Mixed breed dogs can often make the most wonderful pets, as these hybrid breeds can result in some adorable appearances and the best of two worlds when it comes to personality. If you’ve been seeking a smaller mixed breed dog to bring into your home, you might want to consider the Cavachin. This affectionate and lively lap dog is charming and makes a wonderful pet for almost anyone.
If you don’t know much about this breed, keep reading because we’ve got you covered! We’ll tell you everything you need to know about this pup, from the breed’s temperament to how to care for them, so you know exactly what you’ll be getting into if you adopt one.
Those who are frequently home, families with older children, first-time dog owners
Temperament:
Lively, affectionate, playful, graceful
The Cavachin is a mixed breed created by crossing the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and the Japanese Chin. This cross-breeding results in a sweet lap dog who is bright, affectionate, and occasionally a bit mischievous. This dog is the perfect fit for almost any home, whether that home includes singles, seniors, children, or other pets.
Cavachin Characteristics
Energy
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High-energy dogs will need a lot of mental and physical stimulation to stay happy and healthy, while low-energy dogs require minimal physical activity. It’s important when choosing a dog to make sure their energy levels match your lifestyle or vice versa.
Trainability
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Easy-to-train dogs are more skilled at learning prompts and actions quickly with minimal training. Dogs that are harder to train will require a bit more patience and practice.
Health
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Some breeds, due to their size or their breeds potential genetic health issues, have shorter lifespans than others. Proper exercise, nutrition, and hygiene also play an important role in the lifespan of your pet.
Lifespan
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Some dog breeds are prone to certain genetic health problems, and some more than others. This doesn’t mean that every dog will have these issues, but they have an increased risk, so it’s important to understand and prepare for any additional needs they may require.
Sociability
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Some dog breeds are more social than others, both towards humans and other dogs. More social dogs have a tendency to run up to strangers for pets and scratches, while less social dogs shy away and are more cautious, even potentially aggressive. No matter the breed, it’s important to socialize your dog and expose them to lots of different situations.
While the Cavachin is a relatively popular hybrid breed, you’ll probably need to go through a breeder to adopt one of these pups. If you search hard enough, you might find one at your local shelter or could possibly locate one at a rescue organization dedicated to one of this dog’s parent breeds. But most of the time, you’ll have to adopt from a breeder. Just ensure you’re using a reputable and ethical breeder if doing so.
As puppies, these canines are absolutely irresistible. They’re tiny and cute as a button; however, their size means you’ll need to be extra careful with them, as smaller pups can easily get injured while playing or jumping around. These dogs will also be incredibly sweet but a bit spunky and may cause some mischief from time to time.
Cavachin Origin & History
The Cavachin may be a popular breed, but their origins and history are unknown. However, we do know a bit about the origins and history of the Cavachin’s parent breeds.
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a British breed dating back to at least the 17th century. The name comes from King Charles II and the name of his supporters, who were known as Cavaliers. Before the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel showed up, there was simply the King Charles Spaniel, so the Cavalier shares that breed’s history—at least up to the 1920s.
The Japanese Chin’s origins and history aren’t as clear as those of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Many disagree on whether this breed originated in Korea or China and also disagree on how it came to Japan. People are in agreement that the Japanese nobility cultivated this breed into what it is today, though.
Image Credit: Left- Ihar Halavach, Shutterstock | Right – Olga Aniven, Shutterstock
Temperament & Intelligence of the Cavachin
Mixed breeds inherit traits from both parent breeds, so there is a bit of variation in personality when it comes to individual dogs. Overall, though, you’ll find the Cavachin to be sweet, loving, and affectionate. This breed quickly becomes attached to the human members of their family and may sometimes overdo it on affection in a bid to impress their people. The Cavachin is definitely a pup who requires constant attention and praise from the rest of the family!
As loving and sweet as the Cavachin is, the breed can also be sassy and spunky, so don’t expect your pup to cuddle up to you all the time. The breed loves to play and run around; these canines are also curious by nature, so they’ll be eager to explore and learn. Cavachins can have a mind of their own, too, so be prepared for a bit of a struggle between wills at times.
The Cavachin is a highly sociable pup who will make friends wherever they go. They might be a bit wary around strangers at first (especially if not adequately socialized) but should warm up to new people quickly enough. Their need for companionship does make them prone to separation anxiety, though, so this breed does better in living situations where people are often home.
As far as intelligence goes, these pups are fairly smart. They should learn new tricks and cues relatively well and be good at remembering things.
Are These Dogs Good for Families? 🧑🧑🧒
Cavachins make fantastic family pets. After all, this dog believes the more people around to love on them, the better! These canines are wonderful with children, too. However, because of their small stature, they will likely do better in families with older children, as young children aren’t always capable of delicately handling smaller animals, which means accidental injury could occur. No matter the age of the children playing with a Cavachin, ensure tiny humans know how to be gentle with animals and supervise interactions at all times.
