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Please take time to read this page...
Cavaliers are not kennel dogs. Because of hundred years of close contact with their owners and their development as lap dogs, they make wonderful companions. The picture above is an example of a beautifully bred Stuarthome litter. Puppies from reputable breeders should NEVER go to their new homes until at least 10 weeks old with 12 weeks or older being preferred. Cavaliers are toy dogs that need their mother longer than other breeds. Breeders- A reputable breeder has a wealth of knowledge of the breed and experience with problems and issues that may come up. A reputable breeder has performed specialists' health screenings to lessening the chance of future health problems in the dogs. A breeder will try to determine if his or her breed is suitable for your lifestyle and personality. In addition, a breeder will select a puppy or adult for you based the temperament of the puppy or adult and your particular situation. A breeder is a lifetime resource for you and your dog. Breeder considerations: Comfort and compatibility with individual breeder. Honesty and integrity; will tell you the advantages as well as shortcomings of the breed. Reputation on the national level. Understanding of breed as whole. Goals are betterment of the breed and selection of appropriate homes for puppies & adults, not profit. Resource for problems and questions. Potential for long-term relationship. Experience. Spay & neuter contracts. Health screenings conducted by specialists. Active membership in AKC parent club for their breed, in Cavaliers that is the ACKCSC. History of participation in shows, competitions as a means to improve breed. Referrals to other breeders. Once you have found a breeder, you may have to wait a few months or longer for a puppy or adult. Be patient. Find your breeder, and then wait for your puppy or adult. It will be well worth it  Are you interested in a Stuarthome puppy?
We have placed the beautiful pet puppies of Stuarthome's 2008 litter by CH. Peakdowns Huntley out of Stuarthome Written on the Stars in wonderful homes and they are now part of the Stuarthome Family. It is always a work of love to match these babies to the right homes. Stuarthome All Dressed Up is starting her show career and will be shown in the bred-by class. For information on the breeding in 2011, please look at Serena's page for information. If you would like to be considered for future Stuarthome puppies or when available, adolescents or adults, please complete our questionnaire . Inquires must be from responsible individuals that are 21 years of age or older. We DO NOT sell or place show prospect or breeding Cavaliers unless we have observed your practices. Currently all our co-breeders and co-owners are ACTIVE members of the parent club, ACKCSC. As a policy except as noted above, our Cavaliers' puppies/adults that are show or breeding prospects stay with us. We only have one or two litters a year or even every other year since it takes a lot of commitment of time and funds. It is very important to wait for the right Cavalier. Our litters are well planned with board certified specialists' health screenings and indepth studies of pedigrees to try to achieve the best match. We planned for the future and improvement of the breed. Our ultimate goal when placing pet puppies is to match the right puppy to the right home. These questionnaires are one tool we use to assist us in achieving this goal. We sincerely appreciate your interest in one of our lovely Stuarthome CKCS and hope to provide you with a loving companion in the future. If we do not have any puppies or adults available we will refer you to other breeders. It is important to wait for the right Cavalier for your family since this is a long commitment! Thank you again! We love to talk about Cavaliers but our schedule is very busy. We want to give you our undivided attention so please be respectful of our other commitments with serious inquiries only.  CH. Peakdowns Huntley, UK Import (son of UK top sire, Maibee Montrose)
Background:
As stated above...Puppies from caring breeders do not go to their new homes until at least 10 weeks old with 12 weeks or older being preferred. Cavaliers are toy dogs that need their mother longer than other breeds. Our Cavaliers are only bred to produce a future show prospect and to improve the breed. Sometimes we know at 12 weeks which are pets but we often run them on to determine which one are show prospects. This standard practice for breeders wanting to improve on the breed. Many times puppies from reputable breeders are 4-6 months before they become available. Check back often to see if or any puppies are available as pets. This is a foreign concept to people use to purchasing puppies from backyard breeders or puppy producers. Please take time to read more about these backyard breeders/ puppy producers on this webpage and become informed. Regarding this last litter...Both parents of this litter had been cardiac cleared by board certified cardiologists and completed