I hope no one minds if I bring back this old thread. My experiences with Christmas shopping really made this hit home.
First, I had never seen a Cav in person until I bought my Toby. I hope that I am not repeating a story I have told before, but here goes.
About 10-11 years ago my daughter and I were traveling down a rural road in Oregon and saw a beautifully painted sign that said, "Cavalier King Charles Spaniels for Sale." The sign had beautiful paintings of the dogs.
I made a big U turn and went back to the driveway, which was gated. I can't remember for sure, but there was either some kind of bell to ring or a sign saying to honk. The lady came out to the gate and I told her that I would like to see the dogs. I had never seen one or even heard of them but the painting was so terrific, and I am such a dog lover, I just wanted to see what they looked like.
I'm pretty sure that we didn't look like riff-raff, but the lady took one look at us, in my 3 year old vehicle, and us in our hiking clothes, and said, "These dogs cost $2000.00 and up, so unless you are ready to buy one, ........(essentially, I'm not wasting my time showing them to you.)"
And she didn't, she walked away from the gate and left us standing there.
In the next ten years, I still never saw a Cav. Not on TV, didn't watch SITC, not anywhere, but I couldn't get them out of my mind.
So blah blah blah, I got Toby. He was absolutely meant to be my dog. First, he was priced in a range I could afford because of his underbite and his age, 7 months when I got him. Second, several people had come to see him and he would have nothing to do with them. From the moment I walked into his yard, he has in my lap, following me, and cried at the gate when I left that first day. His owners said that he had never reacted to anyone like that, and I don't doubt it at all. I knew the moment I held him, he was my dog.
During Christmas shopping time, I went to Petsmart without him and saw a lady who had a Cav in her cart. Of course, friendly little me just marches right up to her and says, "Oh you have a Cavalier, I have one too." She totally ignored me! How rude!
Now for some good news, that was the only time I haven't had Toby with me at Petsmart, and everytime, even the employees make a big fuss over him. The last time I took him, on Christmas Eve Day, he had this adorable Christmas collar with candy canes dangling from it, he looked so cute.
A woman came up to me and asked, "Is that a King Charles Cavalier, I've never seen one in person before!" And I said yes, he is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. She was just gushing about not ever seeing one before except on tv and in pictures and how beautiful he is. I told her that I hadn't ever seen one in person either, until I got Toby. I was actually nice to her and let her pet him and play with him.
I have lived in California for about 40 years, and have lived in Newport Beach, Orange County, Glendale, Central Coast, and now in the Sierras. And have only now seen 2 Cavaliers, mine and the rude lady's.
My experience is that "Pet Quality", cannot be bred or shown, females are 2000 and males about 1500 to 1700.
I want another so badly, and I would love to rescue one of these remarkable babies. I have a real gift with dogs, despite my other thread where I was impatinet with my Toby's obscession with me. But I have never seen any rescues in California.
Keep me in mind if you do hear of any resuces in CA, OR, NV, or maybe even AZ. I will drive hundreds of miles to save a Cavalier.
Thanks for listening to this long post. In summary, I can only say that these wonderful doggies are so rare that to find one is a miracle.