Live with an Cavalier King Charles Spaniel aka Cavalier

123 Pages·2008·0.58 MB·English

by  Liz Louis

Live with an Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
aka Cavalier
SECOND EDITION

By Louise Louis of http://www.ToyBreeds.com

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Copyright © 2008 ToyBreeds.com. All rights reserved.
Live with a Cavalier

DISCLAIMERS:

Although the author offers a generic description of Puppy Lemon Laws, the author is
not a lawyer and the description provided should not be relied upon as legal advice. If
you want legal advice and explanations of your state or community’s Puppy Lemon
Laws, consult a lawyer in your area.

This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in
regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the
publisher is not engaged in rendering professional services. If professional advice or
other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person
should be sought.

Copyright © 2008 ToyBreeds.com. All rights reserved.

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permission in writing from the author, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief
passages in a review.
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Live with a Cavalier

Table of Contents
Introduction – What Makes the Cavalier Special?.............................................................6
Breed History.....................................................................................................................8
Temperament......................................................................................................................9
Best Households for a Cavalier........................................................................................11
Tips on Selecting a Cavalier.............................................................................................13
Puppy Mills and Animal Rights.......................................................................................15
Puppy Lemon Laws..........................................................................................................18
Getting Your Cavalier from Animal Shelters..................................................................19
Getting Your Cavalier from a Pet Store...........................................................................21
Getting Your Cavalier from a Breeder.............................................................................23
Getting Your Cavalier over the Internet...........................................................................27
Other Places to Get a Cavalier.........................................................................................30
What Does the Contract Say............................................................................................31
How to Inspect a Puppy....................................................................................................34
The Shortened Version of How to Select a Puppy...........................................................36
Health Certificates the Breeder or Other Seller Should Provide......................................37
Pedigree and Registration Papers.....................................................................................40
Puppy Proof Your Home..................................................................................................43
Items to Have for Puppy or Dog......................................................................................44
What to Expect with a Puppy...........................................................................................46
Multiple Pet Household....................................................................................................49
Home................................................................................................................................51
Getting Your Relationship on the Right Paw...................................................................52
Training............................................................................................................................53
Crate Training for Puppies...............................................................................................54
5 Commands You Should Teach Your Dog.....................................................................55
Canine Good Citizen........................................................................................................58
Housebreaking..................................................................................................................60
Travel by Vehicle with Your Cavalier.............................................................................67
RV Lifestyle with a Cavalier............................................................................................70
Travel by Aircraft with Your Cavalier.............................................................................73
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Travel Internationally with Your Cavalier.......................................................................74
Moving with Your Dog....................................................................................................76
Grooming Requirements Can Be a Burden......................................................................77
Grooming Equipment.......................................................................................................78
Grooming Process – Basic Brushing and Coat Care........................................................80
Grooming the Head and Face...........................................................................................82
Grooming – White Dog....................................................................................................83
Grooming Process – Advanced........................................................................................85
Nails or Pawicures............................................................................................................87
Dental Care.......................................................................................................................89
Bathing.............................................................................................................................91
Heart Problems of the Cavalier........................................................................................93
Other Potential Health Problems......................................................................................95
Vaccinations.....................................................................................................................98
Alternatives to Vaccinations............................................................................................99
Considerations in Deciding Whether to Vaccinate........................................................100
Getting Homeowners Insurance.....................................................................................102
Consider Pet Insurance...................................................................................................104
Help Your Senior Dog....................................................................................................106
Estate Planning for Your Cavalier..................................................................................110
When to Say Good-Bye to Your Cavalier......................................................................112
Resources........................................................................................................................113
AKC Cavalier Standard..................................................................................................114
Concise Dictionary of AKC Cavalier Terms................................................................117
APPENDIX A - Dog 911 – First Aid.............................................................................119
INDEX............................................................................................................................123

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Live with a Cavalier

Introduction – What Makes the Cavalier Special?
First, along with his cousin the English Toy Spaniel, his history of breeding parallels the
English monarchy itself. Many of the royal family contributed to variations in both
breeds and helped make these spaniels popular.
Second, along with his cousin, these two are the most often confused dogs both in
appearance and name. To help avoid some of the confusion, I’m offering a table of
comparisons.
English Toy Spaniel Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Nicknames Charlie or ET Cavalier
Period of 1800s after cross breeding with 1920s with intention of
origin Pug and French Bulldog duplicating the spaniels in old
English paintings!
Origin of In England and outside USA, he Also named after Charles II who
name is King Charles Spaniel named was nicknamed Cavalier King
after Charles II of England Charles because he took his
Cavalier dogs everywhere with
him (even when he posed for
paintings – see above)
Nickname In USA, he is English Toy (ET). Everywhere, he is Cavalier
Elsewhere, he is King Charles
Spaniel or Charlie
Colors Four possible colors: Four possible colors:
1. Blenheim which is chestnut 1. Blenheim which is chestnut and
and white; white;
2. black and tan, 2. black and tan;
3. solid burgundy; and 3. ruby red; and
4. black, white and gray 4. black and white
Appearance Nose is short and looks pushed-in Nose is longer (about one inch)
Ears are set low Ears are set high
Tails are usually docked Tails are usually natural

Vital statistics Adult weight: 10-18 pounds
Adult height: 12-13 inches
Life span: 9-14 years
Caution Be sure to read the section on potential health problems. This
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breed is subject to heart problems.
Administrative note I use “he” throughout for writing ease but all comments apply
to either gender unless so stated.

