Frequently Asked Questions

So you’re expecting a puppy! The anticipation and excitement are mounting. Here’s what’s happening behind the scenes, what you can expect once your puppy is born, and how you can prepare for the first several months of their life.

Dog Pregnancy Week by Week: How a Puppy Fetus Develops

The gestation period for dogs is approximately nine weeks, but in that time the most incredible transformation occurs.

• Weeks 1-3: Once an egg is fertilized, a puppy fetus starts out as a cluster of only four cells! But those four cells quickly multiply to 64 cells, ready to form a head and spine. 

• Week 4: The fetus grows a head, eyes and its first vertebrae. At this point, it’s nearly tripled in size and is about as big as a hazelnut. 

• Weeks 5-6: The fetus is starting to look more like a puppy! Tiny toes, nails and whiskers have formed. The fetus’s organs have completely developed, along with its skin color. At the six-week mark, the fetus has sex organs and begins to develop into either a male or a female. 

• Weeks 7-8: This soon-to-be-pup’s skeleton has developed completely and can be seen clearly by ultrasound. You may notice the mother has developed a bald spot on her stomach — this is so her pup can nurse more easily. 

• Week 9: The wait is over! Puppies can be safely born from day 57 to the beginning of Week 9 — although they will usually wait until 60 to 63 days.

Puppy Growth Stages: From Birth to 12 Weeks

Puppies are born blind, deaf and toothless, and they can’t regulate their body temperature for the first week or two. A newborn pup depends on their mother and littermates for warmth — that’s why puppies snuggle together during these first weeks.

Week 1: Snoozing and Growing

A newborn puppy spends 90% of their time sleeping — all that eating and growing take a lot of energy! During the first 10 days of their life, their weight will double. A newborn can’t support their own weight yet, but they can crawl and wiggle around using their front legs.

Weeks 2-3: A Whole New World

In the second week of your pup’s life, their ears and eyes open, giving them a completely new sense of their environment. At this point, you’ll notice that your pup has become chattier, testing out their vocal skills with yelps, whines and barks. By week three, a newborn will take their first wobbly steps.

This is a time of rapid physical and sensory development for a puppy. They begin to play with their littermates, and their personalities start to show up more distinctly. They also start to develop bladder control, though most puppies aren’t ready to be housetrained until they’re 12-16 weeks old.

Weeks 4-11: Socializing and Learning

Puppies begin transitioning to solid food at around week 4 and develop their baby teeth at week 6. In weeks six to eight, a pup will learn to accept others as a part of the family. By the time the puppy reaches 10 weeks old, they might be a little hesitant about meeting new people. That's why our ideal time to place a puppy is just after 8 weeks old. If we have a puppy with lengthy travel home, we may wait a little longer, up to 10 weeks.

By staying with their mother and littermates at this stage, a puppy learns useful socialization skills like bite inhibition, how to understand and react to normal canine communication, and their place in doggy society.

Week 12: Part of the Pack

If you’re expecting a pup from a breeder, the long wait is over! At week 8 a puppy is ready to leave the litter and join you in their new forever home.

When Do Puppies Stop Growing?

Your puppy’s growth rate depends on their breed and size. The larger the dog, the longer it will take for your puppy to be fully finished growing. In general, your puppy will reach their adult size by:  

• Toy breeds: 6-8 months 

• Small breeds: 10-12 months 

• Medium breeds: 12 months 

• Large breeds: 14-18 months 

• Giant breeds: 24 months 

Want to make sure your puppy is growing as expected? Check out our puppy growth charts, organized by breed size.

Caring for Your New Puppy: The Basics

New to puppyhood? From scheduling your first vet visit to choosing the best puppy food, these tips and guides will give you a solid head-start.

Feeding Your Puppy

Puppies need specialized nutrition to support their growth and development. Look for food specifically labeled for puppies, and make sure you’re feeding them the right amount for their breed and size.

Scheduling Your Puppy’s First Vet Visit

Your puppy should see a vet shortly after they arrive in their new home with you. Your vet will check your puppy’s weight, examine their body, heart and lungs, and answer questions you might have about bathing, trimming your pup’s nails, teething and more.

During this visit, your veterinarian will review your puppy’s vaccination schedule, and your puppy will receive several core vaccinations to protect them against potentially dangerous viruses and illnesses. For instance, your vet will administer the first in a series of vaccines for canine parvovirus (also known as parvo), a highly contagious gastrointestinal virus that can be fatal to puppies. (Because parvo is so dangerous, learning the signs of parvo in puppies can potentially help save their life.)

