Italian Cavalier, also known as the Cava Hound, is affectionate, social, and sensitive. These qualities come from their parents, both highly sensitive, very affectionate, and quite social. This Hybrid results from a cross between two purebred dogs; The Italian Greyhound and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (or CKCS in short).
These dogs are among the best options for newbies who adopt or buy a dog for the first time. These canines require minimal grooming due to their easy-to-handle coats. You can train them with ease because they will do almost anything to make you happy; this includes listening to all your commands and behaving themselves around others.
Italian Cavalier Greyhound History
CKCS was initially used for various purposes, from a prized retriever to a flushing and tracking dog. This breed played different roles for different people. It is believed that this versatile canine was bred by crossing breeds like the now extinct Toy Trawler and the Blenheim red-and-white King Charles Spaniel.
On the other hand, the Italian Greyhound is believed to have its origin approximately 2000 years ago. The Skeletons of these old canines have been recently found in Greece and Turkey. This breed was also the favorite pet among the royalty; it is believed that one of the Kings of Prussia owned Italian hounds and is buried right next to his dogs!
Italian Cavalier Greyhound Characteristics
The Cava Hound is lean, compact, and small. But they have a well-built body that is usually small enough to fit in your lap comfortably. These pups have small triangular ears that flop at the tips and stand on a long flat skull that has a long muzzle with a small black nose at its tip.
Their tails can be short and thin if they take after the Italian hound and long, with feathering, if they resemble the CKCS parent. When it comes to their coat, you can expect them to have a smooth, silky, and sparse one with feathering around their tails, Muzzles, and ears.
How Big Do Italian Cavalier Greyhound Get
Cava Hounds come from two small-sized breeds, so consequently, they don’t grow too big. The males have an average height of 13 – 15 inches and an average weight of around 12 – 16lbs. The females are almost similar, with an average weight of 8 – 15 lbs and an average height of 10 – 15 inches.
How Long Does an Italian Cavalier Greyhound Live
The Cava Hound is a small-sized dog, and they have the advantage of not carrying around extra weight that the large breeds have to. So, this makes the amount of pressure exerted on their joints significantly low, and due to this, they live longer. But still, these pups can live between 10 and 12 years.
How much Does an Italian Cavalier Greyhound Cost
The price of a Cava Hound will vary according to the availability of this breed in your area and may fluctuate considerably between each breeder. Nonetheless, as an estimate, you can expect to pay around $1000 – $2000 for a small pup if you buy from a well-known breeder in the US.
Italian Cavalier Greyhound Temperament/Personality
The Cava Hound is a super-friendly dog known to have a compliant demeanor when it’s around other pets and animals. So, if you’re someone who has owned aggressive dogs and had a bad experience with misbehaving dogs, then it would be a good step to add this friendly pooch to your family.
But even if you are a first-time owner, you will still love this lively breed. They have the drive to please their owners, making them extremely likable and easy to train, so if you get yourself one of these, you won’t have to fret about days wasted on training your dog and getting no results.
Caring for Italian Cavalier Greyhound
Caring for a dog includes various factors like grooming them regularly, providing adequate exercise, so they don’t get lazy or overweight, and making sure that their daily caloric requirements are met. It is also important to use the right kinds of products for your pup, like nail clippers, toothpaste, and shampoo.
Italian Cavalier Greyhound Nutrition
As a small breed with moderate activity requirements, the Cava Hound doesn’t require a lot of food. They will do well on one cup of high-quality dog food per day. You should also include treats in their diet, so they don’t get bored with their usual food.
How to Groom an Italian Cavalier Greyhound
Cava Hounds are moderate shedders that shed seasonally. So, it would be best to brush them 4 – 5 times per week when they are shedding and 2 – 3 times per week normally; it is important to keep in mind that these pups have delicate skin. So it would be best to use a slicker brush for their grooming.
