Any dog experts want to help me out?

[Crannog]

First question is does anyone know if it's possible to buy a healthy Cavalier from breeders who have bred out heart, eye, brain problems?

Secondly, if the answer to the above is no can you recommend me a breed please?
Small
Good with children
Good with cats
Trainable
Few health issues
Happy to romp all over the moors, beach but equally content to have a lazy day if I am ill for example.
'Pretty' - I really do prefer a beautiful dog. Beautiful to me are Retrievers, springers, working cockers, Kooikerhondes, cavaliers. So silky hair, big Brown eyes and droopy ish ears.

Help please! I want to make the right and responsible decision.

[Crannog]

Just from a looks point of view. I've been watching videos on you tube and I'm warming. They are certainly very different in the home than the ones I see out on a walk.

[MillyMollyMandy78]

Yeah they are - i found that a bit tricky when doing my research cos you only see one side of them. Also, they are not a particularly common breed so you don't tend to see them out and about much.

If you are checking out videos, look on youtube for a super gorgeous video of a sheltie and crawling baby playing together. The little boy is giggling like mad and the sheltie is loving it - so cute! They are having so much fun together? I love that video!

[UpTheFRIGGinDuff]

I don't know a huge amount about dogs,but have you looked into Eurasier's?
A friend has one and she's an absolute darling. V good family dogs apparently.

[saintmerryweather]

a eurasier is just a bigger version of a spitz. i was looking at their stand at discover dogs at crufts and chatting to them and the bloke was saying how you have to be their 'pack leader' and how they can be dominent and bolshy...based on the outdated views the breed club has about training i probably wouldnt go for one, he made them.sound difgicult. if youre willing to consider a sheltie, what about a german spitz mittel? they are about the same size as a cocker spaniel and really friendly little dogs

[Crannog]

Hey back for a quick update. I've found a rescue cavalier - 3 months old. Previous owners were not prepared for a puppy.

I'm so tempted.

[Vibbe]

I can see you asked about show cockers on page 1...
We have a show cocker, and she's very chilled. Other than the normal daily walks, we give her around 30 mins of exercise/training and that's enough to tire her out.

My parents have a working spaniel, and she requires loads of exercise every day, even now she's 7 years old. She's crawling on the walls if she doesn't get her daily hour or two of exercise. My parents have been dog sitting our dog, and they were amazed at the difference. They are so jealous that my dog is so much easier than theirs.

Our cocker weighs around 10 kg, and she's good with kids. She has been easy to train. The breeder had a cat, and that was fine with the dogs. She's a velcro dog, but I quite like that.
She is good at being home alone, and we have not crated her - and she's in no way destructive or causing any problems at home.

If we only go for the daily walks, and don't go training/exercising, she's fine.

We don't do shows with her, and are not too fussed about her looking like a show dog - for us, it's more important that it's practical and easy (for us and for the dog). I trim her ears so they don't get so long, and in summer, she's been getting a very short fur as you can see here: i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd361/princesspig3/DSC_0263__zpsed536e28.jpg

[Crannog]

Well she is just lovely. You could just give her to me and my problems would be solved!

[UpTheFRIGGinDuff]

awwwwhhhhhhhh vibbe she's lovely!
I've wanted a Cocker spaniel for such a long time (it's not good timing for us ATM,perhaps in a few years) but its great to know about the difference in temperament between the show and working breeds. So thankyou!

Cran get the cav pup....you are obviously drawn to them,and a puppy just pops up on a rescue site?!
That's fate

[MillyMollyMandy78]

I agree get the cav pup. Conscience is clear as you are rehoming a puppy in need. You won't regret it and the poor thing will be so sad in a rescue home. They thrive on human contact - go on... And come back with photos!

[Crannog]

So it wasn't a rescue site. Rather word of mouth that someone had bought a cav puppy as well as 2 existing dogs (both very large) as well as 7 dogs that they look after during the day!
The mind boggles!
Anyway she wasn't settling and they didn't know what to do with her. They seemed pretty naive about the whole thing.

So anyway she's here. She's 13 weeks old and had been here 24 hours. peeing outside except 1 in her crate overnight. Poo outside today. Quite picky about the spot she would do it on. Grass only and lots of 'checking' first.
I think that's pretty good.
I've had to bath her this morning as she was so smelly but she's bundled up in a towel next to me now.
Love!

[Caffeineaddictedmumof4]

Oh lovely, sounds like it was meant to be post some pics when she's settled in

[MillyMollyMandy78]

So pleased! Post pics soon!