Everything you need before breeding a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel: the heart and MRI clearances that come first, the age gates that protect the litter, and how to place each puppy in a careful home.
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Cavalier breeding turns on two diseases other breeds do not face the same way: a heart valve problem that shows up with age, and a skull-shape problem found only by MRI. Both come before color or looks.
Run a heart exam (cardiologist), an eye exam (eye specialist), a kneecap check, and a hip x-ray on both dogs. Add an MRI scan for syringomyelia.
Both dogs heart-clear by a cardiologist, ideally with parents who stayed clear to age 5. Follow the MVD Breeding Protocol age gates.
Take progesterone blood draws from day 6 of heat to find the fertile window. Run the brucellosis test within 30 days.
Book an ultrasound around day 28 and an x-ray around day 55. Keep a vet on call for this small breed. Use a signed contract with a return clause.
Short answer
Mitral valve disease (MVD, a leaking heart valve) is the breed’s biggest health problem. Over half of all Cavaliers have a heart murmur by age 5, many times the rate of other breeds. The disease is partly inherited, so the age a parent’s heart stays clear is the single most useful fact in a Cavalier pedigree.
The mitral valve is the flap between the two left chambers of the heart. In Cavaliers it wears out early and starts to leak, which a vet hears as a murmur. Over years the leak strains the heart and can lead to heart failure. The Cavalier rate of early MVD is far above any other breed.
Two numbers explain why the heart leads every Cavalier breeding choice. By age 5, more than half of the breed already has a murmur. The earlier a dog’s murmur appears, the earlier its puppies tend to get one too. So a heart that is still clear at five years is good news worth waiting for.
The one rule that matters most
Have a board-certified cardiologist (a heart specialist) listen to both dogs every year, and ask the same of the dogs’ parents. A murmur means the dog should leave the breeding pool. Picking dogs whose hearts, and whose parents’ hearts, stay clear late in life is how the breed pushes heart disease to older ages.
This is why a yearly cardiologist exam sits at the top of the Cavalier test list, ahead of eyes, knees, and hips. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club treats the heart as the breed’s defining health test. The next section turns that into a clear age rule you can follow.
Short answer
The MVD Breeding Protocol sets two age gates. Breed a dog only if it is heart-clear at 2.5 years and both of its parents stayed heart-clear to age 5. If the parents’ age-5 status is unknown, wait until the dog itself is 5 and still heart-clear. A murmur at any age takes the dog out of breeding.
The protocol does one thing: it delays the start of heart disease, generation by generation. Breeders who follow it pick dogs whose hearts age well and whose parents’ hearts aged well too. Done across a whole breed, this slowly pushes the average age of the first murmur later.
The two age gates, plus the stop
Dog is heart-clear at 2.5 years, AND both its parents stayed heart-clear to age 5. Cleared to breed.
Parents’ age-5 status is unknown. Wait until the dog itself is 5 years old and still heart-clear.
A murmur at any age. Remove the dog from breeding. Over half the breed has one by age 5.
Here is the part that surprises first-time breeders. With most breeds, you want a young, proven stud. Cavaliers run the other way: you want older dogs, and parents whose hearts stayed clear to age 5. A heart that is still clear at five years tells you something real, so the smart move is to wait, not to rush a young dog into a litter.
The early route asks a lot of planning. To breed a 2.5-year-old, you need that dog’s own parents to have been heart-checked and clear at age 5 or older. That means the heart records have to reach back a full generation. Keep every yearly cardiologist certificate; they are the paperwork that opens the early route.
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club and the parent club’s CHIC program both build on this heart-first approach. Our guide to the best age to breed a dog covers the general timing that sits around these gates.
Short answer
Syringomyelia (SM) is a painful condition where fluid pockets form in the spinal cord because the skull is too small, a shape called Chiari-like malformation (CM). An MRI scan (a detailed scan that shows the brain and spine) grades both. The BVA and Kennel Club scheme grades CM 0 to 2 and SM 0 to 2. Breed lower-grade dogs together, and never breed a dog that showed severe SM at a young age.
