|
Is A Rescue Cavalier The Right Dog For You?
What is a rescue Cavalier and where do they come from?
Rescue Cavaliers come from a number of places. Some may come from shelters, others, through no fault of their own, need to find a new home due to the divorce, death, or incapacity of their owners. Others may come from people who have seen this cute little puppy in a pet store window and bought it on impulse, giving little thought to the fact that the puppy would have to be socialized, housebroken, trained, and will demand the attention of their owner. Some may have been seized by the authorities from uncaring and unscrupulous mass producers.
Some animals may have been taken from people called “collectors” or “hoarders”. These people actually begin taking in strays and other homeless animals out of the goodness of their hearts but for some reason, they won’t or can’t let go of any of the animals they started out to protect. They keep adding more and more until they have dozens of animals that they can’t possibly care for. Usually they are finally turned in by neighbors or family members because of the filth that not only the animals are living in but the humans as well. These people have some sort of mental illness and are often the ones we see reported on TV.
As a rule, rescue Cavaliers are adults. We rarely get a Cavalier puppy in rescue. Rescue Cavaliers may have health problems, may need to be on medication for extended periods or even their entire lifetime, they may need training, and will most certainly demand your attention. These loving little dogs want nothing more than to be with their family. If you decide a rescue Cavalier is for you, they will reward your kindness with love and affection until the end of their days.
Since we never know what dogs will be coming into rescue, if you have a strong preference for color, sex or age, a rescue dog may not be for you. The more flexible you are about age, sex and color, the more likely you will be to make a suitable match.
Are rescue Cavaliers readily available?
The answer to that question is “no” there are not always Cavaliers in rescue. Patience and determination, as well as keeping in contact with the rescue organization, is the best thing to do if you are determined to get a rescue Cavalier. It may take a long time, but it will be worth it.
How can I adopt a rescue Cavalier?
One of the most important things to do before you decide to adopt a rescue dog is to familiarize yourself with the breed. Go to a dog show or to the home of someone who already has a Cavalier and get to know the breed. There are many books on Cavaliers which can be purchased from any large bookseller or ordered on line from a company like Amazon, or they may have books at your public library.
After doing your research, if you still want to open your heart and your home to a Cavalier rescue, fill out the ACKCS Rescue Trust Preliminary Adoption Application which can be found on their web site at www.cavalierrescuetrust.org and send it in. We are all volunteers and get many inquiries each day; therefore you will not be contacted when your application is received. It is very important that you keep your contact information current. This will allow us to contact you should a suitable Cavalier become available. Please remember, obtaining a rescue Cavalier may take a considerable length of time.
Some things you should know about the Cavalier.
Size: The average Cavalier is 12 to 13 inches tall at the shoulder and weight is between 13 and 18 pounds. However, you will find some smaller and some larger than this average size. The Cavalier is registered with the American Kennel Club as a member of the Toy Group.
Personality: Cavaliers are extremely people oriented and want nothing more than to give and receive affection and attention. They need to be with their family. Because of this, some people find them to be demanding, so if you are not a person who likes a dog to kiss you on the lips, lick your ear, lie in your lap, next to you on the furniture, or share your bed, a Cavalier may not be the dog for you. Their greatest joy is to be with you.
As a rule they get along well with other dogs and also cats. You must keep in mind, however, that they are a small spaniel and most still have some hunting instincts; so a gerbil, hamster, rat or bird, may not be safe.
Cavaliers don’t take well to extremes of heat or cold. You must be sure that on hot days there is always a cool spot and plenty of water; on cold days always provide somewhere they can keep warm.
Training: Cavaliers are generally not difficult to train because they want to please their owners. However, a rescue Cavalier may have some bad habits and/or issues due to their past treatment or environment and, as a result, may require retraining, which is a little more difficult. Housebreaking could be an issue with a rescue Cavalier, so if you can’t stand a few “accidents” while the training or retraining is in progress, you probably do not want a rescue dog.
