"Suja" wrote in message
...

"Phyrie" wrote in message:

Although I have no idea how available they would be in shelter/rescue,

That'll definitely be an issue.

There are health issues, though. Be aware of that, although I'm sure
that statement rings true for most breeds.

IMO, most breeds don't have the same type of serious issues that Cavs
have, which is unfortunate, since they're terrific dogs. I don't think I
can in good conscience recommend a breed that will develop MVD. Plus, my
vet says that every Cav she's seen has serious back problems, and that is
a really bad combination with kids.

Suja

I thoroughly understand that. I researched as much as I could before
deciding on Cavaliers. The wonderfulness of the breed outweighed the health
concerns, for me, at that time. It remains to be seen if that continues.
Kiba's only two years old and healthy.
Kiba has one luxating patella (that the vet is fairly certain is a traumatic
injury, not congenital) and that's it. So far. I know that it's likely
he'll develop MVD, but the dogs in his breeder's lines are long lived, even
if they develop it. His grandfather is 15. Very old for a Cav.
My vet loves Cav's too. It's pleasant when your vet is almost as
enthusiastic as you are about your dog.