Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Price: How Much Does this Royal Dog Cost?

Last Updated on April 19, 2023

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, also known as Cavalier or Charlie is an elegant, royal small spaniel with a delicate bone structure.

A full-grown dog’s weight is between 13 and 18 pounds (6 and 8kg), and their height comes between 12 and 13inches (30 and 33cm).

Their slightly waved silky coats are of medium length, and they are characterized by long feathering on the feet. This breed is beloved for its sweet, gentle, melting countenance expression. 

Cavalier dogs are very good with kids, for they are energetic, affectionate, cheerful, and playful.

Catching a glimpse of these fun-loving, cute, intelligent dogs will melt your heart, and you will immediately know why they are so extraordinary and expensive. 

But just how much does one of these gorgeous puppies cost? Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about getting this dog breed.

How Much are Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Puppies?

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is on the list of the top 10 most expensive dogs in the United States and the UK. They can push up the scale of costs to between $2,000 and $14,000 for a single puppy.

But on average, you can find them ranging from $2,500 to $3,500. Be sure to pay even more for a puppy with a champion bloodline.

Should you buy a puppy or an older Spaniel dog?

To buy a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy from a recognized breeder will be very expensive because these puppies are highly sought after.

Depending on their bloodline, quality, and breeder, you could be paying up to around $4,000 to $5,000. 

This might be outrageous, but remember that buying from a trustworthy breeder might save you from possible high medical costs and vet bills. 

Adopting an older dog from a good shelter can be much lighter on your budget.

On average, you can pay $150 to $600 for an older Cavalier dog that received proper veterinary care, like vaccines and other necessary health treatments and tests.

However, you will likely not know if he is carrying any genetic diseases or presents with any behavioral issues.

Initial Cost of a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel from a Good Breeder

A Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy from a reputable breeder generally ranges between $2,500 and $3,500.

There are, however, quite a few factors that affect its pricing, like a champion bloodline, the rarity of the breed, the coat color, location, kennel club papers, vaccines, and gender. 

How to find a reputable breeder and avoid puppy mills?

There are a lot of ways to find a reputable breeder in your area. You can look online, ask for referrals from vets and friends, or chat with the various breed kennel clubs.

You can also attend some dog shows of local breed clubs and ask questions in order to get more informed and acquainted. 

To make sure a breeder is legit and trustworthy, be sure to visit those breeders and check out their premises, the puppies, how they are handled, their facilities, and papers. Ask questions and also for more referrals. 

Be very careful not to pay a dog from unethical breeders or puppy mills.

Although these dogs are generally cheaper, they likely haven’t had the necessary health checks done and it is unlikely a puppy mill will let you see their facilities as they care more about profit than the health and wellbeing of their dogs. 

To find a responsible breeder, consult the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club of America website, where you will find lists of puppy and adult referrals and registered breeders. Here are a few to get you started in the search for the perfect pup.

1. Camelia Bay Cavaliers, Alabama
2. Parlett Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Arizona
3. Top Meadow Cavaliers, California

Adoption Fee for a Rescue Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

One can rescue or adopt a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel at a much lower price than buying one of these dogs from a breeder.

You could be paying around $150 to $600 for a pet at a rescue center. This includes the fee covering the expenses of taking care of him before adoption. You can expect to pay higher if it’s purebred or if it has a rare color.

Finding a purebred dog at a shelter can be challenging, but some breed-specific rescue organizations exist where you can look for Cavaliers looking for new homes. Here are some details of those places.

1. Cavalier Rescue USA, Countrywide
2. American Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (ACKCS) Rescue Trust, Virginia
3. The Cavalier Rescue, Alabama

Factors Affecting the Price of a Cavalier Puppy

There are quite a few factors that affect the price of a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy. Breeders belonging to a famous kennel club like AKC, which can provide registration papers, would also mean they will be sold more expensive.

Health screenings and medical costs can push up the fee a lot, for there might be tests, x-rays, exams, deworming, microchipping, and vaccinations before selling them to ensure that the buyer gets the benefit of a healthy, happy dog. 

Then there is also the breed’s popularity in the buyer’s location, while age, coat color, and markings also play a role in your initial purchase fee.

Why are King Charles Spaniels so expensive?

Cavaliers have a pretty long lifespan which is around 9 to 15 years. They are an old royal breed, emerging during the 17th century, named after England’s King Charles II, and naturally, it makes sense that the dog of the royals would be costing more than the average.

Since they have show dog status, that adds to their popularity and influences how much you will pay for it.

