Crazy for Cavaliers

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Rescue

2009-12-17T19:50:00.002-05:00

Autumn and Guiness - 2 cavalier king charles spaniels up for adoption in Greater Chicago area. Here's a video showing these 2 beautiful cavaliers.

Santa's Cavaliers - Molly

2009-12-15T20:29:00.003-05:00

This year, Santa asked me to post pictures of some his favorite Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. Above is a picture of Molly sent in by her mom Michelle.

If you have a picture of one of Santa's favorite Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, send me a picture at crazyforcavaliersblog@yahoo.com

Betsy - Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

2009-08-07T19:23:00.001-04:00

Betsy - Spring 2009 Enjoying a bully stick out in the backyard

Daisy and Betsy

2008-08-11T20:13:00.009-04:00

Here are recent pictures of our two Cavalier King Charles Spaniels.

These first two pictures were taken with my new Canon Rebel XSi camera:

Daisy, the tri-color is 2 yrs 9 mos. old.

Betsy, the Blenheim is 1 yr. 11 months old.

You'll have to trust me on this one; but, these next two pictures were not posed. I just caught them while they were waiting for us to get dressed to go to work. As you can see, it's just torture for us to leave for work when they are so adorable.

Betsy gets a new toy.

California Allows EnforceableTrusts To Be Set Up for Pets

2008-07-27T09:32:00.007-04:00

Judi Geldermann has put $50,000 into a trust for her Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, including Bronson, shown here at 14 months.

The California legislature last week passed a bill allowing pet owners to set up legally enforceable trusts to care for their pets. Under the new law, pet owners can set up a trust that provides a certain amount of money for the animal's care if the owner dies or becomes incapacitated.

If the money is not being used properly, anyone "interested in the welfare of the animal" or any nonprofit group devoted to animal care could petition a court to enforce the trust, the law states.

For more information, see the full article at SFGATE by clicking here.

Daisy and Betsy's new Summer Cuts

2008-06-02T20:40:00.007-04:00

Daisy and Betsy got their first "summer" hair cuts last weekend. Daisy was so hot last summer we decided to go for short hair for this summer. They both look like puppies compared to their normal look. They seem to have adjusted well to the change.

CKCSC National Specialty Show - Tarrytown NY April 2008

2008-05-06T21:32:00.006-04:00

We saw our first live dog show last month at the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club National Specialty Show at the Westchester Marriott in Tarrytown, New York. Over 250 cavaliers competed in various categories, including conformation and obedience.

Over the next few weeks, we'll post some pictures from the show, including those of our very own Daisy and Betsy, who attended as spectators.

Here's a video of my friend Janie showing Diva, her tricolor in their first competition.

YouTube of the Week - Fosse

2008-03-22T23:57:00.002-04:00

Sometimes I just can't decide which video to add to the blog, so I posted two videos of Fosse. Fosse is an adorable Blenheim Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. More videos of Fosse can be found on YouTube by clicking the link Fosse2007

YouTube of the Week - Boo

2008-03-14T21:20:00.003-04:00

These are short videos, so I posted 3 here. Boo is an adorable Blenheim colored Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy. These vidoeos were made by Kissindra

Enjoy!!!!

Boo's first day home

Boo the destroyer

17 week old Boo meets a new kitty

YouTube of the Week - A bucket load of Cavalier Love

2008-03-07T20:21:00.003-05:00

Here is a YouTube video of beautiful Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppies. The puppies are from the litter of - Tmavá Hviezda.

To see other Cavalier videos by "vadimosk" click here.

"The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel in Fact and Fancy"

2008-03-03T19:41:00.000-05:00

Barbara Garnett-Wilson, the author of two books about Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, was the winner of the Maxwell Award for Best Breed Book of the Year for 2007 by the Dog Writers Association of America at their annual awards ceremony on February 10th in New York City. For more information about receiving the award, click here.

Barbara won the award for her book "The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel in Fact and Fancy" and also co-authored the book "The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel: A Tribute in Art" with her husband Roy Wilson. The first book contains over 450 pictures and illustrations of Cavaliers. For more information about Barbara Garnett-Wilson and these books, you can access her website "Home of the Laughing Cavaliers".

If you've seen or purchased these books, please leave a comment on this blog with your thoughts and opinions.

YouTube of the Week - Grace

2008-02-29T20:58:00.000-05:00

While we prefer to post a video with a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel in action, occasionally we find a video picture collection that's too sweet to pass up, like this one from Nilanna. The background music on this video adds a special touch. Enjoy!

