# Cavalier King Charles Spaniel... Possibly...?



## memuffinismissing (Dec 31, 2006)

Alright, I'm thinking about getting a Cavalier King Charels Spaniel and as a first time puppy owner I have a few questions. First which gender is sweeter and likes to cuddle more? Second it would be a completely indoor dog so do piddle/pee pads work, and if so how often do you have to change them? Well I think that's it for now. Thanks!


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## ilovemychihuahua (Oct 8, 2006)

So much ?'s to answer. Um.....I would get a male because if you get a female, then you're dog is going to need surgery because, well......you us girls have our......yeah.......girl dogs have it too. And pads, I don't know about that.


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## memuffinismissing (Dec 31, 2006)

Well wether I get a male or female they would both need to be fixed. But thanks! I've also heard males are more cuddly and stuff but that they get distracted easily when training. Is that ture?


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## DogAdvocat (Nov 30, 2006)

memuffinismissing said:


> Alright, I'm thinking about getting a Cavalier King Charels Spaniel and as a first time puppy owner I have a few questions. First which gender is sweeter and likes to cuddle more? Second it would be a completely indoor dog so do piddle/pee pads work, and if so how often do you have to change them? Well I think that's it for now. Thanks!


Regarding dogs in general, not specifically Cavaliers, I prefer males because of the cuddle factor, BUT I've also had females that prefer to cuddle more than males. Each dog is an individual, and I think you have a lot more to be concerned about in regards to choosing a new dog. For instance, did you know that Cavaliers are prone to heart problems? Please read the following website which states that mitral valve disease is a terminal illness which afflicts over half of all Cavaliers by the age of 5 and nearly all Cavaliers by the age of 10 if they live that long.
http://www.cavalierhealth.org/

If you do decide to get a Cavalier, my suggestion would be to go to a rescue and get an older dog that has been cleared of heart problems. If you decide that the heart problem is something you can deal with, and you recognize that it may mean extensive vet bills, then it's still a good idea to talk to rescue who knows the breed and can give you lots of information on all the things you'd like to know.


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## memuffinismissing (Dec 31, 2006)

Thanks for the advice! I've actually been reading all about mitral valve disease and I'm pretty sure I can handle it. Plus I actually found a breeder who gives a 3 year waranty on all puppies incase some sort of freak accident or disease comes about. Thanks for the feedback!


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## ilovemychihuahua (Oct 8, 2006)

Pads. I think it might work. Don't know.


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## ilovemychihuahua (Oct 8, 2006)

*Hope not....*



memuffinismissing said:


> Well wether I get a male or female they would both need to be fixed. But thanks! I've also heard males are more cuddly and stuff but that they get distracted easily when training. Is that ture?


You mean true? Anyway let's hope they don't get distracted by girl dogs when they are in training.


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## animalcraker (Nov 9, 2006)

I have a 5 yr old male that I show on occasion. both males and females are love bugs, though I have seen some females have issuses with other females(keep in mind that all of these were intact females). They are very smart and can be trained fairly easily. You'll need to be gentle with them and practice everyday when training. You have to keep an eye on them at all times, they could chase a butterfly into oncomming traffic if you let them, not to mention the countless bad guys out there who will steal them. 

The most important thing you can do for your future pup is to accquire one from a reputible breeder. Since most cavaliers are practicaly concived with a genetic disease, it's importat that the breeder test for all of them that they can and only breeds the dogs that pass these test with flying colors. The breeder should know all of the dogs in the pedigree, How long they lived, what they passed away from, and if they had any genetic diseases. the breeder should be in good standing with the AKC and the cavalier club of the USA http://www.ckcsc.org/. They should also compete with their dogs(conformation, obedience, agility, ect.). they should be breeding to better the breed, not to make cute family dogs (that usualy end up with a genetic disease by the time their 2). And having a guarentee against health problems doesn't mean much if they aren't willing to take the dog back at anytime for any reason. 

