February 20th, 2009 by Graeme Landis
by Graeme Landis
Treva and I first fell in love with Cavalier King Charles Spaniels when we got Oliver for my 50th birthday.
When I was just 4 years old, I became the proud owner of Whimpy, a black Cocker Spaniel farm dog. He was indeed my best buddy. We chased rabbits together in the plowed fields and generally had a wonderful time around the farm in Northwest Oklahoma. When the family left the farm and we moved to Wichita, Kansas for my Dad to finish his education, Whimpy came with us. Then came the really big move to California. Dad decided that it was in Whimpys best interest to stay on my Uncles farm in Oklahoma rather than have to learn to be a city dog in California – there would have been no more rabbit chasin’ for Whimpy. I was 9 years old when Whimpy and I wept together during my long goodbye talk with him on the back step of the old two story house on South Dodge Street. We went on to California and Whimpy went back to Oklahoma to live on to be 14 years old before he finally ran out of dog lives on my Uncles farm. It was a sad, sad day.
After I was married I repeatedly told my wife and kids that one day I would have another Cocker like Whimpy. He still had a very special place in my heart. Well, just before my 50th birthday, my wife and two grown kids all said, Dad, if youre ever going to get another Cocker, its about time you did it. Well, I said, youre right. I had better get on with it. But, I had heard that some undisciplined breeding had allowed some serious defects to become common in the breed, so I decided I would do a little homework before diving in. My reading confirmed the hearsay and I decided I didnt want to take a chance on buying a problem. So, my next dog wasnt going to be a Cocker after all. I still wanted to get that dog that was going to be my good buddy like Whimpy was. So, Treva and I sat down and first made a list of the characteristics of the dog we wanted to have in our home. It had to be small, have the sweet soft look of the spaniels, have a sweet temperament and require that I get out and give him a good walk regularly (because I needed the exercise).
Eventually, we discovered the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. And in particular, we found Oliver. He was a joy and about 9 months later we decided he needed a friend and so we then. found Emma Rose, a female Cavalier. What a wonderful life we had together for 12+ years before they both succumbed to Mitral Valve Disease, a heart condition all too common in Cavaliers. With a great amount of grief and lots of tears we sent Emma Rose off to the Rainbow Bridge shortly before her 12th birthday as she battled with her second episode of congestive heart failure. Ten weeks later and shortly before Olivers 13th birthday I sat on the floor of the Vets office and loved on him as Doc and I said goodbye to my sweet good buddy Oliver ” also sometimes known as Whimpy II ” a second tearful goodbye following years of joyful delight with the two of them, Emma Rose and Oliver
Almost immediately after they were gone I began noticing how Treva was pining for the presence of another Cavalier in the house. She would talk about getting in touch with our breeder and getting another puppy but I knew that with the changes that had taken place in our lives that a brand new little puppy wouldnt work for us. So, we turned to Cavalier Rescue and after a couple of months were rewarded with Max. What a character he has turned out to be. Four and a half years old, full of life a bit of mischief and at least as much love. Max was healthy and in pretty good shape. He had obviously been loved. His previous owner had, unfortunately, run onto hard times and couldnt afford to keep him.
About a year later, we were called upon to help out with another rescue situation that wasnt so good. There was an old female Cavalier, probably ten years old, no one knew for sure, who had been abandoned in an Orange County shelter and there was no one closer than us to pick her up. At first, we were just going to act as foster parents until a home opened up for her. Then we saw her, Charlotte Rose. Charlotte was the most pathetic little thing I had ever seen. She was nearly starved to death. She had lost most of the fur from her body due to extreme flea allergy dermatitis. She was very anemic and had mammary tumors along with a fair amount of arthritis. It was quite obvious that some cruel breeder had just pumped all the puppies they could out of her and then abandoned her to her own devices. Its a wonder she didnt become a Coyote or Hawk meal. She also had a heart murmur, the first tell tale sign of Mitral Valve Disease. There was a terrible odor from the awful skin condition that would take a few weeks to clear up.
Four months later she is almost unrecognizable. In fact, one neighbor of ours did think we had a new dog when they saw her after these few months. She has had her treatments for her skin disease with antibiotics and multiple baths with medicated shampoo the first few weeks. And she started out with 4 meals per day, countem, 4! As soon as she had gained sufficient strength she was spayed and had all the tumors removed ” major surgery for such a weak little one. Then came a good dental treatment and cleaning during which she had 5 extractions to clear up some problems in her mouth. Her body weight has increase 17.5%! She isnt fat, either, just a healthy weight for her skeleton. I have been shocked at how healthy her coat has grown back in. It is really thick. Charlotte Rose is a beautiful Cavalier old lady ” and she found some folks to love her as she deserves. We are happy.
Well, this little short term foster girl is now becoming a permanent resident with Max and Treva and me. She has her new forever home and we have the joy of another wonderful Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Its a good story.
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