Cavalier Dogs As Pets For Families

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Taking Care Of Cavalier Dogs As Pets

Due to their charming nature, people also prefer and adopt Cavalier dogs as pets for their homes. They are often seen as loving, frisky, and brilliant canines, taken care of as members of the family. Also, because of their small size and long hair that doesn’t shed, they are pets that are easy to care for. Hence, with their adorable and practical character, a lot of folks don’t hesitate to get one. Yet are they indeed worthy to keep as our four-legged companions?

In this article, we’re going to know more about the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel pet dog. We’ll see what makes them special as furry friends and lively creatures. So keep reading to understand this breed.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Pet Dog History

Classified as toy dogs today, this breed was for hunting due to the agile frames of the pooches. Folks believe that it came from the English Toy Spaniels of the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries. The name of the breed is as such since it’s taken from King Charles II. It’s said that the former king of Great Britain named them as such to honor the Cavaliers of the English Civil Wars. Also, he was so fond of spaniels back then that he brought them with him often. As time went by, the dogs changed their appearance. This was when the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel pet dog came to be. In the 1920s, folks differentiated it from King Charles Spaniel. So it’s a unique breed that has a rich backstory to it.

With its popularity, the canine strain gained recognition in the United Kingdom. That would be from the British Kennel Club in 1945. With its fame in North America, the American KenneClub also identified it as a breed in 1995. In a fame ranking of 2021, it ranked number 15. Hence, many treat the breed as their pet of choice ages ago and up to the present. It’s likely common for many households to have a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

What Sets Apart Cavalier Dogs As Pets

Like the King Charles Spaniel breed, there’s a distinction in the look of the Cavalier pooch. Its presence gives an aura of courtliness and sophistication. Compared to the English Toy Spaniel or Charlie, it is often friendlier and sporty. After all, the former is quite notable for its self-contained, gentle, and loving nature. Cavaliers are also bigger than Charlies but are small dogs in general. Plus, they have flatter heads and longer noses, straighter coats, and never have a docked tail. So, due to these features, many find them attractive and are even considered favorites too.

One of the noteworthy attributes of Cavaliers is that they get along with humans and other dogs. With proper socialization, they are patient, friendly, and play with others. Given their size, energy, and personality, they also love frolicking outdoors. They can get dirty from chasing things and passing into tight spaces. Plus, they are fun to look at with their small stature. Weighing 13 to 18 pounds or 6 to 8 kilograms, males and females are about 30 to 33 cm or 12 to 13 inches tall. Still, unlike other pooches that shed, they don’t cast off a lot of their straight hair. Yet they need constant bathing, brushing, and trimming. That would be to deal with stains, debris, coat tangles, and long furs. After cutting, their coat grows back after two to three months. Hence, with their identity, our Cavaliers are also fascinating canine pets to take care of.

Cavalier Dogs As Pets For Children

Centuries ago, it was common to have a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel pet dog indoors. People made this breed as a lap dog too. But it’s clear why Cavaliers are excellent to have inside and for children to interact with. They are our four-legged pals that are not only friendly, attentive, and affectionate. This means that they are accommodating, trainable, and caring pooches. They wag their tails and even start jumping around when excited. Their cute look because of their big and round eyes plus floppy ears makes them irresistible too. Even if they get distracted sometimes, it isn’t difficult to train them to follow orders and play nice. These pooches are eager to please and show concern for their owners and others. With these attributes, they are great to have around children.

Kids may be energetic but so are these furry friends of ours. As pups or grown dogs, they are sporty and love to run around. They even prefer playing fetch which can be most excellent for children. With supervision, they can be our kids’ playmates. They will stop roughhousing on command and never give a dull moment during playtime. These small spaniels don’t like solitude and make superb companions. Thus it isn’t only small children who will enjoy having them around. Even busy adults will make time to interact and have fun with them.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Pet Dog Health

Cavalier dogs as pets are not demanding but need regular medical care. Likely because of their physical structure, they are susceptible to having several conditions. For instance, they may have hereditary eye issues such as lens luxation and cataract. Due to their floppy ears, they could have middle-ear infections too. Also, they are bigger than the King Charles Spaniel breed. With that alone, these pooches may become overweight or obese. That may result to suffering joint and heart issues. Hip dysplasia and mitral valve heart disease may occur. Hence, you may need to visit a veterinary to check them. Also, owning this breed means making sure that it has quality nutrition. Part of its care involves providing enough time for physical activities too.