I'm sure there's something that I missed and there's a ton more that I could cover. You can always PM if you have more questions regarding cavaliers. And here's a link to a cavalier specific forum http://www.cavaliertalk.com/phpBB2/index.php


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## dogluver101 (Jul 6, 2006)

*First* you need to make sure you have the time you need to be with the dog, wether puppy or adult, you need to spend enough time with them. You need to *do your research* ,make sure you are getting the right dog for your lifestyle and to your liking. Puppy pads are NOT good. Dogs easily get hooked on those and will become trained to go on those and if one is not down at all times will seek somthing close to that (rugs carpet blankets). Each gender is the sweet one, it depends on the dogs attitude/personality. If you have a dog right now you need to make sure you are getting a dog that will get along with the dog you have now. The *last* thing you want to do is get a dog that HATES your dog and have to get rid of him/her. Get your dog *SPAYED OR NEUTERED* some people have already told you but just to add it again.


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## Cheetah (May 25, 2006)

The OP has already said that they plan on getting the dog fixed... there's no need to keep on pushing.


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## Keno's Mom (Nov 20, 2006)

Why does this dog need to be a totally indoor dog? You really should be training to pee/poop outside at some point. I don't like the piddle pads - IMO they don't really train the dog the right way and its easy for the dog to pee on other clothes, towels, rugs.

Why not crate train the pup and then teach it to relieve itself outside like other dogs?


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## memuffinismissing (Dec 31, 2006)

Well, my parents don't like the idea of an indoor outdoor dog... I try to explain to them that flea and tick medicine helps but they just don't beleive me... 

Also to everyone telling me to do my research I've spent at least 8 hours doing it. 
Thanks everyone!


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## animalcraker (Nov 9, 2006)

memuffinismissing said:


> Well, my parents don't like the idea of an indoor outdoor dog... I try to explain to them that flea and tick medicine helps but they just don't beleive me...
> 
> Also to everyone telling me to do my research I've spent at least 8 hours doing it.
> Thanks everyone!


Keep in mind they are a Cavalier King Charles SPANIEL, don't let the fact that they are toys dogs fool you. Cavaliers absoultly adore spending time outside, be it chasing butterflies or hunting for some trouble to get into. And besides a dog is not going to get fleas spending a few minuets outside going to the bathroom. I would not recomend potty pads for any breed, it just teaches them that it's ok to pee in the house.

And 8 hours is *NOT ENOUGH!* I can't stress that any more. If you are serious about a Cavalier then you need to spend weeks, months, and years even to find the right one for you. Keep in mind that you could easily be wating up to 3 years to get a pup from a good breder. And trust me it's worth the wait, you deserve the best dog from the best breeder, even if it means you have to wait a bit longer. Did you check out the links I gave you? They're a good place to start geting information on the breed from other owners. You should also go to a couple dog shows and meet the breed, breeders and owners. I recomend you get your hands on _The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel in North America_ by Barbara Garnet-Smith http://www.amazon.com/Cavalier-Charles-Spaniel-North-America/dp/0966298500/sr=1-1/qid=1167975386/ref=sr_1_1/103-4445981-7285445?ie=UTF8&s=books it's a great book writen by one of the top breeders in the breed IMO.


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## skelaki (Nov 9, 2006)

Since you're going to get the dog spayed or neutered, there won't be a great deal of difference between the two sexes as neither will be distracted by sex hormones. This assumes that the dog will be fixed prior to reaching sexual maturity. The most important thing to do is to see the heart clearances the breeder should have. And to realize that, with the problem so prevalent in the breed, this is a medical condition you may be facing in the future.

But, if having the pet totally indoors is absolutely necessary, you'd be better off to get a cat (which should be kept indoors).


