Clover is coming up to 11 months old which means we’ve had her in our lives for 9 months now. I thought it would be interesting to share a post about what it is like owning a cavachon.
Check out Clover’s 18 month behaviour and personality update here!
Just a reminder for anyone who needs it, a cavachon is a crossbreed between a cavalier king charles spaniel and a bichon frise. It is similar to a cavapoo (a cavalier crossed with a poodle) and the two breeds are often compared against each other.
It is important to note that whilst there are common traits among breeds, it is never guaranteed that your puppy will be the same, especially if you’re getting a crossbreed.
This post will tell you about Clover’s behaviour and whether or not this is similar to her breed.
What is it like owning a cavachon?
Clover’s personality.
Social Skills: Clover is a very sociable creature. She loves playing with other dogs and children and will become frustrated quickly if I do not allow her to approach someone or another dog to say hello.
This leads well into Vocal tendencies: Clover has a slight (and by slight I mean, it’s really annoying and I’m doing everything I can to discourage it) barking problem.
Turns out, this is a common trait for the breed. If not discouraged from a young age, cavachons can develop a barking habit. I went wrong in the beginning – Clover had such a cute little bark that it was sweet at first. Now, she’s a full-on yappy mutt who thinks she owns the village.
Cuddle rating: 10/10. I absolutely love it when I’m sat on the bed and Clover will climb into my lap for a cuddle.
Training abilities
Did someone say Crufts? No, I’m joking but Clover is very easy to train when it comes to tricks. She will do anything for food (including climb on the dining table) which makes it really simple to get her to learn movements. I’m hoping to bring a video of Clover to the blog soon with her up-to-date tricks!
On the flip side, when using treats to manage behaviour, Clover has learned very quickly how to get food. For example, at the park she runs far away because she knows I will call her back and give her a treat. Who’s training whom?
Energy levels.
This is something that definitely needs discussing because it is an important factor that people consider when choosing a breed. If you’re not into long walks twice a day, then don’t bring home a breed that is known for its high energy.
I see it written everywhere that cavachons are low energy dogs who will be happy with short walks. Laugh. Out. Loud. I must have pulled the short straw on this one. Clover is bursting with energy! If I only give Clover a short walk, she spends the rest of the morning looking for something to destroy in the house.
At the park, she chases dogs triple her size and keeps up with them. She races after birds and fetches the ball back and forth without breaking a sweat. She’s happy to go for a run with me and is really good at running to heel for the most part!
Did you catch our fun video of Clover’s friends at the park?
Coat maintenance and shedding
If you love fluffy dogs because they’re super cute, that’s great but the cuteness doesn’t come naturally. Fluffy dogs need regular grooming so start early to get your dog used to the process. I bought shampoo and a brush the day that I brought Clover home and started using them on day two.
Ideally, I get Clover groomed every 8-10 weeks to avoid her fur becoming too long. It grows incredibly quickly and also mattes quickly if I don’t brush her every other day.
People tend to go for crossbreeds with bichons and poodles because they want the hypoallergenic trait (non-shedding fur). Please, always remember that this is not guaranteed. Clover is a low shedding dog – I only notice any fur when I’m wearing black material which fluff and hair easily sticks to.
Here she is after a fresh groom!
So now you know what it is like owning a cavachon! Hopefully, this post has given you an idea of the cavachon breed, although I will stress again that every dog is different. If I could summarise Clover in three words, I would say:
- Clever
- Loving
- Greedy
She’s the best decision that I ever made and I’m excited to bring you on more journey’s with us!
Take a Paws and tell me:
Do you have a cavachon? Would you consider getting one?
We’ve had Charlie for 3 years. Great, highly intelligent, easily trained. Cavachons, like their Bishon half have separation anxiety problems. They don’t like you to go anywhere w/o them. Charlie takes his frustration out on paper towels, which we leave for him. Never torn up anything else. We love the little guy.
Charlie sounds like such a sweetie! We’re very lucky that Clover didn’t develop separation anxiety. She loves to chew the post when it comes through the letterbox, but that’s definitely due to her cheekiness..
Our Tucker is a cavachon and I laughed right along with you when you mentioned low energy dogs. He’s everything Clover is and while he gets into trouble on a regular basis (usually concerning food), you couldn’t ask for a more sweet, loving and cuddly companion. His motto is “Act out now and beg for forgiveness with my big spaniel eyes later.”
I think Tucker and Clover would get up to some mischief together! Clover is very much the same – ‘I’ll do what I want and then wag my tail and offer my belly for tummy tickles, they always cheer mummy up”