Pomsky vs Cavalier King Charles Spaniel - Breed Comparison

The origin of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel goes back many centuries. It was in 1928 that this spaniel breed was separated from the smaller King Charles and these were particularly popular with royalty in England.

In fact, Mary, Queen of Scots had one of these spaniels who accompanied her to her beheading. It was her grandsons who gave their name to the breed, and King Charles II, who reigned from 1660 to 1685 kept these dogs. After Charles II's death, the dog’s popularity waned somewhat. The dog was later bred with pugs giving them the familiar features they have today, such as the domed head and the shorter nose.

Interest in the breed revived, and a breed -club was established, drawing up a breed standard. Finally, in 1945, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel was recognized as a separate breed.

Pomskies are such cute little wolf-like dogs, you just wish they’d been around much sooner.

They’re a fairly new addition to the breed of designer dogs, believed to have originated in 2009, in the United States. Today they are a well known, and sought after designer dog breed.

They are a cross between the Pomeranian and a Siberian Husky. As a designer dog breeds, the Pomeranian Husky isn’t recognized by the American Kennel Club. There is a Pomsky Club of America and they are wanting to get the breed registered.

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a small to medium sized dog wih its height being 31 – 33cm and its weight being 5 – 8 or 9 kg. He is known for his long, silky coat which is fairly straight and feathery.

He has floppy ears, and with this Spaniel breed the tail is generally left long and feathery. The coat comes in many different colors so you will find the popular rich red shade with white, he can be black and tan or even tri-color.

Temperament:

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is affectionate, playful and eager to please. He makes an excellent pet for children as well and gets on well with other pets in the home too.

They adapt quickly to different environments and will be happy in the city or in the country, so long as his owner is with him and meters out lots of love and attention. He is intelligent and responds well to training and socialization, turning him from a playful puppy into a relaxed, obedient adult dog.

The Cavalier loves to be active but he also loves to be quietly lying next to his owner. It is also why these dogs make such splendid companions for the elderly as well as being a good choice for therapy dogs.

Just like most hybrid breeds, the Pomsky can have mixed looks – taking more after one or the other dog.

They can stand between 25 to 40cm in height and weigh between 9 to 14kg. The dog looks like a small Husky, but even so, in one litter, there can be some variety between the puppies in terms of looks and temperament.

The dogs have a soft double coat that keeps the dog comfortable in icy temperatures. Coat colors vary and the coats can be grey and white, a reddish brown or even solid white.

Temperament:

You’ll find your Pomsky to be amusing and entertaining as he is quite clownish.He fits quite easily into life in the city or in the countryside.

Wherever you are, part of being a responsible dog owner includes taking him for walks and seeing that he gets enough exercise. He is a vocal dog, which might not be good in the city if you live near to your neighbors as he can howl and whine quite a bit.

Training and socialization will be important for him, particularly as he tends to be nervous around strangers. Socialization makes him obedient, well balanced an well behaved.

They are playful, loving dogs and intelligent too so you won’t have trouble getting him trained and socialized.

The Cavlier King Charles Spaniel is an affectionate, playful and eager-to-please dog breed that is good with children and other dogs. They will be happy to join you in any games you have in mind but will easily lie quietly beside you for companionship too.

This spaniel breed is exceptionally intelligent and can be easily trained and socialized, making them even better behaved dogs.

For their gentle, sweet nature, it is no wonder that they make such excellent therapy dogs for children and adults, and he is willing to be a wonderful friend to you too.

A Pomsky is such a great pet to have. They’re intelligent dogs and respond well to training and socialization.

They’re playful, confident and full of life and want nothing more than to be an active member of the family. He will need quite a bit of exercise and will love playing with the children in the home.

Provide him with love and care, and you can count him in as a faithful, loving pet and companion.