If you have a video of your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel you'd like us to share on this blog, please email us at crazyforcavaliersblog@yahoo.com

Precious Paws Rescue - Ontario Canada

2008-02-27T22:00:00.000-05:00

Herbie, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel with his owner Jean Kingston from Ontario Canada. Herbie, recently became an ambassador for the organization Precious Paws Rescue, that saves abandoned and homeless pets. Ms Kingston fostered a dog for three weeks and hopes others will help out.

Precious Paws Rescue is a non-profit rescue group dedicated to saving the lives of homeless and abandoned pets by putting them in permanent, carefully screened homes.

For complete article in the Beacon Star in Parry Sound, ON click here.

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There are many ways you can support your local rescue organizations...donating your time, fostering rescues, donations of food and supplies or financial donations. There are links on the right panel of this blog to find out more about rescues.

2008 Westminster Dog Show Best of Breed - Cavalier King Charles Spaniel "Rocky"

2008-02-23T20:48:00.007-05:00

The 2008 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show took place the weekend of February 11-12, 2008 at Madison Square Garden, NYC. The winner of the best in breed for the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel was Ch. Pinecrest Orchard Hill Rock the Boat, as he's officially known, also known as "Rocky". According to the Dallas Morning News, this was the second time Rocky has won best in breed at the Westminster. He is from Argyle Texas. Click here for the Dallas Morning News article.

If you'd like to see a video of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel breed competition at the 2008 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, click here.

Mitral Valve Disease (MVD) Question

2008-02-23T19:19:00.003-05:00

Comment from a guest to our blog about MVD concerns.
Please feel free to leave your comments.

"Our Blenheim male (Max) is only 6 months old and my vet told me today she detected a slight murmur. I am not sure how to take this. I'm hopeful that it will go away and that it's a puppy issue. I knew when we got Max that MVD is common in Cavaliers but thought murmurs came along at later ages. Any advice would be appreciated. Our vet said she will check him again for a murmur in a couple of months and if it progresses, she is sending us to a veterinary cardiologist. We are in the Washington, DC area. Reply to my email: CarenMadsen@msn.com if you would like -- I am hopeful but on the verge of being depressed about this. We just lost our 5-year-old cat, Mimi, to feline lymphoma last September after several months of battling that. How many ways can you say that sometimes life is just not fair?

I would appreciate hearing stories of early detected murmurs that were reduced or stories of Cavaliers that lived full and average lifespans with a murmur."

First Aid Saves Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

2008-01-03T15:34:00.000-05:00

Gryffin is a 4 year old tri-color Cavalier King Charles Spaniel who received life saving rescue efforts by his mom, Virginia Marchetti. Virginia used the first aid training she received at the American Red Cross, to help Gryffin who was choking.

The article relates information from the American Animal Hospital Association that one in four pets that have died over the years could have been saved if given the appopriate first aid procedures.

The American Red Cross website provides a booklet on First Aid for Dogs that can be purchased. Click here for more information on the first aid manual.

For the complete article about Virginia and her cavalier king charles spaniel, click here.

Video of the Week - Tristan and Dinadan at Play

2008-01-01T15:25:00.000-05:00

Here's a video by Marie of her boy Tristan and house guest Dinadan at play. It's a great example of how Cavalier King Charles Spaniel's play together.

Tristan and Dinadan

Holiday Cavaliers - Scooter and Rocket

2007-12-29T18:23:00.000-05:00

This picture was sent in by Judi from Hampstead, NH. Scooter is a 6 year old tricolor male and Rocket a 4 year old tricolor male. Although they aren't wearing holiday costumes, they are obviously N.E. Patriots football fans!!! It's only fitting they be included on this blog on the night the Patriots play the NY Giants trying to win their final game cementing a perfect season. Go Patriots! Go Scooter and Rocket!

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YOU CAN STILL SEND US YOUR CAVALIER HOLIDAY PICTURES! We invite you to send us pictures of your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel in their Winter Holiday Costumes! We will post as many pictures as possible on this blog over the holiday season. You can email your pictures along with the name and age of your cavalier(s) by clicking on our email link here.
or email to crazyforcavaliersblog@yahoo.com )

Holiday Cavaliers - Jake and Roscoe

2007-12-22T17:43:00.000-05:00

Michele from Howard Beach, NY sent in these pictures of her two Blenheim Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. Jake and Roscoe are both 5 years old.

Surprise, surprise it's Santa Paws come to town!!!!

