Breeder-visit checklist — Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
What to ask, see, and take with you
1. Identity and rearing
- Breeder's full name and address
- Whelping date and number of litters the dam has had in the past 24 months
- If a registry breeder: kennel name and litter registration number (VDH / FCI / specialty or other club) — not required as long as all health tests are documented
- EU pet transport rules: puppy must be at least 8 weeks old and dewormed/vaccinated before handover
2. Mandatory tests for both parents
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club Deutschland e.V. (CCD) requires these tests for breeding approval. For each test, ask to see the original certificate — date, vet, result.
| Test | Passing means | Dam | Sire |
|---|---|---|---|
| Curly Coat Dry Eye Syndrome (CC) DNA test | clear or carrier (carriers only with a clear partner) | ☐ | ☐ |
| Patellar Luxation (PL) Physical examination | PL 0 | ☐ | ☐ |
| Heart disease Physical examination | normal | ☐ | ☐ |
| Episodic Falling (EF) DNA test | clear or carrier (carriers only with a clear partner) | ☐ | ☐ |
3. Additionally recommended tests
Additionally relevant, depending on the line or specialty club.
| Test | Passing means | Dam | Sire |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS) (BOAS) Physical examination | clear | ☐ | ☐ |
| Exposure keratopathy syndrome (exophthalmos, lagophthalmos, and/or macroblepharon) (EKS) Eye examination | clear | ☐ | ☐ |
| Corneal dystrophy (CD) Eye examination | clear | ☐ | ☐ |
| Cataract (HC) Eye examination | clear | ☐ | ☐ |
| Microphthalmia | clear | ☐ | ☐ |
| Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) (PRA) | clear or carrier | ☐ | ☐ |
| Retinal Dysplasia (RD) Eye examination | clear | ☐ | ☐ |
| Hip dysplasia (HD) X-ray | HD A–B | ☐ | ☐ |
| Mitral valve dysplasia (MVD) Ultrasound | normal | ☐ | ☐ |
| Chiari-like malformation (CM) and syringomyelia (SM) (CM/SM) X-ray | Clear / Negative | ☐ | ☐ |
4. Husbandry and rearing
- Puppies raised with the family / in the home (not in a kennel)
- Socialization plan: which stimuli before handover? (children, car, vacuum, other dogs)
- Deworming and vaccination protocol (min. 2× deworming, 1× core vaccine before handover)
- EU pet passport and microchip present
- Written sales contract with take-back clause