Promises Promises

It's so strange. Lately, there have been a number of deaths. And plenty of rainbows. I'm not surprised. God is so cool like that. He is very near. This one, my hubby took the other day. Saturday, after hosting the yard sale for my brother, we all went to my mother's for a sort of going away/send off party. We ate food from Superior Grill and gathered in a circle to pray blessings for Matthew's long trip. My Nana and Papa even came out to for it and got to see the new puppies. Unfortunately, Mother was having a rough go of it. Not only was she about to say a long goodbye to her youngest, sending him off into situations that will definitely be dangerous, rough, unpredictable, compromising, etc., she had just gotten a call from the vet that her precious pup of 11 years, Tristan, had just passed away after fighting a horrible liver cancer. This rainbow was definitely for her. As 4 generations (my Nana, Mother, me, and Elijah) gathered in a cramped water room and cried, Blake brought us this picture on my camera. Thanks, Blake, and most of all, thanks God!

Mother's rainbow

Nana and Papa

Mother and the boys

Elijah, Daddy and Paula say goodbye to Matt

Tristans last playdate. Have fun playing at the raidbow bridge.

Prayer for Matt.

Meredith's Sweater

My Homes in Alabama

Cavalier FAQs

Is this the breed called "the ultimate snob dog"?
Yes, an article appeared in Town and Country Magazine a few years ago. The title referred to the attitude of owners, not the Cavaliers. It was mentioned that Monarchs, Presidents, Captains of Industry and Movie Stars own Cavaliers. Further the fact that the CKCSC-USA shunned AKC recognition for many years, keeping its own registry, and that puppies are sometimes hard to find contributed to the title. Further, prospective puppy buyers are often surprised by the "third-degree" administered by breeders trying to determine their suitability to owning a Cavalier.

What people do well with a Cavalier?
The Cavalier has been the companion of choice to high stress people for 400 years. Every crowned head of England had one as a companion as a child, as did many in the Dutch court. More recent celebrities who own or have owned Cavaliers are Ronald and Nancy Reagan, William F. Buckley, Ms. Frank Sinatra, Candice Bergen, Robert Wagner & Natalie Wood and many others. The Cavalier has a calming effect on many people. Stress reduction/relaxation can be noticeably felt when a Cavalier curls up peacefully on a lap.

Are they good with kids?
The Cavalier is excellent with children. Their tendency to interact with their owners makes them an especially close friend and confidant for a child. They enjoy playtime and activity. Children, of course, need supervision to be certain that the child does not hurt the dog.

Are they good with seniors?
Retirees, or "empty nesters," find the companionship, temperament, small size and easy maintenance ideal. More than one woman has mentioned that a Cavalier resting on her lap or in the crook of her arm is almost as peaceful as holding a (human) sleeping infant. More than one active senior with a Cavalier has experienced the receipt of two invitations for a Cocktail Party/Get Together-one addressed to the Senior and one to the Cavalier.

Are they good guard dogs?
No. While the Cavalier will alert his owner to an arrival of someone new, they seem to regard all strangers as friends they haven't met yet. Although a noisy greeting may be enough to ward off a prowler, it would be difficult picturing anyone being scared off by a Cavalier.

Do they travel well?
People who travel often find it easy and pleasant to take the Cavalier along. Their strong desire to be with their owners makes them willing travelers. Their size and personality contribute to their welcome at "dogs allowed" hotels, marinas & campgrounds.

Are they an AKC breed?
As of January 1996, the Cavaliers have full recognition by the AKC. This has resulted in two national breed clubs, the original CKCSC-USA and the AKC-recognized ACKCSC. It remains to be seen what the long-term results will be.
They have full recognition by the British Kennel Club and the CanadianKC does not recognize Cavaliers registered with the CKCSC-USA, but does recognize those registered with the AKC.

Can I find one in a pet store?
Hopefully, NEVER! Every attempt has been made by the CKCSC-USA to prevent Cavaliers from falling into the hands of puppy mills or anyone who would resell the dog. The Cavalier breeders adhere to the Code of Ethics (see that section of this FAQ) which specifically excludes providing any puppies for resale. Responsible Cavalier breeders do their best to screen any prospective puppy buyer and often refuse to sell to a less than "ideal" home.

What medical problems do Cavaliers have?
For the most part Cavaliers are quite healthy dogs. There are a few problems which are known to appear in the breed: heart murmurs, cataracts, and Subluxating Patellas. Mitral Valve Heart Disease is something to ask the breeder about, as well.

What kind of grooming is necessary for Cavaliers?
The Cavalier does require regular grooming. A great deal of time and effort is not necessary if the dog is brushed and combed thoroughly at least once a week. Cavaliers do shed, particularly in spring and fall, but a little all the time. Nails should be clipped and the hair between the pads trimmed once a month. No other trimming is necessary (or allowed) in the show ring. The ideal brushes to use are the softer slicker brushes or a pin brush (not nylon or plastic) and a metal comb. Knots and tangles are kept to a minimum if the Cavalier is free of parasites and is combed regularly. Brush out all knots and tangles before bathing.
Cavaliers are naturally clean dogs. Too much bathing dries out the skin and haircoat so certainly do not bathe more than once a week. Don't use human shampoo on dogs. Rinse thoroughly. A human blow dryer (not on hot) and brushing at the same time works well for drying. Keep blower moving so any one spot does not get overheated.

Commercial preparations are made that will help remove tear stains under the eyes. Keep eyes clean and dry. Vaseline applied to the dog's nose occasionally will keep it from getting dry and rough. A vet should be consulted if the condition becomes severe.