Finally, ask your vet about flea treatment for puppies, as well as other parasite preventives they recommend.

Housetraining Your Puppy

Puppies don’t have enough control over their bladder and bowel functions to start housetraining before they are 12-16 weeks old. Once they’re ready, follow these tips to keep training on track:   

• The Humane Society of the United States recommends taking your puppy out every two hours, as well as after they wake up in the morning, or after they’ve eaten, drank or played.1  

• Always take your puppy to the same spot to eliminate, and use a simple phrase like “Go!” or “Potty!” every time, so they start to associated the command with the action.  

• When they go, praise them enthusiastically and give them a small treat. Feeding your puppy at regular intervals can reduce the chance of accidents and make their bathroom breaks more predictable.1 

• Never punish a puppy for having an accident in the house. Instead, clean up the mess thoroughly — so the puppy won’t be tempted to eliminate in the spot again — and stay consistent in your housetraining routine. Over time, your puppy will learn where you want them to go.  

With the arrival of your new pup, the two of you are embarking on a grand adventure. And by giving them the best possible start, you’re helping ensure your puppy lives a healthy, happy life.

References

1. Humane Society of the United States. How to potty train your dog or puppy. https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/how-potty-train-your-dog-or-puppy

I see a lot of questions about how to groom a Cavalier.

Cavaliers just need brushing combing and a trim on the bottom of their paws. That is so they don’t slip on slick surfaces like your hard wood floors. I use a detangling brush a metal comb and a grooming brush for matts. No need for electric clippers, scissors work as well. They do not need any other haircuts. Some people trim the ears to give a blunt cut. Others prefer a Puppy Cut. There is nothing wrong with that if that is your preference.

They need their toenails kept trim with special attention to ensure dewclaw nails are also clipped. Interesting fact….Most Cavaliers that still have dewclaws, only have them on their front paws. But check them all! Dewclaw nails if left uncut can grow into the skin and be painful.

We should not over bathe our doggies. I bathe mine quarterly unless we get into mud puddles or something very dirty. The oils in their skin and hair helps them regulate their body temperature. It also helps their coat shine. We never want to get water inside our Cavalier’s ears as they are prone to infections if they do get wet. Many female doggies can have a hooded vulva which can trap moisture and cause soreness on their precious lady bits if they are not dried well. I like the mane and tail shampoo. It doesn't strip the oils and give a dog dry flaky skin. Most human shampoos are not good for your doggie. Now, Dawn will work great if you want to kill fleas as a one time use. Just follow that with a gentle pet shampoo for the second wash. So don't over bathe and dry really well especially ears nooks and crannies. Be careful using a hairdryer. They can burn skin and hair. Keep it on a cool air temperature and let their disdain complete you. Even though my dogs are used to all this they prefer to run and roll on the beds and carpet rather than let me blow them dry. So being the pushover I am, I lay out towels and let them do that and use the blow dryer on cool very sparingly to finish drying them.

Wash your dog quarterly and dry them well, brush and comb daily and the only real grooming is the toenail and foot pad fur clipping. You can do those yourself and save up your vet budget for emergency and dental care.

We socialize our puppies by playing with their teeth with a toothbrush and their feet with a toenail trimmer and brush and comb their ears. This makes them associate these things with loving care. They lie back and enjoy their spa treatment.

I think if we need to focus a bit more caring for our Cavalier’s teeth vs their coats. We can save money on grooming to afford anesthesia based dental procedures and teeth cleaning. And we’ll save more of their teeth if we brush them.

If we want longevity toothbrushing and dental cleanings are a great investment of time. Save your money, groom at home, add teeth brushing and you’ll easily be able to afford annual dental cleanings after age 2-3.

Here are some key health issues to be aware of impacting the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel:

• Syringomyelia (SM): A neurological condition that can cause pain and neurological problems. This condition is caused by the shape and size of the dog’s scull which has a separate diagnosis of Chiari Malformation or CM.

• Heart Murmur

• Mitral Valve Disease (MVD): A heart condition that can lead to heart failure.

• Eye Problems: Cavaliers can be prone to certain eye conditions, including retinal problems and cataracts.

• Hip and Patella problems: Cavaliers can also be prone to patella luxation, and hip dysplasia. 

