Cavalier King Charles - autism / hayfever

[onedayatatime73]

Hi. We are planning on having a family dog and we’re all very excited.

One of our daughters is autistic and from research this breed seems to be a suitable option (we only want a small dog).

does anyone have experience of how much they affect hayfever which my DH has?

are they noisy dogs?

thank you.

I say this on every thread with this as a topic, dogs and ND children are not always the romantic ideal they are sold as.
puppies bite, chew your things, shit on the floor and won’t sleep through the night, regardless of breed. is this something you have considered?

I’ve had cavaliers my whole life and have never found them to be particularly barky, however I know people with barky/yappy ones, generally they are dogs that don’t get their needs met, they aren’t the absolute couch potatoes that some of the toy breed group are and do need two decent walks a day.
Bored dogs tend to be barky.

the main thing with cavaliers is health testing, speak to the breed club not a breeder from pets4homes and expect to pay good money for a health tested puppy

Why does it need to be a small dog? If it’s calm you’re after then larger dogs can be calmer than small breeds that can be yappy and excitable with high energy needs.

Have you researched training and exercise requirements?

Hounds are incredibly calm and patient and could better suit your requirements. I never know why they aren’t considered.

We went with a working black lab for our family. She is really trainable. DD1, who is autistic, has been able to do Dog Agility for Autism with her. She is trainable as a therapy dog too. When DD1 had meltdowns as a younger child, our dog used to lie on top of her giving deep pressure therapy alongside many licks which seemed to ‘snap’ DD1 out of her meltdown. We didn’t train that behaviour; it seemed to be instinctual. She house trained within 2 weeks. She slept through the night at 4 months. She eats everything she is given…and anything she can find! Easiest ‘child’ we have!

But, she is not small. 35kg now at nearly 5 years old.

Thank you. Are there other breeds you can suggest I look into?

Our preference is a small dog.

I have 3 children on the spectrum and we have a golden retriever. I couldn’t recommend a better breed. She is calm and loving. When my daughter has a meltdown she lays at her feet to calm her.

How much time will you have to train and exercise the dog? How long will it be left alone?

If you want a small, quiet dog that won't impact on allergies a cushion might be a good idea.

Golden retrievers are the furthest thing from hypoallergenic it is possible to be.

They're also not small. One of mine is 42KG. The girl are all over 35KG.

Finally, not a wise idea to recommend such a large, sensitive, breed with a pre-disposition towards resource guarding to what is clearly a novice owner with an autistic child. Whilst you might have come out lucky, lots of people do not - and responsible dog ownership should never hinge on luck.

I have a cav and he’s adorable. Naps a lot but loves his twice a day walks when it’s time. Very very patient with kids but I’ve had him from a pup. My asthmatic child is fine with him. Feel free to message me

A dog is not going to impact hay-fever apart from having to walk it outdoors in hay-fever season.

However any of you could be allergic to dogs so it's worth all of you spending time with dogs before getting too committed to the idea of owning one.

Is there really any need to be so rude?

Possibly.

A couple of good sites to look at and organisations that may be able to help you find what is best for your family:

Autism assistance dogs - ADUK

How We Help | Dogs For Good

I had a cav and adored him, but he was pretty autistic himself - he really did not like many people and especially not children, which was tricky as he looked cute and was a child magnet. He was very much my dog, my children never really gelled with him (nor did anyone else). But he was safe, never impacted my asthmatic child and made me very happy.
One of my adult children now has a toy poodle and she is a fabulous little dog - happy, easy going, sociable and loves children. So from my incredibly limited experience of 2 dogs, I'd pick a toy poodle over a cav.

We have a Basset Hound who is so calm she’ll lie down and sleep anywhere, incredibly patient with our daughter.

I wouldn’t limit yourself to a small dog if being calm is a priority. Try ‘all about dogs’ shows to experience and meet dogs and an opportunity to talk to owners.

Finding a healthy cav is a nightmare if they even exist - which I don't believe they do because all cavs are descended from just 6 dogs. Because of this they are one of the unhealthiest breeds there is and breeding of them should be banned IMO as it is in Norway. Please choose a healthy breed OP and also be aware of how bitey puppies generally are - they've had me in tears before. I would definitely recommend an older dog with a known personality rather than a puppy if at all possible.

www.peta.org.uk/blog/cavalier-king-charles-spaniels-health/

Any dog can be noisy.

Any dog can be unsuitable living with an autistic child.

All dogs require a lot of time dedicated to training and exercising them and protecting them from children (autistic or not) who should never be left alone with the dog.

