Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

[AnnaS]

Did I name this dog breed right? lol. Sorry if I did not.

My family is seriously considering purchasing a puppy of this breed. (We used to have a maltese - long story).

Anyway - price range seems to be in the 1,200 to 1,800 (a bit high for us), but anyway - any feedback/recommendations/info on this type of dog/breed would be greatly appreciated.

I have read that they are prone to certain illnesses, but aren't they all? Is this very common with this type of breed?

Thank you so much in advance.

 

[Alice's Mom]

A friend of mine has a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, she paid $1200 for him, and although he is mostly sweet, he is not the smartest dog, and he is almost 2 now and still chews all the furniture. This is her second, her first had heart problems which I guess is common. She said her first wasn't so bright either, but very sweet.

He is a gorgeous dog though!

 

[Mermaid02]

My cousin has 4 of these dogs. I don't know of anything wrong with them. Three of the 4 are sweet, the other one is kind of nasty.

 

[noseybuddy]

My sister has this dog, a male. Never heard of any problems. I think the dog does shed a little bit, but not to sure.

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

Those are the cutest puppies! I want a puppy....

 

[welovedisneyx4]

We are going to be getting a dog this summer. What we really want is a Cavalier King Charles, but the price is probably going to hold us back. We have been thinking about a Shiz Tzu (sp?), or just one from the SPCA.

**For those who remember my thread from a few weeks ago, we have given up on the Poobee, just not what we want.

 

[AnnaS]

bumping...

before going into next page.

Thanks everyone. Keep them coming.

Getting worried already - they are adorable, but I don't want one eating at our furniture and/or not too smart.

 

[mylightshines]

I have a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. I paid $1,000 for mine back in 1999. The prices are high, but they are well worth it. Make sure you are getting a dog that is registered with the CKCSC. The breeders who are CKCSC are very particular about their dogs. They only breed to make a better dog, not just to breed. They test both parents to make sure they are not passing along any bad health problems. The club has all kind of rules. One of them is you can't advertise in the paper. So do not buy out of the paper. If you pm I can give you the website that has a list of breeders.

Now as far as a dog, this is the most wonderful dog you could ever imagine. They are so sweet. I have two other dogs and two cats and kids at my house all the time. My dog has never been anything but sweet to anyone/anything that comes into my house. My kids have done all kinds of stuff to this dog and he loves every minute of it. They are very easy to train. I actually got mine when he was four months old and he was already trained. My dog has never had any health problems at all. Also, they are not yappy dogs and do not chew furniture. If I could, I have would 10 of these dogs.

 

[Tarheel Tink]

I'm a veterinary technician and at work we refer to them as "love sponges"! The vast majority of them are extemely sweet to work with. I've never owned one or had someone close to me that did, so I really can't say much else about them.

 

[vetrik]

My parents have 2, and they are the best dogs ever. I worked as a vet tech for 7 years, and as soon as I buy my own house I am getting a Cavalier puppy. They are very sweet, affectionate, and wonderful. They are very calm in the house (once past puppyhood!), but they are also athletic enough to take walking or to do a little agility classes. My parent's dogs do not chew anything. In fact, one day the female had my mom's shoe in front her and we were shocked - it was so out of character. Her chew bone ended up being stuck in the toe, and she just wanted it out. She never did anything to the shoe, she just wanted her bone. My parent's paid $500 for the female because she was supposed to be a show dog, but she had an eye problem which would keep her from showing and breeding. Laser surgery completely fixed the problem (detached retina), but the breeder needed to sell her. Since she was already a year old, she was cheaper than a puppy. 2 years later, my parents got a male puppy to be her friend.

The female is now almost 7, and unfortunately she has almost every health problem Cavaliers are known for. She has a small heart murmer and a problem with her back/spine that flares up from time to time. The male is almost 5, and healthy as a horse. It's very important to buy from a breeder that checks the health of all the breeding animals - ultrasounds of the heart every year especially. Unfortunately, the biggest problem with the breed is the heart problems - almost all Cavaliers will get it eventually.

 

[kilee]

I was going to second the heart problem. Any dog can have a problem, but this bred does seem more prone to heart issues. You'll definetly want to go w/ a breeder who has a good reputation on this one. They are the cutest little things though.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

My aunt has a teeny pup. He's over half grown, but will only be about 9 pounds when grown. A very sweet puppy, though. Playful, but then cuddles on the lap and goes to sleep.

 

[TheOtherVillainess]

I know this sounds really stupid but is there such a thing as a CKS rescue? I love the breed and want to eventually own one myself, but I honestly don't know if I'll be able to afford the pricetag. Yikes.

TOV

 

[JudicialTyranny]

We just bought a Cavalier two weeks ago - well, my wife & kids bought it - I wanted something bigger and not a puppy (and not right now)....

We paid $750 from a local breeder (actually, I'm not sure if they were a "breeder"). She was about 9 weeks old, very friendly and quiet.

 

[POB14]

I know this sounds really stupid but is there such a thing as a CKS rescue?

Yep: CKS Club Rescue Info

I love dogs. I like dogs better than people. But I would not pay $1000 for a dog unless he could paint my house and drive me to work. (we have 2 Bichons, one from the pound, one bought "used.")

 

[kilee]

I paid just shy of $1000 for my little guy. I knew exactly what I wanted and I wanted a really well bred dog. He's not a CKCS-- which to get a well bred one is even more than my breed.

 

[Vijoge]

We are going to be getting a dog this summer. What we really want is a Cavalier King Charles, but the price is probably going to hold us back. We have been thinking about a Shiz Tzu (sp?), or just one from the SPCA.
QUOTE]

I dreamed about getting a Cav for years but I just couldn't justify paying $1200 for a dog. (Well, actually couldn't talk my husband into it.)

Last summer a co-worker of DH's had a Shih Tzu she had bred with a friends Toy Poodle so we bought one of her pups. Li Kei is the absolutely most adorable, wonderful pup on the face of the planet!! So much so that we're getting another one (same parents) in about 7 weeks.

My brother has a pure Shih Tzu and he's an awsome dog, too.

 

[grlfrnd2steph]

I am a breeder of the CKCS!

Make sure the breeder has the parents hearts and eyes certified, and don't just take thier word for it, ask for proof!! Their hearts HAVE to be checked yearly for MVD!! And don't get one that isn't at LEAST AKC registered! And yes they are $$, but worth it to me! I have to pay 3,000 for a female for breeding and 2500 for males. But then again, they have champion bloodlines. I love my Cavaliers, they are my world!!!!

 

[RC Fan]

Hello!

My sister has two males, one of which was Canadian champion a few years back. One of the males is quite agressive. Both have health issues. One has an eye problem and the other has heart problems. They were very difficult to train, and certainly aren't the brightest of dogs.

 

[T16GEM]

My Mom breeds these little sweeties and had three of them at home up until last year - now she only has two I'm afraid.

They are the most loving affectionate little guys that you could ever come accross as other have already said. I second grlfrnd2steph by saying that you really need to get the eyes certified, my mom has to have regular screens on her breeding ***** and be able to produce the certificate and a copy of that of the stud dog when ever some one buys a puppy from her. Also try to find out about the heart history of both parents, it's important toknow if there is a history of murmors (sp), and these usually start off with minor coughing, most of the time they are treatable too.

Good luck with your decision, trust me they are well worth it,

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