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getting a Cavalier

tcltm

New member
I am hoping the members and preferably experienced cavalier owners can help me. I suffer from anxiety/panic attacks, sever clinical depression, I previously owned a companion dog (this is what a dog who's owner has a medical condition that the dogs presence helps) 3 years ago This was an Australian Red Cattle obviously a breed very far from the Cavalier. She wasn’t actually mine she was my mother’s but the dog had decided that I was her owner anyway I moved away to study and for the last three years couldn’t Have a pet because I was bouncing from rental to rental. I am now in a secure rent through the housing department and after saving for the last three years and filling out a mile of paper work with the department I have been approved to have a small breed dog. I am in no rush to get my puppy as I want to know exactly what I’m getting into with the breed and after doing some research it would appear the Cavalier is a good choice, But that is my interpretation of the breed I think and experience owner/ breeder would be able to tell me more. I have a lot of questions so I’m going to put them one by one so as not to confuse anyone also can only experienced owner/ breeders reply or People with reliable information.
As stated above I have an anxiety/panic attack condition would the dog be likely to stay calm throughout an episode or would the dog be likely to get upset or scared (ie. Bark, Growl, Cry or upset the dog to a point where it would develop a fear of me or the episodes)?
I ask this question because while my mother’s dog was perfect in that situation and would normally just sit back quietly and let the situation play out or she would put her head in my lap. The other dog my mother owned would bark continuously and run around in circles and this would raise my anxiety further causing the panic attack to go longer and would obviously upset the poor dog terribly. While I understand that just like people dogs have individual personalities some breeds are better in those situations than others, For instance a highly anxious breed would not suit an owner with an anxiety condition.
How much exercise is too much or too little for the Cavalier ?
The only area I would have to exercise a dog is walking around the streets and in my private courtyard in my unit. I have bought a lot of things over the last few months basically in preparation for a puppy mostly toys and accessories (collar, lead I.D tag only my address and phone number on it.) because those things don’t expire) so the dog would have many things to play with but I’m more asking about general exercise walking and then counting in playtime. I also ask this question because I read about Episodic falling which what I read said it was exercise induced.
Another question about Episodic falling it stated that it was often misdiagnosed as epilepsy how do I know if it was a misdiagnosis. Is epilepsy common in the breed as I couldn’t find that information?
What about Keratoconjunctivitis sicca I have heard that this is common before but what I read was that it can cause blindness. Would it not cause blindness if it was treated appropriately or is the blindness a problem that could occur even with treatment?
I don’t mind having a blind dog but I just want all of my information before I even go seriously looking for a puppy I want to know what to expect, what could possibly happen what to do about it and when it is an emergency that needs me to drop what I’m doing immediately and take the dog to the vets instead of something that I could make an appointment for. The vet that I have chosen for me to use comes highly recommended by a lot of my friends with pets and a few non cavalier breeders. He is the most comforting for the dog and most dogs love going to see him but the problem with that is it can take a day or two if you make an appointment rather than just taking the do in there when it’s an emergency.
How common is a luxating patella and how can I tell if a puppy is likely to have problems when I go to view any puppies?
And which grade in mum and dad should I look for?
I know the breeding pair has to be checked but I also know about throw back genes and know that while Mum and Dad don’t have it doesn’t mean the pup won’t have problems.
How common is Syringomyelia , and how will I know if my pup has it? Is it something I should ask the vet to check for when the dog has its routine checks if the dog is showing no symptoms ?
I read that it can be non symptomatic.
What can I expect if my puppy has Mitral Valve Disease ?
If the puppy has it should I restrict certain exercise or anything like that.
How can I tell a good breeder from a bad breeder ?
I have never gone looking for a puppy before and I think bad breeders could be compared to a shotty car salesmen they’ll say anything to get you to walk away with a puppy. The only cavalier I have seen advertised in my area was a litter of pups for Au$550 this sounds cheap for a good purebred.
The Au is for Australian dollars.
I am aware of two puppy farms with my region but I am sure there are more that I’m just not aware off because I only know of these because they had been shut down by the rspca before. I would suspect a puppy farm or non reputable breeder would advertise in the paper but what about reputable ?
I found the Cavalier club in my state is this the best place to find a breeder ?
Also do you think a breeder may not want or find it weird if I want to view the pups individually before I see them all together?
I want to see the pups general behaviour walking around and such to get an idea of each individual pup’s personality and temperament to see if the pup is suited for someone with anxiety. Pups Behave a lot differently when they are together and I want to see what the pup would be like without other puppies and want to see how it interacts with me. I will inform the breeder of why I want the dog and what I’m looking for but some people find things like that a little odd.
What is the best way to train a Cavalier? Treats or Affection
Obviously puppy preschool is important but what about reinforcing the training from puppy preschool at home appropriate places for the toilet, obedience, appropriate play behaviour and training the puppy that it cannot go in certain areas.
I have a thing about any kind of pet being in the laundry because when I was a little kid we had a cat fall into a full washing machine and drown obviously it would be extremely hard for a dog to get up to the washing machine but it’s just a thing I have and I get to anxious when an animal is in the laundry. My laundry doesn’t have a door should a buy a safety gate to keep the dog out. Other than the laundry and the kitchen when I’m cooking I don’t have a problem with the dog going anywhere else.
Also like a lot of other small breeds do Cavalier’s become easily overweight?
My mum bought a small breed for my sister and it became overweight and it was healthy with no problems or allergies until it became overweight now it has a list a mile long of allergies and illnesses.
How do I prevent this from happening?
Besides moderate food portions because I don’t think my Sisters dog was overfed , they gave it a lot of treats though.
If I have left out any medical conditions there could you let me know of the other ones I won’t be getting a puppy for a few months because I want to have a little more money to put on account with the vet and I already have a fair bit but I’m including desexing vaccinations, micro chipping and general checkups in with that amount and I won’t at least $3000 there for emergencies because thats what I heard an emergency surgery or procedures can total up to over here. I had a friend who just brought a mixed breed and the dog got really sick and she had to pay off a debt a little less than that because she wasn’t prepared. I don’t want to be in that situation I want to make sure there is always money there in the event of because I know with my medical problems (other besides the anxiety) that they come at the worst possible time and when I can’t afford treatment so I do the same for myself I keep a few thousand stocked up at my doctors and a credit card purely for medical expenses for myself in the event of.
If anyone thinks a Cavalier is not suited for me please let me know.
A little about me I’m single , no children (don’t plan on until I’m much older), no other pets, I’m 23, uni student I attend four lecture’s per week 2 hours each and two 1 hour tutorials and beside grocery shopping, doctors visits my friends come to me so I don’t go out much. Some people say I’m over thinking getting a dog and I do tend to over think things (tends to happen with people with anxiety) but I just want to be as prepared as a possible new dog owner can be because this will be the first dog that I have been 100% responsible for. Sorry about the really long post but better to be prepared and have nothing to be surprised or disappointed about.
 
