Ask The Breeder (Number 4)

Why do breeders charge the same for show dogs as for non-show pets? What is the best seat belt restraint for dogs? How do I find low-cost health clinics for my dog? The answers to these and other frequently asked questions are in this video.

[@chrisstepleton4761]

I never let my Cavaliers jump on or off furniture. I had stairs for everything. I know this is extreme, but I didn't want them to ever hurt themselves. My 2 girls were the most wonderful dogs that I ever had. I would have done anything for them.

[@chrisstepleton4761]

I had to laugh when you wrote, "I'm just gonna sulk here " for Tag's reaction!

[@doctorberkowitz]

Hi! Dr. B. here! Thank you for answering all my questions!

[@rosymelanie]

How could you not want your dog up on the sofa?! They are part of the family! Having your Cavalier cuddle with you in the evenings while you watch TV is the best.

[@kelsie_adams]

Tag reminded me of a cat.... I want to stay here but I want you to know I'm punishing you for your rudeness so I'll turn my back to you. Apple is just so beautiful! So is Tag. Tag has refined elegance

[@nashguy207]

Thank you for answering my Question. Have a great day!

[@dogie1070]

Great answer about puppy price.❤

[@cartercarter7755]

Thank you for all the info. I'll go for crate first.

[@kathrynmettelka7216]

Tag wants a treat too! She objects to what she sees as favoritism.

[@jaykay3811]

Great series, been a longtime fan of the channel. Love your videos.

[@rylanblack8571]

Thank you for this! I could listen to you talk all day.

[@sandramerenda6603]

Thank you for another interesting video … I learn something new every time ‼️the best part is always seeing one or more of your puppies ❤they are always puppies to me 🐾❤️

[@julievanderleest]

Tag reminds me a little bit of the dog my grandma used to have. She had the same little spot on her head that Tag has. Different breed though but same color spot. She was a miniature collie. Beautiful dog too.

[@jayboyes3806]

That was the most interesting and informative 15 minutes about Cavaliers we have seen. This is a very valuable series, please continue it. Also, seeing Apple and one of her 'special guest stars' each time is great. We love great aunt Tag - special. Could I make a comment about the 'jumping up to sofa' question? We used a small step to let our elderly Cavs get up when they were older. And, it assisted young pups to get up more easily. Finally, check that the dog is not hesitating to jump up becaue they have a sore back - it happened once to ours. The step allows them to walk up instead of 'one giant leap'. Thanks again - we wonder the total number of different countries that view your videos - fun to know. All the best from Australia.

[@buymywings]

I’m really loving this series! Lots of good information. My Cavalier, Augie, is so food motivated it’s insane! Btw - loving the WKRP Turkey Drop shirt. Classic! 😂

[@pilarmontesfrechina1032]

Todo muy bien explicado , mi criadora me dijo que mi perrita no bajara del sofá hasta más de los 6 meses , a mi veterinario le pareció una exageración pero con su explicación me ha quedado entendido . Con estos vídeos se aprende mucho . Mulligan❤️❤️😘😘

[@craigreuter8378]

Question: how do you deal with matting? We brush at least twice daily, bath weekly, and every day have to use thinning shears for knots. The act of her simply breathing seems to cause knots all over the chest.

[@wt0416]

Thanks for answering my questionm. My 2 yr old cavalier has a frog leg. So does that mean her bones is not connected? Is saras leg ok? Should i be concerned?

[@pambeni5635]

My sweet cavalier passed away less than 6 months ago from cancer. I later find out that her litter mate passed just six months before that. These dogs were 8 years old. Both had regular checkups and fed well and thought to be very healthy. Are there screening tests for a cancer gene?

[@cavgrey8]

No to my knowledge. Charles Padgett has an excellent book (Amazon) on canine genetics.

[@wereallmadhere9086]

As a breeder and long time owner of this cavs, what is your take on Norway's decision to ban the breeding of cavalier king charles spaniels.

