Advice on Buying a Puppy
Male or Female
Pet or Show
Colours
Breed
Standard
Preparing to
take your new Puppy Home Your responsibilities
Feeding
Health
Issues
Recommended Reading |
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One of the
first questions you will be asked by a breeder is, "Do you want a Cavalier as a
Pet or to Show". The usual answer can vary from, "I just want a healthy one" or
"What's the difference" or "I just want a pretty one"
All Cavaliers
should first and foremost be considered as a companion, some of the best
quality show potential Cavaliers just hate Dog Shows. If it is a pretty face
you are after but you do not want to show or breed Cavaliers then tell the
breeder.
The fact that they are being sold as pets, does not mean, they
are any less healthy than the ones being kept by the breeder to show. Markings
do play a part in deciding a "show potential" from a "pet quality" dog, however
there are many more other features, such as level top lines, gay tails,
straight stifles or scissor bite teeth which a show purchaser needs to
consider.
"What's the difference" - well sometimes it's the price.
A breeder who is advertising, a show potential Cavalier, would normally
have run that dog on until it is six months old and allowed things like the
teeth to change and the testicles to descend. With the additional costs of
feeding, inoculations and possibly vets bills they do need to recover more
costs, than a puppy sold at 12 weeks.
Buying a show potential Cavalier
is like betting on the horses. Choose your breeder carefully, visit plenty of
litters and compare them. Research your Pedigrees and look for sound healthy
lines. Read up on the breed standard and above all else go to some Dog Shows as
a visitor, meet the breeders and talk to them before announcing that you are
interested in getting a new puppy !
Show potential is about how close
that animal is to the Breed Standard (the 'perfect' Cavalier). It is an
educated guess by a breeder based on their years of experience in the breed. It
is their trained "eye" in being able to see the differences between similar
puppies in the litter.
The percentage of show quality puppies in any
litter is small, sometimes there are none. However none of this can guarantee a
Winner, there is grooming, presentation and ring craft to master.
To
improve your "odds" we recommend you buy from a breeder who shows on a regular
basis or has a proven record in the show ring or of breeding successful show
dogs. |