Cavapom
Hybrid Breed Description
The Cavapom is a cross between the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and the Pomeranian. Because each hybrid inherits a unique combination of traits from both parents, we recommend thoroughly researching both breeds before choosing a Cavapom. Pay special attention to temperament, health issues, and care requirements, as your dog may express characteristics from either parent breed.
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel stands between twelve and thirteen inches tall at the shoulder, weighing approximately thirteen to eighteen pounds, making them one of the larger toy breeds. Their body is compact and well-proportioned, displaying a slightly longer than tall silhouette with a level topline and moderate chest depth. The breed exhibits a sturdy build despite its small stature, with well-developed musculature beneath their elegant appearance. Their movement reflects grace and balance, with a free-flowing gait that demonstrates both athleticism and refinement. The most distinctive physical characteristic is their luxurious, silky coat that falls in gentle waves across their body, requiring minimal trimming but consistent grooming to maintain its lustrous quality. They come in four recognized color patterns including Blenheim which features rich chestnut markings on a pearly white background, tricolor with black and white base complemented by tan points, black and tan, and solid ruby red. Their coat features beautiful feathering on the ears, chest, legs, and tail, with the ear feathering being particularly prominent and adding to their regal appearance. The facial features create the breed's signature sweet expression, highlighted by large, round, dark brown eyes that convey warmth and intelligence, set widely apart on a slightly rounded skull. The muzzle is full yet gently tapered, approximately one-third the length of the skull, creating balanced proportions. Long, heavily feathered ears are set high on the head and frame the face beautifully when alert, while a moderately long neck flows smoothly into well-laid shoulders, completing their aristocratic silhouette.
Key Characteristics
Cavalier King Charles Spaniels possess an enchantingly affectionate and gentle temperament that makes them exceptional companion animals for families and individuals alike. These happy, outgoing dogs thrive on human interaction and form deeply devoted bonds with their owners, displaying remarkable patience and tolerance that makes them wonderful with children of all ages. Their friendly disposition extends to strangers, other dogs, and even cats, as they approach the world with curiosity rather than suspicion or aggression. This breed's eagerness to please combined with their intelligent nature makes training a pleasant experience, though their sensitive personality responds best to positive reinforcement methods rather than harsh corrections. Despite being bred as lap dogs, Cavaliers retain some sporting instincts from their spaniel heritage and enjoy moderate exercise and outdoor activities, showing surprising energy and playfulness during interactive games. Their adaptability allows them to flourish equally well with active families who enjoy outdoor adventures or with quieter households where they can serve as devoted couch companions. However, they do not tolerate being left alone for extended periods and can develop separation anxiety if isolated from their human family too frequently. Their moderate energy level means they're content with daily walks and play sessions rather than demanding intense physical exercise. The breed demonstrates remarkable versatility in living situations, adapting comfortably to apartment life or spacious homes as long as they receive adequate attention and affection from their owners. While they make alert watchdogs who will announce visitors with enthusiastic barking, their friendly nature means they lack protective instincts and would likely greet an intruder with tail wags rather than suspicion. Their social, people-oriented temperament combined with their manageable size and gentle disposition has made them increasingly popular as therapy dogs, bringing comfort to hospital patients and nursing home residents with their intuitive empathy and affectionate nature.
Cavalier King Charles Spaniels face several significant breed-specific health concerns that prospective owners must understand before committing to this breed. The most serious condition affecting Cavaliers is mitral valve disease, a progressive heart condition where the valve between the heart's chambers fails to close properly, leading to heart murmurs and eventually heart failure if untreated. This condition appears in many Cavaliers at relatively young ages and represents the most common cause of death in the breed. Syringomyelia, another devastating condition, occurs when fluid-filled cavities develop within the spinal cord near the brain due to the breed's skull shape, causing severe pain and neurological symptoms that significantly impact quality of life. Orthopedic issues including hip dysplasia and patellar luxation affect this breed despite their small size, potentially causing lameness, pain, and reduced mobility that may require surgical intervention in severe cases. Eye problems such as cataracts, progressive retinal atrophy, and dry eye occur with concerning frequency, potentially leading to vision impairment or blindness if not detected and managed early. The breed's long, drop ears create a warm, moist environment perfect for bacterial and yeast growth, making ear infections a common recurrent problem that requires diligent preventive care and prompt treatment when infections develop. Cavaliers typically live between twelve and fifteen years when properly cared for, though genetic health issues can significantly impact both lifespan and quality of life. Responsible breeders conduct health screenings including cardiac evaluations, hip scoring, eye examinations, and syringomyelia screening to identify affected dogs and reduce the prevalence of these conditions in future generations. Prospective owners should prioritize obtaining puppies from breeders who perform these health tests and can provide documentation of clear results. Regular veterinary examinations, maintaining a healthy weight through proper diet and exercise, and prompt attention to any concerning symptoms can help manage these breed predispositions and ensure Cavaliers enjoy the longest, healthiest lives possible.
