LA  BASTIDE  CAVALIERS

- FOOD: Stay away from kibble, non-human-grade, non-organic, overly processed, GMO, fillers, meals, glycemic, high carbs, grains, by-products, artificial preservatives, synthetic vitamins… Look into home-cooked, raw, or freeze-dried raw food like The Simple Food Project, Small Batch, Raised Right, Viva Raw, BJ Raw…

- STORAGE: Stay away from plastic containers; do not store your dog food that doesn't need refrigeration in plastic, as extremely dangerous. It promotes toxic mold, and dogs are even more sensitive to mold than humans. The manufacturer's bag that it comes in is safe, but if you need to store it, use glass jars. Here is a link to the biggest glass jars I could find:  https://amzn.to/4bYeWJE

- TEETH: Use a non-invasive teeth cleaning professional who will clean your dog's teeth without anesthesia and often in the comfort of your home, which is fast and not scary for your baby (unless, of course, there is a problem and you need to go to your vet for a serious dental procedure). I try to get it done every 8 to 12 months at my home, and I brush my dogs' teeth often and would recommend an amazing Emi toothbrush:  https://amzn.to/4fx8Qky

- WEIGHT: Keep your dog's weight not too heavy to promote good health throughout their life. You should be able to feel their ribs, but you do not want to see their back hipbones sticking out prominently, as it points to a serious nutritional deficit. Most of my cavaliers are between 15 and 16 pounds. If you stick to the freeze-dried raw food I suggested, which has low carbs and no glycemic grains, you shouldn't have any problems. Watch out for unhealthy treats and the amount of treats you give: one-ingredient treats, or veggies and fruits, or dehydrated food, or home-cooked treats are much healthier than most treats on the market. Also don't forget that most Cavaliers have a slow metabolism, so their food's manufacturer feeding instructions might be too much and make them gain weight. Rules are made to be broken; I do have one Cavalier who can eat non-stop and will still look too skinny (I wish I was like that!). Usually by 3 years old, a Cavalier will settle in a comfortable adult weight; make sure it's the right healthy weight. I recommend getting a scale to make sure you are on the right track:  https://amzn.to/4wXnPLN

- TREATS: Treats are the backbone of training your Cavalier to be rewarded for being such a good dog. Seriously, in the first months of having a new puppy in your home, I advise everyone to have their pockets filled with treats. You want your baby to know they are making you happy, as they live to please you, seriously! When they are young, regular treats are often too hard and big, so I suggest healthy organic Os cereal; these are the healthiest I found: https://amzn.to/4wYel2M  (even though low carbs and low sugar, I wouldn't recommend these treats past the age of 1, which hopefully by that time you'll have a well-behaved Cavalier).

The best is, of course, to make them, as you'll save lots of money and gain quality. You can cook, dehydrate, or simply give fruits and veggies. Keep it healthy and refrain from giving too much. Here is a one-ingredient freeze-dried salmon treat that's very healthy:  https://www.chewy.com/stewart-wild-salmon-freeze-dried-dog/dp/279914

- CHEWS: Stay away from very dangerous rawhide and from the greenies that are sold to clean your dog's teeth; these are famous for causing stomach blockage. Also, I used to recommend hooves and yak treats, but even those I now fear as too hard for their teeth and could cause harm. So now, after discussing the matter with the person who cleans my dog's teeth, I concluded that only 12-inch Jumbo Bully Sticks are safe and actually help clean their teeth. My dogs adore them with passion. I usually toss them when there is an inch left, but even when I don't, it becomes goowy and they swallow them. These are great to use when you leave your dog at home as it will occupy them, but do buy the 12 inches jumbo size:  https://amzn.to/4hzm5nk

- POTTY TRAINING: Rule #1: Do not stress about it. Rule #2: The first 3 days of your puppy arriving at your home are crucial, so make sure you are ready and have a game plan based on the layout of your home: do you have a yard, do you have a balcony, do you have a doggy door, should you get a bell, do you have enough emergency wash pads for the puppy's pen that you will use when leaving your puppy home alone, what are your sleeping plan arrangements... Rule #3: Some people use a crate for potty training, I don't, I never have, I don't care if a lot of people think I'm wrong... just remember, you are getting a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, the most into their humans kind of dog; and like I couldn't with my human son, I could never let one of my baby cavalier in a cage crying, whimpering... not me. So I won't discuss crating, and please don't tell me if you choose that option, as I will literally be sick to my stomach having delivered your baby. On the other hand I am open for them to have a doggy cave, a little house, an airport travelling bag, open at all time that they can crawl into and feel secure when they want to (I even suggest to people who have a bed too high to put one open in their room so the puppy is in your room and feeling safe, same in the puppy pen as a little cocoon that they can go in and out at will). Rule #4: Do not stress as it's easy and the hardest part will be to keep your pockets filled with treats, as praise and reward is the way to go.

In progress... https://amzn.to/4wYel2M