They are still a bit unknown and therefore scarce, making them high-priced pets.

1. Bloodline and breeder’s reputation

The pedigree of a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is the main factor influencing how much it will be sold. Possession of a champion bloodline can provide the best reason for a reputable breeder to charge a very high price. 

If the buyer buys from a famous trustworthy breeder, he can be prepared to pay slightly more, but then he will also be at peace knowing he has a healthy, well-cared-for puppy.

The amount and quality of care the breeder provides factor heavily into their selling prices.

2. Registration papers and pedigree

Breeders go to extreme measures to ensure that puppies come from good parentage. The AKC DNA staff works closely with breeders to evaluate and determine the correct ancestry of the breeder’s dogs.

The AKC DNA analyst then issues a Parentage Evaluation of a litter. This comes in a written report. All this skill and expertise, of course comes at additional fees.

3. Health screenings and medical costs

Through the first year, the fees for the recommended three trips to a vet are somewhere between $65 and $170, covering exams, vaccines, fecal examination, as well as heartworm and flea prevention.

Medical screenings and x-rays are all medical costs made by breeders to ensure that the puppies are healthy. Of course, this will push up the price of the puppies. 

But then again after buying your dog, you will save on vet visits and some medical care.

A heart clearance test by a veterinary cardiologist ranges from $50 and $300 so it’s also well worth asking if your new puppy will come with tests like this one.

4. Age

Generally, puppies are priced higher than adult dogs. You can expect to pay $2,500 as the initial purchase fee for a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy from a reputable breeder.

You will also need to consider the additional expenses for supplies and veterinary care when you bring home and welcome your new pup.

If you buy an older dog, it will be reasonably cheaper. You may only have to pay between $150 and $600 for a CKCS dog at a shelter.

5. Gender

In this breed, gender does not influence the cost at all. Males and female Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are so similar in size and outside appearance.

So, choosing the best sex for you and your family depends on the lifestyle you have as well as what you are looking for in a pet. 

6. Coat color and markings

There are only four official colors for Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. The Blenheim, tri-colors, ruby, and black and tan are the official colors and non-official colors are tan, black and white, and the merle pattern.

Black and tan and Ruby are the rarest and therefore also the priciest. Because Blenheim and the Tri-colors are so popular on the ring, they are also very expensive as purebreds. 

Differing amounts of white color and markings are seen in most of this breed.

Markings are seen on the face, chest, toes, and tails. It adds to the beauty and, subsequently, to the initial purchase fee of the dogs. They can also have tan markings.

Initial Cost of Pet Ownership

On average, buying a Cavalier puppy from a good breeder might set you back anywhere between $2,500 and $3,500. You can expect to pay $4000 to $5000 or more for a show-quality dog with a champion bloodline, coming from a famous breeder.

The set-up price for supplies should be added to this, for the owner to budget and also receive the puppy with everything ready for it. This may come to a further $525 to $1995.

Long-Term Ownership Costs

The monthly expenses for owning a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel could come to $65 to $280. It is estimated that owning this breed will let you spend around $68,055 to $132,740 yearly.

Long-term ownership cost depends on the total years you would have the dog.

1. Vet Fees

Several health tests have to be done to make sure a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is healthy. Good breeders typically rope these into the price of the puppy, and these tests can be pretty expensive. 

The heart clearance test could be from $50 to $300. Tests for the pup’s eyes could cost about $200. Tests for kneecaps and hips could range from $200 to $500. 

Additionally, you should expect to pay about $600 for the vet, the first year for check-ups and vaccines. After that, an owner should be prepared to pay around $450 per year.

Remember also that as the dog ages, more medical fees may come up, as these dogs are prone to several diseases.

Common health issues and estimated costs to treat them

Unfortunately, several diseases are pretty typical for the Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, and these can be expensive to treat.

For heart disease (MVD), treatment ranges from about $300 to $800, and hip or elbow dysplasia treatment can be $3500 to $7000 per hip. 

For Patellar luxation, the estimated treatment is about $300 to $2000; for eye disorder treatment, it will set you back around $250 to $500.

Epilepsy is also quite common in these dogs, and it costs about $500 to $2500 for its treatment. Finally, Syringomyelia, which affects the spinal cord, treatment is about $5,000 to $10,000.

2. Dog Food Expenses

Assuming that the owner buys high-quality dog food, the expenses should be around $15 per month. This will budget for a good quality recipe with plenty of meat and also some grains. 

