# Finding a good breeder Cavalier king charles spaniel



## chelseals123 (Jan 18, 2014)

Hi all

Im new to this site. We are looking into getting a cavalier king Charles puppy in August of this year ( I will have 6 weeks off work at this time so can spend a lot of time training, vets visits etc) I work in a school down the road from me from 9-3.30. I come home for lunch and will be walking the dog during this time. 

Im struggling to find a good breeder in the south east of England ( we live in Reading, Berkshire) but willing to travel a reasonable distance for the right puppy. Champion blood lines are not important to us - this will be a family dog rather than a show dog. temperament and health however are both extremely important. 

Can anyone recommend anyone? And also some good questions to ask a breeder and some which I would expect a good breeder to ask me?

Thankyou to everyone in advance


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## rose (Apr 29, 2009)

I would look on champ dogs . I have had 7 cavaliers only 2 left now though 
They are amazing darling dogs. They do have a lot of health problems, mitral valve disease, luxating patellas and one that I can never spell spy.........ola
Which affects the neck and spine. Make sure the parents are health tested and you see the mother. Cavaliers are bred profusely in puppy farms due to their small size and gentle temperaments, never buy if you are not 100% sure the puppies were born in the place they are being sold from. I hope you find a reputable breeder and get an adorable little pup! Good luck in your search!


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## Meezey (Jan 29, 2013)

chelseals123 said:


> Hi all
> 
> Im new to this site. We are looking into getting a cavalier king Charles puppy in August of this year ( I will have 6 weeks off work at this time so can spend a lot of time training, vets visits etc) I work in a school down the road from me from 9-3.30. I come home for lunch and will be walking the dog during this time.
> 
> ...


Have a look at Champdogs, Kennel Club and breed clubs, while you might not be interested in a show dog, given the health problems this breed has it'll be a good starting point to find a breeder who goes over and above for the health and welfare of their dogs and also who breed for temperament as well as health.


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## Westy (Feb 19, 2013)

Make sure that whatever breeder you choose, both dam and sire have ALL the necessary health checks - eye, heart and syringomyelia scan. It will save your family a lot of grief later.
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club - Health Information


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## Rafa (Jun 18, 2012)

I owned a CKCS years ago. I got her from a lady in Kent called Jenny Hall. Her affix was Muffity.

The bitch I had lived to nearly sixteen and never suffered a day's illness in her life. She was a beautiful girl, with lots of bone and substance and her temperament was wonderful.

I don't know if Jenny still breeds, she used to show, but she may well be worth looking up.


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## Meezey (Jan 29, 2013)

Sweety said:


> I owned a CKCS years ago. I got her from a lady in Kent called Jenny Hall. Her affix was Muffity.
> 
> The bitch I had lived to nearly sixteen and never suffered a day's illness in her life. She was a beautiful girl, with lots of bone and substance and her temperament was wonderful.
> 
> I don't know if Jenny still breeds, she used to show, but she may well be worth looking up.


They have a website but can't see anything about health test on it?


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## ellenlouisepascoe (Jul 12, 2013)

You have to be overly cautious with cavaliers, even the ckcs club doesn't push for their members dogs to be health tested. I honestly wouldn't know where to begin  they're so riddled the poor little things, we've been lucky with Taz and he came from a puppy farm


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## Westy (Feb 19, 2013)

I had a Cavalier 30 years ago and there were few known problems then. Their heart and eye problems have been known for a while and good breeders have been testing for those for some years. 
Knowledge about syringomyelia is much more recent and the club does encourage its members to test before breeding, but it takes many years to get genes under control while trying to maintain other health issues and quality at the same time.


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## Hopeattheendofthetunnel (Jun 26, 2013)

Hi!

Have you already tried asking for guidance on breed specific forums?

I just did a google search with the search terms "King Charles Cavalier forum UK" and a whole bunch of sites came up. Here is an excerpt:

CavalierTalk: Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Board & Forum

cavalier king charles spaniels forum

Cavalier King Charles Spaniels in the UK

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club - Front Page

And many, many more!

Hopefully, their members can point you towards some good breeders - and, equally importantly, tell you who to stay well clear of.

Whilst I am not familiar with your breed - other than me finding KCS delightful dogs - the only advice I could give you is to ALWAYS check out a breeder and their dogs for yourself. In person, not just via mail. Never mind how glowing the recommendations. And well before you commit yourself to adopting a pup from that breeder.


