Cavalier Mix..?

[sred2]

Sorry if this is already a thread! I am just wondering if anyone has any experience with Cavalier mixes? I currently have a 2 year old Blenheim girl. I know the Cavalier breed is perfect for me - but I also would love something a little larger (especially since my little girl is very petite at only 9.5lbs!) I have looked around and seen Cavaliers mixed with a Golden Retriever - any reviews on this? Thanks in advance!

[Emkaybee]

I'd be very leery of buying such a puppy from a breeder. From what I've seen of many/most cross breeders, they aren't doing health checks in advance. The assumption is that by cross breeding, you get the best of the two when the opposite could be the case. If you like the Cav temperament but want a larger dog,why not look at field spaniels, or other spaniels such as Brittanies? You could also probably find a small Golden. I have one of each and they are very similar in temperament. Both people pleasers and like to be with their humans. Good luck with your search!

[JessieAndMe]

Cavalier's to come in various sizes though, our boy Jessie is over 24 pounds and almost 10 months old.
He's already more of a medium sized dog and no where near a little lap dog. We bought Jessie from a lovely couple though and fell in love with him when he was 4 weeks old,
I think registered breeders tend to try to breed more standard size Cavalier's, so there would be more of a chance of having a smaller, petite companion.
Before Jessie, growing up we always had rough Collies. Beautiful dogs and much like a Cavalier where they love their family and love to play and run.
Pretty much the same grooming requirements too. Great with kids, but most are very protective of their family and will fiercely bark at a stranger, but run scared if
they are approached.

[Kate H]

Since breeders who deliberately breed crossbreeds (aka mongrels) are mostly in it for the money (unless it's an accidental mating), they're not likely to pay for health checks and you could end up with a dog at risk of heart problems, syringomyelia (since the inheritance pattern for these is not known) and hip dysplasia (since you can get this in both breeds) - the mind boggles! If you want a bigger dog, why not go for a Goldie anyway? I've owned both a Goldie and Cavaliers and have found them very similar in temperament and easy to live with, and a Goldie bitch would not be huge in the sense that a Great Dane or Newfoundland is huge!

Kate, Oliver and Aled

[Karlin]

The golden cross is very worrying -- I have seen somone flogging this poor mix as a 'rare' dog and charging ridiculous amounts. Sheesh -- no crossbreed is 'rare' as anyone can stick two breeds together -- but the reason you don't often see mixes between two completely different sized breeds done deliberately is... DEATH -- even those just out for the money of selling 'designer crossbreeds' (which themselves flood every shelter in the country, abandoned by their owners!) generally care enough about their individual animals not to risk killing them. But some idiots seriously risk the health of a dog by crossing it with a much larger dog if the smaller dog is the mother -- over-large puppies could kill her in the process of being born --and a much larger female could attack and harm or kill a pestering smaller male trying to mate with her. If people are breeding and selling this mix, you know exactly what their ethics are: none.

There are shelters and rescues full of wonderful dogs where often the people know the cross and the approximate size, or young adults where you can see if the size is right. Petfinder.com for example regularly lists crosses including cavalier crosses. Then, there are many, many slightly larger breeds including a huge range of spaniels -- the welsh spaniel actually has markings like a blenheim, for example, and cockers are a lovely medium size. Pounds and shelters are regularly filled with various lovely spaniel crosses of all sizes.

Your female is small for the breed . Many cavaliers would be nearly double her size, so there's lots of room for a 'larger' cavalier! And many are larger than breed standard -- up to around the size of a cocker. Why not work with a fully health testing breeder (eg one who MRIs, cardiologist tests and follows the breeding protocols -- google breeders Laura Lang or Anne Eckersley for help and advice -- often no one locally properly tests). Or, work through cavalier rescue in your region or visit Lucky Star's website -- whee you will know exactly the size of the cavalier you are getting.

There are so many options to support either rescue, good cavalier breeders, or shelters to find your perfect second dog! As Kate says -- I'd avoid the deliberate crossbreeders, who will NOT have started with good breeding stock from health focused breeders for the parents as no health focused, responsible breeder would ever sell puppies to someone who is going to cross them deliberately and sell them. They put too much time and money into preserving the breed; and anyway, crossbreeders wouldn't pay what a dog from properly health tested lines would cost anyway -- they get cheap dogs on open registration from other questionable breeders. Vets will confirm how many health issues they see in such crossbreeds as a result.

If you are looking for cavaliers in your region please be very cautious -- there is more than one disreputable breeder in the area that I know of from websites as well as this woman in your area, who has been convicted for fraud and is back with a house packed with up to a hundred cavaliers, carrying on as she did before: because the Dept of Justice did not require that she give up her little industry and I know of people who have dealt recently with her (and run the other way, fast):

http://www.cavaliertalk.com/forums/s...cade-Cavaliers

[sins]

I wouldn't dream of paying for a crossbreed puppy.Pounds and rescue centres are filled with them.I work hard for my money and have no intention of rewarding lazy and irresponsible breeders who breed purely for commercial gain.
Much better to spend your money on someone who actually cares enough about a breed(any breed) to breed pedigree dogs and do the relevant health tests in the best interest of the breed.
It shouldn't be hard to get a cavalier in the larger size range,in fact many are let go as pets for this very reason.
Many of these large dog/small dog crosses could be a minefield for musculoskeletal disorders,plus you'd lose the cavalier personality and temperament with the cross...and that would be such a very great shame.
Sins

[Joanie Davison]

I am so glad to read someone else has a "larger" Cavalier. Our boy Sam is 10 years old and weighs 35 pounds...he is not fat, just big, I guess about the size of a Cocker. I am happy with his size as it is just more for me to love.

[tealcisgod04]

Would love to see a photo. reminds me of our puppy's dad looked more like a Blenheim St Bernard then a cavalier!!

[joandesan]

I also have a "BIG" cavalier. He is 10 months and 18lbs. Very lean, just tall and long. I bought him from a respected breeder, and told him I was looking for a bigger pup for my 12 year old son. The breeder delivered! I'm hoping that he stops growing soon though, as he just fits in his bed and crate! I would talk to a breeder and see what you learn. Definitely would do that before tryign a cross-breed. Good luck!

[Margaret C]

I think there will eventually be a "Cavalier mix" breeding programme at some time, but it will be devised by geneticists and use carefully chosen dogs that are thoroughly checked for the health problems in both the parents' breeds.

Breeders that produce mixes are usually not concerned about anything but selling puppies for profit, although there is a UK doodle Club that appears to be doing more than most pedigree breed clubs http://www.ukdoodleclub.org/