How did you get started incavaliers ?

not sure if this has been done before but i love reading how people got started in this breed and why ??

I got my first cavalier in 1988 she was a ruby i was giving up work to have my son and my hubby longed for a puppy to join us as a family ...her name was whitney she lived until 13 then along came sheree another ruby and whitney's best buddie sadly we lost her at 8 with MVD I think did a lot of reasearch into cavlaiers and pedigree's it became a full time hobby

we had a gap then of a year before Pippa came into our lives then 6 months later Bonnie ...we bred from pippa and kept Sophie our lovely blen girl ..Bonnie also had a litter thats how the gorgoeous India arrived
then last but not least baby cara she is 14 weeks and pippa's grandaughter i bought back in here

well thats my story really i guess once you own this lovely breed it never ends ..like my avatar says icon_whistling

My story has just begun

I was talking to a friend over the internet about 2 years ago. I told her my parents said I could have a dog! (yes 2 whole years ago and I thought I would be getting my dog at the end of 04!) She was so excited and told me about her dog, Harvey a cavalier. She told me I should get a cav! I thought that was a dumb idea and just brushed it aside icon_whistling

So I continued my search of dog breeds and found a 'maltalier maltesexcav' breeder :yuk: At the time I thought.. thats the dog for me! Of course I discovered the truth about designer dogs with help from pretty harsh people 8) Anyway I definately didn't want a maltese so I started looking into the cavalier a bit more. Ever since then I've been hooked!

when I was 7 My sister found our first cavalier walking along the road.

She was going to keep her & got a charlie for me but I didnt like him :? ( though he later turned out to be the best dog i've ever known ) so I took the cavalier .
She was a very pretty middle age tri girl . she weighed just 12lb when she arrived & used to climb under the car seat & get under the pedals ! :shock:
She was very well mannered , clean & always walked on the path , never through mud.

We had her 7 years before she died of liver & heart failure

I'd never heard of cavaliers until about three and a half years ago, I started researching dog breeds. Now that I had my own house for a couple of years and my cats, I'd decided after lots of thinking that I'd get a dog and made a decision to cut down on work travel to do that.

Two friends that I see rgeularly had a westie and a JRT while other friends had a collie and a lab cross. I knew I needed a small breed and really liked my friend's jrt Winston, a total character, so I thought about a shortie JRT but they would not be considered all that reliable around cats. Also was looking for a mixed breed rescue puppy but the problem is you cannot be sure what size they will reach or temperament and I decided I needed the greater reliability of a breed. I also like breeds and find their histories fascinating.

My mom in the US had met someone on a train holiday that had pics of her two cavaliers in her wallet and told my mom they were the best dogs! :lol: So mom said I should check them out. The collie/lab owning friend had a dog breed encylcopedia and I still remember well the evening we spent in a pub looking at all the breeds, which was really fun; and looking at the cavalier!

Over the coming weeks, I kept coming back to cavaliers for both appearance, size and temperament (and known to be a good breed with other animals). I knew I didn't want a small barky dog or a really tiny breed. I grew up with a giant breed, a Great Pyrenees, so it was hard for me to think small, but I wanted an outdoorsy active breed.

Cavaliers have been perfect for me in every way. Not barkers; love long walks and the outdoors; great with the cats; sofa dogs when inside and laid back. Now I love the size and would find it hard to own a larger dog, I think; though someday I'd like a pyrenees again. A couple of the US breeders seem to breed and show both cavaliers and pyrs so they seem a good match.

I know a few people have heard this before, but I think my story says something about the power Cavaliers can have over people.

I was never much of a dog person, in fact I really didn't much care for dogs :yikes . Well, my wife started bugging me about getting a dog. I thought, she lets me get most anything I want, so it's only fair I agree to a dog. Besides, a dog from the Humane Society is not that much money, maybe $100 (I can be a bit of a tightwad sometimes!) Then she announced she was looking at purebreds; OK, a little more expensive, maybe $500. Well, when she brought our first girl Penny home and I found out what she cost, I about passed out! I didn't think a dog could cost that much! So I informed her it was HER dog and she had to do all the work with the dog.

It took about 2 weeks and I was absolutely in love with that little puppy and Kris was beginning to ask what what happened to "her" dog. That little girl was worth her weight in gold. When Penny was 6 months old, Kris started taking her to dog shows and I started going with her shortly afterwards. After several dog shows, we decided we would like to start breeding and got hooked up with a local breeder who helped us get started and mentored us for the next few years.

So here we are today with 12 Cavaliers and showing and breeding. If someone had told me 15 years ago I would be doing this and loving it, I would have told them they were crazy! Guess you never know where life will take you.