Cavalier King Charles Spaniels dogs are not great eaters. Puppies eat even less, which is why it will be cheaper to feed them. Around $10 will be quite sufficient per month for a puppy.

Prescription dog food might be necessary if your pet has health issues or allergies which can be slightly more expensive.

3.  Dog Training Sessions

Sometimes, you find that Cavaliers don’t require professional training because they are pretty easy for experienced dog owners to handle and train.

If it seems to be necessary for your pup to attend training classes, be ready to pay about $100 to $300 for a series of classes.

4. Dog Grooming Fees

Cavalier King Charles Spaniels have a larger need for grooming than some other breeds. Other than a weekly brushing, they need to be taken to a professional groomer between two to six times a year.

Due to their small size, trips to the groomer are not so expensive as it takes less time. 

For each session, you can expect to pay about $30 to $90, annual grooming expenses for a Cavalier can add to about $540 yearly.

5. Pet Insurance Coverage

Pet insurance coverage for your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel can come to $15 to $45 per month.

As pet insurance is necessary to cover and support unforeseen and unexpected accidents and illnesses, it’s really recommended to rather pay that small amount of money monthly, than to be surprised by a very high amount to pay unexpectedly.

6. Environmental Maintenance

Cavalier King Charles Spaniels don’t require extensive environmental maintenance, yet occasionally, you may need a dog walker to help you out at a time when you won’t be at home.

So, it is just good to budget for such an occasion by saving up to $100 per month for this.

7. Entertainment Costs

For Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, there aren’t a lot of entertainment costs that are necessary to budget for, as they are so easygoing.

They don’t play all that much, and nor are they hard on their toys. $10 to $25 is all you’ll need to add to your budget for entertainment.

8. Pet Supplies

Naturally, there will be initial supplies needed to welcome your new Cavalier King Charles Spaniel doggy into your home, such as food and water bowls, a leash and harness, and a dog bed or crate. 

For a proposed owner, it will be wise to budget for all the special supplies and your puppy’s initial cost. Initially, this setup might be around $190 to $345.

Additional Costs of Raising this Breed

You may also need to consider some additional costs that come with Cavalier King Charles Spaniel ownership. Extra training classes might be an extra item to budget for, but that may only be temporary. 

If your pup may develop an unexpected health problem, like MVD, and if pet insurance can’t cover the vet bills, thereof you will have to budget for it.

Vitamins and supplements are also necessary to budget for. When it gets cold, extra clothing will also be necessary. 

Then there might be Kennel Club registration which is about $35 to $70. If your pet hasn’t been microchipped yet, $40 to $60 should be sufficient.

For a dog license, you can expect to pay around $16 to $20, and some miscellaneous supplies might be necessary, so budget about $15 to $30 for that. 

If your pooch hasn’t been neutered or spayed, you would also need to budget for an additional $50 to $500.

Monthly Expenses

Other than paying for your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy, there are monthly costs to keep in mind and budget for. You will pay about $65 to $280 to cover them.

Vet care may exceed this amount in some cases, and preventative care and more expensive pet insurance can also increase the budget, but most owners won’t be paying more than $300 per month.

Yearly Expenses

The costs of raising and owning a King Charles Spaniel can add up to $8,755 to $26,690 per year. This includes insurance, dog walking, and boarding. The total cost, on average, is $17,300 per year.

Lifetime Expenses

You can estimate to pay between $68,000 and $132,740 for a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel through the dog’s lifetime. Usually, their lifespan is 9 to 15 years.

The average lifetime expense of owning this breed is $98,505. This also includes spaying or neutering your pet, insurance, dog walking, and dog boarding for 14 years.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Dog Price Range Summary

As you can see, various things affect the price you will pay for a Cavalier. Puppies are more expensive than older dogs, while purebreds are sold at a higher price than mixed breeds. 

The ancestry of a puppy also makes a big difference. If they come from a champion bloodline and are sold by a reputable breeder, they could cost a pretty penny.

Whereas a dog available for adoption at a shelter will, of course, be cheaper, that is, if you can find one available.

Conclusion: Should You Buy a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel?

If you have money to buy and keep a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and also like a cheerful and happy lap dog, then this breed will be perfect for you. They are very intelligent and capable, so training and socializing will be pretty easy. 

They just love to be with their human family. They don’t really bark, and they are also so low-maintenance. They also don’t require much entertainment, needing less than 20 minutes of exercise daily. 

Does your family own a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel? Leave a comment below telling us more about your pet and where he came from.