• Ear problems such as Middle Ear Infections and Glue Ear Syndrome

It has become difficult to find a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel who has not developed a heart murmur or mitral valve disease by age 3. These and other outcomes are the result of poor breeding practice. We must devote ourselves to careful breeding practices that focus more on health and longevity than the individual breeder’s bottom line. Many breeders find the health and genetic screening suggestions by the breed clubs to be cost prohibitive and so elect not follow the basic guidelines shared by the breed clubs and mirrored by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (See ofa.org)/Canine Health Information Center (CHIC). They rely on poorly educated consumers who often pay premium price for a puppy produced by Puppy Mills with very little care to the ideal breeding circumstances. It’s a greater problem in the USA where American Breed Club basic guidelines are less strict than the European guidelines which MRI testing to ensure candidates for a breeding program are free of Chiari Malformation (CM) and Syringomyelia (SM) at the time of breeding. This test does not guarantee puppies may not suffer from either of these conditions, which are to date not completely preventable. However, these test act to ensure careful examination and review of condition prior to breeding to ensure both Dam and Sire do not have these conditions at the time of breeding. As a result, the use of the MRI does reduce the incidence of CM and SM for well-bred puppies in Europe. Regardless of individual breeder stance on the US optional MRI, breeders who ensure full health and genetic testing of the parent clubs and then employ that information to restrict breeding practice, are known as Preservationist Breeders.

As a breed preservationist, we strive to improve the health and longevity outcomes of purebred Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. Our personal efforts focus on these key strategies:

·       Performing thorough genetic breeder panels via embark.com testing. Participating with the AKC DNA repository per Breed Club recommendations. Performing all ofa.org breed specific health testing.

·       Reducing the Coefficient of Inbreeding (COI) by breeding genetically diverse dogs without relation for the past four or more generations.

o   Line breeding is a practice used to create reliable outcomes in the litter by breeding Grandfathers to granddaughters and other close relatives. It is commonly seen across dog breeders as a ‘preferred practice’. We do not line breed. We quite confidently hypothesis that inbreeding is no more beneficial to dogs than it is for humans and other animals.

·       Improving outcomes through careful breeding dog selection based on family medical history in addition to the club recommendations for health and genetic testing clearances.

·       Participating with and teaming with other organizations working to improve health and longevity outcomes, in particular sharing data for research purposes.

·       Following careful puppy socialization efforts that statistically improve the resilience and final temperament of our dogs. These include but are not limited to:

o   Early Neurologic Stimulation (ENS)

o   Sound therapy to socialize loud noises such as: Gun Fire; Fire Works; Thunderstorms and other noises that can frighten dogs that have not been well socialized

o   Scent training for socialization and bonding

Research and other agencies we partner with to support preservation of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and to enhance health and longevity through better breeding practices:

American Kennel Club: we team with AKC in cooperation with the ACKCSC

·       https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/dog-breeding/breed-preservation-everything-old-new/

American Kennel Club Purebred Preservation Bank: this is a 501c3 genetic material repository with a focus on frozen semen. The mission of the AKC PPB is to ensure the viability of purebred dogs by salvaging or restoring endangered breeds. We have submitted an application for Kip to participate in this preservation project.

·       https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/dog-breeding/akc-announces-creation-akc-purebred-preservation-bank/

University of North Carolina School of Veterinary Medicine-The Cavalier King Charles Health Research Endowment

·       https://cvm.ncsu.edu/cavalier-king-charles-spaniels-research/#:~:text=Researchers%20estimate%20more%20than%2090,the%20back%20of%20the%20skull.

Embark Veterinary

·       https://embarkvet.com/

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club of the USA (CKCSC): This club is an independent breed registry with its own specialty show system. We are members of this breed club.

·       https://ckcsc.org/breeding-strategies

American Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club (ACKCSC): The ACKCSC is the parent club for the breed within the American Kennel Club (AKC). We are not members but we do follow our breed club health testing recommendations.

·       https://ackcsc.org/

Cavalier Rescue USA: This organization specializes in rehoming Cavaliers in need of loving families. 

·       https://www.cavalierrescueusa.org/

Cavalier Matters

·       https://www.cavaliermatters.org/

https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/vets-corner/neutering-spaying-right-age-dog/

Timing is addressed in the above article. For small dogs minimum of 12-13 months is preferred. Also please consider that your dog's health and longevity depend on healthy hormones. It's possible and we highly recommend an ovarian sparing spay (rather than and full spay ie/complete hysterectomy) and a vascectomy neuter (vs complete neuter/castration). This removes all risk of reproduction while maintaining healthy hormones for the life of your pet. If you vet does not provide these services, our reproductive vet does with very reasonable rates. Both procedures are less invasive and better for your pet.