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SEND US YOUR CAVALIER HOLIDAY PICTURES!We invite you to send us pictures of your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel in their Winter Holiday Costumes! We will post as many pictures as possible on this blog over the holiday season. You can email your pictures along with the name and age of your cavalier(s) by clicking on our email link here. (or email to crazyforcavaliersblog@yahoo.com )

YouTube of the Week - Kayla

2007-12-21T20:09:00.000-05:00

Kayla is a tricolor Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. This Youtube video is from kaylaenmisty.
The final scene in this video reminded me of my own cavaliers frolicking in the snow from the snow storms we've had in New England this week.

Don't forget to send us pictures of your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel in winter holiday costumes to post on our blog!!!! Email to crazyforcavaliersblog@yahoo.com

Holiday Cavaliers - The Gang

2007-12-20T19:00:00.000-05:00

This picture was submitted by Ann in Massachusetts of her 4 Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. They are Simon (blenheim age 4), Chile (ruby age 6), Abby (tricolor age 3) and Gigi (black and tan age 6).

As soon as Santa's sleigh shows up they'll be all set.

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SEND US YOUR CAVALIER HOLIDAY PICTURES!
We invite you to send us pictures of your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel in their Winter Holiday Costumes! We will post as many pictures as possible on this blog over the holiday season. You can email your pictures along with the name and age of your cavalier(s) by clicking on our email link here. (or email to crazyforcavaliersblog@yahoo.com )

Holiday Cavaliers - Tristan

2007-12-19T21:12:00.000-05:00

Marie from Springfield MA sent in these pictures of her blenheim Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Tristan. Tristan is 4 years old; however the pictures below were taken when he was 2 years old.

Not so sure he's thrilled to be wearing that hat. I'm sure he'd like a treat for the trouble!

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SEND US YOUR CAVALIER HOLIDAY PICTURES!
We invite you to send us pictures of your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel in their Winter Holiday Costumes! We will post as many pictures as possible on this blog over the holiday season. You can email your pictures along with the name and age of your cavalier(s) by clicking on our email link here. (or email to crazyforcavaliersblog@yahoo.com )

YouTube of the Week - 2 videos

2007-12-14T22:31:00.000-05:00

We have 2 YouTube videos this week. The first shows two Blenheim Cavalier King Charles Spaniels playing together in a park. The second video is priceless - a litter of Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppies sleeping, one with quite a distinctive snore. Enjoy both!!

"Cavalier King Charles Spaniel - Chanel, Bacco e Figaro 2"
by ChanelMademoiselle

"Cavalier King Charles Spaniels : afternoon dreamin' "
by amadile Channel

Holiday Cavaliers!

2007-12-12T20:25:00.001-05:00

SEND US YOUR CAVALIER HOLIDAY PICTURES!
We invite you to send us pictures of your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel in their Winter Holiday Costumes! We will post as many pictures as possible on this blog over the holiday season. You can email your pictures along with the name and age of your cavalier(s) by clicking on our email link here. (or email to crazyforcavaliersblog@yahoo.com )

YouTube of the Week - Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

2007-12-02T22:22:00.000-05:00

This collection had such cute pictures of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, we just had to add it here as our YouTube of the week. Enjoy!

YouTube entry by DogRatandCat

Daisy and Betsy Playing

2007-11-26T20:40:00.000-05:00

Daisy is our 2 year old Tri-color Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and Betsy is our 13 month old Blenheim Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Betsy has been with us for only about 7 weeks and already, she and Daisy are best buddies. They love running around and playing together. Here is a picture of Daisy and Betsy playing in our living room.

Sometimes they play "rough". If you didn't have any forewarning, you might think they were actually fighting. This is quite common. Luckily, we have good resources in other cavalier owners to help figure these things out. As you can see in the picture below, their teeth are bared; but, when they are playing they don't actually close their mouths. They just growl and brush their faces against each other with open mouths. They take turns chasing each other around, jump each other and roll all over the floor. Sometimes one will pin the other on the ground. If one of them is accidentally hurt and gives a yelp, the other stops...they will then usually lick each other's faces. Then a minute later, they're back at it again. Once you realize they are just playing, their antics are quite hysterical.

YouTube of the Week - Seamus & Guido

2007-11-23T21:32:00.000-05:00

This is such a fun video to watch of this cute Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and beautiful kitty cat playing together. I also got a chuckle at the point when the cat was done playing; but the cavalier wasn't.

