Monday, January 13, 2003 - 11:32 PM
What historical importance do Cavaliers have? I think you need to know the disposition of a Cavalier, his traits and habits. This could be what your looking for.The Cavalier should weigh between 13 and 18 pounds and should be around 12 to 13 inches tall at the shoulder. They have large, round, dark brown eyes and long, silky hair on their ears, bellies and legs, which does not need professional grooming.
Cavaliers Come In Four Colors:
Red and White -- officially called Blenheim (this color is named for the famous Blenheim palace in England where they wereoriginally bred by the Dukes of Marlborough - the family of Winston Churchill).
Tricolor -- black and white with tan spots on the eyebrows, cheekbones, and under the ears and tail.
Ruby -- a rich, solid red with no white.
Black and tan -- a solid black dog with tan on the eyebrows, cheekbones, nose, under chin and on the chest, down all legs, and under the ears. There should be no white on this Cavalier.
The Cavalier is a small and charming that dates back to the early 1600's. Although primarily for the royal families of Europe, the Cavalier has strong sporting roots. Because of this, they will chase anything that moves with total disregard for their well being -- with potential tragic results. They MUST have a fenced yard. They are gentle and easy to train in all other respects, and is an excellent and trustworthy companion for children. Cavaliers are good with others.
The Cavalier is adaptable in their need for exercise and will be happy either snoozing by the fire with its owner or taking three-mile walks across country in any weather. The Cavalier has hair much like that of such as the Golden Retriever. It should be straight and silky - and never need trimming; only regular brushing.
Cavaliers are fun to show but are also excellent in obedience and agility competitors if taught with positive training methods. Cavaliers make wonderful therapy and delight those who wait in nursing homes and healthcare centers for their periodic visits to share warm cuddles and kisses.
Their joyous nature and need to share their lives with their families mean that they do not do well when left alone for long periods and they are DEFINITELY HOUSE LOVING.
They are basically healthy, but have a few few, but important health concerns.
Another area of concern is luxating patellas (slipping kneecaps). This is a condition when the knee is not stable and can cause lameness. Luckily Cavaliers with good bone and healthy parents generally are not a candidate for this problem.
Stores and Cavalier Brokers are generally NOT the best place to buy a Cavalier. Many times the Cavaliers in stores are from mills. These are sad places where sad, abused Cavaliers are kept in small pens and they are produced with no regard for the health, temperament, or well being of their mother or other Cavaliers..
These Cavaliers lead miserable lives of neglect and are usually discarded or killed when they can no longer produce or make money. Their babies are torn from them at too early an age and are crammed into tiny crowded shipping cages where many will die before they reach their destination. Because of these conditions, Cavaliers bought from these sources often have neither the health nor the temperament that is "true Cavalier".
Breeders who have been involved in Cavaliers for many years and who are members of the Parent Club and adhere to the Code of Ethics work hard to produce healthy, happy Cavaliers that they want to place
in the best possible homes.
'Backyard breeder' is a term used by these careful breeders for those who do not have the experience or the knowledge necessary, and who often produce Cavaliers primarily for profit -- rarely doing health checks. You are likely to encounter this type of breeder because of the current surge of popularity of the breed. Be careful of responding to any ads for Cavaliers, including ads in newspapers, magazines, and on the Internet, since most careful and established breeders do not need to advertise.
How do you find the healthy, typical Cavalier for you? The best way is from the list of ethical breeders on the Parent Club. Please remember that these folks are NOT commercial breeders who are interested in "selling" you the breed or one of their Cavaliers. They are volunteers committed to the welfare of Cavaliers in general and our breed in particular, and their major concern is the happy placement of Cavaliers. -- not the commercialization of our breed for fame or profit.
I can see some similarity between a Cavalier and a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
FMM 70's