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There's lots of information on the breed in the Library section that will answer a lot of your questions. :) Really you are asking for an entire book on raising and training a dog, and I don't think most of us would have the time to address your questions in the detail that is needed as many of the questions are very basic on dog care and training and most of the questions on cavaliers are actually addressed in the many articles in the Library section. (y) Dogs are really a full time care responsibility for at least the next decade. If you want to opt for a dog, I think you need to do a lot of general reading on owning a dog first. Try one of Dr Ian Dunbar's books on owning and training a dog, for example. (y) Have you considered a cat -- I would think this might be more suitable given some of the concerns and restrictions you mention? They are more relaxed, less demanding, and more likely to be fine in the circumstances you mention.

All dogs will need plenty of exercise, more than just walking around a courtyard -- at least 30 minutes vigorous walking daily. If you cannot provide this then you'd need to hire someone who can take the dog (of any breed) out for a good, strenuous walk every day.

On health issues -- the ones that are of real concern as they are costly and can be common in the breed, are MVD and syringomyelia. The Library section has a lot of info and links about both -- most (99%) owners will eventually deal with MVD in the breed and half of all cavaliers get this by age 5. SM is believed to affect at least a third of the breed with a smaller proportion actually symptomatic but this is extremely expensive to diagnose and treat (of my four cavaliers, two have SM and one has MVD). Any purebred has genetic issues within the breed that may predispose the dog to health problems. That is why it is extremely important -- for temperament and health -- to only go to a registered, club affiliated, known and reputable show breeder, not an internet puppy or a puppy from a breeder in classified ads. That means you are likely looking at paying at least $1500--2000 for a puppy.