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Breed History
The oddest history in I think the Cavalier has the oddest origin of any Toy breed.
dogdom Rather than being bred for a specific purpose (killing rats or
retrieving waterfowl), today’s Cavalier was bred to resemble
the small spaniels in English paintings of the 16th, 17th and 18th
centuries.
The majority of paintings were of Charles II who took his
spaniels everywhere with him (even to Parliament) during his
reign from 1660 to 1685. The breed was named in his honor.
In 1926, a wealthy American, Roswell Eldridge fell in love
with the spaniels he saw in these old English paintings. Until
the 20th century, there had been no breed standards or dog
shows so the size and appearance of dogs varied greatly. The
only Toy breed spaniels Mr. Eldridge found were the English
Toy Spaniels who had shorter noses and were smaller than the
dogs in the paintings.
Mr. Eldridge convinced the organizers of the Crufts Dog Show
to let him offer cash prizes for five years to the English
breeders who could come closest to matching the dogs in the
paintings.
In return, English breeders formed the Cavalier King Charles
Spaniel Club in 1928, and a breeder that year won the prize.
Unfortunately, Mr. Eldridge died a month before Crufts so he
never saw the results of his challenge.
Ironically, breeders became quite devoted to the Cavalier and
maintaining the purity of his appearance. He wasn’t recognized
by the American Kennel Club (AKC) until 1996 because
Cavalier club members didn’t request it.
There are two breed clubs, one of which is the parent club for
the AKC, but both have Codes of Ethics that prohibit sales to a
pet wholesaler or pet store.

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Live with a Cavalier

Temperament
Extrovert The Cavalier loves everyone and expects to be a participating
member of his family. He’s not a one-person dog and will love
everyone in the household including other pets.
This is not the dog to have if you plan to leave him alone all day.
In fact, he may chew destructively to show his displeasure at being
alone. If you’re gone all day, consider having a second dog so they
can keep each other company.
One other consideration about the Cavalier is that he is subject to
heart disease to a greater extent than other Toy breeds. Please read
the sections on health problems carefully before you decide
whether to acquire a Cavalier.
With his sweet round face, big sad eyes and floppy ears, this is a
breed that can melt anyone’s heart.
Spaniel heritage He is a loving, gentle companion although he has a strong prey
instinct. Keep him on a leash or in a fenced yard anytime he’s
outside. He will chase after anything that moves, no matter where
it leads him.
In fact, he’s often called the sporting Toy because he combines the
characteristics of a Toy breed and a spaniel.
Resist the urge Resist the urge to carry your Cavalier everywhere. That interferes
to carry with his socialization and interaction with out dogs. It will only
make him fearful and neurotic if he meets other animals.
Daily exercise Cavaliers need a daily walk and playtime. While they have a
neededd loving temperament and look cuddly, they are not couch potatoes.
Cavaliers must burn off their innate spaniel energy in some
fashion each day. The enjoy walks, water sports, agility and
obedience trials and just about any other outdoors activities. In
fact, some fanciers refer to them as Golden Retrievers in a little
body.
At first, just walking will do. As your dog matures, add games of
fetch or just running. If possible, break the walks into twice a day
but if that doesn’t suit your schedule, do it once a day.
As a rule of thumb – start with 10-minutes a day for a puppy.
Build up to 50-minutes a day as a healthy, mature dog and then
gradually start reducing minutes as a senior citizen.
This is just a rule of thumb. Adjust the time to suit your dog. If he
starts lagging behind at 9-minutes, it means he’s tired. Stop for
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day. If he’s still bouncing off the walls at 40-minutes, add time.
Not a watch dog Cavaliers love everyone even burglars so don’t get one expecting
him to protect you. Get a Cavalier and burglar alarm.

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Best Households for a Cavalier
Have time for His heavy double-coat requires regular brushing. Ideally, you
maintenance should spend at least 15-minutes a day on it. If that is just too
much, brush him every other day.
Otherwise his heavy coat may develop mats sometimes
referred to as “felt rug” mats. You may be able to work these
out with your fingers but more often you must cut them out.
See the Grooming sections for more information.
No small children I do not recommend a Cavalier for any household with small
children (6-years or younger). Cavaliers love the attention, but
they may look like a stuffed toy to a young child. Even a
loving, 2-year-old may inadvertently play too hard for the
small bones of these dogs.
Other children Cavaliers are good family dogs and if your children are old
enough to be trusted with a pet, a Cavalier is a great choice. In
fact, this is one of the few Toy breeds I recommend for
families.
Other dogs The Cavalier is a sociable dog who gets along well with other
animals including cats.
If you have other or larger dogs in the household, however,
you’ll have to watch the new dog very carefully to see how the
dogs interact.
A puppy or small dog may look like dinner to a large dog so
always be present when the dogs are together until you’re sure
they’ve become friends.
It’s a good idea to keep a spray bottle of water on hand so you
spray any too-aggressive dog in the face to stop fights. I do not
recommend pulling their tails to get them apart although many
old-timers still do that.
Other pets Although he’s a natural extrovert and loves company, he has
an innate prey instinct and may chase small animals. Watch
him carefully around small pets like rabbits and birds until
you’re sure he sees them as companions and not prey.
Novice owners and Cavaliers are fine for first time dog owners. They train readily
apartment dwellers and want to please their owners.
They can live in apartments or condominiums provided they
can get exercise outdoors every day. They need more exertion
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