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A Cavachon is a small and popular mixed breed dog.
It is a cross between a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and a Bichon Frize.
These are both popular breeds.
Let’s find out what happens when you mix these two little dogs together!
Your Complete Guide to Cavachon
Before we start, you might be wondering if mixing two purebred dogs can cause problems.
Let’s take a look.
Are designer dogs a good thing?
So-called designer dogs are crossbred for a variety of reasons.
Often for fun or to make money. Sometimes for both!
Ideally, a designer dog like the Cavachon is bred to combine the “best of both worlds”.
An animal with both increased health and the most sought-after traits from two different breeds.
Why choose a poodle when you can have a Labradoodle (Labrador Retriever and Poodle mix)?
Why own a pug when you can have a puggle (pug-beagle mix)?
What you lose as you move away from pedigree and pure breeding is predictability.
Not all Cavachons will look the same
Breeders cannot be sure what an individual Cavachon’s temperament will be.
You also can’t predict what the puppy will look like. At least not with great certainty.
It’s hard to know if the pups are more like one parent or the other.
We know that Cavachons inherit some traits from each parent. But will these qualities be the cream of the crop, the bottom of the barrel, or a combination of both?
Nobody knows beforehand!
Mixed breeding can improve the genetic health
Genetic diversity is a good thing and it helps give animals a better chance of health.
It is important to know, however, that the possibility that a puppy could inherit a health problem is not eliminated by one parent or the other
The best we can do is learn more about each breed to learn more about the Cavachon puppy’s temperament and wellbeing.
And carefully choose our breeder. The person who raises your puppy from birth also affects their health.
Let’s look at the breeds of Cavie and Bichon. That should give us a rough idea of what it might be like to own a Cavachon dog.
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
The Cave is a small, medium-energy pooch. It’s hard not to use the word “pretty” when we talk about this personable but active little dog.
The breed originates from the United Kingdom. And has a long history
In the second half of the 17th century, flatter faces were introduced into the breed. And these, in turn, created serious health problems.
We’ll talk about those below. You can also read about it on our Cavalier pages.
The Kennel Club recognized the breed known as the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel in 1945.
It would be another decade before the breed was first adopted in America. It was not recognized by the American Kennel Club until 1995.
In recent years, the cave has grown in popularity all over the world.
Cavalier King Charles was the 18th most popular dog in the US in 2013, up from 25th place in 2008.
They were also the fourth most popular breed in Australia in 2009 and the sixth most popular pooch in the UK in 2007.
Bichon Frize
You would be forgiven to believe that the incredibly adorable bichon frize resembles an oversized cotton pouf!
In French, his name means “fluffy white dog” – a fitting description if there ever was one.
With his dark round eyes and button nose, this guy makes an adorable first impression.
The Bichon Frize is descended from the water spaniel and has its roots in the Mediterranean region.
But the genesis is a bit blurry.
Both the Spaniards and the French were instantly impressed by the gentle little dog.
It was introduced in France during the Renaissance and was featured in Francisco Goya’s artwork.
The bichon came to the U.S. coast in the mid-1950s, where the breed enjoyed immediate success.
About 25 years later, the bichon was introduced in Australia.
This cheerful and agile guy has a zest for life and likes to release his energy in measured bursts.
Some owners compare the bichon’s bursts of energy to the way a cat suddenly pulls around the house at full throttle.
Cavachon dog characteristics
It is believed that the first Cavachons were bred in the United States in the late 1990s.
Created with the intention of creating a small, friendly, good-natured dog with a hypoallergenic coat.
There are some characteristics that many Cavachons have in common
Like its parents, the Cavachon is a playful and intelligent dog who, according to its owners, does well with children and other dogs.
This pooch has a medium energy level and does well for a daily walk next to humans.
But it’s also nice to know that a typical Cavachon is a lap dog!
With early and positive training, the Cavachon dog should be an affectionate and gentle companion.
How tall is a full-size Cavachon dog?
