Q. My husband and I are purchasing a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy from a reputable breeder in our area. We have been visiting the puppy since it was one week old and hope to bring her into our home in approximately five weeks.
We are actually considering purchasing two of the puppies from the breeder, but we’re wondering if we would be getting in too deep since we haven’t had a puppy in our home for quite awhile. My husband is retired and would be home most of the time. Any pros and cons you can share would be greatly appreciated.
A. I do not encourage purchasing two puppies at once. Two puppies of any breed(s) will tend to zone you out and take direction from one another instead. This can lead to overdependence and more problems later on, including separation anxiety. A puppy demands so much time and energy from its new owner that it’s nearly impossible to do justice to two at the same time.
Cavaliers are a very sociable breed, and by the time your first is a year old, you can confidently add a second dog to your household and start the puppy-training routine all over again! Thankfully, puppies tend to mimic adults so the puppy ought to pick up some good habits from the year-old Cavalier.
Please thoroughly research health issues in this breed – go to the two parent club websites for information on heart disease and syringomyelia – and buy your puppy from a reputable member-breeder who tests all breeding stock.