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The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a lively, athletic, happy and friendly little dog, totally non-confrontational, and eternally optimistic. Cavaliers make ideal pets, especially for families and/or people with a limited amount of space. They do not bark a lot, and their tails are nearly always wagging. They are happy to play in a small garden, provided you take them for regular walks, but if kept fit, they are well able to run along beside you for miles. Their instinctive reaction when they see people or other dogs approaching is to wag their tails even more furiously, and run over to say “Hello” to the newcomers. Unlike other breeds who may adopt a defensive or even a slightly aggressive attitude, Cavaliers love and trust everybody. This is why they are especially suitable for families because not only can they be trusted to play safely with your children, but equally important, they can be trusted around your children’s friends. However, they do crave human company and are unhappy if left alone for too long. Neither are they good at coping with cold, damp conditions, so they need to be kept indoors, especially at night. If you are out all day, or if you do not intend to bring a dog into the house, then a Cavalier is not for you.
In appearance, Cavaliers are small, sturdy dogs with luxurious coats, long ears and slightly protruding eyes. There are four standard colour variations: Blenheim, (the traditional chestnut and white), Tricolour (mainly black and white, with specific chestnut markings), Black and Tan or pure Ruby. They do need to be brushed on a regular basis, otherwise knots will form in their coats, especially behind the ears. But spend a few minutes every day or even every second day, and that can be avoided. Another advantage is that they are very economical space-wise, as they are ‘Stackers’. That is, when resting they like to lie on top of each other, or on top of any another dog (or cat or whoever is available). They do not all need separate beds, they prefer to lie in one glorious tangled heap of bodies, heads and legs protruding at every angle, everybody keeping everybody else warm and happy.
Contrary to what many people believe, Cavaliers are NOT stupid, especially where their own little person is concerned! They can discover within a nano-second which is the warmest and most comfortable spot in any house, e.g. on the rug right in front of the fire, on your lap, or snuggled up against a cushion on the sofa. They know exactly how to wind you around their little paw, gazing at you with their beautiful, soulful, spaniel-eyes, telling you that you are the most wonderful person in the world, and they will love you eternally. The fact that within five minutes they can be on someone else’s lap, gazing into someone else’s eyes and saying exactly the same thing, with an equal amount of sincerity, is completely beside the point. They really mean it while they are saying it, and that is what matters.
Cavaliers are willing pupils, and relatively easy to train. Having once learned what it is you want them to do, they will happily continue doing it for the rest of their lives. With patience, they can be taught to compete in Obedience or Agility competitions, which can be enormous fun for both dog and handler. However, do remember that nowadays Cavaliers are not bred to do serious work. No, they are ladies and gentlemen of leisure, they like to play, to be petted and to lie around looking beautiful. So do not expect a Cavalier to herd sheep, or to defend your property against all comers. Yes, they will bark with excitement if an intruder appears, and this might alert you that something is amiss. But then, far from acting in a threatening fashion, a Cavalier will greet the invader with wagging tail, and assist in packing the family silver into bags marked SWAG.
Drawbacks? Well as with any breed, there are a few, but thankfully very few. Some of them tend to develop a weak heart as they get older, and they can be prone to putting on weight. However, as with their human owners, putting on weight can be avoided by feeding less and exercising more. Many live to 13 or 14 years of age, and while in later years, their bodies may not move as quickly as their minds, they remain totally oblivious to the advances of time, and will cheerfully carry on as if nothing had changed. One last warning though: they often snore: and it is not a soft, gentle, purring snore, but a rip-roaring snort akin to somebody starting up an elderly tractor at the far side of the bedroom. I have often wondered how one small body can produce so much noise, but produce it they do!
I have been lucky enough to have shared my life with several Cavaliers and have enjoyed every single minute of their company. It would be impossible to be cross with a Cavalier, but then, they seldom do anything that could possibly annoy you. If you are getting a Cavalier pup, do as you would with any other pedigree dog: buy from a reputable breeder, bring the pup to your own vet immediately to have it checked out, and then, relax and enjoy the happiness which comes with living with one of these marvellous little dogs.
by Miranda Moriarty
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