This will ensure that their skin doesn’t get damaged and the loose hair or dirt trapped in their coat is removed effectively. Just like all the other dogs, it is important to brush their teeth at least once per week, so they don’t develop any dental issues, and you wouldn’t want your pup to have a stinky breath, right?
Italian Cavalier Greyhound Activity Levels
Cava hounds are hyper, mischievous, and goofy, and they love to move around and play with whatever comes their way. Specifically, they love going out for walks, playing fetch, or roaming freely in the yard or garden (if you have one). But if you live in an apartment, ensure that they are getting at least 60 minutes of activity daily.
Caring for Italian Cavalier Greyhound
If your dog inherits the short muzzle from the CKCS parent, then you should ensure that they don’t play in the sunlight or at high temperatures for too long. This can make breathing hard for them, and they can start hyperventilating.
Italian Cavalier Greyhound Health
As an overall healthy breed, the Cava Hound doesn’t develop any health concerns. But in some individuals, problems like Dental Disease, Mitral Valve Dysplasia, Cataracts, Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA), Episodic Falling, and Epilepsy are seen. So, keep an eye out and take them to the vet immediately if you encounter any symptoms of these diseases.
Breeds Similar to Italian Cavalier Greyhound
Best Dog Food For Italian Cavalier Greyhounds
The best dog food for Italian Cavalier Greyhounds is Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Adult Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food. The flavourful and savory dry food offers the dog owners to choose from five different sizes. This life protection formula is a perfect blend of protein-rich chicken, carbohydrate-rich brown rice, omega-rich flaxseed, etc.
- Designed for healthy gums and teeth, the recipe contains 10% of moisture to keep the dog hydrated during lunch and dinner.
- Garlic is one of the ingredients of the recipe, and it releases pain from the body.
- The rosemary oil, tocopherol, etc., preserve the food for a longer time.
Best Puppy Food For Italian Cavalier Greyhounds
The best puppy food for Italian Cavalier Greyhounds is Purina Pro Plan Puppy Large Breed Chicken & Rice Formula with Probiotics Dry Dog Food. To quicken the over-all growth of your puppy, the recipe has chicken, wheat, eggs, fish meal etc. There is around 1.6% of Linoleic acid, which plays a major role in supporting heart health.
- This 419 kcal/cup recipe makes your Italian Cavalier Greyhound strong.
- You should keep this dry food at a cold temperature; if possible, store it in the refrigerator.
- The DHA-filled diet ensures better vision, a healthy brain, etc.
Best Dog Bed For Italian Cavalier Greyhounds
The best dog bed for Italian Cavalier Greyhounds is FurHaven NAP Ultra Plush Orthopedic Deluxe Dog Bed. The cushiony bed features orthopedic egg-crate foam and a “step-on” layout. Faux fur makes the bed silky soft, and it stands heavy chewing.
- The pillow bed has a removable cover, and it weighs only 3 pounds.
- The foam bed can be placed inside dog crates also.
- The bed keeps itself cool during summer and vice versa.
Best Dog Crate For Italian Cavalier Greyhounds
The best dog crate for Italian Cavalier Greyhounds is MidWest Solutions Series XX-Large Heavy Duty Double Door Wire Dog Crate. This large dog crate is made of heavy-duty steel wires, and it is welded in the stress points. The luxury pet home has electro coating in outer parts, and it protects the crate from heat, cold, rain, etc.
- The double door crate is made of strong metal.
- Its leak-proof pan collects waste and keeps the floor fresh.
- For the safety of your Italian Cavalier Greyhound, there is an “L” bar to the crate.
Best Dog Harness For Italian Cavalier Greyhounds
The best dog harness for Italian Cavalier Greyhounds is PetSafe Easy Walk Nylon No Pull Dog Harness. Its dual-color straps make it convenient for you to put the harness on your pet. The harness covers chest girth in the range of 21 inches to 43 inches.
- Its user manual guides you on how you should use the harness.
- Its front –D ring discourages heavy pulling and protects the trachea.
- Designed for big dogs, the harness features only martingale loops.
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