Cavaliers are generally fairly healthy dogs but they are prone to mitral valve disease which can lead to heart failure. The heart as 4 chambers and each chamber has a one-way valve to keep blood from flowing backward. One of these is the mitral valve and it can leak over time resulting in a heart murmur. Dogs as young as 4 years of age can develop a murmur from a leaking mitral valve.

Congestive heart failure develops, your dog has a chronic cough and lacks stamina. A veterinary cardiologist may need to be called in to recommend some kind of medical intervention. The vet will evaluate your pet's condition and lifestyle before making a recommendation.

Other health problems which the Cavalier might have to contend with will be luxating patella as well as eye issues.

Patellar Luxation:

This condition affects toy breeds, occuring when the kneecaps slip out of place. It can be severe enough to cause lameness in the dogs leg, but fortunately it can be managed with an anti-inflammatory or even surgery.

Your Husky and Pomeranian mix promises to be resilient in the face of illness if you feed him well and exercise him. Still, no dog is immune from the many common health issues there are that plague dogs.

As a responsible dog owner, as soon as your pet is showing signs of being sick and in distress, you need to get him to the vet. Some common dog illnesses include bloat, cancer, skin allergies and hip dysplasia.

Bloat, also known as Gastric Dilatation and Volvulus:

This can be deadly for dogs, and when you see your dog’s stomach swollen and hard and he is restless and drooling, vet attention is required immediately.

The stomach is twisted and filled with gas that can’t escape. Pressure within the stomach puts pressure on other body organs and this can result in blood flow to the heart being stopped.

There are a number of theories as to why bloat occurs, but it is better to give your pet a couple of smaller meals a day instead of one large one which he gobbles up too quickly.

Chocolate Poisoning:

Its tempting to give your dog a piece of chocolate when he looks so pleadingly at you, but chocolate as well as other human foods can be toxic for your dog.

Chocolate has ingredients which are safe for human consumption but which can lead to a host of medical complications for your dog. Your dog may vomit, have rapid breathing, an increased heart rate and even seizures – it’s just not worth taking the chance.

Brushing:

The Cavalier Spaniel’s long silky coat will require brushing at least twice a week to remove loose hairs and to keep it healthy and shiny. This is one spaniel however, that won’t require trimming. However, because he loves to be playing outdoors, some owners do trim the dog’s feathers around the legs and paws.

Ear Checks:

As a dog with floppy ears, it will become essential to check his ears for wax build-up and moisture within the ears combined with dirt. This can lead to ear infections. Also the silky ears can be prone to matting. You can wash them gently with dog shampoo.

Dental Disease:

Smaller dogs like the Cavalier Spaniel are more likely to develop dental problems because of the structure of their skulls and jaws which are more compressed. Brush your dogs teeth 2 or 3 times a week with special canine tooth-paste and toothbrush.

The thick coat sheds quite a bit so it will need to be brushed at least twice a week to keep it vibrant and shiny.

Nails will need to be trimmed regularly if they don’t wear down themselves. You will also need to check your dogs teeth when you brush him. A bad tooth can cause ill health that can damage the heart and kidney.

Exercise:

Your Pomsky is an energetic dog that requires a lot of exercise. While he will love a walk every day, they want more than that – loving to play ball- and frisbee games with all that energy.

Pomsky owners can’t be couch potatoes as this energetic dog will become bored, frustrated and destructive, and then an irresponsible owner blames the dog.

Diet:

With so much energy, your Pomsky is going to require high quality food that ensures his energy levels remain high. Commercially manufactured dog foods can be wonderfully convenient, and the best ones can be excellent for your pet, with the right balance of vitamins and minerals.

High quality dry kibble can get a bit boring so add in some home-made food to the dry kibble to make it more interesting. Dogs thrive on simplicity, so boiled chicken, sweet potatoes, brown rice or pasta, carrots and spinach will be 100% sufficient for him. This can be chopped up into his dry kibble occasionally as a welcome treat.

Also, your pet will thrive on a bit of raw meat added in from time to time. Make sure he is never without a constant supply of fresh, cool water.