Aibu to get a puppy cavachon?

[Onynx]

A friend of my aunt has a litter of cavachon puppies. She has both of the parent dogs. Our boys have been begging us for a dog for years (12,9&5). I had a King Charles growing up, my mum currently has a bijon frise. Aibu to ask the drawbacks of having a cavachon (and first dog for the boys?) I am a sahm so would be home most days. Also the dog is bright red- is that unusual for a cavachon?

[ProfessorMoody]

Of course YABU if you want a puppy that could come with masses of health problems.

Have both the parents had all the relevant health tests for each breed?

[Lolimax]

There are no drawbacks. Our girlie is 7 and the best! Currently curled up beside me but will walk for miles. No moulting but needs the groomers every 6 weeks. Lush dogs.

[ghostyslovesheets]

A ‘cavachon’ isn’t a breed ffs so there is no ‘normal’ but buy it as it will encourage more back yard breeding for profit

[Lolimax]

After a long walk on the beach.

[Lolimax]

Here

[30hours]

Yeah just take some health problem riddled mongrel. Great idea.

[SaucyJack]

Have they got squashed up King Cav faces?

Dogs like that are best avoided unless you like expensive vet bills, and the heartache of seeing your beloved pet dying in front of you at a young age.

[MrsMotherHen]

yes YABU lining the pockets of backyard breeders.

Have they had the right health tests the mum and dad as per breed. NOT a standard health check from the vets I means like hip and elbow scores and eye tests ect (I dont know what those bteeds are checked for while breedeing this was just an example)
Some King Charles come with a range of health problems so then mixing with another dog can cause a while range of differculties.

Saying that out of luck you might get a lovely healthy dog but it is unethical to support back yard breeders and you would be paying a fortune for what is essentially a mongrol.

Go to a rescue they are full of dogs waiting to be rehomed plus they will come housetrained (well most) you will skip the puppy part yes its cute but my god its hard work!

[Onynx]

@ghostyslovesheets no she isn't selling the pups, they have offered us one. I am genuinely asking as I don't know a lot about them. I know our King Charles developed some joint problems at around 11 years of age though.

[BlueBug45]

If she is giving you one free and she is going to get the parents sprayed then yes take the dog.

There are loads of threads on here about how people are turned down by the dog rescues because they don't fit their perfect criteria, and having looked at some dog rescues criteria I agree they are unrealistic.

[fenneltea]

I wouldn't buy or be given one as I wouldn't want to support unethical breeding. Lots of lovely dogs are waiting in rescue, and you are effectively helping two dogs as the one you rescue will free a space for another.

Having witnressed a fair few King Charles with horrific health problems as they have become more popular and over/badly bred, it is a breed I would avoid I'm afraid. There was a whole tv documentary on it a few years ago.

[ineedaholidaynow]

For those saying OP would get a health ridden mongrel, isn't there a risk she would get exactly the same if she got a rescue dog. I am assuming most dogs who end up in rescues won't have had parents that have had all the relevant health checks.

[Annabel7]

We have a 2 year old Cavashon. She's the best dog I ever had. So good tempered and affectionate. Flip side is she hates to be left alone. Oh and, although doesn't malt, needs a lot of grooming. But really - I don't think you'll ever look back. If you research properly, you'll see that health problems you get with Cavaliers all but disappear once you mix the breed (it's overbred pedigrees that tend to get health problems). They also don't have squashed up faces that promote respiratory problems. Just make sure he/she has had a health check and the first round of jabs for you take her. I'd take a pup from a family home any day over some of the puppy farms that are knocking about...

[ToadOfSadness]

If you are going to get a mongrel, just rescue one from a shelter and save it from being PTS when it has been there too long.

Back yard breeders are despicable and responsible for a lot of the problems in breeding and overpopulation of dogs, resulting in disease, deformity and more being PTS.

Look at how many dogs are being dumped because the owners can no longer afford them, have had to move and not allowed to take them, or have become ill and unable to look after them any more. Plus this time of year more get dumped because the owners are going on holiday and won't pay for care, just get a new one when they get home.

[Maelstrop]

I would avoid anything that has cavalier in it if the relevant parent doesn’t have a clear (ask for the certificate) test for this: www.ufaw.org.uk/dogs/cavalier-king-charles-spaniel-syringomyelia

I’m surprised that someone has so blithely said that cavalier health problems disappear in crosses. Really? Where’s your proof? And the related studies?

Being offered for free? Forgive me for not finding this realistic when designer crosses fetch 100s. Being bright red, yes, I’d find that very odd given the usual genetic predilection for a mousy colour.

[secre]

I have a cavachon and she has no health problems. She is a lovely dog, only bad thing I would say is she can get quite anxious. As another poster said she needs grooming every 6 weeks too.

[GlassSuppers]

I think you need to do some serious research into what it takes to own a dog for life, and the breed, you seem a bit impulsive. I doubt you'd be looking at getting a dog if one hadn't been offered to you.

Those saying she should go to a rescue, where will these puppies end up if nobody takes them I wonder?

[rosamundhopelovesdogs123]

Very uplifted by so many posters here suggesting buying a dog from a rescue.

I can only agree; I help a number of rescues and despair at the vast number of loving, healthy, house trained dogs that are being dumped here and abroad.

I also agree that too many rescues have a far too restrictive rehoming policy. I can recommend Dogs Walk This Way Rescue in Surrey as they look at the person and dont have the usual 'computer says no' policy. Greek Animal Rescue are good - really any smaller rescue wlll probably be more flexible than a large organisation.

OP, plenty of lovely dogs in rescues if you don't go ahead with this one.

[Apehouse]

A crossbreed is statistically much less likely to have the health problems related to each parent’s breed, and the mixing of genes should provide some health benefits (sceptics, google ‘hybrid vigour’). People get very snobby about crossbreeds, but I’d go for it, OP.

[Onynx]

Thank you @Maelstrop - that's the sort of advice I'm looking for. I will ask about that. I did think the colouring was unusual -it really is a very bright orangey red colour. I would love to have a rescue dog but we need to be sure of parentage as one of our boys has allergies. Also v difficult to get a rescue (I'm in Ireland) as we would not fulfill their criteria with such a busy household and young children.

[Onynx]

@GlassSuppers your post actually made me laugh out loud. If you only knew how long we have been thinking about getting a dog. I am the least impulsive, over cautious person on the planet - hence my post.

[curiositycreature]

Is the cav a ruby? Would that make the puppy quite a bright red?

[secre]

The colour of the pup can change. When mine was a pup she had white legs and black ears and bits of black in her fur. Now she is completely apricot colour the same as the picture from earlier posters.

[curiositycreature]

Also, I think the reasons not to get a puppy are always going to outweigh getting one. Ultimately there is no "good time". I think you need to trust that you're a loving, caring person who is going to dedicate the time to appropriately train a puppy and make the necessary lifestyle adjustments to make sure you can give the puppy whatever time it needs from you. If you've done that successfully for three children then surely you could for a puppy 🤷‍♀️

I don't know anyone who hasn't encountered some "puppy regret" when the shock of how challenging they are kicks in, but you've just got to get through the first 6 months.

[apriljune12]

Annabel7

Awwww gorgeous.

Op getting our dog was the best thing we ever did after the kids

My lazy Yorkie is still fast asleep in our bed. She’s charmed the whole family and immensely helped my mum who has altzimers. She calms her down.