Cavachon is cuteness itself!
Cavachon is another design breed created with the objective to turn two cute dog breeds into the ultimate symbol of cuteness. These are the result of the crossbreeding of two very popular pedigree dog breeds – Kavalier King Charles Spaniel and Bichon Frise. This British-French alliance gave birth to a breed that is relatively new, it comes from the 1990s.
Cavachons are small, playful and with moderate energy. Therefore, they are suitable for all city dwellers and you don’t need a large garden to make this dog happy.
Appearance, Temperament and Health of Cavachon
Appearance
Height: around 13 inches
Weight: 15 – 20 lb
Cavachons are – and will probably remain for the perceivable future – a crossbreed. There is no breed standard and exact specifics as for the appearance. Therefore, some pups resemble the Kavalier, others look more like the French half of the breed. And some are perfect 50:50 mixtures.
They are generally small (toy breed), with longer coat that can be straight or wavy and in all the colors of the Kavalier and Bichon or their mixtures. The coat can be solid as well as parti-colored with predominant white. And so you can find Cavachons in apricot, white, with brown tan, black spots…a weekly or even a daily brushing is necessary as well as occasional trimming.
They shed less than most other breeds and are sometimes considered hypoallergenic, however, this doesn’t mean they’re suitable for every person with allergies.
Temperament
One word to describe the Cavachon temperament would be jolly. Their inherited the playfulness as well as intelligence of the Kavaliers and Bichons.
They also generally get on very well with other dogs. In fact, they hate being alone and they shouldn’t be left alone for longer periods of time as they tend to get very attached to their human. This strong attachment can lead to excessive possessiveness so don’t wonder if your Cavachon barks at other people to show them he or she belongs to you. However, these dogs don’t tend to be aggressive and their socialization is easy. They aren’t suspicious and although they love their owner to the moon and back they aren’t good guard dogs. If you have small children, Cavachon might be the right dog for you.
Health of the Cavachon
Cavachons can suffer the same diseases like the breeds they originated from. Kavaliers are prone to several heart and skin conditions, including the mitral valve disease or atopic dermatitis. Their lifespan is between 10 and 15 years.
Before you buy a Cavachon
This crossbreed is currently very much in fashion. You have to be prepared to pay a considerable amount for a Cavachon puppy and that might be just the beginning. You should provide your dog with veterinary care and quality food. Also, consider your family dynamics – if you like hour-long tours or extremely active sports, this might not be the breed for you. However, if you enjoy walks in the park, playing on the beach or in the garden and you want a loving companion, consider the loyal jolly Cavachon.
If you’re looking for more unusual toy dog breeds, browse the Small and Miniature!