They were given the name King Charles Spaniels as it was a great favourite of King Charles 11 and it is said that he was often seen with 2 or 3 following behind him.
After King Charles 11 passed, so too did the popularity of this breed and what then became a favourite at the royal court was the Pug. The Cavalier King Charles was bred with the Pug, which resulted in a shorter snout and domed head which resulted in the King Charles Spaniels of today.
There is often confusion between the Calalier King Charles Spaniel and the King Charles Spaniel. The difference is that the Cavaliers have a muzzle and the King Charles have a very flat face.
At Crufts in 1926-1930, there were special prizes given for ‘Blenheim spaniels of the old type’ and the word ‘Cavalier’ was chosen to distinguish this type from the flatter-faced type which was known as the King Charles. This effectively saw the emergence of the Cavalier King Charles (the old type) as a separate variety from the King Charles. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club was formed in 1928 but the Kennel Club did not recognize the Cavalier as a separate breed until 1945.
This breed is known to be very friendly towards people and other dogs, and a pleasure to have in the family. The only negative thing that can be said about this breed is that due to bad breeding practices by commercial and puppy farmers in recent years, the reliability of the temperament of this great breed has been affected at times, with the result that some Cavaliers have been found to be aggressive, timid and/or shy. You should always get your pup for a Responsible and Caring breeder who will be able to supply you with a Cavalier with the correct type of temperament.
Is this the right dog for you?
This breed, with good breeding behind it, is one of the friendliest of breeds and loves being around people. It could be termed a 'lap dog' and if the lap of its favourite person is not available, it will find another one that is!
Being a Toy breed, this dog does not require a huge amount of exercise, however a short daily walk where it can smell all the interesting scents around, will keep this little dog happy and balanced.
Even thought it is known to have a friendly nature, puppy school and on-going socialization will keep these important social skills in place.
Due to their love of people, a problem you may well face with this breed is possibly development of separation anxiety. However, this can be avoided by training the pup to enjoy being alone right from being a pup, and keeping Alone Time exercises in place.
The other potential problem with this breed is that it is prone to many inherited health problems. Due to this do ensure that you get your pup from a top breeder where both parents of the pup have certificates proving they were tested and cleared of hereditary eye diseases, hip dysplasia, luxating patella, then there is a much lesser chance of your pup developing these conditions. Medical Insurance is always a good idea when one has pets, and even more so when buying a Cavalier.
This breed, with good breeding behind it, is one of the friendliest of breeds and loves being around people. It could be termed a 'lap dog' and if the lap of its favourite person is not available, it will find another one that is!
Being a Toy breed, this dog does not require a huge amount of exercise, however a short daily walk where it can smell all the interesting scents around, will keep this little dog happy and balanced.
Even thought it is known to have a friendly nature, puppy school and on-going socialization will keep these important social skills in place.
Due to their love of people, a problem you may well face with this breed is possibly development of separation anxiety. However, this can be avoided by training the pup to enjoy being alone right from being a pup, and keeping Alone Time exercises in place.
The other potential problem with this breed is that it is prone to many inherited health problems. Due to this do ensure that you get your pup from a top breeder where both parents of the pup have certificates proving they were tested and cleared of hereditary eye diseases, hip dysplasia, luxating patella, then there is a much lesser chance of your pup developing these conditions. Medical Insurance is always a good idea when one has pets, and even more so when buying a Cavalier.
Should you have 2 of the same, or 2 pups together?
On average, and if well bred, the Cavalier, does not tend to be aggressive to other dogs, however you must make sure that your dog has been well socialized so that it will accept another dog into the home.
When it comes to which sex get on better, your best bet is one male and one female (both sterilized), or 2 males together. Never two females. The vast majority of the time two females will get on well until about 8 - 9 months of age and thenm fighting for position tends to occur. When males have the odd altercation, it tends to be over quickly, but with females, it just intensifies and often the only solution is for one of the females to be rehomes. This is not just for this breed, but in general.
Having two pups from same litter is not a good idea. Most people think that the pups will be happier with a playmate and won’t fight if they are family.Your pup should be at least 5 months old, before you consider bringing in another pup. This allows the pups to grow to their full potential and not become over dependent on one another. The truth of the matter is that your two pups are likely to:
Bond with each other to the exclusion of you
On average, and if well bred, the Cavalier, does not tend to be aggressive to other dogs, however you must make sure that your dog has been well socialized so that it will accept another dog into the home.
When it comes to which sex get on better, your best bet is one male and one female (both sterilized), or 2 males together. Never two females. The vast majority of the time two females will get on well until about 8 - 9 months of age and thenm fighting for position tends to occur. When males have the odd altercation, it tends to be over quickly, but with females, it just intensifies and often the only solution is for one of the females to be rehomes. This is not just for this breed, but in general.
Having two pups from same litter is not a good idea. Most people think that the pups will be happier with a playmate and won’t fight if they are family.Your pup should be at least 5 months old, before you consider bringing in another pup. This allows the pups to grow to their full potential and not become over dependent on one another. The truth of the matter is that your two pups are likely to:
Bond with each other to the exclusion of you
- Will stress without the other dog being around
- Fight with each other
- Be more destructive and boisterous
- Two pups together often leads to one being more assertive and the other more submissive. This could well end up in a situation where the more submissive dog will never develop its full potential.