One of the first questions a potential dog owner might want to know is “How big will they get?”
We can narrow down a Cavachon’s size by looking at its parents.
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel size
The American Kennel Club places the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel in the toy category due to its small size.
On average, a cave weighs between 13 and 18 pounds.
These little dogs are only about three feet tall and are great for lap dogs!
Bichon Frize size
The Bichon Frize ranges from 10 to 20 pounds of pure, fluffy white goodness.
This small dog averages 10 to 12 inches tall.
The size of a Cavachon will depend on the parents they prefer, but the typical pooch is a foot tall and weighs between 15 and 30 pounds.
Is the Cavachon hypoallergenic?
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is not a hypoallergenic breed, but the Bichon Frize is valued for its hypoallergenic coat with low dandruff.
Because of this, the Cavachon dog is often described as hypoallergenic.
Indeed, the concept of hypoallergenic should be viewed as a trait that falls somewhere along a sliding scale.
Some dogs, like poodles, are considered very hypoallergenic because they produce a relatively low rate of allergic reactions.
However, no dog is 100% hypoallergenic. This article will tell you more about hypoallergenic dogs and their suitability for allergy sufferers.
Different animals cause different allergic reactions depending on the sensitivity of the owner.
Cavachon care
Cavies are blessed with a silky, smooth coat that requires weekly brushing, but not abundant grooming, to keep them looking elegant and neat.
Bichon hair is flat (almost no hair at all) but needs regular brushing to prevent matting.
Your Cavachon likely has a more disheveled coat than its Cavalier parents.
However, the texture can vary from puppy to puppy.
Chances are, your Cavachon will only spill minimally. Some dogs are suitable for people with mild allergies, but there is no way to be sure.
It is recommended for owners to trim the medium to long locks as they grow.
You may even need to have a dog groomer cut your Cavachon off from time to time
Cavachon coat colors
The Cavalier’s gloss coat comes in four colors.
Black and white bodies with brown markings, black bodies with brown markings, and a mainly maroon coat (sometimes with white markings).
The fourth award is called Blenheim. Characterized by a white coat with different and assorted chestnut-colored markings.
The Bichon Frize is a white breed.
The Cavachon’s fur is predominantly white and can have various markings.
Cavachon temperament
Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are lovable and lovable, gentle and cheerful dogs. They generally get along well with children and other dogs.
Despite their affectionate manners, some cavies retain a desire to hunt and hunt.
However, they can be trained early on to “live and let live” with the smaller animals they may meet.
When Cavie genes are combined with the ingenious Bichon Frize DNA, a friendly pet is likely. The Cavachon won’t make a reliable watchdog!
Cavies are a reasonably intelligent breed imbued with the natural curiosity of a rabbit but would be perfectly content to be their human lap dog.
Their obedient and sweet nature makes them special needs canines.
The bichon is known for its intellect, and they love the attention that comes with “performing”.
Early training is highly recommended to help the bichon learn the difference between seeking negative and positive attention!
But their desire to please their owners makes them very receptive to education.
Like their parents, Cavachons have a reputation for popular food.
They are known for their ability to adapt to different life situations (city, country, large family, etc.).
However, a Cavachon puppy should be trained and socialized early on to get them used to contact with different people, animals, and environments.
Cavachons can be adapted to different body and movement sequences and dutifully go for a walk with their owner.
But being a couch potato goes well with him too!
Cavalier Bichon Mix Health
Unfortunately, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are prone to a number of serious health issues, which in turn can affect Cavachon puppies.
Syringomyelia is a serious condition in which the skull cavity is simply too small to contain the brain enough.
This leads to bulges (hernias) of the brain in the spinal cord, which leads to a blockage of the spinal fluid, causing increased pressure on the spinal cord.
It is a sad fact that cavies suffer from syringomyelia precisely because they were bred to have relatively small heads.
Symptoms of syringomyelia can appear as early as six months of age.
