When I first joined CT I was awaiting a cavalier puppy from what I thought was a good breeder......she did MVD, heart test with a specialist, eyes, dips etc....her breeding stock. She allowed me to come to her home to meet her and dogs. She really did home raise these cavaliers and yes they are part of her family and she loves them dearly. In fact, I like her so much I still chat with her all the time. However, I joined here and was introduced to SM, breeding protocols set up by true professionals backed by real science and of I met a few owners dealing with an effected beloved dog. I was scared to death. It turned out great for me, my adopting from one of "my" breeders puppies fell thur......long story but the breeder ended up keeping the only girl from the litter. Anyway she gave me to option of getting my deposit back or waiting until another litter. I opted for my deposit back....at the time I just wanted to learn as much as I could about cavalier health problems.
Then I called "my" breeder and had a very polite but very frank conservation with her. She insisted none of her dogs (that she knew of) had SM. I gave her the science that there was know what that was true. I also asked her if she bred her dogs before 2.5 years old, she admitted she wished she could do more to ensure the health of her breeding stock....I was very grateful for her honesty. She told me then what I already knew, breed standards, temperament and making breeding dogs profitable were her goals. I was not angry with her and since then she no longer states her lines are "SM free" she is also slowly having her older breeding (over 2.5 yrs) scanned, I hope that's true.
So using the MVD and SM breeding protocols, I continued my search for a breeder....there are VERY few in the US but they are there.....I have found 4 in the US. I think breeders doing anything else are a BIG BIG part of this breeds problems. I will not cannot give my money to them PERIOD!! I then turned to rescue groups, either way I wanted a cavalier risks and all. I contacted "no kill" shelters all over the eastern US. If I purchase a puppy yes I will insist on one bred to protocols PERIOD but there are cavaliers out there that need forever homes today. I ended up getting a puppy for a shelter in a few states away. I was EXTREMELY lucky to get a puppy born at the shelter. We believe my Fletcher's half dead pregnant mother was left in the middle of the night at the shelter (its in Amish puppy area). I do not know anything about the health of Fletcher's mother other than she was about 3 and did not have a heart murmur yet. They believe she had been bred several times already. At first they were not sure the puppies where completely cavalier. I knew the risks, bought a good insurance policy and am preying he remains healths as long as possible. For me, so far its worth the risk, however I may one day change my mind. PLUS my adoption fee helps this group save more dogs....not product more very possibly unhealthy dogs.
I think maybe SILKI is just in love with cavaliers, and that's great HOWEVER I do not think he completely understand the danger cavalier's face....if major changes are not done with the breeding practices of cavalier there will BE no more cavaliers in the world....and that's not 100 years from now. ALL cavaliers will suffer from SM and MVD at younger ages....this is a very real problem. I personally believe all cavalier owners should be cavalier advocates. Again just my opinion.
SIKLI- do more research a lot more research..... go to youtube and watch videos of cavalier's suffering from SM its real and DOES effect every line of cavalier's known to man today.
If you choose, go for a rescue however, leaving cavalier home alone all day won't do, maybe you need to rethink this whole thing.
Just my opinion, take from it what you choose.
Melissa