Decisions, Guidence, about getting an older Cavalier vs. a younger one

When Ella was first diagnosed, instead of offering to pay for surgery, her breeder offered another Cavalier puppy when the time was right. Her puppies are about $2500 and granted at the time she was not scanning, she does have pretty good health records on heart. I wrote a blog recently about how you can not put a price on health, which I believe. I do not have a lot of money and I'm still having to pay for Ella's debt, so I know I will only get a rescue or not spend money on a puppy whose breeder does not do all health tests.

Margaret said in a previous post about older dogs. If I got a puppy, I would have to worry about SM (if she did not screen and even if she did unless A to A- I think there is still a chance) and other health issues. I really don't want a puppy and when I say "older dog" I mean one that is over 1. So I asked my breeder and she has Tiffany that she is going to place.

Tiffany is 6 years old and related to Ella's mother. I think of SM showing signs the majority of the time before 4 and I also know that Ella has some SM genes on fathers side. She has not been scanned. She just had a litter so I can check OFA to see her heart, patella, etc. records because her breeder does that before she breeds a dog. If she is six and a clear heart, then good I guess. I can visit her and see if she displays any SM symptoms. That is about all I could do besides having her scanned which I don't see the point if she is no longer breeding and not showing any signs.

I think about her being older than Ella and the fact that she has had litters. I don't think very many by but are there health issues with dogs that have been breed?

That's one thing. If I was offered a "free" puppy, I hate to say it but I might want one a little younger. I really want to talk to her. I almost would like to offer to pay to have one of her Cavaliers go to LIVS to be Scanned and wait for one of those puppies. I would save money and pay for that. I don't know how to do that but I also think there is something being offered closer to me that I can not post yet.

I think she breeds her dogs later in life (which is good) so but I think Ella needs someone just a little younger.

At a dog show, I met some breeders in a regional club I respect and they talked about me wanting a puppy and if I would show. I don't really care for that, but I know there is a male breeder in the club with an A stud. The other members were going to get their dogs scanned. Like someone said, if they do have puppies they would go for a pretty penny if they are bought as a pet, be used for show, or kept for breeding. I don't care about showing or breeding. I just want a companion for Ella.

Rescue, there is a 5 year old that is cute but has "skin allergies". I can't help to be scared of this one. I have read some that are available and some already have heart issues or can not be around other dogs. Plus, I would still be paying an adoption fee that would be similar to the amount of paying for an MRI (for a breeder). There are low cost MRI's for breeders available but unfortunately they are quite expensive for a pet owner.

I am in no hurry, but i want to think about these things. Thanks for any insight again. I am going to a dog show in January near where she is and I want to be able to talk about some choices.

Also, I was concerned about what someone posted on the thread about if the Cavalier Breed can be saved. She said that breeders in the US do not send the results and this raises red flags.

I hate that, but if Dr. Marino at LIVS says he is following Dr. Rusbridge SM grading, I don't think he would alter it. I am not sure any neurologisit would alter the documents but are you saying the actual breeders would? That is very curious that they are not sending the results. I overheard one person ask my friend what "grade" her cavalier was. My other breeder friend said she doesn't see the point because she could not possible breed her and say my cavalier has SM but here you go.... Her 2 girls are spade and she no longer breeds right now. I think she is waiting for the low cost scanning in the works and praying the other girl will be an A.

So after what people said, there are people that are waiting and when they could not afford the $1000 for the "low cost" scan in my state, she did not breed her. Like Margaret said, If it is too expensive and you can not afford it, then do not breed. Now after fighting and waiting, I heard something positive and they might have found some place to open up to them. If they don't breed, then things have a way of becoming available:xfngr:

In my family, most of our cavaliers came to us as young puppies, but we've had a few adults and even a few older puppies. I like them all, just the same. I've said many times: I've never met a cavalier I didn't want to take home.

I think that in some instances, when an older dog has become used to a routine for, say, "pottying", it may be more likely to cease being housebroken when it comes to a new home with a different routine. So, housebreaking training may have to start all over again. But, of course, housebreaking puppies always is a first order of business.

Introducing a new dog to a household with a dog or two can be touchy. I think that it is easier to bring in a young puppy, but I have found that bringing a older bitch to a household of males is fairly easy, too. A new adult intact male could be risky, and I have never tried it.

Food transitions can be interesting for older dogs. We had one bitch who was around 2.5 years when she arrived from a breeder, and she had been fed kibble all her life. We feed raw meat and vegetables, so we gradually "transitioned" her from all kibble, by adding more and more meat (the first batches were ground and cooked) and ground vegetables. The first few days, she was so used to kibble that she would carefully pick out and eat each piece of kibble and leave all of the meat and vegetables. It took her a while to realize what she had been missing. Soon enough, though, she began go gobble all of the meat and vegetables, and on chicken neck days, she finished those off in short order, too.

Every cavalier is going to have health problems, and their life spans are all too finite. So, when you get an older dog, it will not have as much time left to spend with you, on average, than a puppy. And their health issues will appear sooner than will those of the typical puppy. But all cavaliers can be expensive to maintain healthwise, and I mean really expensive! We have access to wholesale accounts with several vendors of canine medications and holistic herbs and supplements, so that we can better afford the best products at discounted rates.

We also have several veterinarians as friends. (Yes, Veronica, I do have some friends.) We socialize with vets more than any other vocation. This past Thanksgiving dinner, we hosted three vets, one alopathic , one extremely holistic (a muscle tester -- applied kinesiologist), and one wild animal zoologist (at Disney's Animal Kingdom). Last Sunday, we went to dinner with three other vets. I'm not saying we get free veterinary care, but health issues invariably come up for discussion.

Bottom line: As I've said before, I've never met a cavalier I didn't want to take home.

Cavaliers are expensive. Trust me, just picked up one thing at vet, they all know me, now off to get other prescriptions. Lyrica is not cheap. Then I work so Ella used to go to daycare but I live (now) 5 minutes away so I cut that out and go hone at lunch.

Finding a new place to live has to be close to uptown (our downtown) etc.

That's why I posted this to get opinions.

I was offered a puppy in June, financially not right time, but sometimes no matter how much you want to take one home, you have to think of these expenses.

Thank you

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