Eurohound vs Cavalier King Charles Spaniel - Breed Comparison

Sled dog racers wanted something unique and hardy in their dogs and the Eurohound seemed to be the dog that fitted the bill.

It was in the 1980s that both Norway and Sweden started crossing the Husky and the Pointer for the first time.

The Eurohound, known also as the Scandinavian hound, is a cross between a German Shorthaired Pointer and an Alaskan Husky as well as other Pointer dogs.

Hailing from Norway, Scandinavia, it isn’t a purebred dog but a cross-breed, and the term ‘Eurohound’ comes from a certain Ivana Nolke so as to distinguish the European racing dogs imported into Alaska.

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.

The Eurohound is a carefully bred dog considered to be a large dog standing up to 72 cm in height and weighting in the region of 18-24 kg.

With its mission being to be a sled dog, it is constantly being crossbred with other cross- breeds to produce dogs to suit the pulling of sleds. Because both the Husky and Pointers have been used in its breeding, who knows really how its appearance will be as it can vary quite a bit.

There are however, some common features in the dogs such as the half dropped ears. More Eurohounds have black ears with white markings. The dog is a slender breed with a longish face and a long muzzle. Certainly it is known for being a powerful sled dog. The short, shiny dog can be in a number of colors such as cream, beige white, red, black, spotted or patched.

Temperament:

Social, extrovert and energetic, the Eurohound also loves to be busy. Its a dog who forms a strong relationship with its owners, being affectionate and loyal. While he is quite able to live in the city or the country, he essentially needs large premises as he loves to run and be free.

He most certainly isn’t a working dog breed who can be left on his own in the backyard until you need him to pull a sled as he craves your companionship. He is an independent and stubborn dog and therefore training and socialization will b excellent for him as it makes him understand who is boss in the home.

He is a dog who gets on well with other pets in the home as well as children.

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.

Full of bounce, social and extroverted, while also being independent and stubborn, the Eurohound just loves being around his human family, bonding strongly with them, whether they are adults, children or even other pets in the home.

You’ll find that your Eurohound is an intelligent dog too and that he can be easily trained. He loves to be active, so to put him in your backyard and all but forget about him would be cruel. They are loyal, loving dogs who want to be part of all your activities, being ready to walk and run with you whenever the opportunity arises.

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.

Considered as a healthy dog breed and able to live up to 10 – 15 years of age, just some of the most common reported health problems you might find with your Eurohound are hip and elbow dysplasia.

Hip dysplasia is where the joint – the ball and socket – is malformed so that instead of working smoothly it grinds. It is one of the most common skeletal diseases in dogs and large breeds are mostly affected. Hip dysplasia can lead to osteoarthritis, pain and lameness.

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.

The Eurohound is an energetic dog who will require a high-quality nutritious food. Home made dog foods are wonderful but in the event that it isn’t always possible, make sure you buy top quality commercially manufactured food.

Your vet can advise you on the type of food to use for your pet if you are unsure. Certainly, if you feed your dog kibble, take a good look at the ingredient label on the pet food packaging. If you are interested in your dog’s health in terms of food, you will learn about protein/fat ratio and how much moisture is in the food and what vitamins are included.

Remember to occasionally include cooked brown rice, vegetables and chicken as well as some raw meat from time to time.

Grooming:

The Eurohound isn’t a big shedder but you will still need to ensure that you brush his short coat twice a week to keep it in tip top condition.

These are dogs which bond closely with their human family so this grooming period will be therapeutic to him.

Check his ears inside and out for the development of ear infections and brush his teeth twice a week with a special dog toothbrush and tooth paste. Dental disease can cause a host of serious illnesses and you want to avoid this with your dog,

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.