I have loved dogs my whole life but for some reason as born into a family where my mother was terrified of all animals and my dad disliked them so as an only child I was quite lonely. I am a bit of a bookworm and I love learning so I use to read dog books about all different breeds to try to figure out what the best breed would be for me when I grew up. I fell in love with the Cavalier for their sweet temperaments, easy going nature, and their adorable faces. They seemed to be the perfect package as I never wanted a big dog. I also fell in love with the Westie and hope to have one of those one day as well. After I got married my hubby said we could get a dog the next year so hopefully next summer I will have my first Cavalier

The more I learn about this breed, from shows, breeders, books, and forums like this, the more in love I fall. I think this will def be a lifetime love and I am hoping if I learn a lot over these future years perhaps one day I might be able to help the breed by trying to become a good knowledgeable breeder trying to figure out a way like the rest to remove MVD and SM from this wonderful beautiful breed. I figure if I start learning now when Im 25 ILl have a good idea if this is possible for me at retirement

When I was growing up in the 1950s and 60s, we off and on had mixed breed dogs who ran the neighborhood and when inside stayed mostly in the lower level where we had a large family room. I enjoyed the dogs but secretly always wanted a cocker spaniel. When I finished law school, I got a blond American Cocker Spaniel named Gumbo who lived to be 16, followed by a black English Cocker Spaniel named Abby who lived to just two weeks short of her 14th birthday. When Abby was 12, I decided to indulge myself and started looking for a Clumber Spaniel, a breed I had been interested in since before we got Abby. Hadley came to us just after Abby turned 13 and became the joy of my life :luv:. When Abby died I wanted to get a second Clumber or another English Cocker. I have a brother who has special needs who lives with me and he really wanted a dog which would "stay small enough to hold in your lap." One of our sisters, Kathy, kept showing us photos of Cavaliers but Michael was not sure he wanted a dog with a long tail (all of our spaniels had docked tails). We then went to a dog show so he could see different breeds and Michael decided (with proding from Kathy) that Cavaliers would fit the bill. Although I was still skeptical :roll: (and tried to convince Michael that Clumbers can be lap dogs despite the fact that they weigh 55 -80 lbs ), I started doing my Cavalier research, contacting breeders, asking questions and seeing what would be involved if we did get a Cavalier. I was also keeping my eyes opened for a mixed breed rescue dog but nothing seemed exactly right. As fortune would have it, one day I ran into a professional colleague and we started talking about our dogs. It turns out she has Cavaliers and when I told her I was looking for a small lap dog, no longer a puppy but still young, for Michael, and that we were considering a Cavalier, she went on and on about her dogs and how a Cavalier would be perfect. She also told me her breeder might have a one year old to place and I should call her. Well, after many phone calls and e-mails, discussions about health clearances, reviews of pedigrees and a home visit by a six month old and one year old, we ended up with a six-month old little Blenheim boy named "Bubba Puppy" whom we renamed Buddy. Even then I was secretly wanting my second Clumber or another Abby, but wanted to do this for Michael. In less than a week, however, I was hooked and knew we had made the right decision. Hadley, my Clumber Spaniel, is still my special girl, but I cannot imagine life without a Cavalier and when the time is right we will probably get a second. There is just something about the eyes that melt away your worries and about that helicopter tail on the run that makes you smile evey day.

I first fell for Cavs when on a trip to England in 1994. I was in an book store that sold very old editions. There were two lovely dogs sitting in the shop window. I think I bought and then shipped a ton of books back to the US just so I could stay and be with the dogs. At that time I had a beautiful black and white cocker spaniel that was my baby and, as she had her own cat, our family was complete. When Caitlin died several years later at age 14, I once again thought of the Cavaliers. But by that time I had married and my husband wanted "a manly dog." :sl*p: We rescued a wonderful Akita/Shepard mix that was so smart John wouldn't allow her to fetch the paper for fear she would want to read it and then discuss current events! :lol: LooCee passed away at only 5 years of age due to liver disease so I decided the time was right for my dream dog. After tons of research, like I even knew what I was doing, I found Beatrice from a "breeder". (I later discovered the woman was just a puppy broker and all the ribbons and the trophies on display in her home were bogus.) But Bea was everything I had hoped for but was with me entirely too short a time. Now I have the girls - Flora and Fauna! (and foster girl Ella) I can't imagine not having at least one Cavalier in my life! By the way, John says they are HIS girls and is totally smitten by them - so much for MANLY dogs! :roll:
JaneB

My mother in law was given a female cavalier by a friend (who purchased the puppy for herself, however her husband refused to let her keep it...what a way to blow $2000!!!). Katy had become a major part of the family, however she was really a one person dog. She was very timid, fearful of men and refused to let anyone touch her except my mother-in-law. (Later research on my part revealed that she was from one of the worst puppy mills in the US). I was not impressed with this little snotty princess, as I have always had German Shepherds.

