Are Cavalier King Charles Spaniels Lazy?

Getting a lazy dog breed may bring total horror to some would-be dog owners, or absolute joy to others. As humans all have different qualities, so too do dogs, therefore you must search out the perfect pooch for your lifestyle. So this begs the question, are Cavaliers Lazy?

As a general rule, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels will take on the attitudes of their owners. If you go running each morning, so will your Cavalier, but if you lead a sedentary lifestyle, they will enjoy that too.

This is all well and good, but I wanted to delve into the subject of laziness, and if the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is inherently lazy. So after some extensive investigation, I found out some interesting facts.

Lazy

On the Top Dog Tips website, there is an article discussing the top 30 lazy dog breeds. It’s a great read, and I implore you to take a look. This article, states that the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is the 3rd laziest dog breed out of all 30 breeds. I know, this is shocking stuff and needs to be looked into.

LAZY. It’s a strange-looking word isn’t it, in English the definition is ‘unwillingness to work or use energy’ but when translated from Japanese it can mean ‘moving slowly, or gently’.

So in my humble opinion, being lazy is completely subjective. Your perception of laziness may differ from others. Some may see a Cavalier lying down and relaxing and think “That dog is so LAZY” whereas some others would think “Look how gentle and calm that dog is”.

So with that little font of knowledge, I have decided to research this topic with a completely open mind and discover all the details of how different Cavaliers live their lives. This is my quest. No, my mission, to rid the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel of the laziness stigma.

Youth

As with almost any species of animal, humans included, we are our most active in our youth, and this doesn’t escape the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

As puppies, the Cavalier could melt the heart of the coldest ‘ice maiden’ and even make Skeletor weep at their cuteness (yes, I was a massive He-Man fan as a child). But as with all puppies, they can be little terrors.

Running around the house, peeing everywhere. Chewing remote controls, the contents of the fruit bowl, slippers, shoes, or anything that is left where they can get at it.

Laziness does not even enter the mind of a Cavalier when they are puppies, and this lack of laziness follows them into adolescence too.

“Youth is wasted on the young”

George Bernard Shaw: Playwrite

From 10 to 16 weeks old Cavaliers enter the juvenile delinquent stage, and this is where the fun really begins. Like a rebellious teenager, a young Cavalier will try and defy you at every step. Try to discipline them and you will have a fight on your hands. Not a literal fight, but more of a meeting of minds.

Running everywhere, chasing birds or butterflies, and greeting everyone with overwhelming happiness and delight, there is no sign of laziness at this youthful age, so where or when did Cavaliers get labeled as lazy? I continued on with my research.

History

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel breed dates back to the 16th Century and was originally bred as ‘gun dogs’. Their job was to assist Royalty and Lords to flush game birds out of the long grass whilst on a shoot.

Their long drooping ears, help to funnel the scent of the recently killed birds directly into their highly sensitive noses, which help them to retrieve the game to their masters.

Hunting game birds involves a lot of walking, running, and barking, so this doesn’t sound like a lazy doggie to me, but there is more to the history of the Cavalier.

As time went by the noble ladies started to use them as lap dogs, to simply sit on their laps and to keep them warm in their cold and drafty stately homes. So maybe this is where Cavaliers get their label for being lazy? However, I’m still not convinced, let’s keep digging for some more information.

Lifestyle

As stated at the top of this page, Cavaliers will adapt to the lifestyles of their owners. I used to go running every morning at 5 am, but now as I get older, the call of my bed keeps me tucked up nice and warm, and this is true for my Cavvy, Lady.

She used to come running with me, but she is 11 years old now, and sure that the thought of going outside at 5 am would fill her with horror now. She’s not lazy, just getting on a bit.

However, if you are unable or simply don’t want an active lifestyle, then a Cavalier will be more than happy to snuggle up beside you on the couch or curl up on your lap to keep you warm.

Age

As Lady has got older she has slowed down quite considerably. She no longer wants to go for a walk each and every day. And when she does want to go for a walk it isn’t an enormous walk for hours on end, she is quite happy to take a small stroll and then come back home.

This isn’t laziness, far from it, because sometimes she really wants to go for a walk, but she tires too quickly. It comes to us all, unfortunately, even your beloved Cavvy.

Conclusion

Cavaliers are not inherently lazy, they just like to be like us, and keep us happy. Cavaliers love humans so much they will mimic their lifestyles to keep them happy. Hiking, running, speed walking, sleeping, or relaxing, a Cavalier will be there with you every day.

So my conclusion to all this research is that Cavaliers are not lazy, they are full of love.