YouTube of the Week - A Day in the Life of Chester

2007-11-18T22:16:00.000-05:00

YouTube of the week - Louis the puppy

2007-11-10T19:21:00.000-05:00

Meet the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel named Louis

2008 ACKCSC Cavalier Calendars

2007-11-08T19:59:00.000-05:00

It's time to order your 2008 calendar for that kitchen or office wall. And, if you are Crazy about Cavalier King Charles Spaniels like we are, you'll want to take a look at getting one of these calendars below. This calendar is published by the American Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club Inc. These calendars also make great gifts.

ALL PROFITS BENEFIT THE ACKCSC HEALTH & RESCUE TRUSTS

Click Here to Order

Crazy for Computers

2007-11-07T07:31:00.000-05:00

Do you have a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel that loves computers? Betsy, our 1 y.o. Blenheim cavalier, doesn't miss a chance to see what we're doing when working on our laptops. As soon as I pull out my laptop, she jumps up and positions herself just right so she can view everything I'm doing on the computer. Every once in a while, she'll dislike what I'm doing on the computer and bark. However, she never barks when I'm looking at websites about Cavalier King Charles Spaniels.

Here she is helping Chris read his emails.

My Birthday

2007-11-05T20:11:00.000-05:00

Today is my Birthday. My name is Daisy. I am a 2 years old today. I'm a tri-color Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. This is a picture of the birthday cookie I got today.

I had a fun birthday. I played out in the yard with my sister Betsy. She is a 1 year old Blenheim Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Here is a picture of me eating my cookie.

I decided to share my cookie with my sister Betsy. Here's a picture of us eating my birthday cookie.

Freedom to Run and Play

2007-11-04T10:33:00.000-05:00

We recently fenced in our back yard to give Betsy and Daisy, our two Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, an open area to run and play without being on a leash.

Sometimes they go off on their own sniffing out different parts of the yard. Other times, they walk along exploring together....or each other.

They love to chase each other around the yard and especially around the tree. Sometimes they just stand there looking at each other to see who's going to make a break for it, then they're both off.
And when it's time to come inside, there's nothing better than snuggling together for a rest.

Cavalier Halloween Costumes - Part 4

2007-11-02T18:32:00.000-04:00

If you'd like to share a picture of your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel in their Halloween Costume on this blog, please email us your picture at crazyforcavaliersblog@yahoo.com We'll try to post as many pictures as we can.

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HOT DOGS!!

This halloween costume picture was sent in from Tara in Rochester NH.

On the right is Riley a Blenheim Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, who just turned 6 years old today. HAPPY BIRTHDAY RILEY!!!!

To the left is his brother Fritz, a 2 1/2 year old Daschund/Jack Russell Terrier mix.

For other pictures of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels in their Halloween Costumes, see previous posts.

Cavalier Halloween Costumes - Part 3

2007-10-28T19:33:00.000-04:00

Susan sent in these pictures of her two Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Dream and Peaches. Their home is Sunshine Cavaliers in Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada.

On the left is Dream, a 2 year old Tricolor cavalier. On the right is Peaches, a 2 1/2 year old Blenheim cavalier.

Here is another picture of Dream as the Dreamwitch!

See previous postings for other Halloween Costume pictures.

Cuddle Bug

2007-10-27T21:00:00.000-04:00

The new kid on the block always seems to change the rules. Our geriatric cat is getting lessons from the our new Cavalier "Betsy" on how to snuggle with pups, a task that Kitty is learning, although a little grudgingly.

Our older Cavalier Daisy never showed much interest in getting too close to the enigmatic Miss Kitty. So this is all new for the feline matriarch, but she's hanging in there. While old dogs might be challenged, I guess you can teach an old cat new tricks.

Cavalier Halloween Costumes - Part 2

2007-10-26T10:43:00.000-04:00

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Michelle sent in the following pictures of her two Blenheim Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. This year, she has dubbed them the "Kings of Queens"

This is Jake who is turning 5 in December:
And this is Roscoe who just turned 5 in early October:

Cavalier Halloween Costumes

2007-10-25T10:03:00.000-04:00

Halloween is almost here and you know what that means??? It's time to get out the costumes for your favorite Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and get that tilt of the head and quizzical look that asks "are you serious about making me wear this crazy outfit?"

If you'd like to share a picture of your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel in their Halloween Costume on our blog, please email us your picture at crazyforcavaliersblog@yahoo.com

We'll try to post as many pictures as we can.

Here's an adorable picture sent to us from Nancy in NY

We're Off to See the Wizard

Comments! Comments!