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## dexter (Nov 29, 2008)

Southern Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club

the lady on here will help you xx


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## Taylorbaby (Jan 10, 2009)

I was going to say Champdogs to, sadly we gave up our search for a CKCS many years ago as everyone we contacted either didn't test or only 1 parent was tested  Not good enough for us! 

So please make sure both parents are health tested, good links above


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## ellenlouisepascoe (Jul 12, 2013)

Taylorbaby said:


> I was going to say Champdogs to, sadly we gave up our search for a CKCS many years ago as everyone we contacted either didn't test or only 1 parent was tested  Not good enough for us!
> 
> So please make sure both parents are health tested, good links above


I could never go out and get another one  I know people will continue too but when I did my research it horrified me into never wanting one of these amazing little dogs again.

Taz is a rescue, he lived with another CKCS who passed away at 6 years old due to Mitral valve disease


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

chelseals123 said:


> Hi all
> 
> Im new to this site. We are looking into getting a cavalier king Charles puppy in August of this year ( I will have 6 weeks off work at this time so can spend a lot of time training, vets visits etc) I work in a school down the road from me from 9-3.30. I come home for lunch and will be walking the dog during this time.
> 
> ...


One of the best if not the best site for information on CKC Spaniels is the one below Cavalier matters for both potential and existing owners, well worth a through read and should tell you everything you need to know especially regarding health problems and the specific tests that parents should under go prior to breeding. There is quite a few problems health wise in the cavalier and it is vital that you go to a reputable breeder who carries out the tests.

Cavalier Matters | Supporting Research, Rescue, and Reform

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel | Dog Breed Health

For general good advice on how to find a good breeder and what questions to ask the Dogs trust has good information on their website too.

Dogs Trust - Buying a Dog


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## Stellabella (Jan 8, 2009)

It is possible to find a CKCS from health tested parents, but very hard, as you've found! They are wonderful dogs - I have 3 (4 until last November) and am a occasional breeder, though not at the moment.

As well as the websites already mentioned, try the breed club puppy register for your area, they should know who is testing and once you get talking to breeders, they can be quite helpful in knowing who else has litters, who tests etc. Well some can, don't be put off by the less than helpful ones!

You know about asking about the health tests - parents should be eye clear (MRD/HC), and heart tested at 2.5 - no younger - with grandparents heart clear over 5. 
DNA testing for DE/CC and EF should have been done for both parents, and not more than one parent should be a carrier. If possible, the puppies may be DNA tested, and should be clear or carrier - neither will suffer from the diseases. Don't buy if both parents are carriers as some or even all of the litter could be affected. 

The ideal time for scanning for SM/CM is 3 years - and ideally both parents should be scanned. Some breeders still scan them very young, and while they may think it's better than nothing, it is still a gamble as it can develop later in life. 

You should take into account the ages of the parents - some are breeding as young as 18 months which is far too young, and any tests done at that age could really be disregarded as they don't follow any protocols. 2.5 is the minimum age for the heart tests, and until recently was the age at which it was recommended to scan for SM/CM, then it changed to 3 years.

Check with the Health Test result finder on the Kennel Club website too, once you find a litter, though at the mo, they only record eye, DNA and SM/CM tests if they have been done under the new scheme. Some breeders don't use the scheme though they still scan, this is fine - it's the result and the age of the dog that matters, so don't be put off - it's still genuine. Somewhere - I think it's on Cavalier Matters, there are sample MRI reports, so you can tell what they look like. You should ask for all relevant health certificates to be sent or emailed to you so you can have a good look to make sure they are all ok.

Remember though, health testing is no guarantee, but it's a good starting point, and not only gives you the best chance of finding a healthy pup, but it shows the breeders who don't test that there are savvy buyers out there pushing for it! Without it, we'll still be having this discussion in 20 years time!

I hope you find the puppy for you - I'm sure there's one out there! I'm looking myself and I have my name down with a few breeders who may be having litters any time up to next year, but it'll be worth the wait! Good luck!


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## houndog (Apr 14, 2012)

I cant stress enough how important health tests are. I have never had a CKCs but did lose a bedlington terrier at the age of 3 due to copper toxicosis (we were ignorant of any problems at the time). There is a lady who lives near me that has just lost 2 CKCs, one elderly but the other one was only 7 years old. She has had CKCs all her life and seems to accept that they have mega problems and may die young. Not sure I could accept it as par for the course.


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