We are in the process of looking for a male Blenheim Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy.  I have done a lot of research into which breed would be best and have found that the cavs are for us.  Both my husband and I love them and are very excited to be getting one. 

I have bought some books on what to do when you get a puppy and also on how to train a puppy but my question is how do I know if I have found a reputable breeder.  I think I have found one but I am still a little anxious.

Does anyone have any advice?  This is all so new to me and I want to do the right thing.

Thanks for your help.

make sure you see the mum,
look how she is with the pups.
ask about the dad. why  are you
anxious about breeder?

Find out if there are any health problems in the breed which should be checked for.

In our breed, for eg, hip dysplacia is a problem and both parents should be hip-scored before breeding, and have a score which is below the average. 

I seem to remember cavs can have eye problems which need testing for, but no doubt a cav expert will be along soon to say for sure....

Another thing to find out is - where will the pups be born and spend the first many weeks of their life?  Will they be in the house or in a barn or outbuilding?  Will they meet people - children, adults, old people - and be well-socialised to people?  Will they hear hoovers, dishwashers etc? 

Will the pups be wormed several times before they come to you?

Why is the breeder breeding?  Do they want to keep a pup themselves?  Are they breeding to produce show pups (to better the breed)?  Or do they just fancy a quick litter of pups from their pet dog? 

If you go to www.fossedata.co.uk you can look at show results this year for various champ shows, for your breed.  Have a look at the affixes which crop up often.  Perhaps they are breeders you might want to contact....?

Cavaliers, like a number of breeds, have many health problems. Make sure you are aware of these problems & ask the breeder whether the pups' parents have been tested for them NOT just vet checked - that is not sufficient. Contact some of the CKCS Breed Clubs listed at the bottom of the page here if you want lists of reputable breeders. Unfortunately there are many litters of CKCS produced by breeders with little or no knowledge of the breed, so don't be in a rush to buy from the 1st litter you see and don't buy if you have any doubts at all. Any reputable breeders will be prepared to answer any and all your questions & will also have plenty of questions for you - because they won't sell one of their precious pups to just anyone. Good Luck. Also have a look here if you haven't already seen this site.

In Cavaliers, the parents should be heart checked at least annually, and the *grandparents* of the litter should be at least 5 years old and still clear of heart murmurs to ensure the puppies stay clear for as long as possible. (Sadly it is almost certain that any Cavalier will develop a heart murmur at some stage in life, which is why the best we can hope for is for it to be as late as only possible.) Eyes should be tested yes. Ideally the parents should also have been MRI scanned for Syringohydromyelia which is a major problem in the breed but sadly it is still very rare for breeders to do this.  The good news is that there is a DNA test currently being developed that will  be able to check for the presence of both MVD (heart) and SM, the bad news is that it is a few years off yet.

Thank you everyone for your help.  I will look into all the advise I have been given and hopeful ask all the right questions.

I think the reason I am a little anxious about breeders is that a friend of mine recently bought a puppy (not a Cav) to find that it actually came from a puppy farm and not from the house and people (who seemed lovely) that she actually bought it from.  The puppy is fine luckily but the vet warned her that he had seen puppies from this place before and they had developed lots of problems very early on.

Hi - to avoid this, make sure you actually see the dam with the pups, in the house.  If they tell you it's one set up, and then you get there and find another set up (like they've moved them inside just for the sale), then just walk away.  You never have to see these people again in your life and there are plenty other litters out there.

Thanks onetwothree.  I am very excited about getting a dog. I have waited 12 years for the time to be right. The time is right now.  My kids are old enough to be responsible.  I don't work and if I have to go out my husband normally works from home.  I think we could a puppy a very happy home.  I will let all know when we get one.

If you wanted to pm me their name and/or affix I could see if I recognised it or if they were in the yearbook as a regular and reputable breeder. Don't know if that's allowed under the Champdog rules though? I obviously would never tell them or anyone that any enquiries had been made! :-)

Have pm'd you LucyD.  Thanks

If you go through the breed clubs, or ask them about a given breeder you ae likely to find out if they are known and reputable.