One thing to consider -- A puppy of any breed is also a serious workload for its first year and probably not the best option for your situation.

There's no way to predict how a dog will react to anxiety attacks -- some cavaliers would undoubtedly become agitated, while some would be fearful, and others would be fine.

Overall: If you want a dog, I'd read very widely first, and consider a range of mixes and breeds. I'd really suggest looking for an adult small breed dog through a rescue group that can work closely with you to place a dog of even and gentle temperament, that isn't highly strung or intensely active, and that can take back a dog that doesn't work out so that it has a safe place to return to. This might be a cavalier, if you want to try working with the various branches of national breed rescue, but I very definitely would not get a puppy, which I think you would very possibly find overwhelming to manage, given your various concerns.
 
Thankyou.. i have done alot of reading on different webpages but there is one thing you learn at uni is most webpages are not a reliable source and i wanted a more sort of first hand experience.... i was going to go to our rescue for a dog but unfortunetly they dont have or get small breeds often in our area... i can walk the dog in a few different places around me i was more asking about how much is too much excercise because i read about the patella problem and would have thought that over excercise may contribute to that...

im allergic to cats and did have a hairless cat when i was younger but i cannot find a breeder anywhere near me. They dont seem to be a popular breed.

this is gonna sound silly to someone who hasnt experienced it before but im gonna explain what is entailed in a panic attack.
it is an intense feeling of dread, difficulty breathing, racing heart, chest pains, dizzyness, vision disturbance, hearing thing louder and faster than what they actually are. While all that is physical it is actually psychological. I can say right now because im not having a panic attack that i know i wont die during one however during one all of that common sense is gone and you think you are dying the first instinct is to call an ambulance. That is why they suggest getting a dog because having a dog has shown to distract and calm a person down and prevent you from calling on a service you dont need. also they believe that having a dog can also prevent future attacks. I am currently on 8 different types of psychological medication which is alot and my doctor would like to see me of half of them by the end of the year because they are making me sick and thats why he suggested a dog. because i previously had a dog around me i know that for me dogs are good therapy and it does work.
 
I will comment on the way a cavalier would react to your getting upset :

This is something which it is impossible to generalise on. I have three cavaliers and did have four . Each has reacted in a different way when I have been upset (ie crying) over something or excited. Monty, my oldest would be laid back and not react, Izzy, now at the Bridge, would have ignored crying, but have been hyped by excitement. The younger two, Joly and Teddy are very easily excited. This is incontrast to the two springers I used to own. These two would come and cuddle or nudge when ever i was upset or even pretended to be, yet this is an excitable breed, so reaction to human behaviour would seem to be an individual, rather than breed trait.

You mention, 'interviewing' puppies to see how they react to you when not with siblings, but a puppy when it is taken home, often is completely different to the one in the breeder's home. Joly was quiet and cuddly, yet he soon showed his excitable side. Teddy was the laid back one in the litter, who didn't show much enthusiasm for food. within days he was a canine hoover and after a year actaualy showed signs of wanting to be boss of dogs and humans.

What I am trying to put over is the fact that you can't predict how a puppy or older dog will react to you, once away from the breeder's home. A point of concern is that, if you take on a dog, and it's reactions aren't the ones you want, what will happen to the puppy ? Assuming the breeder would take him/her back, it would possibly be quite a difficult task, as you live in such a large country, unlike UK where everyone is within a few hours travel.
 
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Yeah a concern for me is definetly its reaction... I deally what i had wanted to do was have my mum's red cattle (which she said i could) move up and live with me but because of her size they would not let her. I have considered other small breeds. I dont want a mixed bred unless it comes from the shelter cause i believe buying one is just promoting what the people are doing i also dont like designer dog's. I know a couple of people who have had big health problems.

i wont be getting a dog for quite a while evenb though i have already bought nick nacks here and there. I wouldnt return a dog to a breeder because were i live we have a couple of different services that i have access to specifically designed for people with physical and psychological disabilities and they help you with training a companion dog. The puppy preschool i would use is through them. they also have contacts with dogs that a bred to be companion dogs but they dont have any on there lists that breed small breeds. Mostly cause where i live is medium/large dog breeders. You can get small dogs in the area but they come from backyard breeders and i dont want any breed that i dont know hasnt been cared for very well or its parents havnt been cared for properly.

