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The goal of this effort is  to produce dogs with the sweet personality and ability to adapt to modern pet life typical of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel,  without the heartbreaking and longevity limiting health concerns so prevalent in the CKCS population, such as: 

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Intervertebral Disc Disease (CDDY) 

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​​Myxomatous Mitral Valve Disease

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( new genetic test available)

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​Chiari Malformation/Syringomyelia 

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​​Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome 

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​To achieve these ambitious goals, breeders will need to collaborate, and to be guided by sound science. 

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Improving the health of CKCS type dogs will require more than a simple outcross. It will require the infusion of genetics from several other sources, and careful selection over many generations. 

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Companion Dog Project is committed to working with breeders interested in participating at any level in this effort. We encourage all breeders of both purebred CKCS, and mixes to register dogs in CDR, regardless of their current health status or level of inbreeding.

 

Registering dogs is easy. To register dogs, start by joining CDP as a breeder.

 

The only requirements for dogs to be registered on limited registration are verification of ancestry through AKC registration or Embark testing, and  a microchip #. 

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We will be working with the Functional Dog Collaborative's Perry Hekman DVM, PhD to establish guidelines for testing and breeding strategies. 

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