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Responsible Breeding of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels
Breeding can be very rewarding when done right, but it can also be a very expensive undertaking. Breeding can be time-consuming, frustrating, and occasionally heartbreaking. Breeding takes dedication and a thirst for continued education combined with a goal of producing quality puppies that will be an asset to the breed.
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Puppy Classes For Your New Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Puppy
Before adopting a new Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy you need to be prepared for the needs your new addition is going to have. Dogs are pack animals by nature and have a well-defined social order. When you adopt a new Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy you want your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy to grow up as an accepted addition of your family as well as being able to handle social gatherings around others that are not part of your immediate family. It is wise to look into dog training facilities in your area and plan to attend some puppy classes to aid in the training process from the very beginning.
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Cavalier King Charles Spaniels come in 4 different colors:
Blenheim
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Tri Color
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Black and Tan
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Ruby
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Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Breeding Techniques
Inbreeding is the breeding of father to daughter, mother to son, or full brother to full sister. Inbreeding is a quick way to reveal the genetic strengths and weaknesses of a line.
Line breeding is the breeding of two animals who share common ancestors. Line breeding yields a smaller gene pool where certain traits are more likely to breed true. If health of the line is known line breeding can be the best way to achieve and maintain desirable qualities.
Out crossing is the breeding of two unrelated animals. This method increases the size of the gene pool and can introduce both positive and negative traits.
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Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Color Genetics
When you breed a Blenheim (pronounced "Blen-um") to a Blenheim you always receive Blenheim puppies. The genetic make-up of a Blenheim is ee:ss.
When you breed Blenheim to Tri Color you can receive both Blenheim or Tri Color.
When you breed Tri Color to Tri Color you will most likely receive all Tri Color unless both parents are Ee:ss, and in this case you can receive both Blenheim or Tri Color.
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A Ruby is either ee:SS or ee:sS with the latter version yielding the presence of mismarking in whole color breeding. If you breed ruby to ruby the puppies will all be ruby if both parents are ee:SS and Blenheim colors can appear if both parents are ee:sS. Ruby to Black and Tan will give both Ruby and Black and Tan puppies. Ruby to Tri Color can yield all four colors.
The combinations for Black and Tan are very complicated. By breeding a Black and Tan to the other colors including another Black and Tan you can begin to narrow down the genetic make-up of your Black and tan.
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Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Genetically Dominant and Recessive Traits
Dominant Traits
Head: Low-set ears, long ears, long head, wide ear leather, dark eyes, correct bite, black nose, short face
Body: Sternum, deep chest, straight topline, high tail-set, good spring of rib, heavy bone, compact foot, short coat, weight, body height, poor shoulder angulation, short and choppy gait
Mental: Intelligence, shyness and/or dominant temperament
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Recessive Traits
Head: Large skull size, short ears, fine skull, light eyes, bulging eyes, overshot or undershot bite
Body: Good shoulder angulation, good stifle angulation, long and reaching gait, low tail-set, no feathering on tail, kinked tail, long coat, longer and straight legs (correlates with light bone)
Mental: Lack of intelligence, mild or non-aggressive temperament
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Health Testing Cavalier King Charles Spaniels
Health testing is a wonderful tool to aid breeders in making sound decisions regarding pairing two Cavaliers for breeding. However, testing is only a snapshot in time and cannot predict what might happen to a Cavalier later in life. Health testing also gives no guarantees that all the offspring will be healthy and free of genetic disorders. Health testing does give a more reliable foundation at which to begin and move forward with.
Cavalier King Charles Spaniels have four areas of health testing that is recommended for the breed. Cavaliers should be tested for eye and heart disorders on a yearly basis. Cavaliers should be cleared of patella luxation after 12 months of age. Cavaliers should also be cleared of hip dysplasia after 24 months of age. Once a Cavalier has obtained all 4 health tests and if all 4 tests are submitted to the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) then a CHIC number will be issued for that Cavalier showing it has successfully obtained all the required health certifications for the Cavalier breed.
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Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Temperament
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel loves to be with its family and craves attention. It is cheerful, playful, and intelligent. They are generally well behaved, but can sometimes be timid or stubborn.