We have been rescue workers for over forty years and now we do extensive health testing for our dogs. We have reproductive, internist, cardiolgist, neurologist, ophthalmology and hospice care veterinarians. I have taken extensive Midwoofery/pun intended education on whelping and reproductive health. So we work closely with and always follow vet recommendations. They’ve taught us that there have been several studies done on what is healthier for a breeding female and the results of these studies conclusively show that it is healthier for a female to be bred every heat instead of every other heat (I have attached articles below). While we do breed every heat, when a female is in excellent health; we never breed first heat and sometimes not on second heat either depending on the age and health of the female. It's also important to pause or stop breeding at anytime the female dog is experiencing any health or behavioral concerns. We must all put the health of Mom first and foremost with every decision we make.

We do not believe that because you breed every heat that you should continue to breed as long as those that don't breed every heat. This means that our females retire earlier than those breeders that breed every other heat and we retire earlier than most breeders regardless of their frequency of litters. Our girls do not mate after the age of 4 years old and spayed. No later than age 5. This way they are breeding in their prime when it is healthier and safer for dam and puppies. While it is healthier to breed every heat we also think that breeders need to use common sense and make sure that their females are back to a healthy weight before breeding again, as well as, judging on a case by case knowing what is right for your female and her health. We get several physical exams to confirm whats best for the female before, during and after each pregnancy in addition to the normal annual exams most people get for their pets. 

Please know we will NEVER over tax our beloved ladies. If they need a pause - we pause. If they need to stop - we stop.Period.

Now, the gentlemen are very different. They can 'go' as long as they have desire and physical prowess to mate as long as their sperm counts are condicive to fertility.

Recently at an AKC Dog Breeding Discussion held at Michigan State University with key note speaker Dr. Claudia Orlandi Ph.D. (AKC's breeder of the year and author of The ABC's of Dog Breeding) shocked many breeders when it was disclosed that there have been scientific studies to show that it is detrimental for dams to skip heat cycles. It was shared that once you have begun to mate a dam that you should NOT skip any heat cycles until she is completely finished breeding. A dam is said to be "finished" breeding when her litter size is drastically decreased. The study involved following females that were bred every heat cycle and females that were bred every other heat cycle. After they were "finished" breeding, the dams were spayed and their uterus dissected.

Those showing most stress, and damage of the uterus were the females that were bred "every other" heat cycle. Part of the rational that skipping heat cycles is harmful stems from the fact that with consecutive heat cycles there is no "flushing action" of the uterus, which normally occurs by having a litter of puppies. The female will go through Estrus no matter if she is bred or not and by breeding a healthy dam back to back, can lessen the chances of the female experiencing pyometra, infections and false pregnancy. The choice to breed or not, should be contingent upon the goals the breeder has and for sure the mental and physical health of the female, above all else. 

Here is an interesting article: Back to Back Breeding and Pseudopregnancy published in The Australian Journal of Professional Dog Breeders on February 5, 2011 By Dr Kate Schoeffel (see original publication for all further references)

It is frequently claimed that breeding dogs on every heat or “back to back breeding” is bad for a bitch’s long term health and well being. However the research in canine reproduction shows that not breeding a dog when it comes into heat can in fact be bad for its health. Scientist have shown that pseudopregnancy ['phantom pregnancy'] increases the risk of mammary cancers which are the second most common cancer in dogs after skin tumors and are 3-5 times more common than breast cancers in women

1: Pseudopregnancy often occurs when a bitch is not bred. She will show signs such as nesting, weight gain, mammary enlargement and lactation – usually about 6 to 12 weeks after oestrus. Pseudopregnancy represents the extreme of the changes which normally occur during the oestrus cycle and it is suggested that it is a hang over from dogs evolution from wolves. Subordinate nonbreeding pseudopregnant female wolves in a pack can help to raise pups by nursing the litters of other females”

2 In 1994 Donnay and his associates showed that there is a relationship between the number of pseudopregnancies a bitch goes through and the development of mammary cancer

3. Verstegen and Onclin (2006)1 have also studied canine mammary cancer and found that a large number of bitches presented for mammary tumours also show pseudopregnancy, that a large percentage of these females had frequent pseudopregnancies and that the bitches with recurring pseudopregnancy at each cycle tended to develop mammary tumors significantly earlier than other animals. Both of these authors say that there is need formore research but clearly bitches which don’t breed are likely to become pseudopregnant and pseudopregnancy increases the risk of cancer.

