If you have ever had the pleasure of meeting a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel you would be familiar with the hypnotizing eyes of this furry fellow. Just one look can get you hooked and from there you can never turn back. After all why would you want to turn away from a Cavaliers sensitive stare?
Like any responsibility we take in life we have to take our choices with a grain of salt. A Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a responsibility like no other. Like taking care of a child you must feed your Cavalier, bathe your Cavalier, teach your Cavalier, and most of all Love your Cavalier. From the moment you make the choice of bringing this lovable canine into your home you must be vigilant to its needs.
Cavaliers are loyal dogs, so much that many describe them as your own “Personal Shadow”. With this undying loyalty you have to be aware of the special needs this breed has. Concerning health there are many different health problems that a Cavalier can develop such as syringomyelia, episodic falling, hip dysplasia, luxating patella, and the most dire of them all Mitral Valve Disease. Just Mitral Valve disease has been known to affect nearly all Cavaliers while it is often a disease associated with old age Mitral Valve disease has been known to affect Cavaliers as early as age 1 or 2. From my own experience my first Cavalier had died due to Mitral Valve Disease at only 8 months of age. While I believe the main reason my first Cavalier, Robbie, had contracted the disease due to the result of backyard breeding and low standards, facts don’t lie. The UK Kennel Club found through a survey that 42.8% of all Cavalier deaths are cardiac related, nearly half! As you can see Cavaliers have a variety of health concerns associated with their breed, when choosing to own one you must educate yourself to understand their special health related needs and recognize the signs.
Health problems aren’t the only thing you need to think about before deciding that a Cavalier is right for you home. You must also come to terms with the amount of time you have available to give to your Cavalier. These faithful dogs can easily suffer from separation anxiety and should never be left alone for even 4 hours. Just 4 hours is actually considered long to those who have known a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. These canines thrive on love and attention, while they will not nag you to play with them constantly they still need to have you around. Many are content to just lay down next to you while you do whatever you may be doing, but the fact remains that Cavaliers are not meant to be alone. So if like many Americans you are out of the house working 8 hours a day and no one is available then the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is not for you. All Respectable breeders will not even agree to place a Cavalier in your home if no one is available to be with it or even if they simply deem that you will not be able to fulfill the Cavaliers needs.
Cavaliers are wonderful companions. Great for the family, awesome with kids, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a loyal companion to all.
So before looking for a Cavalier ask yourself is the Cavalier right for you?
