Cavalier King Charles Spaniel - a grateful prankster
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a graceful, cheerful, non-aggressive dog. He has a gentle, friendly and kind disposition which makes him an excellent family dog for companionship.
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel - a grateful prankster
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel - breed description
Cavalier king is a small dog with fine hair, beautiful dark eyes and long ears. Cynologists say that the cavalier is a miniature spaniel. According to the official breed standard - FCI No. 136, an adult Cavalier King Charles Spaniel should weigh between 5,9 and 8,2 kg. This reference weight applies to both males and females. The ideal size of an adult cavalier, measured at its withers, is between 30 and 33 cm.
The silhouette of dogs of this breed is typical for a group of spaniels. They are characterized by a compact and muscular build and exceptionally long hair on the ears. Cavaliers are famous for their extraordinary beauty. They have large, very dark eyes and smooth, abundant, slightly wavy hair. The cavalier breed standard does not allow too large curls. This dog may only have tassels on the ears and the so-called feathers on all feet and tail. These features contribute to the high popularity of the breed. Cavalier king can come in several colors: black and tan, tricolor, blenheim (white-red) and ruby. The most popular are tricolor and black males, and these are the most common ones in breeding farms.
Suggested sizes and widths of accessories for this breed of dog:
Here are the suggested sizes for adult dogs of this breed. They were selected on the basis of many years of experience in sewing accessories and the most common choices of other dog owners of this breed. Remember, only measuring will give you 100% certainty - every dog is different.
Character
Dogs from the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel family are cheerful, very loyal, devoted and obedient to their guardian. They do not show dominant features or aggression. They exude a cheerful disposition, trust and a friendly attitude towards the environment. All these features make them ideal dogs for the whole family. They can hardly endure loneliness and need close contact with their household members. When the guardian is away from home for a long time, he should provide his pet with company. A companion of the same breed or a different animal will work well.
Cavaliers, like other spaniels, require a lot of exercise. They are lively and in order to discharge excess energy, it is worth organizing various forms of fun for them. Dogs of this breed are easy to adapt to new conditions. They will be happy to accompany us on our journey and will show satisfaction with every activity, this one leash and the one without it. During the day, they lead both a vigorous and peaceful life. Walking with their guardian, they burst with vigor, and when at home, they like to lie in the armchair. Cavaliers are not noisy dogs, but like any other representative of this species, they show a defensive instinct to protect their territory.
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel - nutrition
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is greedy and has a predisposition to obesity. For this reason, he should be given measured portions of meals at certain times of the day. The most advisable form of feeding a dog of this breed is the use of ready-made dry food. Of course, it is more attractive for our pet to feed him with wet food, but it is less popular among the owners of this breed. Both forms of nutrition can be used, but with the appropriate composition of meals. As cavalier king is lively and active, its menu should contain more protein, especially during the growing season. An older and less active dog requires less protein and fat, so consider this when choosing a food.
You can also decide on the so-called BARF diet (raw meat, offal with added vegetables), which, according to its supporters, optimally meets the needs of dogs. In addition, it should be taken into account that each type of diet requires supplementation of vitamins and microelements, adequately to the age, health and activity of the pet.
Skills
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is basically a hunting dog and it has played such a role in the past. During bird hunts, these little spaniels were used for hunting and retrieving. Their impressive appearance, gentle character and friendly disposition made cavaliers the pets of the aristocracy. Later they moved to salons where they acted as companion dogs. It has remained so to this day, but the hunting instinct has remained.
Dogs of this breed perfectly cope with various sports activities. They work well on the agility track and you can easily train obedience and dance with them. Cavaliers are ideal for dog therapy with handicapped children. They can also be used as visiting dogs in hospitals or nursing homes.
Training and upbringing
It should be emphasized that this breed has a very sensitive psyche and does not tolerate the explosive behavior of the owner and the screams of the household members. Experts indicate that it is best to train cavaliers with the use of positive reinforcements, maintaining consistency and patience. Despite the fact that this dog is submissive by nature, the excessive indulgence of the guardian will be quickly used by the cavalier. It is recommended that a young dog be led on a leash, especially in busy areas. A young cavalier may turn out to be an unruly individualist or, when he gets scared, he may run away and not react to the owner's call.
Care
Cavalier requires systematic care, although it is not too difficult. Although the dog of this breed loses its hair all year round, it can be easily removed because it is delicate and soft. The pet should be combed at least once a week with a box brush or metal comb. The hair on the ears and groin, where it can form tangles, should be especially taken care of. We comb them gently, parting the hair with your fingers. After a walk in the forest, in fields or meadows, we should remove the troublesome turnips, sticks and seeds from the garment of our four-legged friend.
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel dogs are rarely bathed and only in shampoos designed for dogs with long and delicate hair. You can also use a special conditioner and balm for this purpose. After the bath, dry the dog's hair gently with a towel, assisted by a stream of warm air from the dryer. At the same time, we comb the hair in the direction of hair growth.
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel - its advantages and disadvantages
Disadvantages
- requires constant care
- he sometimes collects food scraps
- she has a delicate psyche
- he is too trusting, which is sometimes troublesome for him
Advantages
- nice, outgoing, easy to get attached to the owner
- likes playing with children
- non-conflict
- gentle and trusting towards people and animals
- likes sports challenges
- easily adapts to new conditions
- little noisy
