Congratulations on your new puppy! You chose well, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniels have one of the best temperaments there are. They are bright, affectionate, and gentle, and will simply love to be around you. 

Training a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy should be an exciting and rewarding journey that helps build a strong bond between the two of you. These intelligent, and eager-to-please little dogs respond well to positive reinforcement, making the training process enjoyable for both you and your pup. 

Whether you’re working on basic commands, housebreaking or socialization, starting early with consistent training will ensure your Cavalier grows into a well-mannered and happy companion. 

Start with our app today!

In this 8-week guide on how to train a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy, we’ll get into all of the key life skills you should be teaching them, and tips to help you successfully train your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy.

With just a few taps in the Zigzag puppy training app, you’ll have a full training program for your King Charles Cavalier puppy. We have full lessons that cover everything from potty training, to socialization, to habituation, and to staying at home alone. 

Need extra help? No problem! We’ve got your back. Our team of puppy trainers are available 24/7 to help you every step of the way. 

Getting started with training your King Charles Cavalier puppy

Are you ready to start training your Cavalier puppy? Let’s jump in! 

What age can I start training my cavalier puppy?

As soon as you bring them home! The earlier you begin training your King Charles Cavalier puppy, the better. These are very smart puppies, and will appreciate learning a lot, especially as they also get to bond with you.

Just brought your puppy home? No need to get stressed – you can learn all about it in our article on tips for your puppy’s first week at home.

What do I need to train my Cavalier Puppy?

Making sure you have the right equipment for your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel will set you up for success and make training them a breeze.

Here are our recommended essentials for a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy:

Check out our new puppy checklist for more.

Things you need to know about King Charles Cavaliers?

To train and care for your King Charles Cavalier effectively, it’s important to begin by understanding their origins and unique quirks. Also, getting to know how they develop both mentally and physically will help you provide the best support for your playful pups.

Are Cavaliers easy to train?

Yes! Lucky you. Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are generally considered easy to train. They are intelligent, eager to please, and highly responsive to training, which makes them quick learners. Their friendly and affectionate nature helps them bond well with their owners, making them highly engaged during training sessions. 

With the right approach, Cavaliers can excel in obedience training and even advanced tricks and agility! 

What is a Cavalier’s personality like?

Cavaliers are gentle, funky clowns, they’ll make you laugh every day! Their sweet and cuddly nature makes them excellent companion dogs, but they are also playful and enjoy indulging in activities like fetch or going for walks. 

Cavaliers tend to be sociable with both people and other animals, having a calm and adaptable way of carrying themselves. Overall, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel character and personality is loving, loyal, and cheerful which makes them amazing companions, and a great choice for families.

What is the lifespan of a Cavalier?

Cavaliers can live for up to 15 years, isn’t that the best news?! They’ll be around to give you plenty of kisses for a long time.

What are Cavaliers bred for?

Cavalier King Charles Spaniels were originally bred as companion dogs for European nobility, particularly in the courts of England during the 17th century. Their primary role was to provide warmth and comfort by sitting on their owners’ laps (isn’t that cute?), with their affectionate and gentle personalities. 

Even though their spaniel heritage gives them a little instinct to hunt, they’ve always been primarily bred for companionship, so don’t expect them to be as full on as a Gundog! 

Now for a little history lesson: This breed is named after King Charles II of England, who was famous for liking small spaniels that closely resembled today’s Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. These dogs were often seen at court, always by the King’s side, to the point where they became strongly associated with him. You can see where the name comes from now, with “Cavalier” added later to differentiate it from the smaller, flatter-faced King Charles Spaniel (also known as the English Toy Spaniel). Today, Cavaliers still embody the loving, loyal traits that made them cherished companions to royalty and noble families centuries ago.

Overview of your Cavalier’s training program

Your King Charles Cavalier puppy will grow up quickly, which means we’ll need to lay a solid foundation out for them that will teach them key life skills that they will need as adult dogs.

