cavalier king charles spaniel?

Question

Im getting a cavalier king charles spaniel puppy, i will be at home for six weeks to look after him/her, however after that i will be out at work from about eight till four every week day. I am intending to have a dog walker so the dog wont be alone all day, and will spend lots of time with it during the evenings and weekends but would it be a good idea to get an older rescue cat that gets along with dogs to keep it company during the day? Would that stop the dog from getting too lonely/bored?

Answer 1

An old rescue cat would not, in my opinion be good company for a puppy. Cats can be very grumpy with noisy, playful puppies, and you may find the pup gets scratched or bitten by the cat, or worse still, so stressed out it just hides all of the time.

I know you probably will get the puppy anyway, but before you do, have you perhaps considered rescuing an older dog? You could even get a rescue Cavalier KC Spaniel if you contact the breed rescue people (do a google search). You may find that an older dog woudl be happier to be left alone for that time, and may even be used to being left by its previous owners.

It is not ideal for any dog to be left for a whole working day, but I appreciate you have made plans for a dogwalker, but I really do think you should reconsider having a puppy, they do need a lot of training and time and dedication, and you may find the pup develops behavioural problems, and doesn't become housetrained as soon as it should, even after 6 weeks of training.

If you do still get the pup you should gradually build up the time the pup is left on its own to climatise it ready for you going back to work full time, and not let it go cold turkey. You coudl try getting lots of good toys that keep the pup occupied when you are out, like rubber kongs which can be stuffed with food treats, or a buster food cube. You could also get a couple of DAP diffusers to put around the house, you can get them from most vets, and they are great for helping a pup or any dog settle into a new home as they omit Dog Appeasing Pheremones. I have found that these work. Oh, and also leave the radio on when you are out.

I am sorry I sound so negative towards you getting a pup, I know it is a very exciting time, but I myself have never bought a pup as I work too, and know I would feel very bad that it wasn't fair on the puppy.

Good luck either way, hope it all works out for you.

Answer 2

Hi,
I have a cavalier king charles he is now 14 we've had him since he was about 8 weeks old! He is a lovely dog and an excellent family pet, he is one of the nicest natured and most laid back dogs I have ever come accross. Its excellent that you are going to be around for the first six weeks after you get the puppy as this will allow you time to bond with him/her when they are at their most impressionable.

You dont say how old the puppy will be when you get it but I am presuming he is anything from eight weeks on. You can start training them from about eight weeks old, just a little at a time but he will learn. This is the puppies most sociable stage and it is important to let him see and hear lots of new things and get him used to seeing and meeting people and other dogs so he learns how to behave and becomes confident with the things he will see in everyday life, this will help raise a well adjusted happy adult dog.

When you are at home with him for the 6 weeks dont spend all your time with him or making a fuss of him as this will make it difficult for him when you do go back to work. Leave him alone in a room at a time for just a short period. Then come back and praise him if he has not done anything naughty. Slowly extend the times you leave him alone for and leave him with lots of toys and things to chew of different textures as this will keep him interested! Eventually leave him alone whilst you go out somewhere for an hour or two and this way he gets used to being on his own and knows you will be coming back!

Make it clear from day one that he is allowed to chew only his toys. Not you, your clothing or furniture ! Praise him when he lies and chews the things he is meant to and tell him a sharp NO as soon as he touches anything he shouldnt. This way he knows what is and what isn't allowed clearly from day one! He will test you but as long as the rules are clear from the start he will learn!

All in all these are placid dogs and make great family pets. Make sure he has a warm place to sleep, Take him for some excercise before you leave him in the house alone so he is tired and wont have excess energy to be bored and potentially chew anything! Leave him a variety of things to play with and chew to keep him occupied and until he is house trained leave some newspaper by the door so if he must go to the toilet he learns to do it there and near the door!

I have a 12 week old Jack Russell ***** and a 4 yr old Jack russel dog too!

Answer 3

I think it is really good that you are considering what will be best for the puppy & are planning well in advance for when you get him or her.

I got my Irish Setter puppy in similar circumstances to you, taking a holiday from work & planning for her arrival. I was possibly more fortunate than you though, in that I lived near enough home to be able to pop back at lunchtimes to see her for a few minutes.

I already had three cats when I got Tilly. They had been used to living with a dog (Tara my beloved previous Setter had passed away 7 months before). It was just a case of the new arrival, Tilly who had not been brought up with cats, used to my three.

Must admit that the first few days were really amusing. The kitchen floor is tiled & leads into a carpeted hallway. Tilly would gambol accross the kitchen after the cats, who would run, until she got to where the carpet started. Then Tilly would stop dead & not go any further. The cats took advantage of this, running into the hall then stopping one foot away from the edge of the carpet - you could almost see the glee on their faces as Tilly shuddered to a halt. Anyway, ramble ramble - you just wanted an opinion not an anecdote!

I think that your idea of getting a cat, that has been used to dogs, is a very good one. My dog & all the cats get along brilliantly. I've more cats now & Tilly has three special friends - Rico, who likes to go out for walks with her (hmm we do this after dark as I find it a little embarassing), Rubenz who she seems to think is her puppy. He snuggles up next to her & she makes a big fuss of him. The only problem is how rowdy it can get when they decide to chase each other up & down the stairs. And Fuzzy, who makes sure that Tilly's face is correctly washed.

I'd get the cat first though & get to know him or her first before introducing your puppy. Let the cat get settled into its new home & become assured, confident & secure. If possible, then I'd recommend you chose a playful cat more likely to cope with a young puppy.

Best wishes

Answer 4

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is an active, graceful, well-balanced toy spaniel, very gay and free in action; fearless and sporting in character, yet at the same time gentle and affectionate.
Knowing that the dog walker would be of better help than a rescue cat that would probably be OK with your dog but how will your dog be with the cat ?? He will obviously be very happy when with you and when the routine is set he will understand he is not "abandoned" by you every day.

Answer 5

Company for the new pup would be a good thing, tho you might consider taking in a rescue dog instead as the companion animal. It really depends on the individual dog as to if they will like and/or tolerate cats, but even if they end up getting on okay, the cat may choose to keep a distance from the dog when a puppy due to the hyper puppy phase.

Answer 6

A cat might help - it really depends on the dog.

One thing that definitely will help is to not spend every day with your pup during those first six weeks. Start right away with going out doing errands, even if you are only out for half an hour. This will help to prevent separation anxiety when you do go back to work. He won't be as lonely if he isn't used to having someone around 24/7.

Answer 7

A well-trained dog makes everyone happy, including his owner. Take a little time training him, and you'll never regret it; you'll always have an obedient dog by your side. Find more https://tr.im/XCvCx

By their nature, dogs are pack animals with a well-defined social order. Through basic training, you need to consistently make sure your puppy understands that you are the leader, not him. So in teaching him the basic rules, you take on the role of pack leader.

To fit into the family circle, your dog must be taught to recognize his name and such commands as come, heel, lie down and sit.

Answer 8

Having a pal for the pup is a great idea...but I'd get a young kitty. Sometimes older cats are afraid and not used to that kind of activity that the younger animals are doing...and have led a solitary life and are used to that.

Answer 9

These are quite lively dogs and can be very destructive if left alone because they get bored. Not sure a cat of any type is the answer xx

Answer 10

Cavaliers are brilliant dogs with a lovely laid back nature..I have one who is nine and a half years old, and had her mother before her...they love company, so another pet wouldn't be a bad idea, just make sure whoever takes it out is careful...the only flaw with cavaliers is that they have absolutely no traffic sense