I have been going through some of the sticky's on this bored and its a little bit scary when you see hear and read that stuff and if you havnt bought a dog before.

The local shelter had a cavalier and a shitzu that came from the same home just a couple of weeks back but im not ready to buy a dog yet so i didnt. The shelter said they were the first small breeds they had had in a year. the cavalier was a beautiful tri colour 2 year old female and the shitzu was a 3 month old male with the longest coat i had every seen on a dog they were well cared for but the owner had died in a car accident. The shelter works with the organisations that help me because when they give a companion dog they dont give the dog unless its suited to that person disabilities and they do it on a trial and this way they tend to home dogs permanently. If i could get a dog from them when im ready i would definetly go through them but as the lady said they dont get them often and they are in demand amongst the group im in because disabled people in my area get priority public housing which is a 1 bedroom unit with a courtyard so we are only allowed a small dog.

i may go back and read more about some other breeds... i had gotten onto the cavalier through a website i believe is called petselect or somethig like that and what you do is you fill out a form based on your lifestyle and the amount of time in a day you have to spend with a dog and the amount of money each week you would have to spend and it tells you which breeds are best. i had a couple of breeds pop up but i thought the cavaliers temprement best suited me.
 
If it helps, I did a quick google search and found this: http://www.wwda.org.au/portpet.htm

It is a service for women (not sure if you're female?) with disabilities to find a companion dog, and is in Australia. They list several groups, so they may be a good start to find a good companion dog, and maybe an agency to provide service dog training for you and whatever dog you get.

Like said before, this site has a great deal of wonderful information (it helped in my decision to get a Cavalier), and Ian Dunbar's books are super.

Best of luck to you:flwr:
 
i am female thankyou for that site i have only just over the last couple of years found out about all the services that are available to me mostly because i was to scared or too embaressed to ask.
 
My husband suffers from the same as you do. He is on meds so most of the time it is under control. Cavaliers are great lap dogs, atleast most of them are. Our Armani is. He loves to lay on my husband's lap, prefers his lap more than mine :( but maybe because he is sitting more than I do!
This will help you with your anxiety. It is comforting and calming.

I would also suggest getting an older rescue rather than a puppy. What we have been going thru and others with puppies, trying to housebreak them and all the trouble of the pups growing up, it would cause you to have more anxiety attacks. Sometimes with both of our dogs, only 2 months apart and just over a year old, it drives hubby nuts with their wildness. I'm sure just having one would be better. But puppies still get into alot of trouble by themselves.

Good luck on your search. Just remember you are not alone out there with your illness. {{{hugs}}}
 
I am a teacher and my pupils are all ill ( cancer, leucemia, ... but also serious depression, anxiety... etc)
Last year, one of my pupils was very bad. I adviced her to take a cavalier. Her psychologist agreed with me. She had her dog in March and in September she was much better. She could walk in the street again, see people, study at school... Now, I consider she is cured. Her dog has cured her.
What about the dog ? he is faithful, very sweet with her, very affectionnate and when she felt bad, he simply stayed with her, looking at her with his tender eyes, to help her to recover. He is very calm, well-balanced and he has a nice life.
So, I am sure a cavalier will help you and won't be unhappy
 
. . .i have only just over the last couple of years found out about all the services that are available to me mostly because i was to scared or too embaressed to ask. . . .

I know it is difficult but do not be afraid to ask for help. If I were you I would take advantage of the link "Redhare" sent and see if that group can help you find the perfect dog. If they cannot help, perhaps they could refer you to a group which can. Rather than just "hoping" you pick the right dog, I think you need assistance in selecting the dog and training, for both you and the dog, to have the best chance of a successful relationship. My guess is that there may well be a Cavalier who would fit the bill perfectly but rather than chance, some help from those with experience would seem to be best.

Good luck, stay in touch and let us know how it turns out for you.
 
Yes, please reach out for help! :) These types of agencies are filled with people who care, many of whom have been in the same boat as you, either personally or through a family member or friend who needed help/support. No need to be embarrassed, many people out there suffer from anxiety; I myself have depression, and I can't tell you how helpful counseling and support services are (I became a social worker for that reason!). Best of luck to you! :lotsaluv:
 
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