In the Zigzag puppy training app, you’ll discover a complete training program tailored specifically for your King Charles Cavalier. We take all their unique breed traits into account, and design their training according to their age and developmental stage so that they learn exactly what they need at the right time. 

Download our app today!

If you come across any hiccups, there’s no need to worry! Our team of puppy trainers is available 24/7 to help you navigate around them, and continue your journey as smoothly as possible. 

Our 8 week training program for your King Charles Cavalier puppy

Your King Charles Cavalier’s 8-week training program will provide them with the fundamental skills required to become a well-behaved, socialized dog capable of thriving in today’s modern world. Whether you live in the country or the city, your puppy’s training should be adapted to their surroundings and the day to day experiences they will come across.

In the countryside, your King Charles Cavalier might meet horses and have to learn to interact with farm animals respectfully, as well as stay focused amidst the distractions of wide and open spaces. 

City dogs, on the other hand, will have to practise walking through busy streets, learn to resist temptation and leave things on the pavement, as well as keep their cool about loud noises.

Regardless of where your puppy will grow up, consistent training during these early weeks is essential for helping your King Charles Cavalier become a well-adjusted family member and a polite and nice dog to be around them. 

Learn all about how we use positive reinforcement training in the Zigzag app, and get started with a step-by-step King Charles Cavalier training program today!

Week 1

The first week with your King Charles Cavalier will be all about bonding and creating a secure attachment to each other. This means don’t rush into home alone training! Your puppy needs to feel safe and secure with you and never left to cry it out – this is really important! Leaving puppies to “cry it out” really doesn’t work, and just creates much bigger problems in the long run. 

Your King Charles Cavalier puppy’s first week of training should be spent concentrating on socialization and habituation. These will help them learn about the outside world and develop their self-confidence! You should also take a look at:

House Breaking – Read our in-depth tips on how to toilet train a puppy in as little as seven days, regardless of whether you have a yard or are potty training in an apartment. In order to prevent as many accidental poop-ins in your home as possible, start as soon as possible on this one.

Grooming and handling – Good news – your King Charles Cavalier will enjoy the process of grooming. To them, it means spending time with you. There’s lots to love about that! Also, brushing helps blood circulation and removes any dead fur, keeping your King Charles Cavalier’s skin healthy. 

Make sure they can create positive associations with the brush and your hands. They need to learn that hands are nice and will likely touch them in a stress-free environment. Treats are always good for helping them through it.

Check out our full guide to puppy grooming as well as learn how to make those vet visits go smoothly to read more about all this.

Name – Teaching your King Charles Cavalier puppy their name is the first step in training them to pay attention and listen to you…pretty key aspect of puppy training, if you ask us. 

Learn how to teach a puppy their name or perhaps how to choose the best name for your puppy if you haven’t decided yet. 

Sit – Sit is typically one of the first cues we tend to teach puppies. Can’t blame us, it does look pretty cute!  It also helps with manners training as sitting keeps them from jumping up as easily. Not many people love having pups jump up at them, but it’s also not the best idea for your King Charles Cavalier’s growing joints.

For more, read our articles on how to stop a puppy jumping up and how to teach your puppy to sit. 

Crate Training – Training your King Charles Cavalier to be happy in a confined space, such as a crate, playpen, or baby gated room, will help them sleep better, establish a regular nap time schedule, and provide a place to relax away from the hustle and bustle.

Crates, playpens and babygated areas also provide your King Charles Cavalier with a perfect puppy proofed area to hang out in, so you don’t need to worry what those curious little noses are getting into!  

This part is important – while King Charles Cavaliers are affectionate and enjoy spending time with children, they also require time alone and should not be left unsupervised with young kids. Safety always comes first, so we’ll use baby gates, playpens, and crates to keep everyone safe and happy around them.

What to feed – Puppy food can be a touchy subject for some. It seems like everyone knows what your dog should be eating nowadays! But providing the necessary nourishment remains critical for keeping your pup healthy and at a good growth rate. Make sure your puppy is getting a healthy diet, regardless of whether you choose a BARF diet, decide to cook for them yourself or choose a commercial wet or dry puppy food. 