2007-10-18T08:30:00.000-04:00

We'd love to get comments from our readers, whether you're new or regular visitors to our blog. Comments don't have to be lengthy. They can be informative, supportive, critical or just to talk about your cavalier-----now who doesn't just love to talk about their cavalier!!! It would be wonderful to hear about your experiences with similar topics or issues we've raised. Or, if you'd like us to research and post about a topic you have interest in, let us know.

How do I enter a comment? There are three ways you can enter comments.
1. At the bottom of each post, you will see something like the following:

" Posted by eek at 8:20 AM 0 comments "

If you click on the word "comments" it will take you to a comment entry screen. You can enter your comment and then select whether you wish to be identified by name (click on "other") or be anonymous (click on "anonymous")

2. At the beginning of each blog entry, you can click on the title of the post. At the bottom of the post you will see a prompt that says "post a comment". Click on this and it will take you to the comment screen.

3. If you'd prefer not to make a public comment, you can send us an email at
crazyforcavaliersblog@yahoo.com or by locating the "Contact Us" section on the right hand side of the blog page and click on the email link.

Look forward to reading your comments! Thanks and Stay Tuned.

Busy with Betsy

2007-10-16T08:20:00.000-04:00

We've been limited with our posts this last week because we've been a bit busy with our new Betsy, the one year old blenheim Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. We've now had her for two weeks. Last Thursday, we brought Betsy to the vet to be spayed. It's been a handful keeping her from jumping on the couch and chairs since she is a spirited gal with plenty of energy and curiousity. She's taking stairs nice and gently; but, jumping takes too much strain on her stitches. Since her surgery, she has been a little bit more subdued as she's healing. She has definitely spent more time in our laps than chasing Daisy around the house.

One of the reasons we sought to get Betsy was as a playmate for Daisy, our other Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Daisy has been awfully lonely this last week since Betsy has not been up for playing and wrestling. We did notice this morning that Betsy was getting back in the mood of teasing Daisy so her playful spirit is on the way back. Now we'll just have to keep a closer eye to make sure they're not getting into a rumble and pull those stitches out!

We're also working on getting the two girls onto the same toiletting schedule. When we take the two out, invariably one goes potty right away and the other will take what seems like days. Betsy is used to having a fenced in yard so it's a bit of an adjustment to have her go on a lead. She's actually doing quite well for such a short time. Now we just have to find a way to end that middle of the night poo.

All in all, Betsy is adjusting well to her new home and we are gradually adjusting to having two crazy cavaliers in our lives. It's a little bit extra work; but, nothing compares to coming home and having these two beauties jumping up and down in excitement and all those sweet kisses. Not to mention having a warm lap as the fall nights start to get colder.

Arlo the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel with OCD

2007-10-14T20:47:00.000-04:00

Arlo is a one and a half year old tri-color Cavalier King Charles Spaniel featured on the CBS News "Sunday Morning" show about dogs with OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) . The story relates how Arlo experienced OCD behaviors such as obsessively chasing his tail and biting his ears. His family brought him to Tufts University Veterinary School in North Grafton, Massachusetts to see Dr. Nicholas Dodman, an animal behavioralist.

Dodman, in conjuction with UMASS and MIT, is working on genetic research in both dogs and humans with OCD to find links for future treatment/cures. They are encouraged by their research with hopes of finding genetic links within the next year. To view a video of this story click here. You can also find additional pictures of Arlo.

Working Cavaliers - Rusty

2007-10-08T09:59:00.000-04:00

I'd love a job where my Cavaliers could join me for the work day, complete with snuggle breaks and lunch time walks. Unfortunately, my days are spent in a dog-unfriendly office building in Boston. But I'm always inspired by stories of folks who have successfully incorporated their career with their pets.

Such is the case with Rusty, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, who works in photography studio with Diane Hagler.

“He’s kind of a little icon in the studio,” said Hagler, who specializes in photographing children, families, pets and high school seniors. “He’s been in many pictures with customers. Sometimes he sits there and I have to scoot him out. He knows that if his picture’s being taken, he gets a treat. He’s very patient.”

Diane and Rusty were recently featured in an article in This Week Newspapers. Click here for full story.

Rusty also has his own book (pictured above) and line of note cards that you can find at http://www.rustyscards.com

YouTube of the Week - Agility

2007-10-04T18:55:00.000-04:00

Here are two videos of a tri-color Cavalier King Charles Spaniel working an agility course.