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## DogAdvocat (Nov 30, 2006)

skelaki said:


> Since you're going to get the dog spayed or neutered, there won't be a great deal of difference between the two sexes as neither will be distracted by sex hormones. This assumes that the dog will be fixed prior to reaching sexual maturity. The most important thing to do is to see the heart clearances the breeder should have. And to realize that, with the problem so prevalent in the breed, this is a medical condition you may be facing in the future.
> 
> But, if having the pet totally indoors is absolutely necessary, you'd be better off to get a cat (which should be kept indoors).


I agree that a cat should be indoors, but I can't help wondering what your logic is in saying a cat shouldn't be allowed outside, but a dog should be? Can you explain? Dogs definitely like outside time, but then so do cats. Cats are harder to keep in the yard, but it can be done. You have me stumped.


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## Tamara (Dec 6, 2006)

Sorry but I have never heard of such a strange notion in dog care. Completely indoors??? No walks? How will he/she get excercised? You and your future dog will miss out on a lot of funtime being stuck indoors.
Cats - one reason to not let them out is Feline Aids Virus. It is a lot more common than we think since so many cats have it that we don't know about. We inherited a cat last year. Very sweet indoor/outdoor cat at first. He had an accident with his tail so it had to be amputated. It just wouldn't heal so the vet did bloodtest and he has Aides. They get it from fighting with other cats who are infected(he is fixed by the way). So now he is completely indoor but it does make me sad - he really misses being out.
(Poor guy is fine now after two tail amputations only has a little nub)


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## skelaki (Nov 9, 2006)

Cats can't be kept in a fenced yard (at least not without specialized fencing) so are in greater danger of being hit by a car or harmed in some other way. This is why it's recommended strongly that a cat be an inside pet. Now, I'm not talking about barn cats here. Those are generally considered working animals, just as dogs working as livestock guards are. Dogs can be safely confined in a fenced yard and they do best doing their business outside while kittens are trained by their moms to use a litter box.

But, I'm not saying that a dog should be outside all or even most of the time.


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## skunkstripe (Oct 28, 2006)

The most compellng reason (at least in the US) not to let cats be outdoors is the average life expectancy. It is something like 3 yrs for indoor/outdoor cats (meaning cats that live primarily indoors but are allowed to "roam" outdoors at will, as opposed to so-called "barn cats" who are cared for by humans bu do not live in a home). One of the reasons is as Tamara said the FIV. Another is that they can be killed by wild predators, pet dogs, get hit by cars etc etc. They can pick up tapeworm and roundworm by eating rodents. The average life expectancy of a strictly indoor cat is much higher about 11 yrs. This is why there is a growing trend only to adopt cats out if they will be strictly indoor cats or only allowed outdoors with direct human supervision.

Interestingly, if you are in the UK, shelters will be unwilling to adopt out a cat to you UNLESS you have a "cat flap" to allow the cat free access to the outdoors, the logic being (among other things) the cat has no way to get enough exercise being cooped up indoors.

At any rate I agree with Skelaki, dogs HAVE to be outdoors a good part of the day and can do so without being at risk for their lives.

This is on of those "hot topics" on cat boards I have found.


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## CharlieBear (Jan 5, 2007)

I also have an "indoor" male Cavalier, and for me personally, pads didn't work at all. He loved to shread the pads, and even with pad holders, etc, he'd manage to create a hole in the pad and then shread the rest of it.

BUT - I now have him pretty much litter trained, and it's faboulous! Although they're relatively small dogs, cat litter pans seem to be a bit too small - so I would opt for either a doggy litter pan or some other type of container. What I also do is put pads at the bottom of the litter pan to make clean up that much easier!

I haven't had any experience with female Cavaliers, but my male is the cuddliest lap dog I've ever known.

Hope this helps!


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## Analise96 (Nov 13, 2020)

I do not know if I can post this here, if not I Apologies. I wanted to ask what is the best food for King charles cavallier 8 week old puppy wet or dry food? I have found these food and I am not sure which one is best. Thankyou


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