- Mature later
Do they get on with other dogs?
If bred correctly, they really are social butterflies. However as mentioned above, don't just rely on the dogs breeding, do your utmost to ensure that the social skills stay in place, by taking your pup to puppy school and keeping up the social skills.
If bred correctly, they really are social butterflies. However as mentioned above, don't just rely on the dogs breeding, do your utmost to ensure that the social skills stay in place, by taking your pup to puppy school and keeping up the social skills.
Do they get on with other animals?
On average, and if introduced to other animals as a pup, this breed tends to get along with cats. However, they do have a strong prey drive, and love running around the garden chasing birds, butterflies or whatever it can find.
On average, and if introduced to other animals as a pup, this breed tends to get along with cats. However, they do have a strong prey drive, and love running around the garden chasing birds, butterflies or whatever it can find.
Are they good with children?
Extremely! Even though this is a Toy breed, it is much strudier than other Toy breeds and adores children. Do not just assume the breed will get on will with kids, start socializing them to as many different children as possible from being a pup - don't leave it up to chance.
Extremely! Even though this is a Toy breed, it is much strudier than other Toy breeds and adores children. Do not just assume the breed will get on will with kids, start socializing them to as many different children as possible from being a pup - don't leave it up to chance.
Health
It seems like the number-one killer of Cavaliers is inherited heart disease (a rapidly progressive form of mitral valve disease). It is said that up to half of all Cavaliers will develop heart disease by 5 years of age, and virtually ALL Cavaliers by 10 years of age (if they live that long). No one should acquire a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel unless they have Medical Insurance.
An inherited neurological disorder (syringomyelia) affects at least HALF of all Cavaliers. Most individuals show symptoms between 6 months old and 3 years old. This devastating disease causes abnormal skin sensations, sensitivity to touch, pain, and/or weakness and difficulty walking. Some Cavaliers are only mildly affected and do well with daily medication, while others must be put to sleep. There is no cure for this cruel condition and it is present throughout the breed.
Other health concerns may include Chiari-like malformation, endocardiosis, patent ductus arteriosus, entropion, distichiasis, keratoconjunctivitis sicca, retinal dysplasia, brachycephalic upper airway syndromeand syringomyelia.
“In today’s age, with the rising cost of veterinary care, it really is a wise decision to consider medical insurance for your pets. Depending on the plan you choose, you can ensure that if your pet does develop one of the health issues the breed is prone too, that you will be covered –additionally, just knowing that any accident your pet may have will be covered, will out-weigh the monthly insurance fee for most pet owners. Our own personal choice is Genricpet as they have a ‘no limit’ policy and their rates are comparable to the rest of the industry. To find out the questions and things to look for in a Medical Insurance, please just follow this link”
It seems like the number-one killer of Cavaliers is inherited heart disease (a rapidly progressive form of mitral valve disease). It is said that up to half of all Cavaliers will develop heart disease by 5 years of age, and virtually ALL Cavaliers by 10 years of age (if they live that long). No one should acquire a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel unless they have Medical Insurance.
An inherited neurological disorder (syringomyelia) affects at least HALF of all Cavaliers. Most individuals show symptoms between 6 months old and 3 years old. This devastating disease causes abnormal skin sensations, sensitivity to touch, pain, and/or weakness and difficulty walking. Some Cavaliers are only mildly affected and do well with daily medication, while others must be put to sleep. There is no cure for this cruel condition and it is present throughout the breed.
Other health concerns may include Chiari-like malformation, endocardiosis, patent ductus arteriosus, entropion, distichiasis, keratoconjunctivitis sicca, retinal dysplasia, brachycephalic upper airway syndromeand syringomyelia.
“In today’s age, with the rising cost of veterinary care, it really is a wise decision to consider medical insurance for your pets. Depending on the plan you choose, you can ensure that if your pet does develop one of the health issues the breed is prone too, that you will be covered –additionally, just knowing that any accident your pet may have will be covered, will out-weigh the monthly insurance fee for most pet owners. Our own personal choice is Genricpet as they have a ‘no limit’ policy and their rates are comparable to the rest of the industry. To find out the questions and things to look for in a Medical Insurance, please just follow this link”
Do’s and Dont’s
Do’s
Don’t
Do’s
- Do get your pup from a KUSA registered breeder and do read the articles on Breeders and also choosing a pup
- Do ensure that the parents of your pup have certificates proving they were tested and cleared of hereditary eye diseases, hip dysplasia, luxating patella,
- Sterilize at approximately 6 months of age.
- Do take your pup for socialization - pups should start at 8 weeks of age and this should not be missed - lays the foundation for future social interactions.
- Do continue the socialiazation - keeps solid social skills in place
- Give daily, regular exercise which this breed really needs.
- Supply chew toys and mental stimulation when left alone.
- Allow your dog to be part of the family
- Do practice Alone Time training right from being a pup so that this little dog can cope with being alone.
- Give regular brushing and annual vacs.
- Supply mental games such as behaviour games, scenting games etc in the garden to mentally stimulate this breed.
- Take your dog for basic training and keep simple house rules in place
Don’t
- Don't use aversive training methods.
- Leave this breed outside alone – behaviour problems will develop