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What Is A Cavalier ?
Written by
Martha Guimond and Yarrow Morgan
All Rights Reserved
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The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a true toy spaniel,
which should weigh between 13 and 18 pounds and should be around 12 to 13
inches tall at the shoulder. They have large, round, dark brown eyes and
long, silky hair on their ears, tails, bellies and legs, which does not
need professional grooming. |
| Cavaliers Come In Four Colors: |
| Red and White -- officially called Blenheim (this
color is named for the famous Blenheim palace in England where they were
originally bred by the Dukes of Marlborough - the family of Winston Churchill). |
| Tricolor -- black and white with tan spots on the eyebrows, cheekbones,
and under the ears and tail. |
| Ruby -- a rich, solid red with no white. |
| Black and Tan -- a solid black dog with tan on the
eyebrows, cheekbones, nose, under chin and on the chest, down all four legs,
and under the ears and tail. There should be no white on this dog. |
| The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a small charming breed
that dates back to the early 1600's. Although primarily bred as a house
pet for the royal families of Europe, the Cavalier has strong sporting roots.
Because of this, they will chase anything that moves with total disregard
for their well being -- with potential tragic results. This is a breed that
MUST have a fenced yard. The breed is gentle and easy to train in all other
respects, and is an excellent and trustworthy companion for children. Cavaliers
are good with other breeds of dogs and other household pets. |
| The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is adaptable in their
need for exercise and will be happy either snoozing by the fire with its
owner or taking three mile walks across country in any weather. The Cavalier
has a coat much like that of other sporting dogs such as the Golden Retriever.
It should be straight and silky - and never need trimming; only regular
brushing. |
| Cavaliers are fun to show in the breed ring but are also
excellent obedience and agility competitors if taught with positive training
methods. Cavaliers make wonderful therapy dogs and delight those who wait
in nursing homes and healthcare centers for their periodic visits to share
warm cuddles and doggy kisses. |
| Their joyous nature and need to share their lives with their
families mean that they do not do well when left alone for long periods
and they are DEFINITELY HOUSE DOGS. |
| Health |
| This is a basically healthy, sturdy small dog with few,
but important health concerns. |
| The most serious health problem in Cavalier King Charles
Spaniels is Mitral Valve Disease (MVD). This is a problem with the left
or mitral valve of the heart. In this disease, the valve can thicken and
degenerate leading to congestive heart failure and eventually death. Although
MVD is common in most toy breeds, it is of particular concern in Cavaliers
because it may have an unusually early onset with a more rapid progression
of symptoms compared to other breeds. MVD has been found in all blood lines
and in Cavaliers from all countries; conscientious breeders all over the
world regularly check the health of their breeding stock for signs of early
onset of this disease before breeding. |
| While Cavaliers do not commonly have serious eye problems,
like all mammals, they can develop cataracts and other eye diseases. Careful
breeders have certified veterinarian ophthalmologists check their breeding
stock annually. |
| Another area of concern is luxating patellas (slipping kneecaps).
This is a condition when the knee is not stable and can cause lameness.
Luckily Cavaliers with good bone and healthy parents generally are not a
candidate for this problem. |
| Hip dysplasia, which is a major concern for large breeds,
is not often encountered when the parents and grandparents are strong and
healthy. |
| While Cavaliers can be prone to other diseases that affect
other breeds of dogs, there are no additional areas of major concern known
to us at this time. |
| Finding The Right Puppy |
| Pet Stores and Puppy Brokers are generally NOT the best
place to buy a dog. Many times the puppies in pet stores are from puppy
mills. These are sad places where sad, abused females are kept in small
pens and puppies are produced with no regard for the health, temperament,
or well being of the mother or the puppies. |
| These mother dogs lead miserable lives of neglect and are
usually discarded or killed when they can no longer produce or make money.
Their babies are torn from them at too early an age and are crammed into
tiny crowded shipping cages where many will die before they reach their
destination. Because of these conditions, puppies bought from these sources
often have neither the health nor the temperament that is "true Cavalier". |
| Breeders who have been involved in Cavaliers for many years
and who are members of the Parent Club and adhere to the Code of Ethics
work hard to produce healthy, happy puppies that they want to place in the
best possible homes. |
| 'Backyard breeder' is a term used by these careful breeders
for those who do not have the experience or the knowledge necessary, and
who often produce puppies primarily for profit -- rarely doing health checks.
You are likely to encounter this type of breeder because of the current
surge of popularity of the breed. Be careful of responding to any ads for
Cavalier puppies, including ads in newspapers, magazines, and on the Internet,
since most careful and established breeders do not need to advertise. |
| How do you find the healthy, typical Cavalier for you? |
| The best way is from the list of ethical breeders on the
Parent Club List. If there is no one listed near you, call the nearest person
on the list and this person will help you. Please remember that these folks
are NOT commercial breeders who are interested in "selling" you the breed
or one of their puppies. They are volunteers committed to the welfare of
dogs in general and our breed in particular, and their major concern is
the happy placement of dogs in the best of homes -- not the commercialization
of our breed for fame or profit. |
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