Cavalier Breeders' Worst Excuses

TOP 10: Cavalier Breeders' Worst Excuses

CavalierHealth.org Copyright © 2004 Blenheim Company Here are the TOP TEN Worst Excuses which breeders of the Cavalier King Charles spaniel have actually used to explain why they do not health test their Cavalier breeding stock. The excuses are listed in reverse order, from the least offensive to the most outrageous. And, be sure to check out the ultimate breeder's excuse at the bottom of this page.

#10. I refuse to have my Cavaliers anesthetized to have their hips x-rayed! Veterinarians and veterinary assistants who are competent with radiography equipment can x-ray the hips of unanesthetized Cavalier King Charles spaniels without any problems, for Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) evaluations.

#9. Heath tested and cleared dogs still could be carriers for a genetic defect and produce defective puppies, so why bother? Genetic health test clearances do not guarantee that Cavalier litters will be disease-free, but the odds in favor of producing genetic disease-free Cavalier puppies are greatly increased when only tested and cleared Cavaliers are bred, and therefore it is irresponsible to the puppies and the buyers to not test and clear all Cavalier King Charles spaniel breeding stock.

#8. I can tell whether any of my Cavaliers have hip dysplasia by watching how they walk, so I don't need to have their hips x-rayed! Wrong! Even board certified veterinary orthopedists cannot accurately diagnose or eliminate the possibility of hip dysplasia by watching dogs walk and move about.

#7. Whether I health test my Cavaliers and what the results may be are nobody's business but my own! Wrong! It is irresponsible to the breed, to other breeders, and to buyers to refuse to disclose genetic health test results of Cavalier King Charles spaniel breeding stock.

#6. Current health tests are not always accurate, and I won’t health test my Cavaliers until I know that the results will be totally accurate and definitive! While there never are absolute guaranties in medical testing, the recommended health testing procedures are the most accurate ones available, and are updated as additional scientific information becomes available. This excuse is the last refuge of the irresponsible breeder who refuses to recognize what harm he is doing to the Cavalier King Charles spaniel breed by breeding only for looks and ignoring severe genetic health defects.

#5. Health testing is just a marketing tool used by some breeders! Wrong, again! Another oft-used excuse for not health testing CKCS breeding stock. Claiming to health test, but not actually fully health testing and disclosing the results, is a marketing tool used by many breeders.

#4. If I had to follow the MVD Breeding Protocol, I wouldn't have any Cavaliers to breed! Then, perhaps this breeder should be looking for some other breed of dog to ruin. A sure sign of ignorance about the Cavalier King Charles spaniel. The MVD Breeding Protocol is designed to eliminate early-onset mitral valve disease in Cavaliers

#3. Too much health testing will prevent me from producing Cavaliers of proper type and temperament! So, what this breeder ends up producing is pretty Cavaliers which are much more likely to suffer from long-term agonizing pain and die young.

#2. I know where you got those questions, and that website just wants to destroy the breed! When breeders know they are not doing the right thing, they will blame anyone other than themselves. Breeders who do not fully health test their dogs and do not follow the breeding protocols are the ones who are damaging the future of the Cavalier King Charles spaniel breed.

And the Number One Worst Excuse Cavalier breeders use for not health testing:

#1. There is no [insert genetic defect here] in my Cavaliers' bloodlines! Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! Every Cavalier bloodline is infected with all of these severe genetic defects.

Finally, for extra credit, the ultimate attempt by irresponsible Cavalier breeders to "put down" the puppy buyers who ask the tough questions is this one: I know what I'm talking about and you don't because I'm a breeder and you're not!