The most frequent questions and their answers are:
Do they shed? Yes they do, not as much as larger breeds! With
frequent brushing it is usually not a problem. But if dog hair bothers you,
consider other non-shedding type breeds!
Are females better pets than males? In this breed, the
neutered males are just as loving, if not more loving than the females.
The saying is that the girls love you, but the boys are in love with you!
How much are they? You can expect to pay $1500-2500 for a
pet puppy from an ethical, health testing breeder. The going rate in the Midwest is $1200-2500 on
the East and West coasts they are higher, as much as $2000-2800 or higher.
Beware of the brokers who collect up puppies from all over
the world, importing them from Ireland (and elsewhere) and then reselling them.
You should want to meet the breeder and see the parents and other relatives of
any puppy you are considering bringing into your family. If something goes wrong
with the puppy the brokers will not be there to
take it back or to help you. Also, be leery of breeders who
use registries other than AKC
Cavaliers need to be with people and not kept in a barn or building away from
human contact, so also be suspicious if you are not able to see where they are
housed. Any reputable breeder will want to establish a relationship with you
before they let one of there precious cavaliers leave. They will want you to
come and meet the parents/relatives and to be sure that the cavalier is truly
the breed for you.
LOOKING? HOW TO MAKE AN INQUIRY THAT GETS ANSWERED!
Many of the breeders listed on the Cavaliers Online! Breeder List receive
well over a dozen puppy inquiries a day. Sometimes it is difficult to answer
every single one. Here are a few tips to help you receive a response.
1. Introduce yourself. At least give your name. The more you write about you
and your home situation the better.
2. State your location. A number of breeders do not ship and this will help
them answer you. If you are willing to fly in to meet the breeder and see their
dogs, let them know.
3. Be as specific as you can as to what you are looking for, pet quality or
something to possibly be shown/bred. Puppy only or would an adult be ok? Color
and sex preferences, if any. This can save a great deal of time.
4. If you are sincerely interested, give an alternate means to communicate
with you, phone number or mailing address. There are so many ways to be
anonymous through email that a lot of breeders do not answer if they feel the
person is just fishing for information for one reason or another.
One other tip, save the general breed questions for subsequent
communications. It would be very helpful for you to have researched and studied
the breed before starting to contact breeders.
The links below will help you become more knowledgeable and can
hopefully lead you in the right direction for choosing a breeder.
