Kantu Cavaliers

I have been involved with dogs for most of my life and  Cavalier King Charles Spaniels since 1996.  When I was growing up, my parents bred and showed Collies and I spent most of my childhood traveling to dog shows and watching my parents exhibit their collies.  In my early teens, my mother earned her AKC judging license and I began traveling with her to watch her judge.  I currently co-own most of my dogs with my mother who is still a well respected AKC licensed judge and has been breeding dogs for almost 50 years.

It is only natural that I continued to breed and exhibit dogs when I reached adulthood.  I found the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel in 1996, shortly after they had been admitted to the AKC for registration.  It was a difficult transition for the Cavalier breed.  AKC’s decision to admit the Cavalier tore the Cavalier world apart.  The existing breed club adamantly refused to cooperate and the breeders who supported the decision and worked with AKC were blacklisted.

It was a turbulent time to try to find a show quality Cavalier and not knowing any better, I approached several Cavalier breeders with my hopes of finding a puppy to show at AKC shows.  I was not only slapped down but told in no uncertain terms that AKC was going to ruin the breed and that no one who wanted to register their dogs with AKC would EVER get one of their puppies.

How discouraging!  I did not give up and finally found an English breeder who sold me my first puppy.  That puppy was Dickens. I vowed at that time to never subject anyone what I went through.  I am happy to be able to talk Cavaliers with anyone and to help anyone get started in the breed.

I attended the first AKC Cavalier King  Charles Spaniel Specialty and participated in the organizational meetings of the American Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club.  Through the years, I have been able to show my Cavaliers in both
the AKC and the CKCSCUSA venues.