If you're looking for one of the most charming companions in the canine community, consider the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. The Cavalier is the largest dog in the Toy Dog category, standing 30.5-33 cm at shoulder height and weighing 6-9 kg. Because of their small body, these dogs are easy to handle by their owners. The Cavalier has a cheerful, upbeat and easy-going personality making it suitable for most families, people living alone, as well as the elderly. You can buy a Cavalier for quite a bit, but a pure Cavalier can be expensive; starting around Rp. 6-Rp. 40 million.
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Method 1 of 4: Finding Dogs with the Right Look
Step 1. Choose a Cavalier with the right color
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel has luxurious fur and four different color combinations, namely Blenheim (chest red and white), Black and Tan (black and jet black), Tricolor (chest red, white and black) and Ruby (solid chestnut red).. Most breeders like the Cavalier with long, slightly wavy fur. They chose the dog whose colors were the most vivid. They don't like dogs with lots of "spots". This means that if a Cavalier has a black back, it cannot have any other colored spots.
Step 2. Choose a Cavalier with a quality fur coat
Contest-class pure cavaliers are generally favored for their straight fur. If the dog you want to adopt is slightly wavy in his coat, this is perfectly fine. Cavaliers require little maintenance. You should brush it regularly: twice a week. Cavaliers also rarely get a haircut and only need a bath once every two weeks.
Cavalier feathers fall out easily. When choosing your own Cavalier, pay attention to the coat. If a lot is falling out, ask the seller about how often he brushes the dog's fur or cleans it. Usually, the shedding is the result of the environment or the dog's diet; you can change both
Step 3. Choose a dog that looks healthy
Pure Cavaliers usually have a lot of health problems due to inbreeding from several generations to maintain their lineage. The most common signs of a healthy Cavalier are the coat, eyes and ears. These areas are the most problematic with Cavaliers, so consider them as the first aspect when you are going to buy a Cavalier.
Make sure the eyes, nose and ears are clean and free of discharge. Dog fur must also be clean and free of parasites such as fleas. Puppies with visible ribs and a distended stomach are likely to have intestinal worms. Worms are treatable, but can indicate that the dog or mother's care is not ideal
Step 4. Have your vet examine your future dog
Regardless of what the seller says, have the doctor check on your new friend. Make sure he focuses on issues specific to the Cavalier (as mentioned above) and environmental issues such as fleas, mites, and heartworms.
From a health perspective, make sure you always check on puppies before buying them. Heart problems in puppies are likely to get worse in the long run, he can be at risk for premature heart attacks that occur gradually. If you buy an adult dog, ask your vet to check it out before you make sure. He can check for common ailments affecting the Cavalier as well as other problems
Method 2 of 4: Choosing a Cavalier with the Right Temperament
Step 1. Determine if he is friendly
Cavaliers have to welcome humans. He is generally a dog to hang out with and provide entertainment and comfort.
- Cavalier is suitable for families with young children. Because of its small size, children will be safer; even from a Labrador that could accidentally injure them. Cavaliers can still bite and scratch, but are generally easy to handle.
- Some dogs are afraid of humans. Perhaps, these dogs have experienced something traumatic as a child that scared and even attacked people. While this behavior can be overcome, you may have a hard time dealing with it. When you visit your dog for the first time, reach out and let him kiss him. Be friendly and don't be too quick to invade his personal space. Try playing and petting him. See the response. If he welcomes your attention, it means he is a sociable animal.
Step 2. Focus on the interactions with other animals
Many families have more than one dog or pet. If this is your situation, see how the potential dog plays with his friends or other dogs in his area. Does he exhibit aggressive behavior? Was he sulking alone in the corner of the cage? Or does he enjoy joining and leading the herd? You can learn quickly about an animal's temperament by watching it interact with other animals.
If you plan to enter a Cavalier in a contest, it should be nice around other dogs. Don't let a beautiful dog whose behavior distracts the judge from not paying attention to his appearance
Step 3. Select the active Cavalier
Cavaliers are energetic spaniels who enjoy playing and exploring the outdoors. Individuals considering this breed should be prepared to provide regular training to keep their Cavaliers healthy. For athletic owners, the Cavalier can be gradually trained to accompany you on long walks or mountaineering sessions.
- Cavaliers are usually active and not limp. A lethargic Cavalier is usually a sign of poor grooming as well as behavioral problems later in life.
- Don't interpret fatigue as a bad temper. Puppies usually sleep a lot, as well as older dogs. You should not interpret it negatively; but see if you can gently wake him up. Try getting him to play. See if you can encourage him to interact with other dogs so you can monitor his personality.
Method 3 of 4: Considering a Pure Race
Step 1. Consider the advantages of choosing a pure Cavalier
In general, pure Cavaliers have predictable behavior. When you buy a pure Cavalier, you can expect it to be passionate and loving, and to maintain reasonable maintenance costs. Genetically, the Cavalier has a cheerful and easy-going demeanor. When you buy the purebred, the temperament will be like that.
Step 2. Perform a mixed race deficiency analysis
An impure Cavalier may adopt some of the biological behaviors of whatever race it is a parent of. If a Cavalier is mixed with a hound, the offspring will have more hunting and barking instincts. If a Cavalier is mixed with a low-energy dog like a shih tzu, he may lose the energetic nature that made you fall in love with him.
Step 3. Consider common Cavalier health issues
People love the pure Cavalier. This means the dog has been bred from a limited gene pool. To maintain the purity of the breed, many parties bred dogs that are still related to the family and come from too small a gene pool. Unfortunately, this has very real and disastrous consequences. Purebred Cavaliers are at high risk for heart disease, spinal disc disease, and/or severe neurological issues.
- Heart disease: in the UK, 59% of Cavaliers over the age of 4 have a heart condition. Approximately two thirds of the Cavalier population in the UK experience it.
- Chiari and Syringomyelia malformations; Basically, this condition means the dog's skull is too small for its brain to cause severe pain in the nerves. The vet's textbook entitled "Breed Predispositions to Disease in the Dogs and Cats" lists this condition as "very common", with signs of developing between 5 months and 3 years of age.
- Epilepsy: dogs may have seizures, but ages between 6 months and 6 years are most susceptible.
- Spinal disc disease: this is another "common" condition, especially as Cavaliers get older. Usually, you won't know if a Cavalier is prone to disc problems until it looks like it's walking tensely or lowering its head reluctantly when it's time to eat/drink.
Method 4 of 4: Buying a Cavalier
Step 1. Find a place to buy or adopt a Cavalier
There are several sites that can be used to find pure and mixed Cavaliers. You can also look for ads in local newspapers. Depending on the location, you will have more or less options.
Step 2. Consider buying from a breeder
Look for a breeder who can provide a history of his parents and grandparents, including the results of various medical tests. Avoid dogs that are the product of inbreeding, so ask for lineage files and ask the breeder about the pedigree. If you are buying from a private seller, ask for ancestry sources.
Step 3. Consider adopting from animal rescue groups
These groups are a good place to find a mixed Cavalier. Before falling in love with a particular dog, make sure you fully understand its medical needs. Many rescued dogs end up in shelter centers because they have medical conditions that their previous owners could not cope with.
Step 4. Avoid puppy mills (irresponsible commercial dog farms)
If you're not sure about a place you're visiting, ask to see the parent. Good breeders will be happy to introduce you to the mother and siblings of your desired potential dog. He will also tell the history of his parents thoroughly. However, the puppy mill will find excuses (and make it sound plausible) to prevent you from seeing the mother.