Chiari-like malformation means the back of the skull is too small for the brain. The brain gets crowded near the opening to the spine, which blocks the normal flow of spinal fluid. That blocked flow forces fluid into the spinal cord and forms pockets, called syrinxes. Those pockets are syringomyelia.
The signs owners notice most are scratching at the neck and shoulder (often without touching the skin), sensitivity around the head and neck, and pain that can be hard to place. An MRI of the skull and neck is the only way to see CM and SM and to grade how bad they are.
Syringomyelia (SM) grades on the BVA and Kennel Club scheme
No fluid pocket. The best breeding stock. Pair with an equal or near-equal mate.
A small pocket, up to 2 mm. Breed only to an SM0 mate, never to another affected dog.
A pocket over 2 mm. A dog that scored SM2 young (under 3 years) should not be bred.
Age matters as much as grade. The MRI screening protocol treats a dog that already has a large syrinx while still young as the worst case, because early, severe SM passes on most strongly. A clear scan at an older age is the most reassuring result, much like the heart rule.
Screening works when breeders use it. In the Netherlands and Denmark, a long MRI-based breeding program lowered the rate of syringomyelia in the next generation. A twelve-year scanning study helped sharpen how the grades are read. MRI screening is why breeders can finally make progress against this disease.
The MRI is not on the required CHIC list, so it is the test most often skipped on cost. It is also the one that most sets a careful Cavalier program apart. Budget for it the way you budget for the cardiologist.
Short answer
The breed’s CHIC list has four required tests on both parents: a yearly heart exam by a cardiologist, a yearly eye exam by an eye specialist, a kneecap (patella) check, and a hip x-ray scored by the OFA (the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals). An MRI for syringomyelia and two DNA tests are strongly recommended extras.
CHIC is short for the Canine Health Information Center, a shared health database run with the OFA. A CHIC number does not mean a dog passed every test. It means the breed’s required tests were done and the results were posted, pass or fail. The parent club sets the Cavalier test list and takes part in CHIC.
The heart and eye exams repeat every year, because both diseases show up with age. A heart-clear or eye-clear result at age 2 does not stay true for life. The club guidance asks for yearly heart checks by a cardiologist and yearly eye checks by an eye specialist.
The eye exam looks for two inherited problems in this breed: hereditary cataracts (clouding of the lens that can blind a young dog) and retinal dysplasia (folds or gaps in the light-sensing layer at the back of the eye). A dog with cataracts should not be bred.
The kneecap check and the hip x-ray round out the required set. A patella exam tests whether a kneecap slips out of its groove, which is common in small breeds. The hip x-ray checks for hip dysplasia. Run the full set before the heat cycle starts; our pre-breeding checklist covers the brucellosis test and timing steps that sit alongside these clearances.
Short answer
Not before 2.5 years, and only with a clear heart exam. The MVD Breeding Protocol sets the floor: a female who looks ready at 18 months still should not be bred until she is heart-clear at 2.5. Retire females by about 6 to 7 years, earlier after a hard birth, so the dam recovers fully.
The protocol floor. She must be heart-clear at this age, even though she may cycle much earlier. Retire her by about 6 to 7 years.
Same heart floor. A young, popular stud that is later found to carry early MVD can harm many litters, so wait for the clear exam.
A female Cavalier’s first heat usually arrives between 6 and 12 months. That is far too early. The protocol holds her back to 2.5 years and a clear heart, and most breeders also wait for her to be settled and fully grown in temperament.
The male side carries the same heart floor, and it carries extra weight. A popular stud can father many litters fast. If that dog later turns out to have early MVD, the harm spreads across the breed. Waiting for the 2.5-year clear exam, and ideally the 5-year one, protects far more than one litter.
