Choosing a Breeder

What to look for

What should you look for when searching for a purebred Cavalier puppy to add to your family? 

There are many breeders registered with the Kennel Club of the country they reside in. However not all are equal. There is a large number of Kennels breeding dogs primarily for the pet market and sadly more so for profit. But please, look to recognise those who are focused on the preservation of our beloved breed and investing into their breeding program. 

A preservation breeder is a purebred pedigree dog breeder who works to sustain and safeguard their breed so that its existence will continue into the future. They will have a focus on preserving type, health and temperament and the numbers of litters a year available may be limited so exercise patience. 

Preservation breeders invest in comprehensive health testing, along with importing dogs and semen from other countries, to increase the gene pool and produce healthier pedigree dogs. This can cost in excess of thousands, so such breeders rarely recoup costs despite selling well-bred puppies they do not keep for their breeding programs to carefully selected pet homes. 

Such dedicated breeders spend huge amounts of time and money on travel and accommodation to exhibit their dogs at conformation shows, paying entry fees to have their breeding stock evaluated by trained and experienced dog judges. 

So, you might not think that you want a dog from a breeder who shows dogs… but a puppy from an exhibiting breeder has had a wonderful start in life and has been raised with the most investment and integrity. 

Saying this, no matter where your Cavalier is from – he/she is a source of joy and living their best life with you. However, for the future of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, we need people to support responsible and ethical breeding of our beloved breed.