Thinking of getting a cavalier king charles

[mefordis]

Why did anyone sell you a 7 week old puppy?

I took it to mean that she visited the puppy at the breeder's before 10 or 11 weeks. I could be wrong, though. The breeder I got in touch with allows visits like that.

 

[mefordis]

Please do not buy a Charley from a pet shop. Heed the warnings here and go to a very good breeder who is serious about correcting the heart problems in the breed. Our puppy came from such a breeder. They have been in the breed forever and work very hard at screening for heart problems and only breeding to help improve the breed.

A puppy from a petshop is from a puppy mill or a backyard breeder. Buying this kind of puppy will increase your chances by magnitudes that you will be bankrolling a very good life for your vet over the next 8-10 years.

Thank you. These warnings make me seriously think spending the extra $1000 will be worth it in the long run for both financial (vet) and emotional reasons!

 

[Laura66]

I see she said she's had the puppy for a week - so she got it at 6 weeks. :/

 

[mefordis]

I see she said she's had the puppy for a week - so she got it at 6 weeks. :/

Oh, sorry I did not read that part! That is a very young pup!

 

[Laura66]

Thank you. These warnings make me seriously think spending the extra $1000 will be worth it in the long run for both financial (vet) and emotional reasons!

One knee or hip surgery will set you back around 1500! So yes.
I do think it is NOT necessary to spend 2700. 1800 - 2200, around here at least, will get you a solid puppy who's had some health screenings.
Good luck!

 

[minneylovesmicky]

Cavaliers never stop wagging their tails, she loves her meals and that is the only time she barks. Sierra does have a heart murmur and snores like a grown man most of the time when she is sleeping zzzzz.

Sounds like my little man - he could shake the house down with his snoring and when he gets excited not only does his tail wag - it is his whole body, it starts with his tail and the wagging quickly works it way up till his whole body is shaking, he is hilarious when trying to walk at the same time.

He only barks when my daughter doesn't say hello to him as soon as she walks in the door - she isn't allowed to ignore him...lol

 

[RrCoAsTeR]

Just because a dog is well bred and more expensive does not mean it won't have breed-specific health issues... It certainly makes some of them less likely, but breed specific health issues tend to be unavoidable, particularly in certain breeds like Cavaliers. Paying the extra $1000 or whatever now does not guarantee you won't still have thousands in vet bills to deal with issues later... again, true for any breed, but people are making it sound like paying for a well-bred puppy precludes you from congenital issues in the future, which is definitely not the case! It's definitely responsible and helpful, but no guarantee by any means

 

[Laura66]

Just because a dog is well bred and more expensive does not mean it won't have breed-specific health issues... It certainly makes some of them less likely, but breed specific health issues tend to be unavoidable, particularly in certain breeds like Cavaliers. Paying the extra $1000 or whatever now does not guarantee you won't still have thousands in vet bills to deal with issues later... again, true for any breed, but people are making it sound like paying for a well-bred puppy precludes you from congenital issues in the future, which is definitely not the case! It's definitely responsible and helpful, but no guarantee by any means

Absolutely true! But at least you know about the health of the parents and the line. And if they've xrayed hips and patellas with clear results you know you won't have those problems.

 

[havaneselover]

Just because a dog is well bred and more expensive does not mean it won't have breed-specific health issues... It certainly makes some of them less likely, but breed specific health issues tend to be unavoidable, particularly in certain breeds like Cavaliers. Paying the extra $1000 or whatever now does not guarantee you won't still have thousands in vet bills to deal with issues later... again, true for any breed, but people are making it sound like paying for a well-bred puppy precludes you from congenital issues in the future, which is definitely not the case! It's definitely responsible and helpful, but no guarantee by any means

No one said it's a guarantee. It increases the probability of getting a healthier dog.

 

[mefordis]

One knee or hip surgery will set you back around 1500! So yes.
I do think it is NOT necessary to spend 2700. 1800 - 2200, around here at least, will get you a solid puppy who's had some health screenings.
Good luck!

That is great news because around here (NJ) you pay $1800 for a puppy store Cavalier!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I went through some of these same issues about a year/year and a half ago. I tried long and hard to find a rescue but for various reasons it didn't work out. (Most of the dogs I was interested in were gone by the time people got back to me, and we found a couple at local rescues but one bit my elderly dog when we introduced them, and the foster mom of the other told me she tended to bite other dogs too - glad she was honest with me cause it wouldn't have been fair to my old dog.) We wound up going the puppy route and I was able to find a great breeder through other breeders who didn't have puppies at that time. I paid a fair amount but considered it an investment in health and good genes. (I think you often pay one way or another when it comes to dogs.) To be honest, the temperament on this dog is just what I wanted (stable!) and I feel pretty strongly it's due to his good beginnings. (And the breeder likes to credit me, too, so I'll agree - she started it and I continued it.) He was not "let go" from the breeder until he was about 14 weeks old. I also had to prove myself worthy, lol. Not a problem for me as I would be that way if I bred. Having had two dogs who wound up on wheels it was heartbreaking so I wanted to try to do whatever I could now to stack the odds in our favor that health issues were addressed and selected out of the breeding stock, which I know they were with this dog. It doesn't guarantee there won't be problems, but at least I know the effort was put in to try to avoid them. But the temperament alone makes me very happy, as I know what it's like to live with a dog with temperament issues and it makes daily life very hard, especially if you take your dog places.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

And probably going to get flamed here but please don't let kids "play with ears and tails" of dogs. They are not toys, and may only put up with it so long. Teach your kids to pat the dog nicely, not play with ears or tails, sit on them, play rough, make them bite, etc.