When to retire a female is about her recovery, not just her age. Cavaliers are small dogs, and a hard birth takes a real toll. Many breeders retire a dam by 6 to 7 years. If she had a C-section or a hard whelping, retire her sooner, on her vet’s advice.
The last timing step before any mating is a brucellosis test within 30 days. Brucellosis is a bacterial infection that causes infertility and miscarriage, and it passes between dogs during mating. Test both dogs before every planned breeding.
Short answer
Start with the heart and the skull. Pick a mate that meets the MVD age gates and has the best MRI grade you can find, ideally SM0. Then check the eyes, kneecaps, and hips, and keep the pair only loosely related (a low coefficient of inbreeding, or COI, a measure of shared ancestors). The parent club puts health clearances, not looks, first.
The heart comes first in mate selection, just as it does everywhere else with this breed. Pair a dog only with a mate that meets the MVD Breeding Protocol, and favor lines where the grandparents’ hearts stayed clear to age 5. Two heart-clear dogs from heart-clear lines is the goal.
The MRI grade is the second filter, and it changes the pairing. Breed the lowest SM grades you can find, and always breed an affected dog to an SM0 mate, never to another affected dog. A dog that showed severe SM while young should be left out, however nice it looks.
Keep the two dogs only loosely related. The coefficient of inbreeding (COI) measures how many ancestors a pair shares, across 5 generations of pedigree. A lower number means a wider gene pool and a lower chance of doubling up on hidden disease. Get it from the pedigree or a DNA relatedness test.
Eyes, kneecaps, and hips finish the health picture. Match an equal or better result on each side, and avoid pairing two dogs with the same weakness. Brucellosis testing on both dogs within 30 days of mating closes the checklist. Our ethical breeding guide covers what the contract should say.
5 questions to ask the other owner
Short answer
The breed has four colors, set by the AKC standard: Blenheim (chestnut on white), tricolor (black and white with tan points), black and tan, and ruby (solid red). Blenheim and tricolor are parti-colors (broken with white); ruby and black and tan are whole colors. Color is simple here, so let health decide the pairing, not coat.
The four Cavalier colors
Cavalier color splits into two groups. Blenheim and tricolor are parti-colors, which means a white coat broken with patches of another color. Ruby and black and tan are whole colors, with no white. Breeders often keep parti-colors and whole colors in separate lines, because mixing them can muddy the white markings that the standard asks for.
Blenheim is by far the most common, the classic chestnut-and-white you picture with the breed. Some Blenheims carry a single chestnut spot in the middle of the white forehead, called the "Blenheim spot" or lozenge. It is prized in the show ring but does not affect health.
Color genetics in this breed are simple, with none of the recessive surprises some breeds carry. That is exactly why color should never come before health in a pairing. The heart, the MRI grade, and the eye, knee, and hip results decide whether a litter should happen. Color is the last thing on the list.
Short answer
Keep her on her normal adult food for the first 4 to 5 weeks. Around week 5, switch to a high-quality puppy or growth food and raise her intake gradually. Do not add calcium during pregnancy: it raises the risk of eclampsia (a dangerous calcium crash) during nursing, which hits small breeds hardest.
Feeding plan by pregnancy stage
Adult maintenance food, same portions. The puppies grow slowly and need no extra energy yet.
Move to a puppy or growth food over about 5 days. It packs more protein and calories into less volume.
Raise her intake and split it into 3 or 4 small meals. A full litter crowds the stomach of a small dog.
Skip the calcium until whelping
Extra calcium during pregnancy switches off the dog’s own calcium control. That sets up eclampsia (milk fever) at peak nursing, about 2 to 3 weeks after the puppies arrive. Eclampsia is most common in small breeds, so a Cavalier dam is squarely in the at-risk group. Add calcium only at or after whelping, and only if your vet directs it.
