6 Reasons Why Cavaliers Are The Perfect Companions

I have owned cavaliers for over 18 years and wanted my first blog post about the breed to be a list of 6 reasons cavaliers are the perfect companions. I might be a bit biased but these are facts and not just my opinions. Ask anyone who has ever owned a cavalier if you don’t believe me!

After this post, I’m going to write next about myths that are often associated with Cavalier King Charles Spaniels.

1. Cavaliers Are Fit for Versatile Lifestyles

Whether you want to binge-watch Netflix series or spend time outdoors hiking, a Cavalier King Charles spaniel can hang out with you either way. These munchkins enjoy sleeping in and relaxing, but at the same time, they have enough energy and physical capability to run outside for hours.

If you like long walks, hiking, or are interested in taking agility courses with your dog, the cavalier can fit that lifestyle. Remember to choose a breeder who has tested the parent dogs for patellar luxation. A Cavalier with knee or hip problems is not fit for an active lifestyle.

Cavaliers don’t have extremely high levels of energy. They don’t require strenuous exercise like herding dogs but they are not complete couch potatoes either and they do need daily walks.

You can try activities like agility, obedience classes, rally, or nose work with your cavalier. These dogs are sporty and intelligent.

2. Cavaliers Are Easy to Travel With

Thanks to cavaliers’ small size and calm temper, they are extremely easy to travel with. If you find yourself in a difficult situation, you can just easily pick them up and carry them around if needed. Cavalier King Charles spaniel can fit into a small/medium-sized crate.

I have traveled by train and bus with my dogs multiple times and there has never been an issue. Of course, it is best to get them used to public transportation when they are puppies.

Flying with a cavalier is not so straightforward, because more petite cavs can travel with you in a plane cabin whereas bigger cavaliers need to travel in plane cargo. Different airlines have different rules about these things.

3. Cavaliers Are Family-Friendly Companions

Cavalier King Charles spaniels are patient dogs with gentle natures. Cavaliers want to be friends with everybody regardless of age. They are a great fit for families with small children. Cavaliers are not aggressive and they very rarely have tendencies for resource guarding.

Children need to learn from a young age how to handle dogs. Adults need to supervise kids so they don’t pull from the ears and tail, let the dog have their own space, and not interrupt their sleep. Otherwise, cavaliers can learn to be scared of children because of their unpredictable behavior and movement.

4. Cavaliers Can Qualify for Therapy Work

One of the 6 reasons why cavaliers are the perfect companions is that Cavalier King Charles Spaniels love cuddles, kisses, and affection. Cavaliers will say hello to any stranger and aren’t scared of people at all. Uniquely that is the main reason why Cavalier King Charles spaniels can be excellent therapy dogs.

Therapy dogs do voluntary work and visit places like nursing homes and hospitals. Their job is to bring joy and happiness to people of all ages. Secondly, therapy dogs are trained and certified and they do not hold the same status as service dogs.

5. Cavaliers Are Obedient and Simple to Train

With a soft and gentle temper, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are easy to train. They are not the smartest dogs to train like for example retrievers, but cavaliers rarely have behavior problems that need to be watched out for. Therefore badly behaving cavalier is most likely just a spoiled baby with no boundaries.

Cavalier King Charles spaniels are very smart dogs. They learn early on what kind of behavior is the most favorable for them. If by whining and demanding the dog gets all the treats they want, that is what the dog will do.

Cavaliers learn new tricks easily and in my experience, cavalier puppies can be potty trained fairly quickly. These intelligent, quick-learning dogs are great if you want to try obedience training or other dog sports.

6. They Get Along With Other House Pets*

The last point of the 6 reasons why cavaliers are the perfect companions is that they get along with other household pets.

I marked this heading with * because this point is correct but with a little caution.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniels should not have any hunting instincts left. The breed’s purpose is to be companions. Nevertheless, there was a point in time when the breed was used for hunting and they have not forgotten their spaniel ancestry. For instance, my dogs would like to chase rabbits, birds, and squirrels.

Cavaliers are not aggressive dogs and they do not have herding or hunting jobs. That’s why in principle cavaliers should not attack and harm other animals. If you introduce your puppy early on to your other house pets like cats or bunnies, they will most likely grow up to be friends.

I know a couple of cavaliers who live on a farm and they get along with horses, bunnies, and sheep just fine. It’s all about introducing and socializing early on. In other words, introducing other animals to an adult cavalier with already-learned behavior can be more difficult.

Conclusion

Cavalier King Charles spaniels are perfect dogs for everyone because it is a beginner-friendly breed. Not only are they gentle and soft but also learn fairly quickly, therefore they are great for those who haven’t owned a dog before.

Cavalier is certainly a sporty, calm, and collected breed that fits into everyone’s lifestyle. Cavalier King Charles spaniel dogs are wonderful companions if you want to try new hobbies like agility or rally. Their soft and gentle nature makes them ideal family dogs.