You will need eyes own the back of your head and have it in mind that once you get a dog you will dedicate your life to ensuring you never put the dog in a position where you will have to rehome the dog or have it out to sleep because it but your child whilst trying to protect itself.

Personally, I would not get a dog in your situation.

Lots of the ideal dog thing depends on what traits you'd value and hate

The dogs mentioned on this thread are someone's dream and someone else's nightmare.

This is especially important if there is an expectation of a bond with someone who has autism because they tend to find it harder to forgive. A golden for example will likely go through a bouncy period, and a chewing period so it will depend on if your DC is able to bond with a dog who also knocks them and their prized possessions over. They do tend to calm down after around 2.5 years but that's a long time to wait if the adolescence stage is hard

A Bassett is a personal favourite but stubborn as hell, and id not recommend to anyone noise sensitive. Poodles are really clever, amazing if dc wants to teach tricks, less so if you want a dog that isnt intense. Labs are foody, but also likely to mug you for food. All breeds will vary in their degree of biting and mouthing

Lots of these can be trained out, but will be present for a significant period, and possibly life (eg noise levels).

We used to see a lot of dogs in rescue bought for neurodiverse children where a big rift had formed and they couldnt wait for adult dog calmness or recover their trust. Its really hard when this dog is a thing that forces you out into the rain, ate your favourite toy, pushes you over, bites your hands, barks a lot, scratches your legs when they jump up and destroys your lego set up.

Its worth thinking about what you want from a dog and what you would hate. A play friend or a snuggle buddy? How much time can you walk it? How long will it be left? You dont have to tell me but its worth having an idea of what your perfect dog behaves like

Id recommend considering an adult dog to anyone with children. Simply because trying not to overhype a puppy (which makes them bitey) is really hard in a busy household with kids

I have 3 cavaliers and they are an expensive option for a lap dog. I love the breed but even from a reputable breeder who has done the health checks which makes them hereditary clear at birth for some conditions, unlike other dogs cavaliers can actually develop health conditions which are linked to the breed over time. Please look up Chiari Malformation and MVD conditions.

Their hair would not be good for allergies and hayfever as they malt a lot so I am forever hoovering up dog fur after brushing them which I have to do everyday.

grooming is an every day occurrence because ears need to be brushed daily to avoid matts and depending on their lengths- the feathers on their tail and legs will need to be brushed daily

It isn't rude, it's realistic. You just say you want a dog, but you don't mention if this is a first dog (although it sounds like it), if you are out at work all day, whether you want a puppy or an adult, you don't even say how old your child is or if she is used to dogs. All of these are important considerations.

The Cavalier is a moulting breed and needs regular grooming, so if your husband has a tendency to allergies or asthma, you may be better suited to a low moulter that needs clipping, such as a Poodle, Bichon Frise or Miniature Schnauzer.
You also need to be 100% certain that your child can tolerate being around a dog for long periods without being stressed by the noise, the smell, the mouthing.
I used to work with someone who bought a Bernese Mountain Dog puppy for her autistic son. He couldn't cope with being near it, and by 4 months old it was rehomed. There was a similar story with a gundog breed puppy on here a few months ago, where the child struggled to cope with the dog being in the house.

If you really want a dog, you need to go into it with your eyes wide open and consider every possible problem, because even a small dog is a massive commitment and a lot of work.

It’s definitely worth spending time talking to breeders, they will have experience and able to help pick out the right puppy from a litter to meet your requirements.

Have you researched training methods and able to commit to exercise requirements?

Dogs can be great to help with autism etc but definitely needs patience to find the right breed and puppy.

No.
Not my first dog.
My youngest daughter is 12 and walks all the neighbours’ dogs for free because she loves them so much.
of course I have done research, and yes I am at home.
My question was about the affect on hayfever. I don’t have this but my DP does.
I wasn’t asking mumsnet to determine whether we are a suitable family to own a dog.

My advice for hay fevers would be too
look at Cavapoo’s or Cockerpoo’s then.. don’t advocate for mixed breeds but this has been reported a lot that they people get them to help with allergies etc.

I have had 2 of these and as a dog groomer came into contact with many and in my experience they are the sweetest most loyal breed, be prepared for them to be clingy and follow you everywhere. If you sit down your lap is fair game ha ha.

I don't know anything about allergies sorry but I do know they do shed a fair bit and clipping short wont stop that contrary to what many owners think. They just shed shorter hair

Yes, this - they are wonderful dogs, I think they have the sweetest temperament of all the breeds, but it is difficult to find a healthy one.