 

[mjkacmom]

That is great news because around here (NJ) you pay $1800 for a puppy store Cavalier!

Unfortunately, you are here in NJ, so a local good breeder will most likely have more expensive puppies. A friend of mine just spent $1500 on a something-poo 3 month old dog from the mall pet store. Ugh.

 

[mefordis]

Unfortunately, you are here in NJ, so a local good breeder will most likely have more expensive puppies. A friend of mine just spent $1500 on a something-poo 3 month old dog from the mall pet store. Ugh.

Yes, those something-poos are very popular! They call them "designer dogs" and cavapoos are all the rage now!

 

[already]

Just because a dog is well bred and more expensive does not mean it won't have breed-specific health issues... It certainly makes some of them less likely, but breed specific health issues tend to be unavoidable, particularly in certain breeds like Cavaliers. Paying the extra $1000 or whatever now does not guarantee you won't still have thousands in vet bills to deal with issues later... again, true for any breed, but people are making it sound like paying for a well-bred puppy precludes you from congenital issues in the future, which is definitely not the case! It's definitely responsible and helpful, but no guarantee by any means

Yes and no. Depends on the disease.

In my breed, degenerative myelopathy is beginning to creep in. This is the spinal disease that becomes noticed as your dogs age and is the #1 disease that puts dogs in wheel chairs.

Since it is a genetic disease, it is completely preventable. So, if responsible breeders pony up the genetic test for their dogs and then breeds two dogs that are DM clear, the puppies will be DM clear. You can check if the parents have been screened for DM by checking the OFA database.

Unfortunately, breeders who are in it for the money, won't do the expensive tests because then they would have to cull out some of their money-making breeding stock. And since it is all about the money, that wouldn't fly.

 

[havaneselover]

Yes, those something-poos are very popular! They call them "designer dogs" and cavapoos are all the rage now!

Cavanese and cavachons are popular too. Bichons are like Cavs--lots of health issues. Doesn't sound like a good combo to me.

 

[already]

Unfortunately, you are here in NJ, so a local good breeder will most likely have more expensive puppies. A friend of mine just spent $1500 on a something-poo 3 month old dog from the mall pet store. Ugh.

Pet shop, puppy mill and backyard breeder dogs, especially the designer mutts, tend to be way more expensive than a well bred puppy from a responsible breeder.

 

[yoopermom]

Serious, widespread genetic issues in specific breeds is a topic that I find heartbreaking, because I have ALWAYS wanted one of the "giant" breeds...until I started looking into their health issues. To spend thousands of dollars on a well bred puppy is one thing, but to do so knowing that I will most likely be looking at huge vet bills down the line, and a severely short lifespan is something else. (And often times pet insurance will NOT cover known genetic issues, so that isn't always a solution, either.)

I don't know why possible buyers don't consider breeds that are known for their longevity and lack of genetic problems. Is it because they're not "cute" enough? I KNOW cavs are so sweet, but so are many of the terrier and smaller spaniel breeds, for example, and many of them are VERY healthy. DM and I both had Wheatens back in the day, and they lived to be in their mid teens and had absolutely no health problems to speak of. And, yet, many of the terrier breeds are on the "watchlist" for having very low numbers.

Terri

 

[Laura66]

Serious, widespread genetic issues in specific breeds is a topic that I find heartbreaking, because I have ALWAYS wanted one of the "giant" breeds...until I started looking into their health issues. To spend thousands of dollars on a well bred puppy is one thing, but to do so knowing that I will most likely be looking at huge vet bills down the line, and a severely short lifespan is something else. (And often times pet insurance will NOT cover known genetic issues, so that isn't always a solution, either.)

I don't know why possible buyers don't consider breeds that are known for their longevity and lack of genetic problems. Is it because they're not "cute" enough? I KNOW cavs are so sweet, but so are many of the terrier and smaller spaniel breeds, for example, and many of them are VERY healthy. DM and I both had Wheatens back in the day, and they lived to be in their mid teens and had absolutely no health problems to speak of. And, yet, many of the terrier breeds are on the "watchlist" for having very low numbers.

Terri

Well because we happen to love the breed. The size, the look and the personality and temperament.
Nothing wrong with that - and there's nothing wrong with you getting whatever type of dog you want.
Also, there are responsible breeders who care about the breed who don't breed unhealthy dogs. Who are striving for healthier lines by doing this.