5 Myths and Misconceptions About Cavalier King Charles Spaniels

In this post, I have gathered 5 myths and misconceptions about cavalier king charles spaniels. As an owner, I have over 18 years of experience with cavaliers, and these are the five things I have selected.

Have you ever watched any of those “X Things You Must Know..” or “X Facts About Cavalier King Charles Spaniels” videos on YouTube? I have, and sometimes the facts and points presented in the videos aren’t accurate.

They are blanket statements with no context or explanation. The points I’m making are not straight counterparts for the things I’ve seen in YouTube videos

1. Cavaliers are Lazy Couch Potatoes

Cavalier king charles spaniels are not couch potatoes nor lazy. They are companion animals that mimic the owner’s actions and behavior. If you stay indoors all day, your cavalier will happily stay indoors with you. And if you want to go out for a hike with your cavalier, they are glad to accompany you. That’s why I always say Cavalier King Charles spaniels are versatile dogs for different lifestyles.

I understand it can be unpleasant for dogs to go outside in pouring rain or freezing cold weather. But it is more unpleasant for you, the owner.

Dogs can sense the attitude and read the body language. If you are annoyed and reluctant to go outside, your dog will see the signs and think negatively about going outside as well. They are mirroring your behavior.

Scenario: After letting your dog out in the backyard, the dog just sits on the back patio and waits for you to let them back inside.

Dogs do this because, in their eyes, the owner has excluded them from the pack. Exclusion is a form of punishment. So, your dog doesn’t hate being in the backyard but hates being excluded.

2. Cavaliers Had Access to Every Room and Building in the 17th Century

Being a royal breed, it would make sense that Cavalier King Charles spaniels had access to every room and building in Stuart England. But sadly this one is not true.

The urban legend is, that King Charles II loved this breed so dearly that he decreed cavaliers have access anywhere and everywhere. No one could deny access and cavaliers were even allowed inside the Houses of Parliament.

This article from Dog Jaunt dug deeper and found that there is no evidence that cavalier King Charles spaniels were allowed to enter The Palace of Westminster.

3. Cavaliers Have a Double Coat

When comes to grooming, trimming a cavalier King Charles spaniel is a heated topic. Some people are strongly against trimming and some prefer their cavalier to have really short hair. Let me just say that everyone makes the best decision for their dogs and lifestyles.

Because some people are against trimming, I often see this picture circulating on social media, especially in the springtime. Now, I won’t take part in the debate about whether you should or shouldn’t shave your cavalier, but I will point out that in the case of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, the whole ‘don’t shave the undercoat’ argument is not valid.

When a dog has a double coat, it means he has an undercoat that is typically shorter than his outer coat, and his hair has a dense, woolly texture.

Orvis

Cavalier King Charles spaniels have a long, luscious, silky single coat. That’s why using an undercoat rake like Furminator is not necessary for cavaliers.

4. You Shouldn’t Give Hard Chews to Cavaliers

Due to their relatively short snouts, cavaliers experience dental problems. Gingivitis, dental calculus, and periodontitis are the most common dental problems for Cavalier King Charles spaniels.

Because cavaliers can have dental problems, I sometimes read the blanket statement that says not to give hard chews to cavaliers. I think people generalize different dental problems as “weak and bad teeth” and therefore tell others to ban hard chews. But it’s not that straight forward so let’s break it down:

• Dogs with weakened tooth enamel can chip their teeth more easily. Weakened tooth enamel can be genetic so if you know that ‘bad teeth’ run in the dog family, you can prevent the accidents. Otherwise, you can’t really know whether your dog’s enamel is weakened until the accident happens or a veterinarian confirms it.

BUT

• Chewing is a natural behavior for dogs. When a dog chews on something, the activity releases endorphins, hormones that relieve stress and pain.
• Hard chews also help to keep dental calculus away. Dental calculus buildup causes gingivitis that can lead to periodontitis. In some cases, periodontitis can occur without any calculus buildup. It is a serious disease that weakens the gums. In most severe cases periodontitis causes tooth loss.

So, before banning hard chews from your dog just to be safe, every dog owner should weigh the pros and cons.

5. Every Cavalier Suffers From Syringomyelia

The final point of 5 myths and misconceptions about Cavalier King Charles Spaniels is that every dog has syringomyelia.

Before I start explaining the misconception, I want to state that I’m not trying to downplay the health problems Cavalier King Charles Spaniels have. I think it is important to clarify this point because it’s hard to have constructive conversations about cavalier health with someone who has false information or makes misinformed accusations about the breed.

Are Cavalier King Charles Spaniels a Brachycephalic Breed?

Most Cavalier King Charles spaniels suffer from Chiari malformation (CM). This means the malformation of the skull. Because the skull is too small, the brain and spinal cord are under a lot of pressure. This pressure can cause fluid to build up in the spinal cord. This development of fluid buildup is called syringomyelia (SM).

Some researchers estimate that as many as 95% of CKCSs may have Chiari-like malformation (CM or CLM), the skull bone malformation believed to be a part of the cause of syringomyelia, and that more than 50% of cavaliers may have SM.

Cavalierhealth.org

Even though most cavaliers have Chiari malformation, half of the cavaliers have syringomyelia. Syringomyelia is a painful condition that causes neuropathic pain.

You can say this is a “tomayto – tomahto” kind of situation and either way it’s horrible. I agree, 50% of cavaliers having syringomyelia is 50% too many. No dog should have it. But it is unfair to stamp a label on every cavalier and scream at the owner that they have a sick dog when that is not always the case.