Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

I didn't read all the replies but I just wanted to give my opinion as far as adapting to the climate...my dog (a rescue dog) is from Florida and she was obviously perfectly fine with the climate there. Then we moved to the UK for 1 year and she LOVED the cooler weather. She absolutely went crazy (good crazy) running in the fields and got really excited about being in the cooler temps. Then we moved to Qatar and she can't walk around the block without gasping for air in the hotter months!!!! So, in my opinion, I don't think it is easy to say what the dog will adapt to as far as climate changes. I thought my dog would do fine out here but she is visibly tired and panting on the shortest walk. She is older, about 9. I suppose a younger dog would probably adapt better. Good luck in you dog hunt and I am sure the others have mentioned the serious dog problems in this region, at least here in Qatar. There are so many abandoned. I know that once you get here that you will see there are so many needy dogs that you would be happy to take one on if you don't bring one with you :) My friend in Florida has a KC and it is actually a service dog as in they take it to children's hospitals for to visit terminally ill children. I know they are great dogs but to be honest, I don't think that I would buy a dog knowing that I was moving here...I love my dog to bits (no children) but I would have left her in the UK for her own sake if I had relatives that could keep her. I'm not saying its horrible here, but its certainly not the life she is used to... <em>edited by ccdoha on 14/01/2012</em>

We have a Cavalier who is 2 years old and has no issues with the heat here. He is indoors for most of the day but has a door to go in and out as required and we walk him every morning and evening. In summer, I take him out at about 5am and 10pm so it is a little cooler and we have him clipped quite short to help. Regarding the ears and eyes - our vet did warn us that these might be problem areas but with regular cleaning and grooming, we have had no problems. He is not overly active but loves his walks and we do have a play with him every day but he is very happy to just chill in the house. We have good friends here with Cavaliers as well who are very similar to ours. Thankfully, none of our Cavaliers have been destructive with our homes so long as they have enough toys! I would not hesitate in getting another one as this one is an absolute delight and is wonderful company for us.

My friend has a CK Charles and she is fine in summer and winter, they walk with my guy in the mornings and have no issues... They have so much energy though so you have to make sure htey are adequadetly walked and given love or they will become destructive... she came home the other day to find her 2 dogs had attacked the xmas tree out of boredom..... That's classic CKC anxiety...they are not particularly high energy dogs. They are definition companion dogs and not good being left on their own (ie without human pack leaders).

My friend has a CK Charles and she is fine in summer and winter, they walk with my guy in the mornings and have no issues... They have so much energy though so you have to make sure htey are adequadetly walked and given love or they will become destructive... she came home the other day to find her 2 dogs had attacked the xmas tree out of boredom.....

As I said I will do more research, maybe speak to my local vet and see what they say. Lots of websites seem to say dogs can survive in any climate but some do better than others. Cavaliers aren't banned from travelling on airlines hence why I thought they might be okay. I have had a cocker spaniel before and he was amazing so it won't be a big trauma to get one of those instead of a Cavalier. You should see the local RSPCA website in UK. Full of staffies, never understood why people think its okay to have one of these lovely dogs and give up on them because they can't be *****! Staffies are used here as some sort of status symbol. Horrible I have a ckc who has arrived in dubai one year ago from france. She is fine here. At summer time we take her out less and we do have to pay more atention to her ears and eyes ( this is the fragility of the ckc in any climate).The ckc is happy inside or outside so i honestly don't think that the climate is the biggest problem. What you need to make sure is that you will be able to spend a lot of time with your dog, this breed can nor stay alone too much. Good luck.

I know Air Hostie...it's the same problem worldwide, just different breeds. That's the exact reason why I try to encourage people to source genuinely ethical breeders. When I was working at K9 in Dubai, one of the most common pure breeds (or first crosses) that came to the shelter was huskies. In weather that's over 40 degrees for 8 months of the year????? FFS!! Apart from those who were family pets prior to Dubai, what the h*ll are huskies doing in Dubai?? And sold as fast as the FOUL pet shops can get them in. :( :( :( One more important thing to consider in your UAE preparations, is to set aside money specifically for emergency relocation. One of the things about life in Dubai is that circumstances can change in the blink of an eye and you want or need to leave in a hurry. It costs a small fortune to relocate pets and there's quite significant paperwork and vet requirements. Make sure you know from Day 1 what's required and be have money and a plan. :) Again, I hope you find the perfect dog for you.

A friend has a CKC and he suffers pretty badly. Although he's clipped, he always has ear infections, weeping eyes, nasal issues, he really doesn't do very well in this climate at all and is mostly an indoor dog. Each dog is different and sadly you might not know how the climate would affect it until you actually get here.

