Renting means you don’t own your home (duh). It usually also means paying a security deposit or fee to cover any damage done by a pet (ugh). If you’re a renter on the prowl for a dog, we can’t recommend the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel enough. A whole host of factors went into this recommendation. Namely, these dogs are not destructive and they take very well to training.
In fact, Courtney Briggs, the Head Trainer at Zoom Room Dog Training, put Cavalier King Charles Spaniels on her list of the best dogs for first-time dog owners because they are so eager to learn commands. Cavs do remarkably well in agility training, in part due to their lithe athleticism and in part due to the joy they get from making their owners proud. Cavaliers are incredibly affectionate. These pups are smart, too.
Oddly enough, the combination of intelligence and blind devotion in any dog could become an issue if you don’t train and socialize your pet early. Since Cavaliers are smart companion dogs, leaving them home alone for long periods of time could result in destructive behavior. Why? Separation anxiety or boredom. Honestly, you could say the same for any other breed, but we wanted to mention it because it’s important to curb this type of behavior early (or prevent it from happening in the first place).
Overall, destruction is not the way of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. These are gentle creatures who love laying in your lap and only require moderate exercise. Bred to be companion pups to European and British monarchs in the 17th century, they maintain a sweet, devoted disposition to this day. (This is why they are often used as therapy dogs!)
