Finally when we got our house in 2010 the search for a puppy started. I knew it was going to be a long search. I was very specific on what I wanted. I wanted a Tri-color. The back needed to be solid black without much white and I wanted a white "collar" around the neck. The blaze was the most important part. It needed to be centered & average in size. Not too big and not too small. I really wanted a girl and she needed to be AKC registered with full registration. My best friend had been showing dogs for over 20 years so it was my hope to take the puppy into the show ring. It didn't so much matter if she would actually win in the ring or that she had champion bloodlines. I just wanted the experience. My best friend had been helping me look but mostly we hit dead ends. Back yard breeders who did not health test there dogs and they were still asking $2,000 or more for a puppy! My friend finally stumbled on a puppy 1/2 way across the USA. She wasn't "perfect" but the breeder was willing to trade her for one of my friends champion bloodline poodle pup plus an additional fee. Although the breeder said she was a tri-color she was more like a black and tan with too much white on her. She was only about 3 weeks old and she would not be able to travel on a plane until she was 10 weeks so we had plenty of time to keep looking.
I have been setting up at puppy shows for many years. I sell various dog & puppy supplies. Occasionally I had seen Cavaliers or Cavalier crosses. Although they were all cute I was always to skeptical to buy them. I knew most of the people selling them were "puppy mills", "puppy farms" or "brokers". Although they all claimed to be loving breeders. I have never agreed with these shows but it has always been a source of income for me. I started by selling reptiles on and off from the time I was 18. This went on for many years. It was not until I was in my 20's that I slowly started added in puppy supplies. What started as a couple supplies quickly turned into taking over 2 whole table. Finally it got to a point I was no longer welcome at the "Bird, Reptile & Puppy Expo" because I was "too much competition" for the people running the show. ( Well they said I was welcome to bring reptiles just not puppy supplies anymore. By this time I had nearly gotten out of reptiles as it was so much easier for me to keep and set up pet supplies then reptiles.) Needing a place to sell I started following a puppy only expo. Business was good! I never agreed with the sale of the pups but I always felt like I was at least educating the people who were there to purchase a puppy regardless. I never encouraged a puppy purchase but at least I knew the puppies were going home with the basics and the owners had some knowledge. I even took the time to write up my own puppy care sheets and give them away. Out of all the vendors the lady who always set up next to me seemed the most caring and honest. (Oh, would i learn differently.) At the time she only bred Schnauzers and occasionally had a litter of pups from a different breed she would be "selling for a friend". She always had pretty pictures of her breeder dogs and talked so highly of them.
It was the summer of 2010 when I was setting up my table. As I was carrying a large bin of pet supplies to my table I heard a very un schnauzer like squeal. I look over and what do I see? A perfectly marked Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. I tried to pretend I didn't see it because I really knew better then to look for a dog at this place. Yet with every trip in and out unloading my car this little pup watched me and followed me from side to side in his crate. Once my car was unloaded I ended up spending too much time making over this little Cavalier instead of setting up my table. By the time my boyfriend arrived I was already in love with this little Cavalier. He was perfect to me in every way. Exactly what I had wanted all these years (well except he was a boy but that was still okay)! Reluctantly I asked the price... $500. My jaw dropped. What registration did he have? AKC full registration. Yet again my jaw dropped. How can this be! Then I got my answer. No health testing had been done on the parents. At this time I really only knew about Mitral Valve Heart Disease. I knew It was important to have heart, eyes, hips and knees tested. I continued to set up my table. My boyfriend said it was up to me, if I wanted him to get him. I really wanted him but I was still skeptical. Then the show doors opened and the mad rush of puppy buyers rushed in. Within minutes he had a buyer. The breeder came to me since she knew I was pondering him and said she needed an answer now. Without another moment of thought I said YES.
As the show rush calmed down I had time to talk to the breeder more. She said he was raised indoors and his mom and dad were the sweetest dogs ever. They were also indoor dogs and loved to cuddle on the bed. Oh how she made them sound pampered and spoiled. One thing that struck me as “odd” was the size. She said his mom and dad were 9-10 lbs. Smaller then I would have expected but I was already in love with my little pup. We purchased the extended 1 year warranty as just in case. My biggest concern was Parvo or other contagious diseases. After that the rest of the show continued on and I probably spent more time with my new pup then actually making sales. What I didn't know what this was only the start of my cavalier adventure.
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