Breed Details
Breed Characteristics
Adaptability
Affectionate
Apartment Friendly
skin Tendencies
Cat Friendly
kid Friendly
Dog Friendly
Excercise demand
neaten
Health Issues
Intelligence
Energy Level
Shedding Level
Social Needs
Stranger Friendly
Territorial
Trainability
Watchdog Instincts
One of the great of the toy breeds , Cavaliers stick with their people everywhere , just waiting for a chance to jump in a lap . They are also unforced and able to go for long walks and wage increase , and many love flushing bird , just like their openhanded spaniel cousins .
This sturdy toy strain is a re - creation of the toy spaniel that populate imperial courts and noble homes in Europe from the 15th to the 19th century . rightful to their inheritance as “ comforter dogs , ” Cavaliers make love to be in a lap . The typical Cavalier is always glad , trusting and easygoing , a acquaintance to everyone he meets . The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel today is a beloved , and increasingly pop , associate dog . He ’s small , loving , playful and attractive .
A Cavalier will dog your footsteps throughout the solar day , from kitchen to bathroom to domicile berth and back again and prefers not to be left alone for hour on last . The idealistic home is one with a persist - at - base parent , work - at - house spouse or retired dyad .
A Cavalier ’s raw life and cheerfulness stand out in the show band . He can be a steady and willing competitor in obedience and rally , and excels in legerity and flyball . His visceral nature also make him a superb therapy dog . He will sit quietly with older people or young children and then grow into a rowdy playfellow with combat-ready nestling or adults .
Toy breed such as Cavaliers are sometimes hard to housetrain , mainly because people do n’t put enough effort into it . If you take a chevalier pup out on a regular schedule , reward him for pottying outside and limit his freedom in the home until he ’s reliable , there is no ground he ca n’t be housetrained as well as any other breed .
At his best , the Cavalier is an adaptable , flexible , stalwart piffling dog . He ’s happy to loll around on the sofa with you all day but ready for action when it ’s offered . Although he ’s classified as a miniature stock , the Cavalier is at the larger conclusion of the sizing scale , weighing 13 to 18 dog pound . He often has the same “ birdy ” nature as his larger spaniel cousins , making him a good choice for people who require a dog who ’s not too big but still capable of endure for hikes , dog gull at the beach or even retrieving quail , chip in the training and opportunity . He will also “ hunt ” butterflies and bugs and loves play fetch with a glob or stuffed miniature .
Always take the air the Cavalier on a terzetto . When he sees a bird or other possible prey , everything else goes out of his school principal . All too often Royalist are hit by car and killed when they chase a doll or ball — correctly into the street .
Other Quick Facts
TheHistoryof Cavaliers
Small spaniels have been pop companion dogs for hundreds of years . They were found in imperial court and noble homes in Spain ( where the spaniel gets his name ) , France , England and Scotland and were often prominently featured in their owner ’ portrait . The Scottish Stuarts were especially fond of the little dog . Mary , Queen of Scots had a miniature spaniel by her side when she was executed , as did her descendent , England ’s King Charles I. It was Charles and his son Charles II who contribute their name to the click that finally became do it as Cavalier King Charles Spaniels .
The toy spaniels ’ popularity began to wane after a new Billie Jean King , William , replaced James II ( also a Stuart ) on England ’s throne . William was from Holland , and he favored Pugs . masses began crossing thePugsand spaniel , and eventually their spirit changed , becoming more directly - face with a domed caput . andiron like the ones seen in old portraits much disappeared , except for a few transmission line here and there , like the ones kept by the Churchill family at Blenheim Palace . The wiener might have faded into the past except for one Roswell Eldridge , a wealthy American who offered a plunder to anyone who could produce a bounder like the ones he had ascertain in 17thand 18thcentury paintings .
British breeder took up the challenge and reconstruct the breed , working with long - nosed English Toy Spaniels ( called King Charles Spaniels in England ) . The first of the “ novel ” spaniel was exhibited in 1928 at Crufts Dog Show . Alas , Eldridge did not survive long enough to see him , but his estate paid the prize . Since then , the Cavalier has develop to what he is today : a sturdy and extremely pop familiar , combining boo - dog nosiness and Toy - dog warmheartedness for people .
The Cavalier ranks 23rdamong the breeds registered by the American Kennel Club , up from 54thin 2000 . That ’s one of the large leaps in popularity in the past decade .
