My Cavalier Puppy Buying Advice website is now up and running

[Margaret C]

Please have a look at my website http://cavalierpuppy.co.uk/

I have had an enormous amount of help from Tania & owe her a great deal of thanks for lending me her wonderful website designer Steve.

Comments from all of you would be very welcome, wherever you live, but remember it is designed for potential pet buyers in the UK who know very little about cavaliers.

It is hard to write about such complex matters in a simple way and I would like to know what people think.

I will be adding a contact page, an information & links page, and probably a 'Looking to the Future' page ( Ruperts Fund, Cavalier Collection, possibly a very brief mention of BVA/KC Scheme, EBVs, & Genome Research? )

I will be starting a blog to talk about the things that are not discussed openly, but should be.

[GraciesMom]

This is a WONDERFUL resource and you can tell how much love and effort went into it. If I could give a Cavalier Award to you I would.

[Fifer]

Excellent website Margaret, you've avoided the pitfall of being too scientific which can put new owners off, whilst giving the facts clearly and in layman terms.

I particularly like the fact that you included examples of genuine certificates because many new puppy owners would not know what they looked like if they asked to see them.

[Sandrac]

Margaret, Well done -an excellent site. It is simple and easy to understand but very informative. The copy certificates are also be so useful, when I got Cinders I was shown a certificate but now know it was just a bit of paper signed by a vet.

Just love the puppy photos. It will be fantastic to have somewhere to point prospective cavalier buyers to.

[HollyDolly]

Is Episodic Falling & Dry Eye/Curly Coat something you will add later Margaret?


Nanette

[Margaret C]

Is Episodic Falling & Dry Eye/Curly Coat something you will add later Margaret?


Nanette

I would actually like to have some opinions from the cavalier owners here about how much I should add?.

I was concentrating on health problems that have a certificated test and are part of the Cavalier Club's Code of Best Practice.

I was going to say on the information page that there are other cavalier health problems, mention them by name, & put a link to Rod's www.cavalierhealth.org website.

I would be interested in what members think are other common health problem in cavaliers? Obviously slipping patella, hips, deafness, anal glands, allergies? The list could be too depressingly long?

It is not what one could call a "bundle of laughs" website as it is, & I do not want too many prospective pet buyers switching off & going elsewhere.

Many of them will not read it properly anyway, so if they just leave with a sense there are two main health problems & they should ask for certificates, realistically that will be better than nothing.

I do want to put a contact message that says something like, 'if I can do anything more to help or explain please fill in this form'

[Tania]

It might be an idea to give a short explanation of some of the common problems, when people are looking this information it is ready to hand eg. Knee, hips etc.

This is what I triend to do with Cavaliermatters, brief description then a link to more informative information eg. www.episodicfalling.com and of course Rods website! As you say the list is depressingly long and from what I have read in the last couple of days it is longer than I originally thought


We need plenty of easy to understand information relating to SM/CM and MVD so I think it would be good if this was the main focus.

A help form is a great idea.

[RodRussell]

I love the website. The more puppy pix, the better, and you have a lot of them.

On the Eyes page, you write:

"Although not a major concern at this time, Cavaliers should be tested for inherited eye problems."

I think some eye problems can be major concerns. A quite common one, from my experience, is dry eye. Ignoring dry eye can lead to ulcers and then possibly to cataracts. I suggest that you include a brief discussion of dry eye and that you recommend that the dogs' eyes be examined annually for these disorders.

[Bet]

I love the website. The more puppy pix, the better, and you have a lot of them.

On the Eyes page, you write:

"Although not a major concern at this time, Cavaliers should be tested for inherited eye problems."

I think some eye problems can be major concerns. A quite common one, from my experience, is dry eye. Ignoring dry eye can lead to ulcers and then possibly to cataracts. I suggest that you include a brief discussion of dry eye and that you recommend that the dogs' eyes be examined annually for these disorders.

MY CAVALIER PUPPY WEBSITE IS NOW UP AND RUNNING

Margaret ,

What a Wonderful WEBSITE.

It is so Good that you have Emphasised the need for Prospective Cavalier Puppy Buyers the Importance to see Health Certificates and to know about the Breeding Guidelines.

Information like this has been needed for such a Long Time.

Will you be able to add ,for the Benefit of Cavalier Puppy Buyers , the Names of those Cavalier Breeders who have Cavalier Puppies for Sale and have Health Tested and followed Breeding Guidelines for both SM and MVD in their Cavalier Breeding Stock?

Bet

[MadPip]

I've only had time for a brief skim through, but it is looking good. Not too much information on each page, some lovely pictures (I'm biased because Pippin is on there. ). I think adding links to more weighty scientific sites is a good idea, so if people want to read about the health problems in a lot more depth they know where to look.

A very good idea to put copies of genuine health certificates on there as well.

A help/ contact form is also a good idea if you can get that added.

Overall a from me. Now when people ask I'll direct them to your site (and hope and pray that they listen. I haven't had much luck persuading people it's worth it to wait for the right puppy from the right breeder so far. )