New puppy

Hey

We are thinking of getting a cavalier and need some advice - is it a good idea to get one when we will both be at work all day (from approx 8.15 - 5.30)

Also, can they be left outside in the backgarden while we are out or are they predominantly a house dog?

Any advice you can give would be really appreciated.

Caroline

Hi Caroline - Welcome to the board. I know you will find all kinds of great information on owning and caring for a Cavalier here. Karlin has set up an entire section of this board solely for adding a Cavalier to your home here http://www.cavaliertalk.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?34-Cavalier-Information-Library There are sections that address whether Cavaliers can be left outside (the answer to that is a definite no. They are very much house dogs) and whether they are good left on their own all day (again, the answer to that is no as well. Cavaliers love their people and are not meant to be left home alone all day). But please read through the information Karlin has compiled to get a better understanding/

hi. i am new to the boards and also a new cav owner - she's 12 weeks. i did tons of research on this breed (about a year worth) and found that they are not a breed that does well alone. like you i wanted a cav, but i work a 8am to 6pm shift. i decided to get one anyway, knowing she'd be alone often, but also knowing i have other ways to help her with that. i have my much older and more mature dog to keep her company, i can spend all my free time, morning and evenings with her, i can take her to work sometimes and to daycare often, etc. so don't be deterred by wanting a cav but knowing you have a long day outside the home. just be extremely dedicated to giving the dog time and attention when you are home and making sure during the day you can have someone visit or something.

Personally I am very against having a Cavalier if you are out at work all day. They are bred to be the archetypal "lapdog" and definitely need human companionship, not just other dogs, in my view.

Same applies to keeping them outside - quite wrong for this breed in my opinion. If you look at the Cavaliers that come into the rescues, they are a very sad bunch and are often "given up" because of long working hours and being kept outside with little stimulation.

Please think again

Hi Caroline and welcome to the forum.
I would have to echo what has been written above, Cavaliers are most defintely 'people dogs', they really need human companionship and are miserable without it. They are also house dogs, and love their comfort. This isn't spoiling them - it's just the way they are. I was walking my dogs this morning in the park, and one of them - Trapper - was a bit relucant to walk. It was very damp and mucky. A lady passed us and muttered 'too posh to walk'. I was a bit indignant when I heard that, but it got me thinking - yes he probably is :lol: - he hates getting his feet wet - but that's just how it is. His ancestors were bred to be Royal companions and to sit on laps all day to keep them warm.
So, if you are looking for a dog that you can leave outside while you are at work, I sorry, but I don't think this is the right breed, it just wouldn't be fair on the dog.

Hi Caroline and welcome to the forum... I'm a new Cavalier owner myself and have found these folks to be not only a wealth of helpful information but also an incredibly dedicated, compassionate, and thoughtful bunch.

One of the things they told me about was Dr Dunbar's books on getting and raising a puppy. His advice is not breed-specific, and there are many useful tips in there on getting a dog to adjust to being alone a lot during the day. While I definitely wouldn't recommend that for a Cavalier, if you decide to get another type of dog, you might want to check out what he has to say.

http://www.dogstardaily.com/files/BEFORE You Get Your Puppy.pdf

Take your time with your decision and good luck!

Though I entirely agree that being left outside all day is not suitable for Cavaliers, I would question Charlifarley's idea that no Cavaliers like getting wet and muddy! My two - Oliver especially but Aled follows his lead - are water babies: into every stream/pond/pool and puddle, the muddier the better. And Oliver has done obedience rounds in the pouring rain looking like a drowned rat, and the judge commented in amazement 'His tail never stopped wagging!' (On the same day, I may say, some border collie owners withdrew their dogs 'because he/she won't work in the rain' - wonder how long they would last herding sheep on a Scottish hillside?!) But I am always careful to dry them off and not let them get chilled waiting around for buses - but that's necessary with any dog.

Kate, Oliver and Aled

Oops I better clarify - Trapper hates the rain and muck and water but my other cavalier Bosco loves it which goes to show they are all different lol.


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Hi, as a new cavalier owner myself, (Lucy is 8 months), I would say they are not a dog to be left. Lucy is very different from our other dog (malamute) and dogs in the past,as she craves human contact, and is fine for a few hours but any longer than that I feel she would really fret, even though she has the other dog for company.
Our mal and previously our samoyeds have never had a problem being left, although we have never left them for long periods. I just feel from my short experience of cavaliers that they are a real people dog.
Your only option would be to have someone come in a few times a day, for cuddles toileting walk etc.

This is just my opinion, but I would strongly urge you to look for another breed of dog (or even a cat as they tend to like being alone a bit more than dogs in general). When looking for a dog, and when you are considering a pure breed, it's best to research what a particular breed was originally bred to do. Cavaliers were bred to be comfort and companion to their human family members. It's what they NEED to do.

These are not the dogs for people who don't enjoy an animal being VERY near you almost all of the time. The need to be close to you, and enjoying whatever activity it is you're enjoying. I found these traits to make raising a cavalier puppy easy -- Holly was so easy to supervise as she never resisted being within arms reach.

I would second Cathy T's advice on reading Karlin's breed information here. These are true companion dogs and are very attached (both mentally and physically) to their people. Yes, they are dogs, but dogs with a very strong companionship drive.