Please share in the "Comments" section about your agility experiences with your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. How long your cavalier has been training, competetions? Where do you find trainers?

How Crazy?

2007-10-02T20:00:00.000-04:00

How Crazy for Cavaliers are we?

This Sunday we added a new member to our family. Her name is Betsy, a one year old blenheim Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. She is full of puppy energy and curiosity. Her formal name is Windham Betsy Ross, bred by Huntly Hashagen; a lovely breeder in southern Vermont. Daisy's second birthday is coming in November, so we thought the best birthday present was to get her a playmate! After all, isn't that the best gift to give a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel????

This afternoon:
The picture below was taken today. Initially, Betsy was lying on a compfy afgan on the floor usually reserved for Daisy when we work on our computer in the office. Since there wasn't enough room, Daisy was lying on the floor across the room. When the afgan was opened wider, Daisy decided to join Betsy. After only knowing each other for 2 days, Daisy and Betsy are becoming great buddies.

This morning:

This morning was too easy. After we woke up, I took Betsy and Daisy outside to do their "business". (I've already learned that it's easier to tie their leashes together just below the hand loop. They still have room to wander a little on their own, yet stay close at hand without sending my arms in two separate directions if I were to keep the two leashes separate! ) We went down the steps and onto the lawn and within 30 seconds, Betsy started to pee. When I looked over at Daisy she started too pee as well. When finished we walked to the other side of the back yard when Daisy angled to do her poop and when I looked over to Betsy, she was doing the same. How's that for timing!!! I'm realistic to know this won't happen every time, but it was so cool to watch as if they had somehow worked it all out beforehand.

Last night:
I can't resist adding these pictures below from last night. Since Betsy arrived, she's been getting to Daisy's bed in the living room first, leaving Daisy to sleep on the couch or floor. When Betsy ran out of the room, Daisy found an empty bed and took advantage of the moment. With a heavy sigh she plopped down on her bed, looking very content. As soon as she was relaxed, in trotted Betsy and climbed into the bed with Daisy. While the pictures below show the cute girls snuggling, Daisy decided she wasn't into snuggling and went back to the couch.

YouTube of the Week - Yoda

2007-09-28T12:37:00.000-04:00

After the previous post about the puppy mill, it's time for an uplifting video about this cute puppy named Yoda. Curious and playful! Nice filming and editing techniques used.

The video is called "Cavalier King Charles Yoda Part 1" by YouTube member 29frame

200+ Dogs Seized From Texas Puppy Mill - Updated

2007-09-27T16:05:00.000-04:00

KLTV Channel 7 (ABC affiliate in East Texas) reported yesterday that over 240 dogs were seized from a puppy mill yesterday just outside of Gladewater Texas by the SPCA and Upshur County Sheriff's office. Several of the dogs found were already dead; but many were able to be saved. They were found to be underfed and neglected. Small breed dogs had been locked up and used for breeding.

For the link to the video TV story click here . (Please note that when you start the video, a commercial will play before the story.)

Be prepared to see some very disturbing pictures of neglected dogs in this video. For a weblink to just the transcript of the story click here.

UPDATE: Maura Davies at the Texas SPCA has informed me that there were no Cavalier King Charles Spaniels found at this puppy mill.

Molly the Therapy Dog

2007-09-26T13:52:00.000-04:00

Molly is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel who works as a therapy dog at Naval Medical Center located in Portsmouth, Virginia. She is a certified pet therapy dog who see's patients at the Naval Medical Center helping to boost patient's spirits and provide a little comfort.

WVEC Channel 13 (an ABC TV affiliate in Norfolk Virginia) ran a medical report on September 25, 2007 about Molly and her work at the Naval Center. Click here to view the TV news report. Please note that when you play the video, a commercial will come on before the story about Molly.

Here are a few links to get more information about cavalier therapy dogs. Click on the name to access their webpage.
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club USA information on Therapy Dogs
Evanlake Cavaliers Therapy Dogs located in Blairstown NJ
RockCliffFarms Therapy Dogs located in Brooksville, FL
CKCS Club of Central Arizona has a presentation on 9/29/07 about Therapy Dogs

If you know of other resources for Cavalier King Charles Cavaliers as Therapy Dogs, please add the information as a comment to share with other readers!

Daisy's Trip to New Jersey

2007-09-23T21:34:00.000-04:00

Here is Daisy getting ready for her first ever trip to New Jersey this weekend. She was just checking out her new travel tote we got her from LL Bean. She loves going for rides in the car.