[@chaskat35]

I think the entire effort was ill-advised, and most likely was initiated by groups with their own private agenda. Responsible breeders, who are generally the ones who belong to breed clubs and show their dogs, have done so much in the decades that I have had Cavaliers to improve the general health of the breed. With extensive health testing of our breeding dogs, we have extended the average life span by years, and the breed-specific health problems have been greatly reduced. The persistent unhealthy Cavaliers that are being bred are bred by puppy mills and disreputable breeders, and they will not be stopped by a ban such as this, so it will only exacerbate the problems that exist. Our largest US Cavalier breed clubs are presently working hard to make our lawmakers aware of the facts, so as to avoid a similar ban in this country.

[@annaritabarile4893]

Mi scusi posso farle una fomanda?Ho un Kavalierkin di 10 mesi!Ho fatto tutti i vaccini e controlli base!Per il cuore quali esami devo fare per sapere che tutto e ok?Visto che il mio veterinaio non è molto attento e poi perché dalle nostre parti il Cavalier lo hanno in pochi!Grazie, e mi scusi se ho sbagliato a farle una domanda!❤😊

[@rosewoodsteel6656]

Our boys are 5 and 6 months old. We are crate training them. When they need to go out, we take them from the crates and put them in a large pen in the backyard until we think they have done their business (anywhere from 15 to 40 minutes. We try to watch to make sure when we can) and then we let them inside for "free time". Even with cordoning off areas we don't want them to roam in, we are still having accidents, sometimes they go right in front of us, on our living room carpet, before we can grab them. What can we do to improve the situation and how long does it usually take for Cavalier puppies to be house trained? Thank you.

[@chaskat35]

When you follow a consistent regimen of crate training starting at about 8-10 weeks of age, they are usually pretty much trained by 6 months. However, it's so tempting to let puppies go free more often, and then accidents happen. My general rule is to backtrack if they slip up. Go back to letting them sleep in the crate for a couple of hours, let them outside, and try to see if they do their business, and then give them a short period of SUPERVISED play, where you are with them, and ready to pick them up if they start to pee or poop inside. Then back into the crate for another nap. Over a period of a few weeks, the supervised play period gets gradually longer. Even when they get to the point where they seem to be fully trained, don't let them walk around unless you are with them.

[@rosewoodsteel6656]

Thank you! I'll get right on this!@@chaskat35

[@rosewoodsteel6656]

I might add when we bought our puppies from the breeder, they were three and four months old. My guess is they were not crate trained at an early age. And, our problem with the peeing happens much more often when it is raining outside and/or their outdoor area is wet. I've got to say, I don't blame them much for not wanting to "go" outside then. @@chaskat35

[@chaskat35]

Cavaliers notoriously do NOT like to go out in the rain. We always make a special effort to chase them out on rainy days if they haven't gone out for some time.

[@kimberlydrake8654]

Hi…after reading your comment/question I just have to comment/add…I am home all day with my dog Cavalier female 10 months old and I have to say I did a lot of research prior to getting this pup… much more then I had with the many other dogs I have had in my 62 years! We got her at 11 wks oldI used “0” pee pads! (worst mistake ever with other dogs) From day 1 at home she was taken out for business first thing in morning, after eating, after play sessions, after napping …after meals and before bed (crate)…consistently…yes multiple times a day…a lot at first! when I would take take her out she was on leash and I would say do your business…she would pee immediately and poop within 5 minutes….I would not let her sniff around etc would keep reminding “business” after she did or did not poop..when you leash walk you get to know their bowel habits… i would either walk her or take her in. She was always supervised when in limited areas for play….best advice I got was keep puppy’s world small (gates in kitchen) exercise pen, blocked off area, or crate…now that your guys are 5 and 6 months old they are very capable of holding their bowel and bladder for 6-8 hours….boys are hard because it may be marking…if still pooping in house…there is no reason to other then they are just used to it….I feel for you as I have had many dogs that have done what your dogs are doing! this is the first puppy I have ever had in my life that has not done their business in the house! I can only attribute that to the fact that I’m home and she has a schedule… she is in a crate when I’m not home… she was in a crate overnight until eight months old I now let her sleep with me. Check out McCanns Dog training KZbin videos…they have a lot of videos for problem solving this specific issue…I wish you luck… they are still young and it is worth your time to put the training in!!🫶🏻

[@janhankins911]