Watch her body condition through the pregnancy. A Cavalier that is overweight at mating whelps harder, so aim for a lean, fit body condition going in, and do not overfeed in the early weeks when she needs no extra calories.
Feeding flips during nursing. A nursing Cavalier needs far more food to make milk for the litter, so free-feed a growth diet and keep fresh water in front of her at all times. Drop her back to maintenance food once the puppies are weaned.
Short answer
A Cavalier litter is usually 3 to 5 puppies, averaging about 4, with first litters often smaller. Pregnancy lasts about 63 days from ovulation. Most Cavaliers whelp naturally, but as a small breed they carry a higher chance of needing a C-section, so keep a vet on call.
A typical Cavalier litter is 3 to 5 puppies, with an average near 4, per the breed’s litter records. First litters are often smaller, sometimes just 2 or 3. Day 28 is ultrasound day to confirm pregnancy. Day 55 is x-ray day to count the puppies, so you know when whelping is done.
Most Cavaliers free-whelp, but plan for the small-breed risk. Stage-one labor is 6 to 12 hours of restlessness and nesting. Have a vet on call, and know the warning signs: hard straining for 20 to 30 minutes with no puppy, more than 2 hours between puppies, or any green discharge before the first puppy. Any of these means call the vet right away.
Small breeds with small litters carry a higher chance of an emergency C-section, partly because a single large puppy can be hard to pass. Have the after-hours number for an emergency vet ready before the due date, and keep the cushion for a C-section in your budget. Puppies stay with the dam through weaning and go home no earlier than 8 weeks, on a signed contract.
Short answer
Budget roughly $4,000 to $8,000 for a Cavalier litter. Health testing runs higher than most breeds because of the yearly cardiologist exams and the MRI scan. Add a stud fee, scans, and prenatal care, then keep a $2,000 to $4,000 cushion for an emergency C-section. A first litter rarely turns a real profit.
Estimated cost of a first Cavalier litter
Ranges are typical US pricing. The cardiologist exams and the MRI are what push Cavalier testing above most breeds. Budget against the litter, not the puppy. A typical Cavalier litter is 3 to 5.
What can the puppies sell for?
Market range only, not a Petmeetly endorsement. Puppies from parents without the heart, MRI, eye, and hip clearances sell for less because the buyer takes on the health risk.
The revenue math should never be the reason to breed. With a 3 to 5 puppy litter and full testing, a first litter rarely turns a real profit once you count the dam’s care and your time. Breed to improve the breed, then place puppies on a contract. Listings are free on Petmeetly, including Cavalier puppies for sale.
Total the numbers for your own pairing before you commit. Our breeding cost and due-date calculator adds up testing, the stud fee, scans, and the C-section cushion in one place.
Short answer
Put the stud deal in writing and sign it before the first mating. The agreement should name the stud fee, the brucellosis test, and the exact health clearances both dogs carry, including the yearly heart exams and the MRI grade. It should also define a successful breeding and the registration terms. The AKC recommends written, signed contracts that each owner keeps a copy of.
Clauses every Cavalier stud contract should name
Put the stud deal in writing before the first mating. Verbal deals are the main reason stud arrangements end in arguments, so both owners sign and keep a copy.
Use limited registration for pet-quality puppies. A limited-registration puppy stays AKC-registered, but its own future litters cannot be registered, which discourages casual breeding of pet-quality dogs. Every puppy should also go home on a buyer contract with a return clause, so the dog comes back to you if the owner ever cannot keep it. For owners who would rather give an adult Cavalier a home, our Cavalier adoption page lists dogs already looking for one.
Mitral valve disease (MVD, a leaking heart valve) is the breed’s biggest health problem. Over half of all Cavaliers have a heart murmur by age 5, far more than any other breed. The disease is partly inherited, so a yearly heart exam by a board-certified cardiologist is the one test that does the most to protect a litter.
