Trying to learn as much about a ckcs as possible Questions

Ok so im looking to get a ckcs hopefully next year. I want to gather as much info on them as i can ie best food excersise grooming ( will get this done professionally ) what to look for when choosing a reputable breeder ( will probably look on kennel club for that ) also what to ask the breeder when i get one all the things you think someone who is new to owning a ckcs needs to know. Im aware they can have problems is it with there ears? So what to look out for with that ect many thanks x

My advice to you is to do what I did once I'd decided this was the most suitable small dog for my family situation.

I googled Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

There will be a whole WORLD of information about the breed out there on the web for you.

It helped me to choose a suitable breeding line and find out about common ailments and what to watch out for and all sorts.

I mean anyone who owns or has owned one will probably just say (as I will) nicest dogs in the world.

But if you need more precise and techie info. Google it.

Can i just ask. How much roughly does it cost to have a ckcs. I mean with insurance etc? x

LOL! I paid 500 for mine but that was 15 yrs ago! I've no idea these days.

Please bear in mind that the cost of BUYING a dog is not your major outlay. The cost of keeping the dog comes to much more over the years. Vaccs, vet care, in fact even the cost of flea and tick control, shampoo and other accoutrements over the average lifetime of a dog probably outweighs the initial purchase cost.

Yeh thats what i mean. Well it will be worth it anyway. I cant wait im so excited lol x

Breeders:- go through the breed clubs & look for breeders who FULLY health test their dogs(Ears, Heart, MRI scan etc) like this breeder

Best food:- Is a moot subject as ALL my dogs are fed raw including the Cavalier & IMHO it is the best food for my dogs

Grooming: No no no to professional groomers as 99% will clip a Cavalier using clippers thus ruining the coat forever. A Cavaliers coat is easy to deal with if you start as soon as you get your puppy & TBH anyone who needs to get a groomer to groomer their Cavalier, must have more money than sense ;-)

I was told you are looking around £800-£1000 for a decent cav these days. I (well daddy, i was 6 at the time!) paid just under £400 15 years ago!! Buying cheap off the internet is very much a false economy.

Good breeders will have health checks done, heart particularly important for a cavalier. Seeing both parents is preferable, but if you can't see the mother i'd have serious alarm bells ringing and would be going elsewhere.

RE food, my cavvie would literally starve himself so we fed him bakers, which i'd not recommend, but it was getting ridiculous how long he'd go without food. I'm not a fan of raw, but good foods IMO include Fish4dogs, fishmongers, wainwrites, CSJ nograiner, Origen, autarky is excellent for a cheaper food.

I think sweep had a professional groom once in his life, they've long coats but easily maintained yourself, get a decent kit and keep on top of it would be my advice.

Exercise they are easy, they'll take as much or as little as you want, but remember to not overexercise a puppy! you'll do loads of damage to growing bones. And they don't always do excellently in heat.

Oh ok i wint bother with a groomer then. As long as i learn how to do it properly. And clipping their nails is what i worry about. ( do they need doing) im not sure lol.

Good job its mostly rain where i live then apart from the odd warm week lol

Is that the link for a breeder x

Yes it is they do full health testing, not just what the KC require for their ABS members. Their dogs are lovely as well

I have a 5 year old Ruby Cavalier boy from health tested parents & he will eventually be MRI scanned for Syringomyelia, not because he is going to be bred from, but for information for ourselves & also the research into the condition He has no clinical health problems & has the true Cavalier temperament to die for.

Are there anyway certificates and paper work i should ask to see?

The breeder should have the original of the bitches certificates for eyes, heart, SM MRI scan results etc & should have copies of the dog's certificates, you can also check on the KC's health test search page although this isn't always completely upto date.

A good breeder will not use a dog or bitch under the age of 2 1/2 years of age & the older the dog the better(My Cavalier's father was 5 when Roodee was born & it was only his 3 litter(& he has only sired 3 litters to date) )

The results of the DNA tests are recorded on the Kennel Club health test results page & you will need the dog's correctly spelt name to check

For an example of a dog who as sired 219 puppies out of 58 litters none have been submitted for scoring under the CM/SM scheme click here & he himself has not been submitted for CM/SM !! One dog I would NOT want in my dogs pedigree

Ok thanks. Gosh loads to learn best to be safe then sorry though. Sometimes you feel rude questioning breeders that have been doing it for years they might how rude x

Any breeder worth their salt will be delighted with your questions

Absolutely I grilled Roodee's breeder & she in return grilled me, if she hadn't been open & asked me questions I wouldn't have wanted to get him from her