Walking a dog on a flat collar is great if your dog doesn't pull. If your dog pulls, many vets and behavior consultants recommend a harness. Contrary to popular belief, a harness does NOT encourage a dog to pull. If you get a harness, you have a number of choices. First, you can get a step in or over the head harness. A step in harness is one where the dog "steps into" the harness, while the over the head harness you have to put over their head to get it on. Most dogs are okay with an over the head harness, but some dogs don't like that at all and a step-in harness is best for those dogs. Second, you can choose between a "regular" harness and a "no-pull" harness. The regular harness has a ring where you attach the leash on the dog's back (the back of the harness). A no-pull harness has two places you can attach the leash--on the back or on the chest area of the dog. Clipping the leash to the chest area will help to keep a dog from pulling (If the dog pulls, they will just turn around when the get to the end of the leash). There are a dizzying array of harnesses available. I like the Voyager harness (other people will like other brands, so what is recommended depends on who you ask). What I like about the Voyager (available from Amazon) is it's a step-in harness (so good for dogs that don't like having things put over their head), it's made with extra "padding" so that the buckles of the harness do not come into contact with the dog's fur or skin, and they're not tremendously expensive. If you're looking for a no-pull harness, I like the Easy Walk harness. It doesn't look very substantial, but we've used those for "pully" Great Danes and Irish Wolfhounds and they are not only quite effective, but we've never had a dog "break" one (and we've used them on some very large males, one of whom weighed 189 pounds!). The Easy Walk is also step-in, so it doesn't have to go over the dog's head. Never use a choke collar, prong (pinch) collar, or "electronic" (shock) collar on your dog! They aren't necessary and they are (in my opinion--and a whole lot of people agree with me) cruel. Simply train your dog to walk well on a leash and you don't need those torture devices.

[@rylanblack8571]

I had a cavi that pulled so uncontrollably that he started to cause damage to himself in a harness- no matter the style harness, or the amount of training. The only thing that worked for us was a prong collar. It was introduced slowly, with positive conditioning. We went from an out of control dog, to one with leash manners overnight. Many dog owners criticized us saying harnesses were the only safe way to handle a cavalier. We found the opposite. The prong doesn’t cause pain, our pups wag and get excited when they see it. It’s not a form of punishment, it’s just another tool to communicate with the dog. Harnesses were the worst and most unsafe tool we ever tried. I say this because I am a fan of “every dog is different, use the tool that works for the dog” Any harness, collar, prong, ecollar, etc. can cause damage if used incorrectly. This does not make it a bad tool. A good trainer will have multiple aids available and use what works.

[@chrisstepleton4761]

My 2 Cavaliers pulled on a harness constantly, and when I switched to collars, they stopped pulling. I think you have to find what works for your dog.

[@chaskat35]

This is a much more complex question than meets the eye. I generally discourage people with whom I place my puppies from using harnesses; there is the potential for problems, especially if the harness is not fitted properly. I have two major concerns about harnesses. Dogs do not have collar bones like humans do, and the shoulder blades are attached to the spine and rib cage solely by soft tissue. Harnesses generally rest on or behind the shoulder blades, and too much pressure from the harness can injure the connecting tendons, sometimes leading to lasting problems like tendonitis. Many harnesses can also restrict shoulder blade mobility, and dogs (who typically carry the majority of their body weight on their front legs) may shift more weight to the rear, throwing off their natural gait. Severe compression of the muscles can also lead to various painful inflammations later in life. Granted, if the proper type of harness is used, if it is fitted properly, and if the owner knows how to train their dog to walk on a harness, these problems can be avoided. However, I've seen all too many dog owners use harnesses improperly, and I'd rather see them learn to walk their dog on a collar and lead. Of course, collars can also be misused and lead to injuries, but my experience has been that collars don't give a false sense of security that many people find in a harness, and they learn how to walk a dog properly with collar and lead. If you haven't seen my video on how to teach a puppy to walk on lead (kzbin.info/www/bejne/bXPLZ42IgrOXqtk), you might be interested in how easy it is, if it's done properly. I also agree with you about pinch collars and shock collars, although I confess to knowing nothing at all about handling large breeds, and my techniques for teaching a dog to walk with collar and lead might not work as well with them. Thanks for your input. I think we can all agree that the only constant is the need to learn how to train the dog to walk on lead, regardless of the device used.