Not just a Pretty Face

Perhaps because the Cavalier is in the toy group it does not seem to be expected to be sound, both by judges and some breeders. Yet the Standard (UK version) clearly calls for a well built, sound moving dog. The Cavalier is described as "active, graceful, well balanced" overall. Gait is described as "free moving and elegant in action, plenty of drive from behind. Fore and hind legs move parallel when viewed from in front and behind." The Standard then goes on to discuss the structure of a Cavalier.

It is often said that because all-breed judges can’t possibly understand the intricacies of all breeds they fall back on structure and movement as their criteria for awarding dogs in a breed. I wish this was true in Cavaliers as it might make their judging comprehensible in some cases however for the most part I find it rarely so. It seems once the judges reach the toy group their understanding of soundness and movement flies out the window. I don’t know why it should be accepted that a toy doesn’t need to be built right and move well.

I know that I am not the only breeder of a toy breed that is frustrated by this attitude from judges, that structure and movement is not important in the toy breeds. It is!! In my opinion it is totally unacceptable to award dogs that are hoping around on three legs because their patellas are out of place, that their toplines are so bad they have a resemblance to camels, that they can only do small circles or short “down and backs” because they can’t reach and drive and cover ground.

Some refer to the Cavalier as a “head breed” but it is far more than just that. If it is to be an active, graceful, well balanced dog then one must look past the head for it to fulfill this portion of the Standard. It is neither good for the breed to have pretty headed cripples or plain headed good moving dogs winning and then being bred from, so a balance between the two needs to be achieved.