Depending on their genes and care, Cavaliers can live for about 9 to 14 years. Compared to the smaller English Toy Spaniel, it often has a shorter lifespan. With preventative or at least early treatment, they can live longer. So, like when caring for other dogs, tending to this breed requires consistency. Check up on your pet from time to time to see how it is and address issues before they become worse.

Cavalier Dogs As Pets That Obey

As obedient four-legged companions, Cavaliers are great. They often follow without question and move fast to orders. This doesn’t mean that they become robotic. Rather, it implies that they turn into trustworthy furry friends at home. They too become distracted by certain things that catch their attention. So, even if they are often cooperative, training them is necessary to make them obedient. To train them to do what you say or heed rules, let them attend an obedience class or train them yourself. Using rewards for positive reinforcement usually works to educate them. Thus teaching them won’t be difficult but may take some time.

According to a website, they have average intelligence. It’s great that such is the case because it means that they have what it takes to pick up commands and follow them. You may have to do many repetitions for them to get what you mean but at least it isn’t impossible to teach them. Because a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel pet dog is trainable, it makes them safe canines to keep. After all, you can tell them to act a certain way or do specific tasks to avoid troubles like emergencies. Hence, it’s unlikely that you’re going to have issues getting Cavaliers to obey.

Cavalier Dogs As Pets To Guard Homes

Due to their friendliness and small structure, it may not be wise to make them your watchdogs. A Cavalier King Charles Spaniel pet dog may mistake intruders as regular visitors. They may also cower when they get afraid of people or specific things. Plus, as small dogs, they do not bark often. But, like most of our four-legged friends, they too have protective tendencies. So they are still reliable as indoor companions somehow.

Even if they have a strong sense of smell, they may lose their sense of hearing early. As pointed out earlier, they are susceptible to ear problems due to their floppy ears. Also, when it comes to biting, these animals aren’t usually aggressive. When raised right, they often only show aggression when they get defensive. They bare their teeth and bite as their response to fear yet they can also do these out of boredom. So, given that they are least likely to bark and bite, they don’t make excellent guard dogs. Yet this doesn’t equate to them being unreliable. It’s only that they aren’t as aggressive as other canines.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Pet Dog Care

Cavalier dogs as pets compel owners to make time for canine care and training. Like other pooches, Cavaliers also need attention and supervision. Owners need to make sure that they’re eating, socializing, and resting right. From birth, they must have enough calories and nutrients in their diet. Plus, it’s important to provide them with a space or crate where they could relax, have privacy, and feel safe. As soon as they’re in the house, begin toilet training. Still, when they reach six months old, it’s time to teach them simple commands. Teach them commands like sit, down, come, and no first, and then try heel and off after that. So they don’t need a lot of maintenance as pets but must undergo basic care and lessons.

As said, the Cavaliers are bigger than Charlies and need to move often for weight management. Take them for daily walks that last for almost an hour. This helps keep pooches active and burn excess calories. Also, it aids in keeping their mental health well by letting them socialize and unwind. With their long fur, they must have regular brushing to get most if not all tangles straightened or off. The kind of grooming that involves trimming helps too. Still, like most dogs, they have to get vaccinated, checked for parasites, and treated when sick. Thus Cavaliers need as much care as most low-maintenance canines do.

Long Story Short

Cavalier dogs as pets are great and their qualities tell why people have been taking care of them for years. They have interesting and unique features that stand out from other breeds. They are also good with children as family members. Yet they can also suffer specific diseases which need special treatment. Still, they are convenient to care for since they respond to education and are obedient. But, somehow, they may demand attention. So, if you can provide them with time and care, they are excellent pooches for you.

Research this breed if you wish to care for a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel pet dog. Also, we hope that this post made you understand this furry friend of ours better. Thanks for reading and please tell us about your ideas about the Cavalier dogs.

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