Researching the Breed

Appearance

The Cavalier is by most measures the largest toy breed: though clearly a lap dog, fully-grown adults tend to fill one rather amply. It is nonetheless quite small for a spaniel, with fully-grown Cavaliers roughly comparable in size to an adolescent of a more conventional spaniel breed. Breed standards call for a height between 29 and 33 cm (12-13 inches) with a proportionate weight between 5,5 and 8,5 kg (13 and 18 lbs). Unlike most other spaniels, the Cavalier has a full-length tail well-feathered with long hair, which is typically carried aloft when walking.


Coat

The Blenheim's coat features rich chestnut markings on a pearly white background.The breed naturally grows a substantial silky coat of moderate length. Breed standards call for it to be free from curl, with a slight wave permissible. In adulthood, Cavaliers grow lengthy feathering on their ears, chest, legs, feet and tail; breed standards demand this be kept long, with the feathering on the feet cited as a particularly important feature of the breed.

The breed has four recognized colors:

Blenheim (rich chestnut on pearly white background)


Tricolor (black and white with tan markings on cheeks, inside ears, resembling eyebrows, inside legs, and on underside of tail)


Black and Tan (black with tan markings)


Ruby (rich reddish-brown all over)




Parti-colors are the colors that include white: Blenheim and Tricolor. Whole-colors have no white: Black and Tan, and Ruby. The Blenheim is the most common color, although the others are not rare.

If you are wanting to show a Blenheim Cavalier King Charles Spaniel extra points will be given for a rich chestnut dot placed between the eyes on the top of the forehead, called the lozenge. It is rare which makes it desirable for show breeders.


Temperament

The breed is highly affectionate, and some have called the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel "the ultimate lap dog". Most dogs of the breed are playful, extremely patient and eager to please. As such, dogs of the breed are usually good with children and other dogs. A well-socialized Cavalier will not be shy about socializing with much larger dogs. (However, on occasion, this tendency can be dangerous, as many cavaliers will presume all other dogs to be equally friendly, and may attempt to greet and play with aggressive dogs).

However, the extremely social nature of the Cavalier KC Spaniel means that they require almost constant companionship from humans or other dogs, and are not suited to spending long periods of time on their own.


History

A young King Charles II with his King Charles SpanielsFor many centuries, small breeds of spaniels have been popular in the United Kingdom. In the eleventh century, in the reign of King Canute, it was illegal to hunt with any dog that could not fit through a gauge that was eleven inches in diameter. Hence, the "birth" of the Toy Spaniel in the United Kingdom. Some centuries later, Toy Spaniels became popular as pets, especially as pets of the royal family. In fact, the King Charles Spaniel was so named because a Blenheim-coated spaniel was the children's pet in the household of Charles I. King Charles II went so far as to issue a decree that the King Charles Spaniel could not be forbidden entrance to any public place, including the Houses of Parliament. Such spaniels can be seen in many paintings of the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. These early spaniels had longer, pointier snouts and thinner-boned limbs than today's.

Over time, the toy spaniels were replaced in popularity by short-snouted, dome-headed dogs of Asian descent, such as the Pug and Japanese Chin. The King Charles Spaniel was bred with these dogs, resulting in the similar-shaped head of today's English Toy Spaniel breed. The King Charles Spaniel remained popular at Blenheim Palace, home to the Dukes of Marlborough, where the brown and white version was the most popular - resulting in the name Blenheim for that color combination.

In the 1920s, an American named Roswell Eldrige offered twenty-five pounds as a prize for any King Charles Spaniel "of the old-fashioned type" with a longer nose, flat skull, and a lozenge (spot) in the middle of the crown of the head, sometimes called "the kiss of Buddha," "Blenheim Spot," or "Kissing Spot". So, the breed was developed by selective breeding of short-snouted Spaniels. The result was a dog that resembled the boyhood pet of the future Charles II of England ("Cavalier King Charles"), whence the breed derives its name.

Source: Wikipedia

Cavalier Crazy

My Meredith James

I am absolutely in love my baby pup, Meredith, my year and a half old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. I got her last year for Thanksgiving and ever since have said that this is the only breed for me! Really, I can't say enough about how wonderful she is. She is currently my only daughter. However, since before I got her, I have dreamed of breeding. I assisted my precious neighbor Mim's dog in 2 litters, and most recently was a foster parent for the sale of my grandmother's baby, Zoe's, puppies. One would think that the hard work and mess of it all would have turned me off of the idea by now, but yet I still think my own breeding and sitting business would be the sweetest job I can imagine. I just so long for everyone to experience the joy of puppy parenthood, and I love being the one to help them transition into that phase of life.
So currently I am in prayer and researching the best way to beginning breeding. Fortunately, I am good friends with a lady at the Birmingham Specialty Animal Medical Center who used to breed and has connections to very healthy Cavaliers. It will be expensive as I know good Cavaliers cost so much these days, but I truely hope to find a healthy pet quality breed mother. Unfortunately, Meredith is not breeding quality and we had to have her fixed. But we have a good friend and neighbor who has a stud, and hopefully down the road we will be able to purchase another stud as well. I will keep you posted on the outcomes, but here's hoping that spring finds us with one more addition to the Thompson tribe in the form of a cotton soft snuggle pup looking a little bit like this...

Riding Spook

Sunday I got to do one of my absolute favorite things in the world. I swear I was born to be on a horse. I never get tired of it. I don't think...Saturday I am going 17 miles in Bankhead, so we will see (and we will see how well I can walk afterwards too, ugh!). Thanks so much to my cousin Jonas who has been ever so generous to let me ride. It's worth the hour ride even with gas prices like they are any day.