
DACHSHUND vs CAVALIER KING CHARLES SPANIEL
SOCIALS
Have a look at everything we have going on across all our socials
CHECK OUT OUR COURSES FOR MORE ADVISE FOR ALL YOUR TRAINING NEEDS

Perfect Puppy Course. Your step by step guide to raising a perfect canine companion and becoming a calm and consistent leader, to get it right first time round.

Canine Boot Camp. Your one month program to becoming a high level canine leader, restructuring your relationship with your dog and addressing problem behaviours.
The Cavalier King Charles spaniel as you can imagine was made popular by King Charles I
and King Charles II, both descendants of Mary Queen of Scots who loved to the breed as
well. They are considered one of the largest of the toy breeds and historically have done a
bit of small game hunting and retrieval work. But generally they Cavalier has been a favourite
companion dog of royalty and nobility.
The Dachshund is of German origin and was originally bred to hunt burrow dwelling vermin.
This is why they have large out-turned front paws ideal for digging, as well as short stature
and long bodies to better move through burrows. The modern Dachshund still has a high
prey drive but now spends most of its time trying to burrow under the covers and have a
cuddle.
Moving along, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel has minimal exercise requirements and
doesn't usually need more than a few good walks each day and a bit of play time. They may
chase small animals like cats or birds but many today don't have a high prey drive. They are
always ready for a game of fetch in a fenced yard and should always be on a leash when
outside the fence. Though they aren't prone to wandering the neighborhood they will easily
wander into the street or other places they shouldn't be.
The Dachshund doesn't need much exercise either but they do you have a higher prey drive
so they'll need a bit more mental and physical exercise during the day. The do need to be
supervised in the yard since they are natural diggers they will easily destroy the garden bed
or even tunnel their way out of the yard. Outside of the fence, they should always be on a
leash because of their high prey drive they are again prone to wandering in the street in
other places they shouldn't be but because of their hunting instincts, they also have a
tendency to want to wander the neighborhood.
Both the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and Dachshund are extremely affectionate canines
and love to be in your lap or on the bed with you and love nothing more than to have a good
long cuddle. The Cavalier tends to be a bit needier when it comes to affection and family
time which also makes them stronger candidates for developing separation anxiety.
When it comes to a good family dog you can't go wrong with either the Dachshund or
Cavalier. Since both breeds are on the smaller side it's, of course, best to supervise when
they are around children so they don't accidentally get hurt. The Cavalier makes a wonderful
family dog because they are very quiet and subdued even in their play once they've grown
out of puppyhood.
The Dachshund also does well with children but has a tendency to nip or herd them which
can hurt the dog when a child trips over it and of course the child when they fall. The
Dachshund makes a decent watchdog because they tend to bark at anything that moves or
any changes they note. The Cavalier is a mix. Some of them tend to bark at every noise but
in general, most Cavaliers are fairly quiet and don't make good watchdogs.
Our next category of comparison is grooming requirements. The Cavalier has a long and
silky coat that is left to grow long and feathery as a breed standard. They also have fur
between and around their toes on the underside so they may need frequent trims to keep
them from sliding around the floor in homes with minimal carpeting. The Cavalier also tends
to shed all the time with seasonal periods of higher shedding.
The Dachshund has three coat variations; short hair, long hair, and wire hair. All three types
shed minimally and require very little grooming. The one thing you'll want to look out for with
the Dachshund is when they come in from outside you'll want to wipe down their front paws
especially well since they are prone to digging.
Our final category is trainability. Both the Cavalier and Dachshund are known to be hard to
potty train but it's possible with patience and regular potty schedules.
The Cavalier has a very soft personality and they respond best to training with treats and
praise. Getting loud or yelling at the Cavalier will generally cause them to sulk and find a
corner to hide in.
The Dachshund tends to be more stubborn and needs consistent leadership of an
experienced owner. They are more independent and exhibit the ‘small dog syndrome’
frequently unlike the Cavalier.
And there you have it, the biggest differences to consider when you’re looking at the
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and the Dachshund.