Skipping cycles in breeding has been linked to mammary cancer Pregnancy protects against life threatening uterine diseases. The most common uterine disease in the bitch is cystic endometrial hyperplasia. It is linked to several serious uterine diseases including the potentially life threatening disease “pyometra”(literally – a uterus full of pus) which affects nearly one quarter of dogs under 10 years old which are not desexed

4 . According to canine reproduction specialist Dr S. Romagnoli “bitches whelping regularly throughout their reproductive life almost never develop pyometra, while those who whelp rarely or never in their lives have a greater chance of developing this condition”. Furthermore a standard textbook of veterinary internal medicine notes that uterine diseases are less common in kennels where bitches are bred and conceive regularly indicating that pregnancy has a protective effect on the lining of the uterus or “endometrium”

Given that artificially restricting bitches, which haven’t been desexed, from breeding is bad for their health, it is not surprising that many breeding dogs bred have reproductive problems. If they are show dogs they often don’t start breeding until they are three years old, and have finished their show career, and then kennel club rules and even government regulations require that the bitch is only bred on every second season. Frequently older bitches need veterinary intervention to reproduce, and good bitches may end up being bred well beyond 6 years of age when their fertility is beginning to decline.

No responsible breeder who cares about their dogs would breed their bitches until they are exhausted, and rules certainly need to be in place to ensure that irresponsible breeders don’t exploit their dogs, however the current regulations in place in some states do not take into account the biology of the bitch. Breeding should be regulated by limiting the number of litters a bitch can breed or the age at which they should be desexed and retired. Breeding dogs regularly while they are young, followed by desexing and rehoming them early is in the best interest of the bitch and a good pet breeder can use this knowledge to work with the natural biology of their animals. Breeders must be aware of and comply with any government regulations regarding dog breeding in their state and unfortunately in Victoria, NSW and QLD current regulations do not permit this approach to dog breeding.

It's important to get your puppy in for well care once they are home with you. Pups are not fully immunized for several months and so do not have full protection from parasites and other concerns. We suggest that you go right away to ensure all is well. 

Local folks may want to have continuity of care for their puppy and may seek out Integrity Vet in Simpsonville where one of our vets, Dr. Dan Moore will be happy to continue care for your Thunder Puppy! 

Integrity or your Vet can start heart worm, flea and tick preventive medications when the time is right. He suggests Sentinel and Bravecto for pets.

Yes, all Thunder Pups Farms puppies and dogs are sold with AKC Limited Registration. Limited Registration allows the owner to participate in AKC events. Limited Registration means the dog is not a breeding dog, and should not be bred. If you breed a dog with limited registration, your puppies will not be registered dogs.  

If a breeder wishes to purchase a Thunder Pup Cavalier for breeding purposes, we consider this on a case by case basis. If you have a compelling case for wanting to breed, you can reach out and we are happy to discuss your program with you. We also offer full stud services for breeders.

To properly groom a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, brush their coat daily with a slicker brush, paying special attention to areas like the ears, legs, and underbelly where mats can easily form. Be careful with those pin brushes-protect your pups eyes and sensitive parts. Bathe sparingly, no more than 6 times per year using a quality dog shampoo and conditioner. Do not trim your Cavalier’s coat! The only area on a Cavalier that get’s trimmed are toenails and the fur between the pads on the bottom of their paws. Do not trim around your dog’s toes or you will remove one of the most charming parts of your dogs appearance. Its fine to trim a little for sanitary reasons around their rear. Do not trim the ‘wick’ from the male’s penis. That little bit of hair points the stream of urine down and away from his belly and paws. You want to maintain the natural length of their coat with minimal trimming overall. It’s important to check for mats and remove them carefully before they become too tangled. Cavaliers get tangles in their long ears and in their armpit area….maybe we should say leg pits?

Key points for Cavalier grooming:

• Daily cleaning with a saline wipe or warm damp cloth: Cavvy’s can get stinky in the under eye and mouth area. Don’t use scented wipes or anything that might irritate their skin, nose or eyes. We suggest Boogie Wipes or any saline only wipes or a warm wet washcloth.