It is a simple age rule that Cavalier clubs ask breeders to follow. Breed a dog only if it is heart-clear at age 2.5 and both of its parents stayed heart-clear to age 5, or if the dog itself is heart-clear at age 5. The goal is to push the start of heart disease to later in life, generation by generation.
Not before 2.5 years, and only with a clear heart exam. With most breeds, breeders pick a young, proven dog. Cavaliers are the opposite: you want older dogs whose parents stayed heart-clear to age 5, because a heart that is still clear at five years shows the line ages well. Females usually retire by 6 to 7 years.
Syringomyelia (SM) is a painful condition where fluid pockets form in the spinal cord. It happens because the skull is too small for the brain, a shape called Chiari-like malformation (CM). Signs include scratching at the neck and air, and pain. An MRI scan finds it and grades how severe it is.
It is not required by the CHIC health list, but it is strongly recommended. An MRI of the skull and neck is the only way to grade Chiari-like malformation and syringomyelia (CM/SM). Studies show that breeding from MRI-graded dogs lowers the rate of syringomyelia in the next generation.
The CHIC list for the breed is four tests: a yearly heart exam by a cardiologist, a yearly eye exam by an eye specialist, a kneecap (patella) check, and a hip x-ray scored by the OFA. An MRI for syringomyelia and DNA tests for episodic falling and dry eye/curly coat are extra checks many careful breeders also run.
Yes, both are cheap cheek-swab tests. Episodic falling and the combined dry eye/curly coat condition are each caused by a single recessive gene. A simple DNA test tells you each dog’s status, so you never pair two carriers and never produce an affected puppy.
Four colors: Blenheim (chestnut on white), tricolor (black and white with tan points), black and tan, and ruby (a solid rich red). Blenheim is the most common. Blenheim and tricolor are parti-colors (broken with white); ruby and black and tan are whole colors.
A Cavalier litter is usually 3 to 5 puppies, with an average of about 4. First litters are often smaller, sometimes just 2 or 3. An x-ray around day 55 of pregnancy gives an accurate puppy count before whelping (the birth).
Most Cavaliers whelp naturally, but they are a small breed, so keep a vet on call. Small breeds with small litters carry a higher chance of needing an emergency C-section. Watch for hard straining with no puppy or long gaps between puppies, and call your vet right away.
Budget roughly $4,000 to $8,000. Health testing runs higher than most breeds because of the cardiologist exams and the MRI scan. Add a stud fee, prenatal scans, and a cushion for an emergency C-section. With a 3 to 5 puppy litter, a first litter rarely turns a real profit.
You can search health-tested Cavaliers on Petmeetly and message the owners directly. Listings are free, and you can filter for breeding dogs. Always confirm heart, eye, patella, and hip clearances, and ask about MRI status, before you commit to a mating.
Sources
Real stories from dog owners who found perfect breeding matches on Petmeetly
Thanks to you, our search for a perfect match was a heartwarming success! We're so grateful for your help in bringing joy to our family.
Ember Bonilla
Florida, US
It was great, we plan to meet in late May.
Lisa Mattocks
North Carolina, US
Twice now, Petmeetly has helped me find the perfect mates for him. He’s a happy pup ❤️ and his adorable puppies are proof of how amazing this platform is. Thank you, Petmeetly, for making this possible!
Benji
Alberta, CA
More vetted material for owners planning a Cavalier litter
Behavior kills more US dogs under 3 than disease does. The 8 to 16 week socialization window, the AVSAB-approved checklist, and how to handle an adopted dog.
100 female dog names organized by theme and breed, each with meaning and origin. Naming-science tips so your dog learns it fast. Trending picks for 2026.
100 male dog names organized by theme and breed, each with meaning and origin. Naming-science tips so your dog learns it fast. Trending picks for 2026.
Discover breeding guides for different dog breeds and find the perfect match for your breeding program
Find a Cavalier breeding partner with the heart, MRI, and eye clearances to match your dog.
No card required to sign up.
