Cavalier King Charles Spaniel: temperament, training and care

At a glance

Temperament

• Gentle and affectionate
• Gets on with everyone
• Hates being alone

Training tips

Build alone time in small steps from the first week.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniels usually pick things up quickly, which also means they learn bad habits quickly. Keep sessions short and varied, and reward the calm behavior you want to see more of.

Start with a marker word, sit, come and leave it. For a puppy, see the puppy training guides.

Exercise and energy

A healthy adult Cavalier King Charles Spaniel typically needs around 45 to 60 minutes of activity a day. Mix walks with sniffing and short training games: mental work tires dogs as much as running does. Puppies need much shorter sessions while they grow.

See how much exercise a dog needs and our games and enrichment ideas.

Health to watch

Things the breed is known to be prone to. Ask your vet what to check for your dog.

• Heart. Heart conditions run in the breed: a yearly listen at the vet catches them early.
• Ears. Floppy ears trap moisture: check and clean them weekly, and dry them after swims.
• Eyes. Prominent or sensitive eyes: see the vet the same day for squinting or a cloudy eye. See: Eye Injuries.