We stayed at the Marriott Residence Inn in Elizabeth New Jersey to visit my son who lives in nearby Linden. We liked this hotel because of it's location; but mostly because they allow pets. The downside was that it was right across the way from the Newark Airport. By our second day, Daisy was able to get used to the sound of jets flying overhead. As you can see in the picture, she was able to find a comfortable chair to relax in.

When it was bedtime, she had to test the bed to make sure that it was comfortable and find just the right spot for her to sleep. All in all she had a fun trip and was glad to see my son and his girlfriend. She was also glad to come back home!

YouTube of the Week - Bedtime

2007-09-21T10:16:00.000-04:00

This video beckons the questions: How many Cavaliers can you fit in a bed? And, just how much patience does a mother Cavalier need? Answers: a lot and a lot.

Click here if the video doesn't load.

Daisy's First Cavalier Pawty

2007-09-17T19:29:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, Daisy took her two daddies to a "Pawty" here in Massachusetts. What's a "Pawty" you ask? Well, it's a party co-hosted by three lovely Cavalier King Charles Spaniels named Mollie, Chauncey and Tori. They and their mom invited several cavalier friends and many new cavalier friends over for a pot-luck get together at their mom and dad's house. Thankfully, it was a nice roomy house because there were about 29 Cavalier King Charles Spaniels of all different ages, sizes and colors at the pawty. Daisy and her dads had a wonderful time meeting new friends and they're looking forward to seeing them all at the next pawty.

Kennel Club Donates Animal Rescue Devices

2007-09-15T12:03:00.000-04:00

This Cavalier King Charles Spaniel demonstrates the new animal rescue devices donated by the Monroe County Kennel Club to be used by firefighting teams in Monroe County Pennsylvania. The Pocono Record reports that the respirators will be used to help animals rescued from fires and other disasters. The Monroe County Kennel Club raised $1,655 in a fundraising campaign. What a great spirit of coorperation between dog lovers and community fire departments to help save our beloved companions!

The masks were purchased through a nonprofit organization called H.E.L.P. Animals, which is located in Orange City, Fla. This group has helped provide over 4,000 masks throughout the US. For more infomation about them click on the following link http://www.helpanimalsinc.org/

For the complete article , click here

YouTube of the Week - Meet Winston

2007-09-15T09:46:00.000-04:00

There are several videos about "Winston" on YouTube. This appears to be one of the early ones when Winston is still a puppy... and a cute one at that.

Click here if video doesn't show.

Mitral Valve Disease (MVD)

2007-09-12T15:27:00.001-04:00

(Image from Wikipedia)

Before considering a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel for our family, my husband and I did a ton of research so that we'd know what we were getting into. Cavaliers are wonderful animals with amazing temperaments and personalities, but they come with a nasty bag of genetic disease, including the all-too-common "MVD."

Not familiar with MVD? Wikipedia has an excellent summary of the disease:

"Virtually all Cavaliers eventually suffer from mitral valve disease, causing progressively worsening heart murmurs leading to heart failure. This condition, in which the 'hinge' on the heart's mitral valve loosens and can gradually deteriorate, causing a heart murmur (as blood seeps through the valve between heartbeats) then congestive heart failure, can begin to emerge at an early age, and is present in more than half of all Cavalier King Charles Spaniels by age 5. It is rare for a 10-year-old Cavalier not to have a mitral valve heart murmur. While heart disease is common in dogs generally -- one in 10 of all dogs will eventually have heart problems -- MVD is generally (as in humans) a disease of old age, but unfortunately, the cavalier is susceptible to early-onset heart disease, at as young as age one or two. It is the leading cause of death of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and the reason the breed's expected life span is only between seven and ten years.

"Veterinary geneticists and cardiologists have designed breeding guidelines to eliminate early-onset mitral valve disease in the breed, but it is unclear if a statistically significant number of breeders follow these guidelines. Reputable international CKCS clubs all recommend that puppy buyers seek breeders who have cardiac clearances for their breeding dogs from a vet cardiologist, and who follow the MVD breeding protocol (parents should be at least 2.5 years old and heart clear, and their parents (eg the puppy's grandparents) should be heart clear until age 5)."

Link to full article.

Is a Snood for You?

2007-09-10T08:32:00.000-04:00

(Photo from The Snood Factory.)

Snoods are designed to help long-eared dogs keep their ears out of their food bowls. They are placed over the head, between the neck and back of the jaw bone, and usually stay in place with some elastic trim around the edge.

