Cavalier Information
At Dawnaquinn we are dedicated to breeding beautiful wholecolor Cavaliers that can win in both the Showring and the Agility ring. We are very cautious about the homes our puppies/dogs go to - we want them to be appreciated and loved as much as we do. We hope the following information will help answer any questions you might have.
- Is a cavalier right for you?
- Male vs female
- Is having a house and fenced yard mandatory?
- What to expect to pay
- Exercise
- Cavaliers and children
- Grooming
- What age can I bring my puppy home
- Cavaliers and other pets
- Why do cavaliers snort
- Health concerns
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is an affectionate, playful and intelligent little dog (12" - 13" tall, 12 -18 lbs) that repays his owner's care and attention with an endearing devotion. Cavaliers are not kennel dogs. Because of four hundred years of close contact with their owners and as lap dogs, they make the most wonderful companions. They are happy, outgoing, loving little dogs who want to love you and be loved, to run and play in a safe place and to sleep in a soft bed... preferably your bed. They get along famously with children, cats, and other dogs. The ultimate companion, your Cavalier will enrich your life beyond measure! His wonderful temperament is that of a happy, devoted toy Spaniel -- tail wagging and eager to please.
If you are looking for a top scoring performance dog to play in the sports of Agility, Flyball or Obedience, be sure that you understand what the physical limitations of a Cavalier are - they are NOT Border Collies and although they will give you their best effort and are more than capable of acquiring many titles, the intense speed and drive will not be there but the desire to please you will. Developing a strong bond as a team is one of the best things you can do with your dog.
IS HAVING A HOUSE AND A FENCED
YARD MANDATORY? (back to top)
If you live in an apartment and have a strong dedication to taking your
Cavalier out every day for at least two half hour walks and a few more "potty"
walks, this breed will be content. Cavaliers are active and sporting little
dogs that require regular exercise. They have an instinct to chase just about
anything that moves, and should either be on a leash or in a fenced yard or
they will surely end up under the wheels of a car. Because Cavaliers never
become street-smart, reputable Cavalier breeders require a fenced yard as a
prerequisite for Cavalier ownership if you live in a house. (Electric fences
are not recommended as they allow predators to enter the property keeping your
Cavalier unprotected.)
EXERCISE (back to top)
This breed will enjoy a romp in the park
immensely. Teach you dog to come when called and only take off leash in a safe
area. Cavaliers need either a moderate sized fenced-in yard in which to run, or
a minimum of one good walk each day. Regular exercise is very important for a
healthy heart and mind.
GROOMING (back to top)
Despite the elegant, silky coats, the
Cavalier does not require a great amount of care. Rather, Cavaliers need to be
brushed out and bathed once a week as well as ears cleaned, nails trimmed and
teeth brushed. Using good quality products (salon conditioners) the coat and
skin do not dry out. According to the Breed Standard, Cavaliers that are shown
in CKC or AKC conformation events MUST NOT be trimmed or scissored, so
professional grooming is not advised. Luckily, Cavaliers are pretty much wash
and go so professional grooming is not needed. While Cavaliers are clean and
easy to groom, they do shed occasionally... but weekly brushing and weekly
baths, as well as a healthy diet of raw, natural foods and the essential oils,
will keep the shedding to a minimum.
MALE vs. FEMALE (back to top)
Whatever the temperament of the breed, the
males will be the extreme. Therefore, because the Cavalier is probably the
sweetest breed there is, the males are the sweetest and make the best pets. The
boys are IN LOVE with you and the girls love you but can take you or leave you.
Cavaliers are clean, intelligent, and eager to please so housebreaking a male
is just as easy (and sometimes easier) than housebreaking a female.
WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT TO PAY (back to top)
A Cavalier pet from a reputable breeder that
does all the annual health testing by board-certified specialists will range
anywhere from $1,200 to $3,000+ - We generally sell our pet puppies for $1,750
on CKC Non-Breeding Contracts which means that you can NOT breed this dog
unless the contract is released. If you would like to breed, we can discuss
why, are you prepared to do the health testing, are you going to prove your
sincerity by acquiring titles in any of conformation, agility, obedience,
flyball, etc.