Health: As with all breeds of dogs, Cavaliers do have some health problems. Some health problems may be Mitral Valve Disease (MVD,) luxated patella, epilepsy and syringomyleia (SM). Some of these conditions may not show up until the dog is older and some dogs will never have them. If one of these conditions does exist or does develop, the dog may have to be under the care of a veterinarian and on medication for the rest of their life. Although no one can predict what the future may bring, when you
adopt a rescue Cavalier from the ACKCS Rescue Trust, it will have been spayed or neutered, will have had a full medical exam, and sometimes a medical history, so you can be aware of the medical needs of the dog from the beginning.
Dental Care: All Cavaliers need dental care. They should have their teeth brushed regularly and should have their teeth and gums evaluated by their veterinarian as part of their annual yearly check-up. Professional cleaning by a veterinarian may be indicated. If you do have your Cavalier’s teeth professionally cleaned, always remember to put them on antibiotics one week prior to the cleaning and keep them on antibiotics for one week after the cleaning.
Fences and Leashes: Cavaliers MUST be kept in a securely fenced yard. The fence should keep the Cavalier in and neighborhood dogs out of your yard. Anytime you take your Cavalier out of the fenced area for a walk or romp, it MUST be on a leash. Cavaliers are extremely social and friendly and will run after another animal, a child on a bike, get into a car with anyone or go into someone else’s house. Cavaliers have no sense of danger and never learn to stay out of the street or that a large dog may not be friendly. They need your protection AND they need to be on a leash when out of the fenced area.
Invisible fencing is NOT recommended. It is not secure and some Cavaliers will endure the “zap” if they see children playing or see another dog they would like to meet. In addition, the invisible fence will not keep out other animals that could enter your yard and cause harm to your Cavalier.
For walking your Cavalier, you should have a thin 6’ leather or nylon leash and a collar. Teach your Cavalier to walk at your side. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER use a pinch collar on a Cavalier. A “pinch” or “spike” collar, sometimes euphemistically called an ”obedience training collar”, is a chain collar with metal spikes that dig into the dogs’ neck when it tightens. This type of punishment should NEVER be used on a Cavalier.
Correcting Your Cavalier: Cavaliers do not respond well to harsh corrections; they are very sensitive and a stern “No!” is all they will need. NEVER hit your Cavalier with your hand or with a newspaper or any other object. This will only make him fear you. Repetition, consistency, patience, kindness and love are all you will need to train your Cavalier.
Preparing To Adopt Your Rescue Cavalier: There are some things you should do before bringing your new dog home:
♦ Learn about the breed!
♦ Purchase a high quality dog food from a pet supply store. Preferably what the Cavalier has been eating while in foster care.
♦ 6’ thin leather or nylon leash.
♦ Soft collar.
♦ Stainless steel bowls for food and water.
♦ Safe toys.
♦ Soft doggie beds.
♦ Crate – 27” long x 20” wide x 19” high.
Bringing Your New Dog Home
You are bringing your new pet home. You are excited and if you are like most people, you are anxious to begin enjoying your new companion. But this is the time to take things slowly. Your new dog has had many changes in its life already and chances are the dog may be confused and even a little frightened. A little time, effort, tons of patience and love on your part now will certainly be worthwhile to both your family and the dog and will set the tone for bonding and a happy life together.
This is one time that you will want friends and family to delay their visit to meet the new addition. This is a day just for your family and the dog – friends and relatives can wait a day or so. It’s a good idea to just keep it in the immediate family at first. Try to keep things as calm as possible so you can get to know each other.
Books: These are just two of the books available that may be of help with your rescue Cavalier.
SECOND HAND DOG: HOW TO TURN YOURS INTO A FIRST RATE PET By Carol Lea Benjamin.
THE ADOPTION OPTION By Shari Kalina
Donations: The American Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Rescue Trust does not sell dogs. We do ask for donations to help us with medical and rehabilitation expenses for unfortunate Cavaliers.
All Cavalier rescue dogs are taken to a veterinarian for a complete health work up. They are all spayed or neutered, brought up to date on their vaccinations and given dental work if needed. Depending on where the dog has lived, it may also have been tested for Heartworm and put on Heartworm medication.
When adopting a Cavalier, your donation of $350.00 or more helps us cover these expenses so that we can help other Cavaliers in need.
|
