About the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
The most adaptable temperament we know
Cavaliers slot into almost any household. They will hike if you hike and nap if you nap. They get on with other dogs, with cats, with children and with strangers, and they carry almost no guarding instinct at all — which makes them a wonderful companion and a useless watchdog.
Honest talk about health and shedding
Two things separate Cavaliers from the doodle crosses on this site. First, they do shed — the silky coat is beautiful, but it is not a low-allergen coat, so if allergies are your reason for shopping, look at a Cavapoo instead.
Second, the breed carries well-documented heart risk (mitral valve disease) and neurological risk (syringomyelia). Cardiac screening of parent dogs matters enormously here, and so does annual veterinary follow-up for the life of the dog. We would rather tell you that plainly up front than have you learn it at year five.
Is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel right for you?
A great fit for
- Families with children
- Seniors
- Multi-pet homes
- First-time owners
Think twice if
- You need a low-shedding coat
- You want a guard dog