Is a Cavachon the right dog for you?

Deliberate cross breeds or hybrid dog types are really popular in the UK, and there are a huge number of different well-known crosses to choose from. One of these is the Cavachon, and these small, low-shedding dogs are a great fit for all types of homes and owners.

While the Cavachon is by no means the most common cross breed in the UK, they are still pretty popular, falling in 43rd place out of a total of 241 different dog breeds and types, so if you are looking for a Cavachon puppy for sale, you probably won’t have to go too far out of your way to find one.

If you’re considering buying a Cavachon or are keen to find out more about this dog type in order to make a decision about what type of dog to buy, this article will provide a basic introduction to the Cavachon and cover the most important things you need to know about them. Read on to learn more.

What is a Cavachon?

A Cavachon is a cross breed dog that is composed of a mixture of Cavalier King Charles spaniel and Bichon Frise ancestry. Cavachons may have one Cavalier King Charles spaniel parent and one Bichon, or have been bred from subsequent generations of this same crossing, potentially backcrossing back to one of the two parent breeds at some stage of their ancestry.

Is the Cavachon a pedigree breed?

The Cavachon is a cross-breed dog with mixed parentage, which means that they’re not a pedigree dog breed and are not eligible for Kennel Club registration. This means that they are correctly referred to as a dog type rather than a dog breed, as there is no breed standard or formal authority in place to manage and oversee dogs of this type.

The Cavachon appearance

As is the case with any cross-breed dog, the appearance of individual Cavachons can be very variable, sometimes even within individual pups from the same litter. When you breed two unrelated dog breeds, you can’t tell ahead of time which appearance traits they will inherit – or which side of their parentage they are most likely to resemble.

However, there are some broad traits that most Cavachons share, one of which is their tendency to be on the small side, as both of their two parent breeds are small dogs. Cavachons stand on average between 31-33cm tall at the withers, and weigh anywhere between 4.5-9kg.

The coat of the Cavalier King Charles spaniel versus that of the Bichon Frise is very different – and Cavachons usually have a coat somewhere in the middle, which tends to be curly or wavy as well as plush and thick. A more Bichon-style coat is generally preferred, as the Bichon Frise has a very low-shedding coat that makes them less likely to trigger allergies in people prone to them, although a coat that has a texture more like the Cavalier King Charles spaniel is equally likely.

When it comes to colours, the Cavachon can be seen in a variety of shades including white, brown, red, tricolour, and white with either black, red or apricot patches and markings.

The Cavachon temperament

Cavachons are affectionate, personable dogs that are very loving and that like to have someone around for company most of the day. They also tend to get on well with other dogs and are not usually wary or speculative around strangers. This means that they don’t make good guard dogs or watch dogs, but it also means that they are generally trustworthy and not overly reactive with newcomers.

Cavachons are dogs that are considered to be a particularly good choice for first time dog owners, as they are reasonably intelligent and quite intuitive to train. They can generally learn and execute a good selection of commands, and tend to take direction well.

Care and management

Cavachons require a reasonable amount of regular brushing and grooming, particularly if they inherit a more Bichon Frise-style coat. This is because this coat type doesn’t shed a lot of loose hair and instead, shed hair becomes caught up in the coat and can soon form knots and tangles if not combed and brushed daily.

The benefits of hybrid vigour that are achieved from crossing two unrelated breeds means that a Cavachon is less likely to exhibit any given health condition than either of their parent dogs. However, because there are several hereditary health conditions that both the Cavalier King Charles spaniel and the Bichon Frise can be prone to, there is a reasonably long list of issues that can also affect the Cavachon in their turn.

It is a good investment to buy a Cavachon from a breeder who undertook health testing on their parent stock prior to deciding on a mating match, to reduce the chances of buying a Cavachon that inherits a hereditary health condition.

Cavachons are also particularly likely to suffer from allergies, and whilst these are rarely life threatening, they can have an impact on the dog’s quality of life.

How much do Cavachons cost to buy?

The average sale price of a Cavachon puppy in the UK is £587, although there can be quite a lot of variance between different breeders and even different areas of the country.

If you see a Cavachon for sale that costs a lot more than this, and particularly, a lot less, it is wise to find out why before you commit to a purchase.