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Original poster

Cavalier King Charles Spaniels - anyone got one? know much about them?

50 replies

granarybeck · 21/09/2007 22:33

We are thinking of getting a Cav king charles spaniel. I've heard people mention differences between the temperaments etc of the different colours but I'm really struggling to find anymore information. Just wondered if anyone had any experiences or knowledge?

Also, any ideas between whether it matters between boy or girl puppy (sorry not very technical!)

Any advice really appreciated. Thinking should have put this much thought and research into having the dcs!

OP posts:
callmeovercautious · 21/09/2007 22:35

Only know that the ones my old nieghbour had were very yappy and barked at their own shadows. She had one black and white and one tan and white (very cute though so I forgave them most of the time)

hatwoman · 21/09/2007 22:38

we had one when I was a kid. slightly on the small side for my adult taste but he was a lovely pet. he did have a tendency to run off but my brother thinks that a quick trip to the vets would have sorted that out

Original poster
granarybeck · 21/09/2007 22:47

Oh, hadn't though tthey were too yappy even though on the small side.

What colour did you have hatwoman?

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muma3 · 21/09/2007 22:47

i got a little girl. she 6 months and i love her dearly tri colour too, she yummy , cant leave her alone had her from 9 weeks .

Original poster
granarybeck · 21/09/2007 22:50

Oo that's lovely to hear muma3, am becoming slightly obsessed at the moment! Just doing final research before we go for it. Not had a dog before and it feels like a really huge decision.

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muma3 · 21/09/2007 22:57

yes we reasearched into what breed as we have had a dg before and wanted this one to be ok with children hence the breed and age and childrens ages. we found a breeder who had children similiar ages and met her 3 times before we took her home (even though it was 2 hour drive there!) she is called fifi (yes after prog lol) and is the sweetest dog ever !!! they are very devoted dogs and are eager to please so average training needed. we have a cross with a shih tzu too so he put her in her place and she is so obedient. i will agree with a tendency to run off though . that is in there nature boy/girl or age. she has sat and barked at her own reflection in mirror when decorating it was against sette and it was funny to watch but a dog trainer said a spray bottle of water is the best thing to stop a dog barking and it is a normal amount id say for any breed. hth

Original poster
granarybeck · 21/09/2007 23:01

Thanks muma3 that does help

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Original poster
granarybeck · 21/09/2007 23:09

Muma3, did you get yours from a breeder or a non-breeder family?

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muma3 · 21/09/2007 23:11

breeder

muma3 · 21/09/2007 23:12

around 3 months of doting on pics and eager to phone every number. saved like mad , im very impatient when i get my heart set on something. glad i waited , i made a good friend from it too..

Original poster
granarybeck · 21/09/2007 23:23

Yes, i'm completely at the heart set on it, impatient, puppy on the brain stage. Am driving dh mad. But at same time, am so excited and wanting one, really want to get it right (perhaps too much, so am worrying about silly things). Think am worse as have never had a dog before, don't want to make the poor dog neurotic in an over fussing parent way though!

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faustina · 22/09/2007 07:06

cavalers are lovely lovely dogs BUT they have absolutely huge problems with inherited diseases. Before you get one google MVD (mitral valve disease), Syringomyelia, and epilepsy. Our cavalier died when she was two from epilepsy and it was so heartbreaking. Many cavaliers have MVD which is a heart thing, and SM which is a malformation of the spine (kind of) - you can find the proper explanations online. My cavalier had this too and it caused her great pain. Please do research before going ahead, and if you do decide to get one you absolutely MUST make sure you have insurance. Sorry to be bearer of bad tidings/wet blanket etc etc but feel obliged. This isn't just a case of badly bred cavaliers, it's common to all. Some breeeders are trying to eradicate above problems but it's a big problem still. www.champdogs.co.uk is a good source of information about all breeds. good luck

WideWebWitch · 22/09/2007 07:13

they are yappy but v affectionate, we had 2 blenheim ones as children. I'd go for a female although ours used to run off when she was on heat to find a mate, goodness knows how she got out of the locked garden but she always managed it.