Also AH...with apologies for being repetitive...rescue groups do get puppies too. *If* that happened to be your personal reason, it's a reason no longer. ;) Actually, I'm yet to hear a good reason for not adopting from a shelter or rescue group. I will always harp on about rescues. In my Utopia every dog would come from either rescue groups or those rare breeders who will make you jump through hoops to get a pup. If it's relatively easy to get a pup, the buyer is supporting a cruel, vile industry using living things as nothing more than a commodity. That includes every single pup in pet shops or advertised in newspapers and on websites, worldwide. EVERY ONE of those breeders is unethical and supporting them is shameful. (in my humble opinion ;) )

Hi muurtje. I'm sure there are lots of happy and healthy cav's in the UAE. I know for a fact that there are also lots who suffer severely in the heat and cost their owners a fortune in vet bills. I met a woman who imported one from the UK and she actually had to let it 'toilet' IN the house during the summer. Literally five mins in the heat and the dog would go into heat stress. Imagine being a dog and not being able to go outdoors for MONTHS on end!!!! Many people don't consider that it's not just the heat, it's the very high humidity. Cav's already can't pant efficiently. Add high humidity so that the panting they can do is pretty much useless...high humidity = very low evaporation = extremely low ability to cool themselves. My point is that Cavaliers, like any other brachycephalic breed, are a bad choice for the climate. Any breeder who would sell one to a family moving to such a climate would be my definition of unethical. People bringing a pet they already had in their life before Dubai, I wholeheartedly applaud!! Assuming of course they take its needs into account and cater for the dog, they are being truly responsible pet owners. (We [u'>should[/u'> be taking on a pet and considering its needs for life. For me, choosing a Cavalier (or any other brachycephalic breed) before a planned move to Dubai is as bad as choosing a husky. It does NOT show considered research. I have stressed that I have lots of respect for people who put a lot of thought and research into choosing the right dog. Part of that research MUST include climate suitability. In this case, if the information I've given doesn't convince someone to look at another breed, then I'm afraid I lose my patience. Sorry!! Rambling now. :D You, Air Hostie, have said you'll have a re-think! :D I hope you do find a breed that's right for the climate and feels right for you. <em>edited by Green-ish on 29/11/2011</em>

My friends have a Cavalier here that they brought over from the UK. She has no problems in this heat. They keep her ears fairly short (well the hair, not the ears themselves) but other then that do nothing special for her. She spends lots of time in the garden and goes on long walks. Only in the hottest months doed she prefer to stay inside for most of the day but so do many other dogs!

Actually, Cavaliers are one of the spaniels most affected by brachycephalia. It's the ridiculous show standards to which these animals are bred that demands the 'pushed in' face. http://www.cavalierhealth.org/brachycephalic.htm Cocker spainels are an equally adorable breed, but do not have the pushed in nose & elongated soft palate. English cockers have a longer (healthier) snout than American cockers. Of course both, like all spaniels have the ears prone to moisture and infection. ETA - of course cav's commonly have mitral valve disease too...again, generations of BAD breeding. Heart disease + brachycephalia...recipe for disaster, esp in a hot climate. <em>edited by Green-ish on 29/11/2011</em>

Hi Air Hostie. Great news that this is a considered decision for you...better news for your future pup! Please do have a look at the puppy thread. I'm feeling a little lazy and can't be bothered typing out a whole lot of the 'breeder choice' information again. :D My mum has a rescue CKC re in Aus...ex puppy mill brood b1tch. :( There's no doubt CKC's are gorgeous wee dogs! I really think they are not a good choice for any hot climate though...especially one that is so hot AND humid as UAE. Like the puppy thread about boxers, CKC's are a brachycephalic breed. Their 'squished in' face means that they are pretty hopeless at cooling themselves by panting. Heat stress (and death) are very real risks for CKC's in the UAE. As Nomad mentioned, they and any other dog with hairy, floppy ears will struggle with ear infections in the humidity. Of course there will be happy, healthy CKC's in Dubai, but they will require commitment and work to keep them so. For what it's worth, "rescue" does not have to mean mixed-breed dogs. In the UK, as in every other country with half a conscience, there will be lots of breed-specific rescue organisations. In supporting them and adopting through them, you support their work in shutting down unethical breeders. Have a really good think about your breed choice. Read up on brachycephalic dogs. When you've chosen your breed, please consider starting with the breed rescue groups. Best wishes!

Sorry can't give you much advice about the "King Charles Spaniel" however you might like to read a few of the threads below this. There are two at the moment discussing the pro's and cons of buying pedigree pups. Please for your own sake and the pups, investigate the matter very well before purchasing from any form of puppy mill. Rather do it from home than wait until you come over as buying a "pedigree" puppy in Dubai is a big NO.All come from puppy mills taken from their moms way too earley,and have serious health issues. As Greenish has always said source an ethical breeder in your home country.They will ask LOADS of questions some may even come to inspect your home..... The only thing I know about the Spaniel breed is that many are prone to ear infections as the ears don't breathe, what with the long ears blocking the ear canal.Can only think it would be a problem in the heat of Dubai.Hopefully someone on here with more experience can advise you. All the best P.S. Just a thought,why not consider one of the desert type breeds available from K9 Friends Dubai ( dog rescue ) perfectly suited for this climate and will save you the cost of flying a dog to the UAE.email Dubai Kennels and Cattery to get an idea of the costs of bringing and then re patriating animals......as one poster said it can be so expensive she was thinking of selling a kidney !!!!LOL <em>edited by Nomad on 29/11/2011</em>