These include scratching, biting, and licking the paws, shaking the body, and screaming in pain due to severe pain in the neck, head, and shoulders.
In addition, the leading cause of death in cavies is mitral valve disease.
This heart condition is typical of the murmurs of the heart and can lead to heart failure.
Symptoms can appear early in life, and the majority of Cavies can develop the condition before age 5.
Inherited blood disorders and hip and knee dysplasia are other worrisome and common conditions that are common in Cavies, and hence are common in Cavachons.
In addition to the health risks of the Cavie, the Cavachon can also inherit the medical profile of the Bichon Frize.
The bichon is prone to cataracts and patellar luxation, as well as dental issues that require owner vigilance.
Like the cave, the bichon’s ears need regular checking and maintenance to prevent wax and debris that can lead to infection.
Cavachon lifetime
How can you really measure Cavachon’s life expectancy?
With a mixed-race, we can hope for less risk of some of the worst parenting health problems, but it is not always possible to completely avoid them. Small (but not very small) dogs have longer lifespans than much larger breeds, but these are generalizations
Bichons have an average lifespan of over 10 years, which is typically 15 years.
It is impossible to predict with any accuracy, all you can hope for is that a healthy Cavachon will live 10 years or more.
Cavachon breeders
It is important to partner with responsible breeders when purchasing a puppy, but the need increases when you consider a Cavachon. And the truth is, finding responsible breeders of designer dogs can be difficult just because mixed breeding is frowned upon in many parts of the canine community.
So it is important that you do your homework and research carefully. You will find a lot of tips and advice in our puppy search series
The risk of syringomyelia in Cavachons must be considered.
The vast majority of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels have a skull abnormality that leads to syringomyelia.
MRIs can detect the condition in cavies and responsible breeders use genetic testing to inform their breeding decisions.
If your Cavachon puppy develops syringomyelia, medication and surgery are available to you. However, drugs only treat the symptoms of the disease and cannot stop the disease.
Surgery is an expensive and rare option as not all veterinarians are trained in the operation. Even if symptoms improve after the operation, there is no guarantee that your Cavachon will remain symptom-free in the long term.
Experts have recommended testing cavies for both syringomyelia and mitral valve disease. However, this is only a recommended option.
Avoid buying a Cavachon puppy from a puppy mill or pet store. Be sure to check out your puppy’s parents’ health certificates before making an informed decision about bringing a cute little Cavachon into your home.
Cavachon adoption
Adopting pets is a positive experience for both pets and owners.
Who wouldn’t want to be part of a feel-good story where a pet in need fits into a loving home?
One caveat with adopting or rescuing a Cavachon dog has to do with the serious illnesses inflicted on these beautiful and intelligent animals.
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel has an undeniably serious medical history.
Cavachon puppies are prone to the same conditions as syringomyelia and heart problems.
A responsible breeder has health certificates for their puppies, but rescue animals do not always have this.
Do Cavalier Bichon Mixes Make Good Pets?
The best way to determine a mixed breed’s potential to make a good companion animal is to study its parent’s profiles.
Including spirited disposition and health risks.
In the case of the Cavachon dog, he can be expected to inherit a combination of traits found in both parents.
Of course, it would be ideal to be able to pick and choose the characteristics of our future Cavachon BFFs: intelligence, sociability, health, etc.
In the real world, where nothing is guaranteed, it’s just a throw of the DNA dice.
It’s relatively easy to predict that these adorable pups will display the sweet and open expression that we have come to expect from the Cavachon Mix breed.
Additionally, however, puppies from the same litter can have drastically different health conditions and personalities.
Summary
Overall, most Cavachon parents report that their little bundles of joys are lively and loving, playful, and good with children.
However, it is advisable to consider the potential health risks that come with the Cavachon.
Work with a responsible breeder who can help educate you about the cross and make an informed decision about ownership.
Do you have a Cavachon at home? We’d love to hear about your experience with this most extraordinary dog in the comments below!