Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Puppy Training Manual
From 8 Weeks
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel: reward calm settling and grow independence in small, kind steps.
29 chapters · English / 中文
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel: reward calm settling and grow independence in small, kind steps.
Breed profile
Training group
Toy and companion dogs
Origin
Originated in England as a companion dog.
Shoulder height
30–33 cm
Weight
5–8 kg
Coat
Long, silky coat with long ears
Coat care
Build early, cooperative acceptance of routine coat and ear checks, brushing, gentle ear lifting, paw handling and standing on a stable non-slip surface.
Drive keywords
Living closely with people · Gentle social contact · Human attention
Handling practice
Condition routine long-ear checks as voluntary handling: brief ear touch, gentle lift or look, marker, reward and release before the puppy turns away. · Practise brushing and parting the silky coat in easy body areas on a stable non-slip surface, adding a new area only while the puppy remains loose and willing.
General reference range only; individual dogs vary considerably.
20
Protect the growing body
Exercise limits & growth plates
Use self-paced walks, small scent games, indoor problem-solving and carefully selected social contact rather than assuming a small companion needs no structured activity. A growing puppy still follows the manual's general growth-plate protections: avoid forced mileage, repeated high-impact turns and endless fetching. In Perth, schedule training for cooler parts of the day, offer shade and water, and switch to indoor thinking work as heat rises. Stop and cool the dog if breathing becomes visibly laboured; repeated episodes need veterinary advice.
GOOD = low-impact sniffing, self-paced ground play and structured tug; NOT YET = repeated stairs, jumping or running beside a bicycle while growth plates are developing.
Before twelve months: limit impact, keep exploration
Replace repetitive impact with low-impact, puppy-controlled activity.
Avoid or limit
Safer option now
Repeated stair climbing
Level-ground sniffing and exploration
Jumping down from a sofa or vehicle without a safe access plan
Block access or introduce a stable non-slip ramp or controlled low step gradually
Aerial Frisbee catches and sudden stops
Low, controlled toy games without jumping
Long-distance running beside a bicycle or with a jogger
Short sniffing walks under the puppy-age plan
Prolonged running on hard ground
Short free play on soft ground with a similar-age puppy or friendly adult dog
Repeated high-speed turns and sudden stops
Food searches and calm problem-solving
Jumping or twisting during highly arousing play
Short, controlled play with all four paws kept low
Forced activity or movement on unstable, slippery surfaces
Calm, puppy-controlled movement on stable footing
Review points after twelve and eighteen months
Age is a review point, not automatic clearance; obtain a veterinary check before adding intensity.
Stage
What may open gradually
Guardrail
At about 12 months
Longer structured walks and easy, low-impact hikes
Veterinary review first; do not assume all growth plates have closed.
From 12 to 18 months
Build distance or duration in small steps on forgiving surfaces
Increase one variable at a time and continue limiting repetitive jumping and sharp turns.
After about 18 months
Condition gradually for running or higher-impact dog sports in a legal, controlled setting
Only after veterinary clearance and progressive conditioning; never tether a dog to a moving bicycle or vehicle.
Training with FluffyWA
Day school, board & train and private sessions are quoted after a chat, and boarding or daycare can be booked online with live prices.
