Is the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel a good breed for inexperienced dog owners to own?

Answer 1

Generally, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a good breed for inexperienced dog owners to own if they are looking for a small dog that is friendly and affectionate.

The Cavalier's small size makes it an excellent apartment pet as long as it is taken for a walk daily. Its exercise requirement is adaptable, and is content with long walks too.

The Cavalier is also a dog that is friendly and gentle-natured, so it is suitable as a companion animal for children and families as long as they are handled in the right way. It also gets along with other dogs and animals well. *

This breed is also eager to please, easy to train and is an attentive learner. It is very responsive to both commands and praise. *

Besides, the Cavalier is a very affectionate dog. It's a tail wagging, happy creature that is happy to snuggle with you any day. Its small size and soft coat also makes it nice to cuddle. *

Moreover, the Cavalier is a beautiful dog with a sleek coat that comes in many colours. Its feathering gives its appearance a nice touch, and this breed has bright, large, intelligent-looking eyes.

Of course, the Cavalier is not for everyone. If you are not committed to brushing your dog regularly, then this is not the right breed for you as its longhaired coat needs maintenance. The Cavalier is also a heavy shedder and may not be suitable for people allergic to dogs.

The Cavalier is also prone to separation anxiety, which may lead to destructiveness and barking when left alone. A Cavalier that is from bad lines or is not socialised enough may also be timid or shy around people. This breed also has strong chasing instincts and needs to be fenced in or kept on a leash.

The Cavalier can also suffer from serious health problems and a number of genetic defects, which will lead to a shorter life span. So if you're buying a Cavalier from a breeder, it is important to check whether it comes from lines with genetic defects.

* Dogs of the same breed can have very different temperaments. The temperament description is only based on what a majority of Afghan Hounds are like.

Answer 2

No. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is not suited as a watch-dog.

Watch-dogs are large, protective, athletic and somewhat aggressive.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are small, friendly, somewhat lazy and generally harmless.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniels were bred as lapdogs for the royalty and rich in the past. The most famous royal owner is King Charles II of England, the second most popular British monarch of all time, whom the dogs are named after (King Charles II lived during the time of the Cavaliers in England).

A lapdog is a dog that basically follows the owner around and is more of a status and identity thing than a protection thing, because if you could afford one back then, you were very rich. Lapdogs were also used to sit on people's laps in the winter to keep them warm, or to sit at the bottom of a bed to keep your feet warm in the night.

Cavaliers are far too friendly to be a watch-dog. They are extremely harmless and, if raised correctly, absolutely love people. Their mouths and teeth are also too small to do any damage to an intruder. If you had a burglar, your Cavalier would most likely greet them with friendly sniffs and licks.

Cavaliers are great family dogs since they love people, children most of all. A watch-dog would snap at a child if the child pulled on its ears, making them dangerous around children. While a Cavalier will just sit there and accept that the child is being playful.

Answer 3

We have a cavalier that is 15 months old. She has become to best dog someone could ask for. But house breaking her was a little difficult.

Answer 4

Yes, it's small enough to be well considered a lapdog.