Week 2

We’ll continue our life skills training in Week 2. Since this is how dogs learn best, we are focusing on making training fun and rewarding for your King Charles Cavalier puppy! 

At Zigzag, we don’t talk about “dogs being like wolves” or anything surrounding dominance. That was left in the past a long ago – it’s simply untrue and , as it’s just untrue and extremely outfashioned!

Biting – Yes, you should be ready for your King Charles Cavalier puppy to bite. It’s nothing against you! It’s just part of their nature and their teething process. To divert their attention from chewing your arm, use lengthy tug toys and frozen Kongs! Oh, and practice patience profusely—you’ll definitely need it!

Take a look at our guide to puppy biting and teething to learn more about this chapter in your pup’s life.. 

Management – There’s one often underestimated topic that is key to avoiding a lot of behavioral problems: management. The main goal of management is to set your puppy up for success. Your Cavalier will be a lot more successful and confident if they can control their surroundings and circumstances. Puppies of King Charles Cavaliers are innocent until proven otherwise, so let’s prevent them from committing mistakes until they do!

…and what does this all mean? Worry not – you can learn all about it in our article on management in dog training. 

Down – The ‘down’ is another helpful cue and position that can be used on many occasions. To be honest, any trick you wish to teach your King Charles Cavalier will be eagerly accepted by them, and this one is great for hanging around  about the house. Training with a carpet or blanket will make training for them on a hard floor much more comfortable…why not get one they look good on?

Alone time training – With time, slowly and patiently, you should get your Cavalier puppy to be comfortable on their own. Start by creating a safe and secure attachment to you, one that is built on trust. Remember the golden rule: Never let a puppy cry it out! It’s simply not a thing and never will be.

Our article on preventing separation anxiety in puppies will show you the way in what can sometimes be a challenging training period for dogs. 

Introduce the collar and harness – Your little King Charles Cavalier should always wear a harness, so it’s important to start getting them collars and harnesses at a young age. For ID badges, we like to use collars, and for going on walks, we like to use harnesses. 

Bathing – King Charles Cavalier puppies shed fur, so the dirt from their coats will come out naturally. This means they won’t need a lot of bathing; unlike say a Cavapoo who doesn’t shed. Either way, we still want them to get used to baths for the day they find they end up in a deeper-than-it-looked muddy puddle. 

Learn how to bathe your puppy and teach them step-by-step how bath times can be fun!

Week 3

King Charles Cavaliers may appear like they’re just made for cuddles, but trust us, they are also incredibly intelligent dogs, who genuinely love to learn.

They’ll love using puzzle toys as much as possible to keep those brain cells turning, as well as sniffing games, and of course, learning tricks.

Let’s start the training for this week:

Leash walking – Walking on a loose leash takes time to master, but it is definitely worth the effort. Training your Cavalier puppy not to pull on the leash can be a lengthy journey. But we’ll help you make it smooth!

Teaching your puppy not to pull will involve building a reinforcement zone in which they will learn that walking calmly next to you equals yummy rewards. Start this by practicing indoors or in your yard without anything other than treats. Once you’ve mastered that, you can add a leash and harness. 

Recall – Training your Cavalier puppy to come when called, also known as recall training, is a crucial aspect of their development. It’s essential to start this training process early on to ensure a smooth transition when the time comes to let your puppy off the leash. Practice at home, in the park, and anywhere you can so it’s set in stone in their minds.

Settle – Enjoying an all-you-can-eat brunch with your King Charles Cavalier can be fun for both of you, just make sure you teach your dog to snooze on their settle mat or bed. You’ll be enjoying mimosas next to your young Cavalier in no time by teaching them to settle. 

Tug – Your King Charles Cavalier puppy will love playing tug-of-war. Playtime is also a great way to strengthen the bond between you, so indulge in it as you wish. 