CavalierTemperamentand Personality
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is small , loving and playful . The typical Cavalier is always happy , trusting and soft , a protagonist to everyone he get together . True to their inheritance as “ baby’s dummy hound , ” Cavaliers love to be in a lap .
Cavalier temperament ranges from angelic and placid to hard - charging and even stubborn . The sweet , placid Cavaliers sometimes have a reputation for being dumb , and the stubborn I for being untrainable , but in general , these firedog are smart and learn quickly . They respond well to positive reinforcement technique , especially when food rewards are tender , but rough Son will cause them to finish trying or even to hide . A Cavalier should usually never be unsure or aggressive to mass or other dogs .
cavalier experience to be with their people . The idealistic house is one with a stay - at - home parent , piece of work - from - home spouse or hit the sack yoke . The dogs broadly speaking make love kids and do well in families with older children who will hold a ball for them , learn them tricks or just attend out with them . Because of their small size of it , though , Cavaliers must be protected from clumsy toddlers who might fall on them or “ pet ” them with too much military unit .
A few things to know about Cavaliers : theylove to lick , they love to chase moving objects ( peculiarly feathered ones ) and they can be manipulative when they want food ( those eyes ! ) . It ’s unmanageable or unsufferable to curb these behaviors so you need to find a way to work around them , such as always keeping the dog on leash in areas with traffic and hardening your heart when your Cavalier want to share your French fries .
The Cavalier is not perfect . Any bounder , no matter how prissy , can develop obnoxious levels of bark , digging and other undesirable conduct if he is world-weary , untrained or unsupervised .
If you ’re looking for an overnight solution to bear a perfectly acquit pup , you wo n’t obtain one . That ’s why beginning obeisance training the day you bring him home is critical . Even at eight week old , he is subject of pawn up everything you may instruct him . raise a well - lash out dog is part obeisance and part enculturation . Get your chevalier into puppy kindergarten class by the sentence he is 10 to 12 weeks old , and socialize , socialize , socialize .
Be aware that many puppy preparation course require sure vaccines ( like kennel cough ) to be up to particular date . And , veterinary surgeon often recommend limited exposure to other dogs and public places until puppy vaccines ( including madness , distemper and parvovirus ) have all been administered . In the meantime , begin training your pup at domicile and socializing him among family and friends until your veterinary gives you the go - ahead start wider socialization .
Talk to the breeder , describe exactly what you ’re look for in a dog , and inquire for help in pick out a puppy . Breeders see the puppies day by day and can make uncannily precise recommendations once they know something about your lifestyle and personality .
The thoroughgoing Cavalier does n’t spring fully formed from the whelping box . He ’s a mathematical product of his background signal and breeding . Whatever you want from a Cavalier , look for one whose parents have nice personalities and who has been well socialised from other puppyhood .
What You Need to Know About CavalierHealth
standardized to humans , all hot dog can develop genetical wellness problems . All reputable breeders will offer a health guarantee on her puppy . If she does n’t , or if she tells you that the breed is 100 percent salubrious and has no known trouble , or that her puppies are isolated from the main part of the menage for wellness reasons , it ’s time to find a new one . just breeders are transparent about wellness problem in the breed and the relative incidence with which they occur in her line .
The Cavalier can modernise sure health job . They let in a heart condition call mitral valve disease , a neurological trouble call syringomyelia , patellar ( knee ) luxation , sealed eye job such ascataractsand keratoconjunctivitis sicca , or dry middle , an spike condition call chief secretory otitis media , allergic reaction and other pelt problems . Most of these conditions are suspect to be hereditary .
First thing first : Not every Cavalier will get all or even any of these disease . It ’s not unusual for Cavaliers to live 10 to 12 years , and some live to be 15 or sr. . Now , that said , there ’s no denying that the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is at risk of a large number of genetic wellness problems . Some die in what should be the efflorescence of their life . Here ’s a brief summing up on what you should know .
Mitral valve disease . The most common assume kernel upset in dogs , mitral valve disease is a defect of the mitral valve , located between the left atrium and left ventricle of the heart . The valve gradually thicken and pervert , eventually becoming blabbermouthed . That forces the spirit to work hard to pump line of descent out and it becomes hypertrophied . Lots of dogs get MVD in their senior years , but in Cavaliers it can take at an former long time . A heart murmur is the first sign of MVD . Cavaliers with a murmur may go on for class without any problem or need for medication , or they can recrudesce congestive heart failure , which can often be controlled for a time with medication .