• Brushing: This is crucial to prevent mats and keep their long, silky coat clean and healthy. Use a slicker brush to remove loose hair and detangle knots. I like to follow up on ears with a comb to be sure I’ve got all the mats and tangles out.

• Focus on problem areas: Pay extra attention to the ears, behind the legs, and under the tail when brushing. If your dog is loosing a lot of hair you can consider using a deshedding tool such as a Mars Coat King rake that helps remove the fine undercoat that leaves fluff everywhere when your dog is shedding.

• Bathing routine: Bathe your Cavalier quarterly with a dog-specific shampoo and conditioner, depending on their activity level and coat condition. Do not over bathe! It strips their skin of oils that keep them comfortable.

• Minimal trimming: While some trimming is necessary around the feet and sanitary areas, try to maintain the natural length of their coat. 

• Nail trimming: Regularly trim your dog's nails to prevent discomfort. 

• Ear cleaning: Be careful not to get water inside their ears. Wash the front and back of the ear without rinsing down into the ear canal. We ears can lead to infection. If your dog gets visible brown wax wipe it out with a clean cotton pad. Unless your vet recommends that you put treatment medications in your dogs ears-just let them self-clean and keep them dry.

• Trim toenails: Give special attention to trim the due claws. Most Cavaliers have due claws on their front paws. The nails can grow into the skin if they are not kept trimmed properly.

• Clean teeth:

  • Yes, you can brush your dog’s teeth! We intentionally socialize puppies so they do not fear tooth brushing from very early on. If you keep up the work, your dog will let you brush his/her teeth. Keeping teeth clean is so important to longevity.

  • We do annual cleanings without sedation from age 2-4. The hygienist uses a papoose to hold your dog while they gently clean the teeth outside the gumline. This is great for young dogs that don’t yet need x-rays or procedures. It’s also a good option for senior dogs who cannot be approved for sedation.

  • At age 5, or before if your vet recommends it, your dog will need sedation for veterinary dental services, including: x-ray, cleaning and any procedures such as cleaning under the gum or extractions.

Although daily brushing is a must do, Cavaliers are really low maintenance. They don’t require any fancy haircuts to look beautiful. You don’t need to buy or use a lot of products. Simple is best. So learn the few things you need to do to keep your dog in great shape. Save your money and groom yourself. Put your grooming allowance into a savings account to ensure you have funds for any unexpected vet services and of course invest in preventive care.

We have done rescue work for over fifty years. I started as a young girl and even established a Junior Humane Society in my town. I led a group of Middle School and High School Friends. . We found pets that had been dumped. Dogs tied to street signs. Kittens in a bag of rocks by a stream. I've seen some of the worst ways a human could behave towards an animal. We took them into care and made flyers to help place all our foundlings.  

As an adult I teamed with several rescue organizations and helped to clean out animal hoarding situations. I helped rescue dogs from many puppy mills. What I saw was like a nightmare that poor dogs lived through.  Momma dogs coming into care at eight years old pregnant with puppies. Dogs that had terrible tooth abscesses , painful infected body sores, and collars that had grown into skin.  Dogs who had lived their entire lives within the confounds of a crate, sometimes shared with others. This is why I will never exceed keeping six dogs in our home. I would never put our wonderful Cavaliers in a situation where they were not treated as precious, well cared for family members. 

When I married my husband and our family grew, we had a three floor home where our three large boys and many four legged children romped around. When the dogs and kids ran above us on another floor, my husband said it sounded like Thunder. Later that became Thunder Pups and he still pats our dogs and calls them Thunder Pups! 

As time passed, I spent several decades doing more intense work with failed foster dogs. These cases were the worst of the worst. Many times, these dogs could not be rehabilitated to adapt to the average family life.  So we kept these dogs and loved them for life. After so long dealing with senior hospice care I became so sad and angry at the bad breeders that led to poor outcomes. Now, there are many wonderful breeders, dedicated to excellent outcomes.  I am not referring to those fine people. However, there are those that care about selling puppies and not breeding to better and preserve the breed. I had a lot of frustration and my daily life of watching the senior hospice dogs left behind the wake of bad breeding became very depressing. I told my husband I just could not do it anymore. Someone needed to do better. So, we did.

When we needed a program name, we knew we already had one. I'd been getting rescue food and other dog care product discounts under the name Thunder Pups Farm for years. And its a very joyful, vs disenheartening endevour. 

• We are committed to following the ofa recommendations of all health certifications to ensure the best outcomes. 