CERF and Patellas' examinations with normal findings. Huntley is an UK import and son of the top sire in the UK, Maibee Montrose. Starlet is full sister to four Stuarthome's homebred champions, CH Stuarthome English Ivy, CH. Stuarthome Waltizing Matilda, CH. St Jon Stuarthome Journey and CH St Jon Stuarthome Amber. ALL breedings at Stuarthome is with the hope to produce another homebred Stuarthome champion. With any breeding there will be pets available. These puppies will complete temperament testings and matched to the best homes. Yes, it is not easy to acquire a Stuarthome CKCS but we must develop a relationship of trust. All pets will have spay/neuter agreements and sold with limited AKC registration. Pet quality is any Cavalier that cannot compete at the ACKCSC National level. Many Cavaliers finish at the local level and even with breeders emptying their kennels to insure a major. So there is show quality and then there is SHOW QUALITY! Cavaliers from reputable breeders are costly to breed properly and reputable breeders are always in the "red" with the cost of this hobby. The purchase prices for pet quality Cavaliers from reputable breeders can cost $1500 or more; this purchase price should be influence by the depth of the pedigrees (sire and dam), health screenings of the parents by specialtists, breeders level of achievements and finally the region in the USA. Yes this purchase price may seems expensive, but if the breeder has been putting a lot of efforts and costs into improving the breed...this is a "drop in the bucket" to cover the breeder's overall costs. Please remember that ACKCSC member breeders are NOT commercial breeders (puppy producers) who are interested in "selling" you the breed or one of their puppies. They are individuals truly committed to the welfare of dogs in general and our breed in particular, and their major concern is the happy placement of dogs in the best of homes -- not the commercialization of our breed for fame or profit. Some of us are not "warm & fuzzy" because of our concern for the breed and wanting to make the best possible placement. We hold the future of the breed in our hands. Again it is important to wait for the right Cavalier for your family since this is a long commitment! Beware of puppy producers...Puppy producers often sell for less and can be "warm & fuzzy" in their marketing approach and love to get you on the telephone and have you come and see the puppies. They feel if they can do that...you will be hooked! These "producers" puppies are usually from questionable pedigrees (many are Irish imports from puppy mills), undersized for the breed standard and the health screenings/OFA forms of the parents (if any) are completed by general veterinarians. They breed for profit...this is a business for them! They are never in the "red" regarding their costs!
PLEASE care about the future of this breed and do not purchase a Cavalier from a "puppy producer". A puppy producer is a person who produces puppies, accidentally or on purpose, without APPROPRIATE health screenings by BOARD CERTIFIED SPECIALISTS for the parents or puppies, and with minimal if any knowledge of the breed standard and genetics. In Cavaliers, you will find puppy producers foundation stock are mainly from USA puppy mills, Ireland or some rare european country puppy mills/farmers.
Remember...Membership in the ACKCSC is the gold standard for the breed in AKC. To be a member is a long process unlike other Cavalier clubs in the USA. Ask if there are members of a breed club and then inquire how active they are in the national club (offices, committees and volunteer work). There are two types of ACKCSC memberships, the associate (non-voting) and the regular (voting). If a breeder is not a member of the ONLY parent club for the breed in the USA, ask why. They are either new to the breed or do not qualify for membership. Newer breeders are members with the local AKC Cavalier clubs and they SHOULD have mentors. Ask who their mentors are. If their mentor(s) are not members of the ACKCSC, ask them why! Process for acquiring a puppy, adolescent or adult from Stuarthome CKCS:
(1) complete the Stuarthome Questionnaire; (2) information will be verified; (3) an interview will be scheduled after reviewing the questionnaire; (4) a home visit might be arranged; this is standard practice for both reputable breeders and for rescue organizations; (5) orientation to the supplies and care needed for a Cavalier; then (6) if all goes well...your new Cavalier! Puppy producers (and yes they may show their Cavaliers) are out for the sell...breeders should make you go through a process! Stuarthome is dedicated to mentoring and co-own the mentoring list, The All About Cavaliers Forum Voting Member of the AKC Parent Club- American Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club, Trustee with the American Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club Charitable Trust , Founding Partner of the ACKCSC Charitable Trust and Founding President of Cavaliers of Greater Kalamazoo Proven dedication to the breed by service. |