Syringomyelia . This condition is a neural system of rules disorder that lead from a congenital bone deformity in which the rearward part of the skull is too little . The cerebellum and the brain stem are crowded and obstruct the hiatus magnum , the possible action at the bottom of the skull . When this happens , the flow of cerebrospinal fluid is obstructed , resulting in the constitution of fluid - filled cavities in the spinal corduroy . The damage can do hurting . Signs include grave at the neck and sensitiveness in the area of the headland and neck . The dog-iron often yap or yell for no apparent intellect , may hold their head in a sure status much of the metre , or grow a shaky paseo . Syringomyelia can be mild , requiring no action ; manage with pain medicinal drug ; redress with OR ; or so grave that the dog must be euthanized .
splay patella . Many toy dog breeds and small frump , the Cavalier included , have a condition known asluxating patella , in which one or both kneecaps are fluid and occasionally , or in more severe cases , always slip out of station . Depending on the level of severeness ( 1 being mild and 4 being grave ) , luxating patella can be a pocket-sized issue that do the dog little problem or pain or serious enough to require surgical correction .
Primary secretory otitis medium . Also recognize as glue ear , this condition appears when a mucous secretion plug forms within the middle ear tooth decay of one or both pinna . sign admit foreland or neck pain , hold the neck cautiously , tilting the head , cancel at the ears and listen loss . Often PSOM is mistaken for syringomyelia or transmitted deafness . It is unremarkably diagnose with an MRI or CT scan and treat by surgically removing the mucus plug and then flush the pinna , followed by a course of antibiotics and/or corticosteroids .
Eye problems that may affect the breed include puerile cataracts and dry eye . Dry eye is most common in senior pawl .
In the hope of controlling the familial disease that already affect the breed and preventing any raw ones from emerging , the American Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club , which is the American Kennel Club parent organization for the breed in the United States , participates in a program operated by the Canine Health Information Center ( CHIC ) . Cavalier stock breeder who wantCHIC certificationmust test breeding dogs for eye disease , patellar ( human knee ) luxation , hip dysplasia and meat disease and match to have test results , positive or negative , bring out in the CHIC database . A dog need not receive good or even pass scores on the evaluation to obtain a chicness number , so swank registration alone is not proof of soundness or absence seizure of disease , but all test results are posted on the CHIC website and can be access by anyone who want to check off the wellness of a puppy ’s parents .
The Basics of CavalierGrooming
For a coated breed , the Cavalier is comparatively easy to groom . The intermediate - length silky coating is not so heavy that it ask minute of brushing , and it sheds dirt easy . The Cavalier shed , like all domestic dog , but regular brushing will polish off dead pilus so they do n’t float off onto your floor , piece of furniture and clothing .
The farsighted , silky fuzz on the Cavalier ’s ears , shadow , belly and legs , sleep together as feathering , should be brushed two or three time a hebdomad to prevent mats or tangle from forming . Be sure to check behind the ears and where the leg get together the physical structure ; that ’s where they usually form . Use a slicker brush or stainless steel comb to off maze , then bring out refulgence with a bristle brush . The pelage does not require any passementerie for the show ring ; indeed , such trimming is prohibited by the breed measure .
A bath every two to four week will keep the Cavalier smelling honeyed . The only other grooming require is regular ear cleaning , tooth brush and nail clipping .
Choosing a Cavalier Breeder
To encounter the right puppy , you need to chance the right stock breeder . Reputable breeders will equate you with the right puppy , and will always be persevering about having completed all the health documentation necessary to block out out as many health problem as possible . For serious stock breeder , the goal is catch pup in good home , not making big bucks .
pop out your puppy search by finding a breeder who is a member in good standing of either theCavalier King Charles Spaniel Club – USAor theAmerican Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club , and who has agreed to abide by the CKCSC’scode of ethicsor the ACKCSC’sethical guidelines , both of which specifically prohibit selling pup through retail outlets such as dearie stores and outline the province their member breeders have to the dog they produce and the people who purchase them . Choose a breeder who is not only willing but insists on being a resource as you direct and care for your new dog throughout his life .
There are a telephone number of red sword lily to look for when vet a potential breeder . These admonition sign let in stock breeder who only seem concerned in how speedily they can unload a puppy , who have multiple litters on the assumption , and who give you the power to pay off online with a credit card . Many of those qualities sum up up to a “ convenient ” experience , but are almost never consociate with reputable stock breeder .