• We are committed to genetic testing and we do not breed carriers for Cavaliers with bad genetically preventable diseases such as Episodic Falling Syndrom and Curly Coat Syndrome or Copper Toxicosis. We do breed dogs at risk for Degenerative Myelopathy (DM) because 1-most at risk dogs, for DM, do not evolve to have this disease (also known as Lou Gerhig's disease) and 2-geneticists advise that to limit the gene pool to Cavaliers without at risk for DM genes would have a negative impact on the breed. The reason for this is because Cavaliers have been severely inbred. Some breeders call it 'Line Breeding' but it's inbreeding. For example they will mate a Grand Father to a Grand Daughter. And they may do this generation over generation creating severely inbred dogs. 

• Cavalier's have a degree of genetic relatedness within the breed that shows the average genomic inbreeding levels to be 36.5-40 percent. That is based on Cavaliers obtaining genetic testing. I believe the average is higher than that. So our program focuses on genetic diversity. We go back a minimimum of four generations and further if the data is available. We ensure we do not breed dogs that are related to each other.

• Our puppies are carefully planned. Our Momma's are given prenatal vitamins from the beginning of their heat cycle prior to mating, through weening thier babies. We keep a puppy neonatal care center in our living room from 52nd day of gestation (Full terms is 61-63 days). I had experience helping unhealthy rescue dogs with whelping. Delivering health puppies from thriving Momma's is an incredible experience. Each birth is an amazing experience. If you want to hear the story of your puppies birth-just ask me. I remember them all. 

So that is the why, how and naming story of Thunder Pups Farm. Its been a joyful celebration of life after many sad stories that never needed to happen. I still do work for Cavalier Rescue USA, but I don't foster anymore. I do transport, home visits and contribute funds for those doing senior hospice care from each litter we have. I enjoy this work and have the best four legged co-workers in the world!

Cavaliers have a wonderful sensitive temperament and extreme focus on their 'people' Thier innate caring makes them exceptional candidates for becoming therapy, service and support dogs. They truly excel as assistance dogs due to their affectionate and empathetic nature, which makes them excellent comfort providers, and their gentle, trainable temperament that allows for easy training in specific tasks and social situations. Their moderate size, alertness, and ability to form deep bonds also contribute to their suitability for providing both physical and emotional support, enhancing the independence and mobility of their handlers. 

Here is a comparison of these three types of assistance animals to help you understand each type. 

Therapy Dogs

• ADA covered: Rights to bring animal into public establishments

• Need to tolerate a wide variety of experience

• May live with their disabled owners, even if "No Pets" policy in place

• Specially trained to assist just one person

• Are not:

  • primarily functioning to provide emotional support, through companionship

  • there to provide emotional support and comfort to many people.

Service Dogs

• Need to tolerate a wide variety of experience

• Provide emotional support and comfort to many people

• Are not:

  • ADA covered

  • exempt from "No Pets" policies

  • primarily functioning to provide emotional support, through companionship

  • specifically trained to assist just one person

Emotional Support Dogs

• May live with their disabled owners, even if "No Pets" policy in place

• Primary function is to provide emotional support, through companionship.

• Are not:

  • ADA covered

  • Needed to tolerate a wide variety of experiences

  • specially trained to assist just one person

  • there to rovide emotional support and comfort to many people. 

If you are interested in having training for your dog to become one of these types of "assistants" here are some links to get you pointed in the right direction:

• https://www.therapydogs.com/

• https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/service-dog-training-101/

• https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/lifestyle/everything-about-emotional-support-animals/

Newborn puppies are a miracle. Most of our puppies have a completely well report at 4, 6, and 8 weeks but there is a percentage that have some kind of benign findings on their well visits and its possible we could have a puppy with a true health malady. Most lay people may not be familiar with these kinds of things. I wanted to share some information so that you might familiarize yourself with some findings that can appear on vet reports. 

First, please note: any breeder someone might get a puppy from should be taking the puppies to the vet regularly for well care and at least one set of vaccines. If your breeder does not, we would suggest that you find a breeder who cares more about the health and welfare of their dogs, than their profit margin.

Common benign findings:

1. Dental issues:

Puppies can have imperfect bites or a crooked baby tooth. At four weeks, puppy teeth are usually just starting to erupt, so this can show up on any of the well checkups at 4, 6, and 8 weeks. A minor over or under bite is not going to impact their appearance, ability to eat, health or welfare of your dog. 