CAVALIERS AND CHILDREN (back to top)
We do not sell Cavaliers to families with
children under six years of age. Cavaliers love to interact with their owners
and enjoy activity and play, making them especially close friends and
confidants for children, and they have actually been referred to by many as
"the nanny dog." Cavaliers are excellent with children, but the age of the
children is an important factor in choosing a puppy. Because Cavalier puppies
are so small, we will not sell young puppies to families with children under
the age of six. All children, of course, need supervision to ensure they do not
hurt the dog.
WHAT AGE CAN I BRING MY PUPPY
HOME (back to top)
We do not let our
puppies go to new homes until at least 10 to 12 weeks of age. Cavalier puppies
are very slow to mature and they really benefit from staying with their mother
and littermates longer than many other breeds.
Many people find that an older Cavalier is ideal. There are many advantages, among the fact that an older dog will already be housebroken and beyond the puppy chewing stage. Any concern that such a dog will never bond as strongly as one obtained as a young puppy is unfounded. Cavaliers of any age will bond with their new owners. Any dog with a good temperament that has been raised well and socialized well will adopt a new family quite easily.
CAVALIERS AND OTHER
PETS (back to top)
Cavaliers are the
ultimate comfort Spaniel and are usually delighted to have the company of cats
and dogs of any size. If you have a large dog, you will need to watch your
Cavalier puppy carefully while it is small. Because Cavaliers are Spaniels with
a strong sporting instinct, they should be watched closely around birds and
other small animals as well. In households where no one is home during the day,
the companionship of another dog or a cat is highly recommended.
WHY DOES MY CAVALIER MAKE THAT SNORTING
SOUND? (back to
top)
Technically, this when the windpipe collapses or spasms, it is
common in may toy breeds. It is especially evident when the dog is excited and
it is not a cause for concern. It is a sudden breath intake accompanied by a
snorting noise. It can usually be stopped by placing the hand over the nostrils
momentarily to restrict the intake of air through the nose.
HEREDITARY HEALTH PROBLEMS ~ NO REAL 100%
GUARANTEE (back to top)
It is
important to understand than even if the sire and dam have been screened and
found clear of any health problems, no breeder can guarantee that a puppy will
never develop a problem during its life time. But, screening does lessen the
chance.
We test for heart murmurs (by a Board Certified Cardiologist) as these are a precursor of Mitral Valve Disease, we OFA x-ray hips, CERF check eyes (by a Board Certified Ophthalmologist). We do the best we can with the information available at that time. There are no guarantees in breeding any living being. If you buy a puppy from us that develops a life threatening hereditary disease under one year of age, it will be replaced - this is conditional to being fed the raw diet as recommended and is only applicable for the first year.
UNDESCENDED TESTICLES can be a common problem with this breed. The breed was developed in England from the English Toy Spaniel. From 1910-1940 it was common practice to breed dogs with undescended testicles. Although not recommend by the Kennel Club of England at the time, Cavalier breeders only had a few bloodlines to work with so inbreeding was the only way for them to achieve their goal. So, this is why we will see a Cavalier puppy with undescended testicles, or with only one descended testicle. This is not a health concern for the owner of a pet Cavalier, but would be for a stud dog owner. Cavaliers with undescending testicles may take up to 8 months to fully descend into the scrotum so give it a little time.
UMBILICAL HERNIA also seems to be a common problem with this breed due to the small gene pool. An umbilical hernia is an opening in the wall of the stomach where the umbilical cord was. Occasionally a little fat may push through but quite often it will heal over and close as the puppy grows older. Umbilical hernias do not cause any health issues, and they are very easy to fix during spay/neuter time.
Puppies
Niles puppies, more here.
Born: July 22nd (photos and info here).
Agility Brags
October 2008- Faye earns her CKC Intermediate title!
Archived agility brags "here".
Rally Obedience Brags
Check out our Rally Brags "here"
Conformation Brags
August 2008/September 2008 (photos here -
Magnum - wins a Group 1st and
Group 2nd
Faye's son Pilot makes his conformation debut and does very
well.
Alice completes her CKC Championship
Archived conformation brags here.