We got another batch of pictures today. The puppies are about 3 weeks old now, their little eyes are open, they are wobbling around and starting to interact with one another. I wish she didn’t live so far away from us (3-4 hour drive one way). She has invited us to come for a visit so we are hoping to do that in the next few weeks if the winter weather cooperates.
I’ve had the pleasure of being involved with 7 litters of Golden/Lab cross puppies from birth until they were placed in homes. I would spend hours just watching them and smooching their little fat warm bodies.
There is no smell better than the smell of puppy breath. I can almost smell it now………
Although both breeders were excellent, we have decided to go with the breeder from Alberta because she was the first one to get back to us. In fact she responded to my email the day I sent it. Talk about good customer service.
Cavies have on average 3-4 puppies per litter . This breeder was incredibly lucky because her first bitch had 6 puppies on December 22nd and her second had 7 puppies on Christmas day. They are all Ruby babies but a few of them do have the odd white spot. She likes to pick the puppies for her clients based on the needs/wants of each client. She knows the puppies best so she can help make the perfect match.
We mailed our deposit this morning hoping that it would get to her before all the female puppies were spoken for. I am secretly hoping that we get a little girl with a white spot but truthfully I wouldn’t be disappointed with any puppy. We received an email full of pictures today. They are soooooo cute!
I am embarrassed to admit that I have already picked a name for our Cavalier King Charles Spaniel……before we even have one. I am hoping to call her Tilly. The reason I say “hoping” is because I generally prefer to meet the puppy before giving them a name. It is nice to get a feel for their personality to make sure that the name you pick is a good fit. I do have a couple of other options on my list just in case Tilly really doesn’t suit her. What do you think of Paisley or perhaps Kahlo?
We have chosen our breed, now comes the big task of finding a breeder. For me, finding the right breeder is almost as important as finding the right breed. A good breeder makes sure that they only breed the best of the best. Their breeding stock has thorough health evaluations and their puppies are well socialized before they go to their new homes. I want a breeder who wants to know as much as possible about the people who want to adopt their puppies. Ideally adoptive families should have to sign contracts to make sure that if they no longer want the puppy, it must be returned to the breeder and not abandoned on the street or surrendered to a shelter.
I looked up breeders on the Dogs in Canada and CKC websites. I also got in contact with people who have Cavies and asked about their breeders. I contacted two breeders in Alberta and one in Saskatchewan. I quickly eliminated one of the Alberta breeders. She never asked one question about us or our lifestyle and she said she didn’t do any health testing of her breeding stock. I was very impressed with both of the remaining breeders. They clearly loved their dogs and asked me a lot of questions to make sure that they were satisfied that their puppy was going to the right home. These are the kind of breeders I want to support. It is going to be hard to choose one breeder…..I wish we could get a puppy from each one. Regardless of which breeder we go with, I will definitely recommend both of them to anyone who is interested in adding a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel to their family.
Over the last 2 months I’ve googled, spent hours on YouTube and done research at the library. The good news is that I think I have found the perfect breed for us. The more I read about them, the more I am sure that we have made the right decision. We have chosen the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (CKCS). Its personality reminds me of a Golden Retriever. Now I know that they are a different breed but they do share so many similarities that I know that we are going to be a perfect match.
This is how the Canadian Kennel Club descibes a Cavalier King Charles Spaniels:
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a much-admired Royal Spaniel. Descended from the Toy Spaniels of Europe, the breed was variously known as the “comforter” or “Spaniel Gentle” and first appeared in the courts of England with the reign of Queen Mary I. The breed, which appears in many of the great paintings of the Masters, received its name from King Charles II. It became virtually extinct in the Victorian and Edwardian eras, as short-nosed breeds took the fore. By 1923 the King Charles Spaniel (today’s English Toy) with its flat nose had replaced the old-type Toy Spaniel. In 1926 the incentive for the revitalization of the old-type Toy Spaniel was provided by Mr. Roswell Eldridge, an American who offered prizes of 25 pounds for the Best Dog and Best Bitch of this type at Crufts. The name Cavalier was added when the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club was founded in 1928 to further develop the breed. It was not until 1945 that The Kennel Club (England) granted separate registration from the King Charles. The popularity of these companion dogs has spread around the world and in 1957 the breed gained Canadian Kennel Club recognition.
General Appearance
An active, graceful, well-balanced dog, very gay, and free in action.
Temperament Fearless and sporting in character yet at the same time gentle and affectionate.
Size Height 30-33 cm (12-13 inches). Weight proportionate to height 5 – 8 kg (12-18 lbs.). Slight variations permissible. Feathering on ears, legs and tail should be long, and the feathering on the feet is a feature of the breed.
If you want to learn more about the CKCS here are a couple of great YouTube videos :
it would be nice if we didn’t need to go to the groomer every 4-6 weeks for a trim
a breed that will excel at pet therapy
Reviewing my list, I just realized that basically, what we are looking for is a dog with a personality similar to that of a Golden Retriever just in a smaller package. Now the test is to see which breeds best match our criteria and then make a decision.
It has been more than 6 months since we said good bye to our last foster puppy and it has been over a year since our little, sweet Shih Tzu went to puppy heaven. I’m feeling the overwhelming need to add a four-legged member to our household. Although we have our 9 year old Golden Retriever who is the love of my life (if he were human I would call him my soul mate) and a beautiful 6 year old German Shepherd, I miss having a small, cuddly lap dog. Initially I thought that it would be great to go back to our breeder and get another Shih Tzu but I quickly realized that I wasn’t ready to share our life with another Shih Tzu so soon after Ming going to puppy heaven.
The hunt is on to find a breed that will fit into our lives and work well with our current 4-legged companions. I have also been thinking about getting involved with Pet Therapy so that will have a major impact on our breed decision.
Life In The Dog House 