Pomeranian
The Pomeranian stands as one of the smallest Spitz breeds, measuring between eight and fourteen inches tall at the withers, though most fall within the eight to eleven inch range, weighing three to seven pounds with show specimens ideally between four and six pounds. Their body exhibits a square proportion with equal length from prosternum to buttocks as from highest point of withers to ground, creating a compact, balanced silhouette. Despite their tiny stature, Pomeranians possess surprisingly substantial bone structure and well-developed musculature beneath their profuse coat, with a short, straight back and moderately muscled legs that provide surprising agility and stamina for their size. The breed's most distinctive feature is their luxurious double coat consisting of a soft, dense undercoat and longer, harsher-textured guard hairs that stand off from the body creating their signature fluffy appearance. The coat forms an abundant ruff around the neck and chest that frames the head magnificently, while the heavily plumed tail lies flat against the back completing their distinctive outline. Pomeranians come in an extraordinary array of colors and patterns including orange, red, cream, white, black, brown, sable, blue, chocolate, and various combinations, making them one of the most colorful toy breeds. Their fox-like expression enhanced by the thick coat gives them an alert, intelligent appearance that captures attention wherever they go. Facial characteristics include a somewhat wedge-shaped head with a slightly rounded skull, defined stop, and relatively short muzzle measuring approximately one-third the skull length. Their small, almond-shaped eyes sparkle with dark color creating an inquisitive expression, while small, erect ears set high on the head contribute to their alert, attentive demeanor. The breed's compact, cat-like feet stand well up on toes, and their straight, strong pasterns support their confident, springy gait. Overall, Pomeranians project an image of boldness and elegance combined with fluffy cuteness that has made them beloved companions throughout history.
Key Characteristics
Pomeranians possess bold, vivacious personalities that far exceed their diminutive physical size, often acting as though unaware they weigh only a few pounds. These intelligent, alert dogs display remarkable confidence and independence, approaching the world with curiosity and courage that can sometimes manifest as confrontational behavior toward much larger dogs if not properly socialized. Their lively, extroverted nature makes them entertaining companions who thrive on attention and interaction with their human families. Pomeranians demonstrate strong loyalty to their owners and can become quite devoted, though they may show preference for one family member while remaining affectionate with others. The breed's intelligence and eagerness to learn make them highly trainable despite their reputation for occasional stubbornness, responding well to positive reinforcement methods and excelling in obedience, agility, and trick training when motivated properly. However, their independent streak means they require consistent, patient training from puppyhood to develop good manners and prevent the development of small dog syndrome behaviors. Pomeranians possess surprising energy levels for their size and require daily exercise through walks and play sessions to maintain physical health and prevent boredom-related behavioral issues. Their alert nature combined with their tendency to vocalize makes them excellent watchdogs who will enthusiastically announce visitors or perceived threats, though this barking tendency requires early training to manage appropriately. Socialization from an early age proves crucial for Pomeranians to develop confidence around unfamiliar people and situations while learning appropriate interactions with children and other pets. While they can adapt well to families with older, respectful children, their small size makes them vulnerable to injury from rough handling by young children who may not understand proper pet interaction. Pomeranians typically do well with other dogs and pets when properly introduced, though their bold temperament means they may not back down from confrontations despite their size disadvantage. Their adaptable nature allows them to thrive in various living situations from apartments to larger homes, requiring primarily attention and companionship rather than extensive space, making them popular companions for both singles and families who can provide the training, socialization, and engagement these spirited little dogs need.
Pomeranians face several breed-specific health concerns that stem from their small size and Spitz heritage, requiring vigilant health management throughout their lives. Patellar luxation represents one of the most common orthopedic problems, occurring when the kneecap slips out of its normal position causing intermittent lameness, pain, and potential arthritis development, with severity ranging from grade one requiring only monitoring to grade four necessitating surgical correction. Tracheal collapse, a progressive condition where the cartilage rings supporting the windpipe weaken and flatten, causes characteristic honking cough and respiratory difficulty that worsens with excitement, exercise, or pressure on the neck from collars, making harness use essential for this breed. Dental disease affects Pomeranians with particular severity due to their small jaw size creating crowding of teeth that traps food and promotes plaque buildup, requiring diligent daily teeth brushing and regular professional dental cleanings to prevent tooth loss and systemic health impacts. The breed shows predisposition to alopecia X, a cosmetic condition causing progressive hair loss without other symptoms, affecting appearance but not overall health. Additional concerns include atlantoaxial subluxation affecting the neck vertebrae particularly in very small specimens, portosystemic shunt affecting liver function, cryptorchidism in males, and eye problems. Obesity represents a significant concern as Pomeranians have hearty appetites and their small size means even slight weight gain significantly impacts their health and joint stress. Pomeranians typically enjoy relatively long lifespans of twelve to sixteen years when properly cared for, though very small specimens may face additional health challenges related to their size. Responsible breeders conduct health screenings including patellar evaluations, cardiac examinations, and eye testing to identify potential problems and make informed breeding decisions. Prospective owners should prioritize obtaining puppies from breeders who perform these health clearances and avoid extremely small teacup specimens who face increased health risks. Regular veterinary care, maintaining lean body condition through portion control and daily exercise, dental hygiene, using harnesses rather than collars, and prompt attention to respiratory or mobility changes provide the foundation for Pomeranians to achieve their longevity potential while maintaining good quality of life throughout their years.
Important to Remember
Each hybrid dog is unique and may inherit any combination of traits from either parent breed. The information above represents the characteristics of the purebred parent breeds. Your Cavapom may favor one parent over the other or display a blend of both. We strongly encourage you to read the complete breed profiles for both the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and Pomeranian to fully understand the range of possible temperaments, health concerns, and care requirements.