My mother in law went on vaction to Spain for two weeks and left Katy with me and my fiancee. Instantly she became my shadow and refused to leave my side. I really enjoyed the affection and the attention (and admittedly relished in the fact that she gifted me with her approval. lol). We became best buds for those two weeks. She and my shih tzu were star crossed lovers and adored one another, so it made it even better. When my mother in law came home thinking her poor dog had been completely distraught about her absence, Katy refused to go to her when she came to pick her up. icon_whistling :lol: To this day Katy will only allow myself and my mother in law to be near her, and every time I come to visit she tries to jump in the car with me when I leave. lol.

Soon after I purchased Wesley and he has been my baby ever since. He is the way a cavalier should be: happy and loving to everyone they meet. I fell so hard for him that I had to get another. Then came Cody...They are are just like chocolate!! Sweet and addicting!

Now I am doing as much research as I can and have volunteered to foster through several rescues. I am hoping for another little love so I can rehabilitate them and give them what they deserve. Later down the road I would love to begin my own rescue, and I have dreams of own acres and acres of property with dozens of little cavaliers playing in the field. :flwr:

Nemo is my first cav, bought him a few weeks ago. I was actually in the hunt for a Pug or pugalier, but after a bit of reading decided that it was not the dog for me. I went to go check out some cavalier puppies (after reading about them on the net) on the way home from work, I held nemo for 5 seconds before saying "I'll take him".

Best decision I've ever made.

I got my first cavalier after I lost my cocker spaniel Ben we went to what I later find out was a puppy farm or in USA a puppy mill Mattie was my first cavalier
The 2 cavalier was Rocky who we got from closer to home so new his background and now I have got Barney who my O/H :yikes say is not a cavalier because he is so big and at the moment looking for a rescue cavalier :lol:---Aileen

Well I had always come from a dog family and grew up with a little terrier cross mutt who was absolutely gorgeous. He cost $15 and my parents basically saved from being put down as a puppy. He passed away when he was 19 when I was 23. (was devastating, he had been in my life for as long as my memory went back. My husband to be had always grown up with big dogs - blue heelers (aussie sheep dogs) and his dog passed away a year or so later. We were living in a town house complex that didn't allow dogs at the time so despite desperately wanting another dog we couldn't get one. Plus we were having arguments about the type of dog we would get - I wanted a cuddly lap dog, he wanted another big dog. Then my brother and his wife bought a cavie puppy and we both fell in love with him. A couple of times dog sitting and even my hubby was so in love with this breed he decided he would never want a big dog again, all he wanted was a cavie. We just loved his beautiful face with his gorgeous brown eyes, the way he used to smile (was the only breed of dog we'd seen smile) and how he used to "talk" when he was excited. - and the way that in the middle of the night he'd jump from his bed on the floor, onto our bed, climb onto the pillows and slowly work his way under the covers to nestle himself at our feet! We then did a lot of research about the breed and realised it was the perfect dog for us.

We decided we couldn't live another moment without a cavie and petitioned in our housing complex to allow small dogs. They agreed and we got Fergus 2 1/2 years ago and then added Cooper to out family 8 months ago.We are now living in a big family house with a big yard and they love it! We couldn't imagine life without them. We hate going out and whenever we leave the house we can't wait to get back home to play with them. Seeing how amazing they both our with our 2 year old nephew who loves to "play" with them just makes us even sure we made the right choice. Everyone seems to melt around them - even my in laws who used to have blue heelers who were strictly outside dogs, let our boys sleep on their bed when they dogsit! My big strapping husband now only wants to own cavies for the rest of his life and I totally agree!

I can't remember a time when I didn't adore spaniels, period.

When I was nine, we went on a holiday and I walked what I now know to be a *gorgeous* BT cavalier puppy- about 6-9 months old. Shortly after I 'discovered' the breed in one of those breed dictionaries, but didn't connect the blenheim dog in the picture with the cute BT baby I'd walked! I clearly remember marching to my mum with the book and saying "I want one of these for my birthday!"

Mum said No Way. Mothers :roll:

Following year at same camp, I repeated the dog walking thing- this time with a Cocker, Trixie. Shortly after we got our first Holly- a blue roan cocker- mainly because Trixie's owners had watched me with her and more or less guilted my parents into getting me a dog! :lol: icon_whistling

....then w emoved to Oz and when we returned, Holly (who'd stayed behind) was tragically killed on the road only a week after we were temporarily reunited (she lived at my uncle's in Co Fermanagh).

