Please note that any information contained within this web site is for
information only and is not legally binding. The specific contract
signed by the breeder and the new owner is the only legally binding
contract recognized by QuinnCarlin Cavaliers.
Q: What do you feed your dogs?
A: We feed our Cavaliers a biologically appropriate diet of bones
and raw food. You can read more about it on the following web page:
BARF.
We feed our dogs once per day and fast them once a week. Fasting is
recommended to give the digestive system a rest.
They usually get:
Ice cream scoop of a ground mixture of meat, bones, fruit
and veggies.
Either 1 small chicken back (or I cut one in half), or 2-3
chicken necks or 1 chicken foot, with leg attached. When a
girl is pregnant we replace this portion of her meal with
more organ meats in the last half of her pregnancy, to
avoid messing up her calcium management system.
They also get one ice cream scoop of green tripe, chicken
hearts, chicken gizzards, an occasional turkey neck, or
liver.
We supplement with:
Omega 3-6-9 oil blend,
alfalfa powder,
kelp,
buttermilk powder (to reduce tear staining)
If stressed, we add some VAL Syrup (Lots of B
vitamins)
They get treats of dried liver, dried chicken breast,
Bully Bones and the occasional biscuit made with whole
wheat flour or flax. I try to stay away from white flour,
but they do get "Mother Hubbard's" biscuits and they have
white flour in them.
We alternate the types of meats (chicken, turkey, buffalo, elk,
beef) and give an occasional recreational bone. We give beef soup
bones because they are hard enough not to shatter for our dogs.
Tannus likes his bones to 'age' so he drags it around the house
with him for a day or two then eats the meat and bone marrow from
it, in front of the girls who finished theirs off mere hours after
they were given them.
I do try to cover all nutritional needs balanced over time. Some
meals are more balanced than others ;)
Since switching to RAW we have had no more problems with blocked
anal glands or finicky eating. Their coats are lush and shiny. We have
had no skin problems or hot spots. Their teeth are extremely clean,
their breathe smells sweet and they have remained very healthy.
Q: Are males Cavaliers more loving and sweet natured than the
females?
A: It is said by many, that female Cavaliers love you, but male
Cavaliers are IN LOVE WITH YOU!.
Q: Does the coat colour of a Cavalier affect it's temperament?
A: Some breeders report that: Blenheims are couch potatoes,
Tri-colours are sweet and spunky, Rubys are stubborn (it must be
the red hair) and Black & Tans are ditzy. I believe that each
is an individual and their personality is more based on the lines
they come from than on their coat colour. It always amazes me how
different and individual each puppy is. We really start to see
their personalities bloom at 6 weeks, which is why we do not assign
pups to families until then.
Q: How much do you charge for your puppies?
A: Currently we charge $1500.00 CDN for a pet puppy on a very
strict NON-Breeding contract. Note: This price is subject to
increase with no notice.
Q: How early do you release the puppies to their new homes?
A: Our Cavalier puppies do much better if they can be with their
mother longer. Therefore, our puppies stay with us until they are
12 weeks old. In some circumstances we may let pups go as young as
10 weeks.
Q: Do you micro-chip or tattoo?
A: We micro-chip our puppies before they leave our home, with CKC approved micro-chips.
Q: Do your pups come with "papers"?
A: We register the litter with CKC within the first four weeks. We
then register each puppy with their registered name and their
micro-chip number. The pups are registered to QuinnCarlin.
Ownership is not transferred until all the requirements in the
contract have been met. Most notably the "Proof of Spay/Neuter
clause".
Q: Are the puppies cleared by a Veterinarian prior to leaving your
home?
A: Our puppies visit the Veterinarian on day three for a checkup.
They also receive at least one vaccination before leaving for their
new home.
MLV Distemper/Parvovirus only (e.g. Intervet
Progard Puppy)
14 weeks
MLV Distemper/Parvovirus only (e.g. Intervet
Progard Puppy)
24 weeks or older
if allowable by law, Killed Rabies Vaccine
1 year
MLV Distemper/Parvovirus only booster
1 year
(give 3-4 weeks apart from Dist/Parvo booster)
Killed 3 year rabies vaccine (MLV=modified-live
virus)
Our pups visit our Veterinarian at least twice before leaving for their new
home.
Q: Do you provide a health guarantee?
A: Our puppies are guaranteed to the age of two years against any
genetic defects. As there are several well-documented environmental
triggers for genetic diseases, such as Mitral-Valve Disease (MVD).
Failure to provide adequate care; as specified in detail in the
contract will void this health guarantee.
Actions that will void the guarantee include, but are not
restricted to:
Combining Vaccines or over vaccinating the dog.
Cavaliers like many toy breeds can be prone to
vaccinosis; it is in everone's best interest to vaccinate wisely.
We use
Thuja, a homeopathic remedy, to help mitigate any reation to
vaccinations.
Allowing the dog to become overweight. Cavaliers should
weight between 13 and 18 pounds.
Allowing tartar to build up on the dogs teeth. Bacteria
from the tartar can migrate to the heart and trigger
MVD. This can be avoided by daily brushing and/or using
a product such as
LEBA III or PlaqueOff
If the unthinkable happens, and a pup develops a genetic
defect before it is two years old, there are several
options.
The dog can be returned to the breeders and the
owners receive a replacement pup when one becomes
available.
The new owners can commit to caring for the dog for
the remainder of its life, or until the quality of
its life has been so diminished that euthanasia
becomes a viable option. In this case, the pup can
remain with the new owners and the breeders will
contribute to the cost of veterinary care, 50% of
each bill, up to the original cost of the pup.
If/when the time comes to make the final decision
regarding euthanasia, the decision will be made
jointly between the breeders and the new owners.
Q: How much does it cost to own a dog?
A: The latest figures
I could find are ... "Calculated on an
average life span of 14 years, it will cost $12,468 - $38,905 to own a
dog." This should give you an idea of the commitment required
when considering bringing a new pup into your family.
Q: What happens if we can no longer care for our Cavalier?
A: Our contract states clearly that if the new owner can no longer
care for the dog, then the dog is to be returned to us. We, as
breeders, make a commitment to each and every dog we bring into
this world. Under no circumstances does a dog we have bred ever
need to end their life in a shelter. Often we can re-home the dog
with a family that would be delighted to take in an older Cavalier.
In this case we return no money to the original owners, but we also
charge no money to the new owners.
If you are unable to care for your Cavalier for a short period of
time, we encourage you to contact us. We would love to have the dog
return to QuinnCarlin for a visit. Although we are not a boarding
kennel, we have in the past and will continue to have puppy
"sleep-overs". There is no cost for this service. We
encourage our puppy owners to keep in touch and we love to have
visitors.