liath · 22/09/2007 07:50

BIL (vet) advised us not to get one as they tend to die young and have problems with inherited diseases . Toying with the idea of a Norfolk Terrier.

peggotty · 22/09/2007 07:57

They are very good with children, rarely aggressive but as mentioned A LOT of congenital problems, particularily heart problems. If you are set on getting one, MAKE SURE you get pet insurance and that it's bloody good cover you get i.e your insurer doesn't stop paying out for long term problems after the first year that you start claiming for it.
I used to work at a vets and about 90% of the King Charles we saw were having heart/eye problems.

NoNameToday · 22/09/2007 08:03

Have you looked at the Papillon breed, they are lovely toy dogs, wonderful temperament and minimal health problems.

If you watch Emmerdale, Edna's Toots is a tricolour.

We've had papillons in the family for 40 years, at present I have a mother and daughter.

Just a word of warning about male dogs, they do have a tendency to 'territory' mark.

RoundTheBend · 22/09/2007 08:26

I have an 18 month old Papillon. She is a Blenheim. She is absolutely lovely. No problems with continual barking, she loves to be affectionate, is very loyal (follows you around) and has always been wonderful with the children. I did not want a big dog and she suits me right down to the ground. She is regularly checked by the vet and to date has no medical problems at all. When she looks at you with her big brown eyes, you can't help but fall in love with her.

MaryBleedinPoppins · 22/09/2007 08:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Twiglett · 22/09/2007 08:37

we had a bleinheim cavalier as a child - a girl

I don't remember any yapping at all but she grunted .. short nasal passages .. just like a pig , and she snored just like a bloke

she spreadeagled on the couch and slept a lot of the time .. most unladylike

she was very fat .. big brown eyes impossible to resist .. the vet said she needed to go on a diet because the max weight for her breed was 18lbs .. she weighed 32lbs - don't overfeed yours

when she was a puppy a labrador sat on her and she had a bit of a bad back

she would happily put her lead on but if we dared to walk past my mother's car she would realise she was going for a walk and not a ride and plonk her haunches down stubbornly

she used to grunt-growl-snort and wipe her bum along the carpet

there was a cat in the neighbourhood who delighted in picking on her .. they are very wussy dogs

Original poster
granarybeck · 22/09/2007 09:03

Thanks faustina, I have looked at the conditions but will have further look at te champdogs site. You're not being a wetblanket, i want to be realistic and make right choice.

Oo and liath and pegotty, do you think them having been vet checked for inheritied conditions will make any difference?

Nonametoday, I haven't looked at Papillons, will go and search now. We'd been looking at Miniature Schnauzers, which seem lovely but then were recommended Cav KC and i was really taken by their temperament and being so good with children, but the health issues are a worry.

Twiglett, I've heard they have a real tendency to eat and eat and be lazy. I quite like their wussiness, as I'm a bit of a wuss with dogs but don't want my children to grow up like that.

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Original poster
granarybeck · 22/09/2007 09:11

Nonametoday, roundthebend, do your paillons bark a lot? On petplanet it says they have a high tendency to bark, have you found this to be true?

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Original poster
granarybeck · 22/09/2007 09:23

Anyone have any experience of the temperament of black and tan cavaliers?

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RoundTheBend · 22/09/2007 09:28

No, our little lady does not bark alot. We had visitors last weekend and they actual remarked that they had never heard her bark. She does bark though! She barks at the moon when it is full and hot air ballons. She will also bark if someone rings the door bell. So, to us it is not a problem. It's not like someone else's dog a quarter of a mile away who is forever barking!!!

Original poster
granarybeck · 22/09/2007 09:32

She sounds lovely, wouldn't expect a dog to never bark!!

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seeker · 22/09/2007 09:32

All the spaniels I have ever met have been very demanding dogs. Lovely, but demanding. A friend of mine says "you should never have more spaniels than you've got hands!"