It is important for you to do your research, know how to interview a
breeder and what answers you are looking for. Unethical breeders can be
very tricky. We want you to have enough information to make an informed
decision. Remember that the final decision is up to you.

Some advice that you may want to consider.

*A breeder's presence on a list or a web site does NOT mean they are an
ethical breeder.

*Mitral Valve Disease is not only inherent to Cavaliers bred in the USA.
Studies have been ongoing in other countries as well including England
and Canada. The statistics show that this is a widespread problem
affecting Cavaliers everywhere. Having your Cavalier imported from
another country is not necessarily getting you a healthier or a better
dog. It could be quite the opposite. If any breeder tells you that their
lines are free of MVD or other genetic diseases or that these problems
only show up in dogs from the US, Canada, Ireland, Australia or England,
RUN do not walk away from them. They are not being truthful with you.
Any breeder who is honest and has bred for any amount of time will tell
you that problems can and do arise even with the best breeders. Trust
the ones who are honest with you and will tell you how they work within
their breeding program to eliminate these problems. They are constantly
testing, reassessing, studying, showing and learning as much as they can
about the breed. And they can PROVE it to you. They will honestly talk
about the problems in their lines as well as brag about the successes.

*Length of time that a breeder has been breeding means nothing. Other
factors are more important such as how they breed, health testing that
is done and ethical practices of the breeder.

*Know what a buncher is, a broker, a puppy mill etc. A buncher and a
broker sell dogs for breeders. Ethical breeders do not sell their dogs
this way. Why? An ethical breeder wants to meet you personally. They
want to interview you as well as expect that you will want to interview
them. They feel responsible for the life they have created. And they
will most likely NOT sell you a dog just through a web site or just by
exchanging email. They do not entrust this big responsibility to someone
else. Most likely they will want to interview you more perhaps over the
phone or with a face to face interview if possible.  To educate yourself
as to what brokers and puppy mills are and how they operate, investigate
this web site.

http://www.nopuppymills.com/ 

*Health certificates. Any vet can write a health certificate for a dog.
This only means that the dog was healthy when it was at the vet's
office. This does not mean that the dog has been tested for genetic
defects nor the breeding stock used to produce this dog. With a
Cavalier, it is important to obtain PROOF that the breeding stock that
produced this dog has been tested by BOARD CERTIFIED specialists. This means a BOARD CERTIFIED cardiologist and a BOARD CERTIFIED veterinary Ophthalmologist. Some breeders who do not have access to a Board Certified Cardiologist may have their dogs undergo ultrasounds to check for heart defects. Proof of these tests may be obtained as well.  Cavalier breeding stock should be tested for hips ( certification from the OFA), eyes (certification from CERF), hearts (Board Certified Cardiologist), patellae and free from epilepsy.  Make sure you get 
copies of these BEFORE you buy. Do not accept a simple vet certificate with a promise of a 90 day money back guarantee. Nor a 1 year guarantee. MVD rarely shows up in a Cavalier before the age of two. You are looking for a breeder who will take back that dog for any reason at any time. FOREVER! And they will want to know about any problems that you are having with your dog, physically and behaviorally.

*Championships in a pedigree mean nothing all by themselves. Many of the dogs rescued from puppy mills have champions in their pedigrees.
Unscrupulous breeders do manage to get their hands on some very nicely
pedigreed dogs.

*Papers. Are they worth anything? Know who the reputable registries are.
Any dog can have papers.

*References. Again, this in itself means nothing. It could be anyone
working with the mill or breeder being paid to tell you what you want to
hear. Or it could be someone with a dog from them that hasn't become ill
or died yet. Don't rely on what someone else tells you. Do your OWN
homework.

*Finding a good breeder and your new Cavalier is a time consuming
process. It requires patience. Good breeders usually have a waiting
list. They cannot produce a puppy for you within 48 hours. Sometimes it
may take you months or a year to find the right puppy. Remember, this
will become a member of your family possibly as long as 15 years if you
are lucky. Veterinary costs for hip, eye, heart and patella problems are
VERY expensive.  It is not like buying a pair of shoes. If you do not
have the patience to make sure you are dealing with an ethical breeder
please do the breed a favor and buy a gerbil. This is not the time to
"bargain hunt". There are plenty of unethical breeders out there that
will be happy to take advantage of people who are looking for a puppy
"right now" or who are looking for a "bargain".

Does this mean that every breeder you meet in a chat room or who answers a post from a list serve or message board is unethical? NO! There are genuinely ethical and helpful breeders that will contact you and help you find a puppy. After all, they can't keep every one that they breed.
But learn how to separate the "wheat from the chaff". We hope that we
have given you some tools to do so.

BE CAREFUL OUT THERE!!