Cavalier King Charles Spaniel care guide
The Cavalier may be the purest companion dog ever made: gentle with children, friendly to strangers and pets, equally happy hiking or napping. Their melting expression hides the breed's heavy cardiac burden, which every buyer must research.
Feeding
Prone to weight gain — measured meals protect both heart and joints.
Exercise
Adaptable: 30–60 minutes daily, scaled to your lifestyle. They match their person's pace remarkably.
Grooming
Brush the silky coat two to three times weekly; keep ear undersides clean and dry.
Common health issues
- Mitral valve disease — affects most Cavaliers by later life; annual heart auscultation from age 5 (earlier is better)
- Syringomyelia — scratching at air near the neck deserves investigation
- Ear infections
- Patellar luxation
Track your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel's vaccinations, medications, and vet visits in one place with PetVault AI's health vault, and ask breed-specific questions with the AI vet assistant.
Frequently asked questions
What should I ask a Cavalier breeder?
Cardiac history above all: parents' ages, heart-clear certificates by cardiologists (not just vets), and MRI screening for syringomyelia.
Are Cavaliers good first dogs?
Temperamentally ideal — gentle, trainable, forgiving. Just budget emotionally and financially for the breed's heart care in later years.
Related breed guides
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