Cavachins can get along with some other pets. They tend to get along well with other canines, provided introductions are done properly, and both animals have been socialized. This breed can get along with felines, too, as cats tend to be around this breed’s size. However, smaller animals like hamsters may not fare as well due to the breed’s prey drive. The Cavachin’s prey drive isn’t extremely large, but it’s still there.
This breed may get jealous of other pets in the home, especially if they think they aren’t receiving sufficient attention, so watch for that. Try to always give all pets in the house equal attention and love!
Things to Know When Owning a Cavachin
There’s much more to know about owning a Cavachin, so keep reading. We’ll cover mealtime, grooming, training, and more below!
Food & Diet Requirements 🦴
The Cavachin will require a diet of high-quality dog food high enough in protein to meet the energy needs of a dog this size. Finding food designed explicitly for dogs of the Cavachin’s size should ensure your pup gets all the required nutrients. Speak to a vet about how much your Cavachin should be eating each day. They shouldn’t need a lot of food since they’re small, but food needs vary by dog depending on the dog’s breed, activity level, and more.
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One thing your Cavachin will likely enjoy is puzzle toys or a snuffle mat that allows them to hunt their food down!
Exercise 🐕
The Cavachin may be lively and eager to play, but they have moderate exercise needs. This breed needs only about a half hour of exercise per day to stay healthy. Breaking this exercise into a few short walks would be perfect for this breed. Cavachins will also love hanging out at the dog park and making new friends.
Make sure your pup gets plenty of playtime in addition to their daily walks. While walks will help to tire them out, playtime will give them the opportunity for mental stimulation, which this breed needs to stay happy and healthy.
This breed is smart but also a bit willful, so training may prove challenging at times. However, this breed enjoys learning new things and impressing their people, so training shouldn’t be too difficult overall. Consistency and routine are definitely key in training this breed, as is using positive reinforcement. Cavachins can be quite empathetic to their owners’ moods, so they’ll get upset if you scold them or seem angry.
Grooming ✂️
The combination of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and Japanese Chin’s coats means the Cavachin has a fluffy and fast-growing coat that can be prone to matting. As such, these pups should be brushed a few times a week. You’ll likely want to alternate between a pin brush and a deshedder to reduce the amount of fur flying around your home!
Baths should occur every 4 to 6 weeks (unless your pup gets extremely dirty before their regular bath time). This breed’s ears can accumulate wax and dirt, so they should be checked for cleanliness once a week and cleaned as needed. Besides that, your pup will need their nails trimmed, and teeth brushed regularly.
Thus far, the Cavachin has proven to be a relatively healthy canine. However, there are still health conditions that this breed may inherit from their parent breeds. We’ve listed a few below so you know what to be on the lookout for.
Females and males of this breed will be almost entirely similar, with only minute differences. Interestingly, the females of this breed are typically larger than the males. Male Chavachins are also just a touch more prone to separation anxiety than females.
3 Little-Known Facts About the Cavachin
Ready to learn more about this adorable pup and their parent breeds? Here are three things you may not have known!
1. Cavachins are adaptable.
Whether you live in an apartment or house, rural area or city, the Cavachin will adapt well. These pups are content to go with the flow, so they’ll adapt quickly to life changes thrown at them. The one thing these pups can’t adapt to is being on their own for long, as they suffer from separation anxiety.
2. Most Cavalier King Charles Spaniels have a Blenheim spot.
Most Cavaliers have a Blenheim spot, a chestnut-colored area on the top of their heads. Why do they have this spot? Well, legend says that when the Duke of Marlborough was off fighting in Blenheim in 1704, his wife would stroke this spot on her pregnant Cavalier’s head in an effort to comfort herself. When the Duke won the battle, and the news of this reached home, the Cavalier went into labor, and all her puppies were born with the Blenheim spot!
This breed is known for a particular trick called the “Chin Spin,” where they spin around super-fast, often on two legs. It’s unclear whether the Chavachin can do this trick as well, but it would certainly be worth trying to teach them!
Final Thoughts
The Cavachin is an adorable small mixed breed created from crossing the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and the Japanese Chin. These dogs are lively, affectionate, playful, smart, and wonderful pets for most people. So, if you’ve been looking for a smaller dog to add to your household, consider the Cavachin!
Misty Layne lives out in the woods in small-town Alabama with her two Siamese - Serafina & Jasper. She also has an array of stray cats, raccoons, and possums who like to call her front porch home. When she’s not writing about animals, you’ll find her writing poetry, stories, and film reviews (the animals are, by far, her favorite writing topic, though!). In her free time, Misty enjoys chilling with her cats, playing piano, watching indie and foreign films, photographing abandoned places, and catching up on her never-ending TBR list.
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