To stop your Cavalier from just grabbing toys and to help them give them back without resistance, you should teach them the cues “take it” and “drop.” You can find detailed instructions on how to do this in our articles about teaching a dog to drop, and learn even more tips and game ideas in the Zigzag app. Plus, playing tug with these cues can help prevent your dog from being possessive over their toys and running into other problems in the future because of this. Yay!

Nail clips – Cutting a dog’s claws can be a challenging process. It’s a good call to get your King Charles Cavalier used to the clippers or having their paws touched, as some dogs dislike both of these things.

But hey, cute paws have their responsibilities, so you better get to our article on how to care for a dog’s paws.

Now – I hope potty training is going well and isn’t too much of a stinky topic for you both. If you’re living in a condo or apartment without a yard, take a look at our round-up of the best indoor dog potties or our post on apartment toilet training. Hope everything is going well with that!

Don’t be surprised if your King Charles Cavalier drools a lot when they’re teething! To help soothe sore gums and cravings for chewing, make sure to give them a great load of puppy-appropriate chews, stuffed Kongs, and other engaging chew toys.

Week 4

Generalization – Training your Cavalier puppy in different places and environments is very important for helping them understand that “sit” applies no matter where they are. 

Start by practicing in various spots around your home and yard, and then gradually introduce walks and outings to new locations. When you’re in a more distracting setting, go for tastier and smellier treats to help them keep their attention on you. Check out our article on rewards and treats to discover the best ones and how to use them.

Build on the basic cues – Yep, mastering commands like sit, down, leash walking, and recall requires lots of repetition and consistent practice. And don’t forget, patience is essential too!

Leave it – This is an excellent self-control exercise for your King Charles Cavalier puppy. Teaching all dogs to ignore items they shouldn’t have is important; you can help them learn it in a positive way! Start with some plain, boring kibble that’s simple for them to leave, and then gradually introduce more tempting treats to add a challenge.

Train with games – King Charles Cavaliers may be pocket-sized, but they are still spaniels…and with that comes a lot of energy. This makes them perfect candidates for training games that can teach important life skills such as self-control and frustration tolerance! Check out our training games library for some great activities to incorporate into your training sessions.

How’s the day-to-day routine going? Take a look at our puppy training timetable for some tips on getting into a groove with your King Charles Cavalier puppy.

Week 5-8

Check out our personalized training schedule for your King Charles Cavalier for weeks 5-8. Focus on the reward-based training we talked about earlier, like teaching your Cavalier pup to walk on a leash and to come back when called. Don’t forget to download the Zigzag app! Not only is it designed for your King Charles Cavalier’s age, but also takes into account the characteristics and quirks of their breed. 

With the Zigzag puppy training app, you can be sure that your King Charles Cavalier puppy receives top training.. Plus, our team of skilled dog trainers is always available to help you with any challenges you encounter. They’re here for you around the clock!

King Charles Cavalier Puppy Training FAQs

What is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel temperament like?

Cavalier King Charles Spaniels have a friendly and affectionate temperament. They are gentle, playful, and adaptable, thrive on companionship and get along well with families, children, and other pets. 

What do I need for bringing home a Cavalier Spaniel?

When bringing home a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, you’ll need:

  • Food and water bowls
  • High-quality puppy food
  • Crate
  • Soft bedding
  • Collar with ID tags and leash
  • Grooming supplies (brushes, shampoo)
  • Interactive toys
  • Treats for training
  • Training pads (if needed)
  • A nearby Veterinarian (for vaccinations, check-ups)

Will a Cavalier’s personality change?

Yes! As puppies, Cavaliers are more playful and energetic. As adults, they will mellow down quite a bit.

How much exercise do Cavalier King Charles Spaniels need?

Cavalier King Charles Spaniels need around 60 minutes of exercise each day. You can make exercise sessions run longer of course – they’ll always enjoy sniffy walks or heading out on hikes with you…but you might need to carry them towards the end. They are ‘kings’ in the end, right?

Try Zigzag here!

Are king charles hypoallergenic?

Nope, sorry! Cavaliers shed fur and they produce dander so are not suitable for people with allergies.