Although it can sometimes be unmanageable to distinguish puppy mills from a reliable mathematical process , doing your due diligence will keep you money in the retentive run . No one can guarantee with 100 % certainty you ’ll never purchase a sick puppy . However , research the breed ( so you know what to expect ) , checking out the adroitness ( to identify insalubrious conditions or pale animals ) , and asking the right questions can extenuate the peril . Also , ask your vet for advice . They can often refer you to a reputable stock breeder or deliverance for your young Cavalier .
The price of a Cavalier pup varies depending on his place of stemma , whether he is male or distaff , what titles his parents have , and whether he is well suited for the show ring or a pet home . Expect to yield between $ 2,000 and $ 3,000 for one of these popular puppy . For that price , the puppy you buy should have been raised in a clean home environment , from parent with wellness clearances and conformation ( show ) rubric to try out that they are ripe specimens of the breed . Puppies should be temperament tested , vet , dewormed , and socialized to give them a level-headed , confident start up in life .
Adopting a Cavalierfrom a Rescue or Shelter
There is no shortage of options if you need to embrace a Cavalier from an animal shelter or multiply rescue organization . However , with so many choice available , it can be hard to have it away where to get going . Here are some ideas to help :
employ the web . The most pop websites for finding adoptable doges arePetfinder.comandAdopt-a-Pet.com . In no time level , these sites can help you find a Cavalier with very specific standard ( housetraining status , for object lesson ) .
Looking for rescue groups in your area?AnimalShelter.orgis the way to go . Beyond that , posting on your social media pages that you are reckon for a specific breed can invite your entire community to be your eyes and ear .
Reach Out to Local Experts . The correct soul to connect you with an adoptable Royalist might be right under your nozzle . vet , dog walkers , and groomers in your area can be terrific resource to reach out to with your desire for a Cavalier . When someone has to make the tough conclusion to give up a dog , these professionals are often the first people that person will change state to for help .
Talk to a Breed Rescue . high-handed buff tend to flock together . That ’s why many stock society are dedicate to deliver Cavaliers and get them in loving homes . TheAmerican Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club’sRescue connection can assist you find a dog that may be the utter companion for your kin . Beyond that , unproblematic networking and search online often move over winner for people hoping to adopt .
Breed deliverance groups are often very guileless about any health term the dogs may have , and also serve as a valuable imagination for advice . saving organizations often declare oneself fostering opportunity so , with training , you could bring a Cavalier domicile as a “ psychometric test run ” to see what the experience is like before send fully .
pup or adult , the most important first step you’re able to do at once after espousal is taking your raw pup to a veterinary . This measure will avail you blot problems early on and , if necessary , determine up a a preventive regime so your Cavalier can live a long and healthy life .
Cavalier King Charles SpanielFAQs
Why is my Cavalier King Charles Spaniel so big?
The middling Cavalier stand 12 to 13 inches improbable and matter between 13 and 18 Sudanese pound . transmitted variability can sometimes direct to Cavaliers that are either smaller or great than that , so there ’s no real cause for worry . However , if your puppy weighs importantly more than the average range , it may be a house that your Royalist is rotund or is handle with a separate stipulation , both of which can be major wellness concerns . If you are worried about the excessive weight of your dog , take him in to your veterinarian to get him checked .
Do Cavalier King Charles Spaniels shed?
Cavaliers shed a small amount , but nowhere nigh as much as double - coated stock like Labrador Retrievers or Huskies . Cavaliers ’ shedding is also not seasonal , so you could require light shed year - troll with this stock . Lightly brushing their coat a few meter a week can help keep them looking their good and grapple any hair loss , a win for both you and your Cavalier .
How much is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel?
Like with any stock of dog , the monetary value of a Cavalier pup depend on locating , sex , and his blood . you’re able to expect to ante up between $ 2,000 and $ 3,000 for one of these popular whelp from a reputable breeder . That price ticket should come with an assurance that the puppy was raised in a clean home environment , and from parents with right health clearances test they are good specimens of the breed .
Are Cavalier King Charles Spaniels hypoallergenic?
No , Caveliers are not believe hypoallergenic dogs . Therefore , if you are considering buying or adopting a Cavalier and you support from dog - aggravated allergies , it ’s best to reconsider .
