My parents had their beloved Cavalier pts on Sunday, she was 10 and seemed absolutely fine until a few days before she died (predictably, with heart problems, she has been on tablets for the last three years). We are all missing her terribly, and my parents have recently retired so the house must be feeling very empty and sad now. I know it will only be a matter of time before they decide they can't be without a dog in the house, so I have two questions that I would appreciate some advice on. First, while they love Cavaliers, the health issues with the breed (heart problems, plus she also had colitis) caused them so much worry and expense. Is there a breed that is similar to the Cavalier in terms of temprament, size and energy levels but with less hereditary health probs? What about the King Charles Spaniel as opposed to the Cavalier - does this breed have similar heart problems? Secondly, my mother has always said she couldn't go through the puppy stage again, so I thought about maybe training the puppy for the first few months, having it live with me, and then letting my parents take over. But would this be really unfair and unsettling on the pup? I have a young working cocker at the moment, and while it would be nice to make sure they get used to each other from an early age (the Cavalier hated Molly when we introduced them, she always hated dogs as she was attacked the first time we took her for a walk as a pup) I wouldn't want either of them to be upset or unsettled when the pup went on to my parents. Do you think this is a bad idea?

so sorry to hear of the loss. 10 is a good age though, im sure she had a wonderful life.
might be a better idea if your parents considered a rescue dog?

So sorry to hear of your parents' loss. It's always hard to lose a family member.
The King Charles and Cavalier have completely different personalities. Charlies are stubborn and more of a "one man dog" from what I gather, definitely not the happy-go-lucky love-everyone dog that Cavaliers generally are. As for health problems, that's why it's so important to find the right breeder who does all the relavent health tests. That is the case no matter what breed you go for. I don't think any breeder can guarantee for sure that the dog won't get MVD etc. but they should be able to show you all the things they've done to try and prevent it from happening. If your parents like Cavaliers so much, I'd say get another Cav, they're really wonderful dogs. Every breed has their health problems, it was bad luck your parents' dog had MVD though.

If your parents weren't wanting a puppy again, they may be able to take on a young dog from a breeder. Perhaps one they have run on and decided it's not suitable for showing? Or they could try a CKCS rescue? Regarding you raising the puppy - dogs are very adaptable so it would probably work but I know I couldn't part with a pup after a couple of months.....but then I'm a sentimental fool ;-)

I'm hoping they'll get another Cav in spite of everything, they are such wonderful dogs. The MVD is a big issue though - their bitch came from an extremely reputable breeder who has actually won a prize for the heart scores of her stock, so it looks like it's always going to be a risk. She (the dog, that is) was in such pain and so frightened at the end, and although the vet offered the possibility of more treatment, he pretty much admitted that the extra time would be for my parents' benefit rather than the dog's. It is awful to watch your pet suffering, and I don't envy anyone who has to make the decision to sign that consent form. I have just got my own first dog, and it has made me determined to enjoy every moment with her. I have to say, though, that much as I love Cavs, I couldn't face the health probs and opted for the relatively healthy working cocker (just as affectionate as a Cav but somewhat more energetic). Not quite my parents' cup of tea, though - they would want something a bit more sedate!

I have noticed some Cavaliers on Dog Pages recently. Why dont you put an add on there - someones bound to see it!! Best of luck