And no more dogs for me. I did my degree, my Masters, my teaching qualification... and then started PhD. Now, if you get a scholarship, the salary for a PhD studentship is really quite considerable, bearing in mind that you work as and how and when, and none of it's taxed. Dad talked me into getting a mortgage- and I suddenly found myself settled, with a home and a decent income... and started planning for a dog as soon as everything settled.

Originally intended to get a Cocker- but visited my uncle's (he goes shooting) and after playing with his cockers, I was reminded of just how energetic, intelligent, and simply insane those dogs are, and thought... h'mm. Let's be honest- I wanted something smaller, possibly more laid back that wouldn't necessarily want a ten mile walk every day...

I considered Yorkies and Bichon Frises, but the tiny size of the former and the grooming needs of the latter put me off... and I kept returning again and again to Cavaliers. Now, despite all their health issues (which, touch wood, I have not yet been personally touched by) I believe they're the ideal dog- for me, anyway.

Cuddle bugs. Big enough to get around under their own steam without risking their necks. Small enough to be portable. Active enough to enjoy a wild romp- but happy to curl up somewhere comfortable. I doubt I'll ever own another breed.

Suz and I had looked at Bischon Frise's as well....mainly for their fur's hypo-allergenic properties.

A friend of hers at work mentioned her neighbor (beginning breeder) was going to have her first litter of Cav pups so we decided to look. We immediately fell in love and dropped a downpayment right there.

We continued to visit weekly as Lady's pregnancy progressed (Lady= BnT and Tramp is a Blenheim). After the first visit neither Lady or Tramp bothered to bark at us when we came in-they just tackled us instead. Isabella came (1st girl born)-we held her when she was 3 days old and continued weekly visits to let her get used to our scents, voices, sounds of my power wheelchair, etc.

We've never looked back.

Now we have Abigail whose father is Tramp but the mother is Amber (Ruby). Again we visited weekly right up to when we brought her home. Abigail bonded to us quicker then Izzy did. She tries to be dominant over Izzy but it ain't happening.

Izzy is really really kissy while Abby loves to bodyslam herself against you so you're trying to breath through her shoulder.

They are the joys of our lives and occasional pains in our tailsides but we wouldn't have it any other way.

I found out bout the breed from my friend who got one...but I always wanted a dog and after meeting the pup... I fell in love with him and the breed.... Then after getting King, I fell in love with the breed even more.

Even though he's my first dog and the cavalier at first wasn't my first choice of dog (actually I really wanted a long haired dachshund) but after doing so much research and seeing how King acts and behaves the cavalier is the breed I want... Don't get me wrong I would get another type of breed, but the cavalier is on the top of my fav list...

I really want to have at least one of every color... tri, blk/tan, ruby, and blenheim... I really love the ruby... But what would be really cool is to get a whole pack of blenheims and move to the country with wide open fields and let them run...that would be cool!!!

Interesting thread. I agree with Bruce, you never know where life will take you.

We always had a yorkie growing up. When my husband and I married he worked in the evenings and I was very lonely. We purchased our first dog. It was a yorkie. Oh my, what a time we had. She never got completely housebroken. Always good with the kids though.

Once Sydney passed my husband decided we should get a "real dog", so we purchased a lab. I love her, but wow, what a difference from small dog to big dog. I decided we needed to take her to obedience class. She is a very difficult student to say the least, but wonderful with our kids. Her biggest fault, jumping. We are really working to break this. After 3 years of living the big dog life, I decided that I really missed a lap dog.

So, I started researching small breeds. I just knew no matter how much I loved the yorkie breed, that I could never own another one. One day, I stopped in the pet store, just to see all the breeds in action and there she was. A very cute blenheim pup. I knew better than to buy from a petstore from my research, but I even went as far as getting the owners name and number. I couldn't believe they shared the information and I called her. I realized from talking to her, that it would probably be a good pup, but probably still a puppy mill situation.

On with the research, and last December I was working with a consultant that arrived on Monday morning and started telling me that they just got a new puppy this weekend. Oh yeah, what kind. It was a Cavalier. I said, no kidding I have been looking at those.

She checked with the breeder and got permission to pass on her name. We waited for the next litter. At the time, we were second on the list. Soon the first person on the list, got a rescue instead. So, we got pick of the litter. The breeder was so great with us on the whole process. The girl's and I visited before the Mom delivered. She let each one of us feel her belly and a moving puppy.

I have been bitten big time, because I am now trying to gain all the knowledge I can on breeding. Don't flame me yet. I am taking Libby to classes and really going to do it right. I want to continue the health of the breed and hope when I am ready to breed I will have a good mentor. I have reached a point in my life where I want to do what I love and love what I do. Being a cavalier owner and possibly some day being able to bring that joy to others is part of it.

I am enjoying this thread. It is interesting to see how we all ended up with these wonderful little dogs with the power to unite the world. Please continue to tell your stories.