Note: We have never had a dog with a truly malformed facial structure. If that were to occur, we would not sell that puppy but find a special care home or keep the puppy ourselves. A severe bite malformation is viewable from the face of the dog. As a buyer you would be able to see this clearly from the face of your puppy and see it in their mouth as well. Our vet would also make clear notations of malformed facial structure on his/her medical report stating it was a serious health concern.

2.   Hernias:

Umbilical hernias are located around the puppy's belly button. They are the most common type of hernia. Umbilical hernias can be caused simply by birth and how the umbilicus is formed or even shaped. They can also be caused by trauma to the umbilical cord after birth by the mother licking or tugging on the cord. And these can occur for no apparent reason at all, or they can be genetic. 

Small cosmetic hernias are common and do not require repair. They do not cause health complications, and our vet would recommend a repair, if it becomes necessary, at about 13 months when your dog receives an ovarian sparing spay or vasectomy/neuter surgery rather than administering anesthesia just to do a minor repair. Our vet does not charge additional fees for adding a minor repair to the dog’s umbilicus. If you receive this finding, you may want to ask your vet if they would charge you additionally for the minor repair during spay or neuter surgery. 

Any puppy with a large, and likely serious, vs. benign umbilical hernia, would not leave us until we had it surgically repaired. 

Note, none of our adult breeding dogs have a genetic hernia. We simply would not choose a dog with this condition for breeding. So we are assured our puppies also, could not have congenital hernias. 

We do have one female what had an umbilical hernia repair due to trauma caused by her mother right after birth where Mom pulled the cord too hard leaving a large wound around the belly button. This is not a congenital hernia. Truly this should have been repaired by microsurgery right away. Once we got her, the skin had healed over the hernia, so we waited until she was six months old when it is safe to undergo anesthesia, to do a minor hernia repair. We also did a removal of two poorly formed rear due claws and inserted her mini microchip. All three procedures cost us less than $700- at our reproductive vet hospital in 2025.

The second type of hernia that can occur is an Inguinal hernia. This is a hernia in the groin area. Inguinal hernias are more common in male vs female puppies. 

Small inguinal hernias may not require surgery, and it is important to monitor a puppy with any type of hernia and have them repaired if they become larger or cause any symptoms such as digestive problems, fever, swelling, or vomiting. 

If you notice an inguinal hernia in your puppy after you bring it home, it is important to consult with a veterinarian as soon as possible. Inguinal hernias that occur after 8-10 weeks can be caused by trauma or obesity. 

3.   Murmurs

Not all murmurs are equal. At birth, and within the first weeks of life, it’s not uncommon for a puppy (or even a human baby) to have what is called an Innocent murmur. If our vet hears a slightly irregular heart sound in a newborn-8-week-old puppy it may be completely benign with no indication of heart disease. An innocent murmur diagnosis can sound scary to a puppy buyer, especially in a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy because the breed has been plagued with serious murmurs related to mitral valve disease (MVD). However, MVD occurs in adult cavaliers unless there is a birth defect such as a hole in the heart. A serious heart defect does not show up as a grade 1 murmur like an innocent murmur may present. 

If you get word that the puppy you've been matched to may have an innocent murmur, do not assume this is a life-threatening condition. It's quite possible that an innocent murmur will simply go away as the baby’s heart finishes forming in the weeks following birth as the baby continues to grow. In these cases, time is medicine! 

Note: 

We have had one puppy with an innocent murmur at four weeks which completely resolved before the six-week vet visit. These puppies are no more likely to develop heart disease-based murmurs, than any other puppy. 

If we have a puppy with an innocent murmur, we do not collect a deposit on that particular baby, until the murmur is completely resolved. 

Grade 1 heart murmurs that the vet does not think are an innocent murmur or Grade 2 or higher murmers are very concerning. In the case this occurs, a breeder needs to evaluate the pairing of both parents together and consider if it’s possible that there is a congenital issue. Personally, I would not repeat such a pairing, nor would I sell a puppy with congenital heart disease. If that were to occur, we would either make a special placement of the puppy with a caregiver that could meet its unique needs or keep the puppy for life. 

In Summary, we are committed to all our puppies and have a full surrender component of our agreements. This means that the owner can surrender the puppy to us, at any time. We do not buy back our dogs, but we do ensure they need never land in a kill shelter. 

If you have questions or concerns about any vet report on one of our puppies, please reach out to discuss these findings.