Cavaliers are wonderful family pets. They have no more health issues than any other breed of dog. They are prone to hip and knee problems, as well as MVD (heart) and syringohydromyelia. The syringo, a condition where the dog’s head is not not large enough for its brain, is showing up more and more as people get MRIs for their dogs. The disease was featured prominently on the BBC special last year, Pedigree Dogs Exposed.

I have four Cavaliers and I have to brush them at least three times a week, and I use a shedding tool remove the dead undercoat. Unlike some dogs, Cavaliers do not go through a spring and fall coat shedding, they do it all year long. With regular brushing and a bath at least once a month, your dog will be fine. And in response to the person who said take them to the groomers occasionally for a trim, the CKCS breed standard does not allow the dogs coat to be trimmed in any way. They do allow trimming the hair between the pads of the feet. Not that the trimming matters in a pet dog, but they’re so beautiful with their long shining coats, why would you ever want to cut it.

I’m not sure what testing is suggested in England, but here in America it is recommended that both parents be certified heart clear by a cardiologist, not a general services vet, have their hips and knees cleared by a specialist and their eyes by an opthalmologist. And make sure you see these clearances yourself, not just take the breeders word that they were done.

Good luck in finding a puppy.

I have a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.His name is Charlie and he’s a sweetie. According to my expirience with the breed they are excellent with children and elderly. My dog adores my little sister (6 years old) and my grandmother (68 years old). He wouldnt harm a fly and he has never bitten anyone. He also has a very calm personality but at the same times loves to fetch. I hope this answers your question but if you have any additional questions please be sure to email me through my profile!

Best of Wishes!
Cavalier Gal

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CKC Spaniels tend to be very friendly and affectionate. I would say a slow paced daily walk would be fine unless the individual dog is overly hyper. They do tend to need a bit of grooming - a quick brush through their fur every morning and (if needed) evening, maybe some professional clipping every so often to even things out.

Friendliness towards strangers, aggression, etc are all dependent on the owner and how they deal with behaviors as well as how often they bring the dog out to socialize. If you and your gran bring the dog out to meet people and other dogs on a regular basis (maybe even attend a couple of basic training classes) then the dog should be just fine with other people and dogs. If you keep it in the house and don’t introduce it to new things, chances are it will not be as friendly and may become fearful or protective (which isn’t good.)

I don’t think you or your gran would have a problem if you guys adopt an older dog form a breed rescue (or even buy an older dog from a breeder.) Gran should remember that as the adult, she is responsible for the dog’s care - even if you have chores, she will get the pitfall if you don’t do them.

Please be sure she has enough money - dogs are expensive and emergencies can easily cost $1,000 or more. Please be sure that the main caregiver is also physically able to handle and walk the dog.

sounds like a good dog for you. They are very friendly and affectionate, easy to feed and quite happy to be house dogs. They are very energetic as puppies but if you are exercising it a reasonable amoun (they dont need an awful lot of exercise) then it should be pretty settled around the house. It would probably be a good compromise for you- it will be energietic enough to enjoy a good rough tumble with you (they love to play) but also good natured enough to cuddle up on the sofa with your gran because they love their cuddles too lol. You’ll have to be consistent with training though, especially house training because they can be a bit scatty although they settle down after a few years!

They are not known to be aggressive, but they need a moderate amount of exercise. Maybe two half hour walks a day to make it the happiest it could be. However any dog can be aggressive, you would still need to properly socialise it and train it as you would any dog so that it is under your control. Even though the breed is known to be friendly, if it does not receive training and leadership it could still bite someone or another dog, any dog can.

I think a Cav would be a excellent dog for you. I own one right now and they are very happy, smart, and VERY friendly dogs. They do need exercise like most animals do. But they are not highly energetic. I’m planning on doing agility training with mine. He just turned a year last month. But Cav’s LOVE and I mean LOVE people. You want to be careful though who you get your Cav from. They can have several health problems including heart, back and eye problems so do your homework first. Make sure the parents have had and PASSED their health exams and that most of the relatives have been relatively healthy and had a good life span. I would go to the AKC website and look for breeders there

Yes. CKC Spaniels are known to be very friendly.