When we got Daisy, our Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, the breeder gave us a snood. It was purple, sequined, and scary. Every time I put it on the dog, I pictured her breaking out in song and doing a bad impersonation of a bad Liza Minnelli drag queen. And to top it off, the elastic was starting to wear so the snood usually ended up covering her eyes by the time she was finished eating. While I can be a fan of sequins, this was just too tacky and non-functional.

After trashing the snood, one day we rolled up a standard bandanna and tied it around the dog in place of the snood. Voila - it was perfect, stayed in place, and didn't leave a trail of glitz all over the carpet. Instead of Liza, Daisy's new mealtime look is more like Hattie McDaniel in Gone With the Wind. But hey, it works and she definitely "knows nothin' 'bout birthin' no babies."

3 Cavaliers Rescued in NZ

2007-09-08T07:18:00.000-04:00

Three Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, neglected and alone, were rescued from a house in Lower Moutere, New Zealand. Zane Dylan Whitebourne Parker, having been put in charge of their care, confessed to the neglect, was convicted, and paid $4450 in fines and vet bills.

The dogs, pictured above, were placed in new homes and are doing well. But, they were found in deplorable conditions. SPCA Officer on the scene Phil Bergman stated:

"The dogs had infected ears and very pus-filled eyes, and their coats were matted and covered in feces," Mr Bergman said. A little dried dog food was at the property, but Mr Bergman said this was mouldy and he was unsure of when the dogs would have last been fed.

These dogs were saved by an unnamed, observant third party who suspected the dogs were not being cared for, and made a phone call to the authorities.

Link to full article from The Nelson Mail.

YouTube of the Week - a Ruby Puppy

2007-09-07T13:41:00.000-04:00

YouTube is loaded with home videos of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. I've scoured the bunch and found this as my pick of the week, a cute Ruby puppy:

Click here if the video doesn't appear.

Celebs with Cavaliers - Mickey Rooney

2007-09-07T13:24:00.001-04:00

In a recent interview for The Guardian, Mickey Rooney talks about his Cavalier.

"We have a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Sir Digby. No matter how hectic life gets, we know when we get home our precious little companion is there with loving eyes waiting for us."

Hats off to you, Sir Digby! Those eyes, those eyes.

Link to article.

Daisy with Margo

2007-09-05T11:35:00.001-04:00

Here's a picture of Daisy with my friend and colleague Margo. They look so cute together. I'm slowly working on Margo to get a cavalier for her and her husband! What do you think Barry????

Underdog Controversy

2007-09-03T17:41:00.001-04:00

With the release this summer of Disney's live-action movie "Underdog," came a lot of controversy surrounding their choice and use of purebred dogs. The character "Polly Purebred" is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, pictured above.

It's expected that with the release of the movie will come an increase in demand for the breeds featured in the movie; much like what happened with 101 Dalmatians. And an increase in demand is typically satiated with an increase in puppy mills, shady breeders, and families matched with inappropriate breeds.

As always, when selecting a dog breed, you should always do research on the breed to make sure you're selecting an animal that's appropriate for your home. On this site's nav bar, I posted several cavalier links to websites that offer a mountain of information.

And always, always, always make sure you're working with a reputable breeder.

For more information on the movie and the breeds featured in the movie, click here.

On Vacation

2007-09-03T16:51:00.001-04:00

We had quite an adventure this summer with Daisy. We took her on her first family vacation (pictured above). We rented a dog-friendly lake house for a week in New England. And to our delight, Daisy had a wonderful time and behaved quite well. Not only was it her first vacation, but she also got to experience her first swim, and rolling in her first dead fish (yuck). Luckily, we were prepared for the fish and brought along her shampoo.

The incident reminded me of a poem titled "Percy (six)" by my favorite poet Mary Oliver:

You're like a little wild thing
that was never sent to school.
Sit, I say, and you jump up.
Come, I say, and you go galloping down the sand
to the nearest dead fish
with which you perfume your sweet neck.
It is summer.
How many summers does a little dog have?

Run, run, Percy.
This is our school.

Link to Mary Oliver's latest book Thirst

Intro

2007-09-03T11:06:00.000-04:00

Hello and Welcome. I'm starting a new blog all about cavaliers. My husband and I are currently owned by one Cavalier, a tri-color named Daisy, who we simply adore. She has brought nothing but love, fun, and sweetness into our home. And hopefully through this blog, we'll be able to share some of that joy with the rest of the world.

Peace.