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel gets along well with children, other dogs, and household pets. It is friendly, happy, and loving. Cavaliers are devoted to loved ones but can be suspicious around strangers. Cavaliers do not bark frequently, but sometimes around new situations their suspicious nature can lead to bouts of barking, but owners can usually quiet them down quickly when needed.
As a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel ages it can become more difficult to add a new puppy into the family. If you have a Cavalier that is over 5 years of age try to test your Cavalier's acceptance of another puppy before bringing in a new addition. Temperament of a new Cavalier puppy is very important when combining a puppy with an older Cavalier. The Cavalier puppy cannot have a top dog personality and must be submissive naturally...calm...easy-going.
Here at Cruisin Cavaliers we temperament test our Cavalier puppies which helps us match our puppy's temperament with an adoptive family's lifestyle. Since temperament can be molded as a Cavalier puppy continues to develop our temperament analysis is only a snapshot in time, but the original set temperament will be the temperament a Cavalier puppy will resort to in times of change or stressful situations.
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Happy-Go-Lucky or Frisky
Calm-Easy Going and Very Relaxed
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Designer Dogs
A designer dog is a dog that comes from two purebred dogs, but both parents are not the same breed. An example might be a Cavapoo, which would be a purebred Cavalier King Charles Spaniel bred to a purebred Poodle. Many people think that designer dogs and/or dogs that come from several breeds will have fewer health issues. This myth is far from the truth. Each purebred dog has health related issues associated with its breed. There is not a single purebred dog breed in existence without its own list of genetic disorders that breeders knowingly health test for.
One must understand that when you breed two purebred dogs of different breeds together the offspring now has the genes for genetic disorders from two separate breeds. The more you mix the pot the more disorders the offspring are capable of having or being carriers for. Purebred dogs have genetic history that can be traced back through decades of generations. Purebred dogs from reputable breeders who health test their breeding stock will always be the healthiest route.
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Male or Female Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Are females sporty enough to go on regular outings? Will males mistake my dining room table leg for a fire hydrant? Truth is there are countless stereo-types given to each gender. My opinion is simple: all Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are smart and can be taught right from wrong. There is a saying amongst Cavalier breeders and it goes like this: "Females love you and males are in love with you." Every Cavalier is different as to how it goes about showing its affection to its owner. I have some males and females that are born snugglers and I have others that are more sporty and would love for you to throw their toy so they can retrieve it for you. The main thing I can say from my experience is that both males and females can be very sporty in nature depending on each puppy's individual personality and both genders can be fully potty trained if the owner stays consistent and is prepared for the task at hand.
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If a male Cavalier is neutered around 6 months of age and fully housebroken then I can assure you he will remain housebroken. My husband has to keep the reins in check with me as each litter comes along because placing the males is always harder for me because they do show so much more affection than the females early on in a litter. Females are the alpha gender in the canine world, so females routinely strive for the top pecking order early on and continue to show their dominance until they are placed. Males know they are not top dog and come to me much quicker wanting to be held. I recommend to anyone looking to adopt a Cavalier to focus on temperament and not to let gender be your main priority because you might miss out on a remarkable relationship if the other gender puppy met your lifestyle better.
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Show Potential or Pet Only
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
When a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel breeder goes about deciding the placement of each Cavalier puppy there are some considerations that must be taken into account. The ideal companion (pet) Cavalier puppy needs to go to a home that matches well with the puppy's temperament. A Cavalier breeder must consider the general health of an adoptive family, the family members ages, the type of home and yard or walking arrangements required for the Cavalier puppy, the location of the home whether it be in a big city or out in the country, and then the lifestyle of the family as far as activity level and how often traveling will come into play. Your Cavalier breeder is the only one that knows the real temperament of each puppy and you will need to place your confidence in the knowledge your Cavalier breeder has learned through previous placements of similar situations. Concentrate on the specific temperament of each Cavalier puppy in the litter and allow your Cavalier breeder to help you find your family's perfect match.
