Cavalier aking Charles Spaniels

[Performancemini]

I had to put my dear feisty little Schiperkee down 3 weeks ago. My husband has said no more dogs now; but maybe in the future. I miss him and am not ready for another anyway.

For the future; I was considering the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. I want a breed that is intelligent (well-there's probably not a stupid breed-maybe 'slow'), playful but not hyper-yet still calm. That will tolerate children and be dog and people sociable. (I realize I need to socialize the dog too). Does a Cavalier meet these ideals? If you have experience with them I'd love to hear from you.

I used to show Shelties, but I never really was too familair with the Cavaliers but I like what little I see of them.

 

[shorthorsemom]

They are wonderful. I have friends that have them, they are all what you mentioned and more. I lovely breed. They do well in obedience and are quite smart. A nice coat, very friendly, calm. I have shared obedience classes with friends that have them and have admired the breed for many years.

 

[poniesrule]

A good friend of mine's sister raises Cavaliers. I adore the little dogs. Great big personalities, affectionate & loyal. There are 4 little kids in this gal's family, and all of the dogs are fantastic with children. If I was looking for a small breed, a Cavalier would be on the top of my list.

 

[bevann]

My niece has had 2.1st one had seizures and died suddenly at 3 yrs old.(pet shop purchase and probably from a puppy mill)Got another male and he is real sweet.Came from a Mennonite family near Lancaster.Cute little guy and friendly and very sweet and smart.Seems like a nice breed.I don't understand why people go to pet shops etc when you can go to someone who breeds for show and get 1 of their less than show quality pups for probably less than pet shop prices.Most show breeders I know are really up on all the genetic issues of their breed and screen for all kinds of things to avoid problems and give a great guarantee.I know 1 Cavalier breeder who has really nice pups he has sold for a song because they had gay tails which is not good in the show ring..I guess with pet shops it's all about the marketing.IMO the internet is not always the place to buy a dog.I know lots of people who have bought dogs on the internet and SWEAR it is not from a puppy mill.There are many puppy brokers on the internet.Buyer beware.Do your research and look for genetic diseases on each breed.Unfortunately all breeds have their own issues.Figure out what you can live with and go from there.Have fun-puppies are one of the best things in the world.

 

[Miniv]

The Cavalier is a breed I've admired for years... WHEN we ever get a small breed dog, that's what I want.

They are supposed to be a "big dog personality" in a small body.

 

[Mona]

I have never owned one, but have been around them, and they are awesome, fun loving, beautiful little dogs with great temperaments!!

 

[crisco41]

Cavalier are sweet, snuggly, playful happy little dogs. They are known to be very docile and I have had quite a bit of exposure to them. I have never seen an aggressive one. They are active enough to be a good walking partner and sweet enough to be your snuggly couch friend. Love kids and good with other animals. Do research the breed because just like every other dog breed cavaliers have some health issues that are predominant in their breed. They come in such a variety of colors and I think they all are beautiful. goo dluck!

 

[poniesrule]

Pictures are a MUST when you get yours!!!

 

[Performancemini]

Thank you everyone! I definitely will be checking out and getting one from a respectable AKC breeder. I used to show Shelties and I know that's the best route to go healthwise. My little Bear was from a no-kill shelter, so we didn't know the background on him. Though I do know he was not a show quality Schipperkee. I actually located one Cavalier breeder only about 25-30 minutes from us. Then there are two in the Chicagoland area, about 2 hours probably. I found them on the AKC's breeder website.So I will check them out and save my money and take my time. I think that a Cavalier may be the best choice for our next dog. My husband may like them. He always thought he wanted a medium sized dog, but he said the Schip's size and playfulness was good-so maybe he will like the Cavalier's. He didn't end up liking how possessive the Schip got (at least this last one).

 

[Tab]

Try to find a good breeder with references because they can have heart issues. Never go to a pet store. They are one of my favorite breeds. It's a tossup, someday I will have either a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel or a Corgi. You may spend a little more but a good breeder will be there for you during the dogs lifetime, will help you with any concerns, will make sure you are a good fit. A good breeder will likely have their dogs tested for all sorts of genetic deformities. A good breeder invests their whole selves into the welfare of his dogs. You really can't go wrong! It is a sweetheart of a breed.