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The "show potential" Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy is hard to predict. A Cavalier breeder can only pick out what might be promising later on, but even the most seasoned Cavalier breeder cannot state positively that a puppy is destined to become a champion. Charisma is one quality that must be developed as the Cavalier puppy ages. Pat Hastings wrote a book titled "Tricks of the Trade" and has developed a wonderful DVD to help aid breeders in evaluating a litter properly for structural weaknesses. All puppies will have structural weaknesses and there is never going to be a pick of the litter. The overall balance of the puppy as a whole is how a puppy should be looked at and not each individual fault. Here at Cruisin Cavaliers we go through Pat Hastings approach to evaluating our litters at eight weeks of age. However, Cavaliers go through several stages of development during their first year. Topline's can go array, muzzles can loose their fill, they can become too leggy, and even loose their bite. Owners can become overly worried during this rapid period of change and awkwardness. Once they begin to come back into their own and the owner sees a glimpse of hope on the horizon the battle of coat not being long or tail may be carried too high in a posturing position most of the time. Many other troubling situations can set in not to mention the training that must be done as well. Creating a show dog doesn't really begin with purchasing a show prospect because the way a Cavalier puppy is raised can influence the outcome of your show ring results. |
Never Adopt Siblings
Many families unknowingly make the mistake of adopting siblings. When you adopt a Cavalier puppy you need to only adopt one Cavalier puppy at a time because during the 10-16 week period you will need to be the primary focus for your new Cavalier puppy. If your Cavalier puppy is left with a sibling during this period their canine instincts will kick in and they will attach to their sibling over you which will lead to authority problems later on. When you adopt a new Cavalier puppy your new Cavalier puppy needs to spend their 10-16 week period with you as their main focus and you need to be able to return that focus to your Cavalier puppy. If you have another dog already in the home you can put your Cavalier puppy in its crate where it can see the other dog, but not interact with the other dog until you can be present to interact as well. Do not miss out on this important bonding process by allowing your new Cavalier puppy to bond with another canine over you.
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Co-Ownership of Dogs
Co-ownership of purebred dogs has been is existence for decades. When a dog is "Specialled" usually by a professional handler the dog will travel and live with its handler for extended periods of time. The costs can mount up quickly so owners will find other people involved within their breed and co-own the dog to help offset the expenses. Co-ownership is also very popular amongst breeders placing a female puppy with a family on open registration for future showing and/or breeding. Many times the breeder will place a condition into the contract like receiving a puppy from the first litter before signing full ownership over to the adoptive family. This is a very common practice so if you run across it do not be alarmed, but educate yourself before you enter into any contract because AKC does not endorse or promote co-ownerships because situations change and many times a dog's fate can lie in limbo if the owners are not in agreement about a situation.
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There are many types of Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Breeders out there
The best Cavalier King Charles Spaniel breeders show their dogs and are then reinforced to follow the standard for their breed in order to continue to do well in the show ring. Show ring breeders will health test their breeding stock and will attempt to produce the soundest offspring in health, temperament, and structure. Some Cavalier breeders do not show at all and are often referred to as backyard breeders. Backyard breeders usually do not fully health test and breed less quality stock so puppies are many times more fearful and develop temperament or health issues later on in life. Then there are terrible situations like huge profit geared Cavalier breeders known as puppy mills. You NEVER want to adopt a puppy from a pet store and 95% of all-breed puppy web sites where breeders list their kennel with a link to their web site is either a backyard breeder or puppy mill. Web sites like puppyfind, pets4you, puppydogweb, terrificpets, nextdaypets, pupcity, qualitydogs, k9stud, cyberpet and many others. You need to be very careful about which type of Cavalier King Charles Spaniel breeder you decide to form a relationship with because you want your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy to be with you for a decade or more and your Cavalier breeder can become a cherished friend to have for years along the way. The very best location to find reputable Cavalier King Charles Spaniel breeder is either at www.ckcsc.org or www.ackcsc.org. Once you locate a breeder at www.ckcsc.org or www.ackcsc.org go a step further and see if they are also on the all-breed web site locations and if so make sure you really evaluate them well before adopting a puppy from them.
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Adoption Process
1. Do your research on the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel breed before you attempt to contact a Cavalier breeder.
2. Once you have researched the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel breed then research several web sites where you have located Cavalier breeders that are members of their specific breed club. Breed specific clubs are the clubs with rules governing the breeding procedures on a breed. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel breeders may be a member of either or both the CKCSC and AKCSC. I am a member of the CKCSC.
3. Make contact with a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel breeder and be prepared to wait a short period of time in many cases, but if you are patient I promise your Cavalier breeder will place a wonderful Cavalier puppy with you that was worth your wait.
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