Finnish Cavalier Club approve crossbreed program

"Suomen Cavalier Kingcharlesinspanieliyhdistys ry
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FINNISH CKCS CLUB TO GO AHEAD WITH CROSS-BREEDING PROGRAMME
The Finnish Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club has given green light for the club’s first ever cross-breeding programme. The programme was mandated unanimously by the club members in a biannual general meeting on April 23rd 2022.
A preliminary cross-breeding committee was formed in the late summer of 2021, in order to collect information and to draft together a plan for a potential cross-breeding programme for Finnish Cavalier KC Spaniels. Nine months later the plan was put forward for the club members, resulting in a unanimous decision to start the programme.
The cross-breeding programme’s goal is to improve the health of the Cavalier, particularly regarding Mitral Valve Disease, Syringomyelia and possibly even Chiari Malformation. The Finnish CKCS Club recognises that particularly MVD is fixated in the breed and thus traditional Cavalier x Cavalier breeding cannot eradicate the condition nor notably decrease the number of affected dogs. Cross-breeding will introduce the Cavalier with genetic material from another breed that is free from these severe health conditions, increasing CKCS’s genetic diversity. The breed club’s plan is to carry out several litters with several breeds, in order to see long-term health results and to ensure sufficient material for further study.
Regarding partner breeds, no final decisions have yet been made. However, there are set guidelines, such as the partner breed must not show any brachycephalic traits, and its temperament must match that of the typical CKCS. All eventual cross-bred CKCS litters will be bred by registered CKCS breeders under the supervision of The Finnish Kennel Club and the Finnish CKCS Club. A single cross-bred line will include four generations, the final one being FCI registered as purebred Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Completing a single 4-generation line is estimated to take approximately 10 years.
The April general meeting also chose a chairperson for a standing cross-breeding committee. Shortly after a full committee was formed, consisting of long-term Cavalier breeders and devotees. The cross-breeding committee’s goal is to carry out a transparent project that will not only help sustain our beloved breed, but to offer valuable information to other CKCS clubs and breeders around the world. The committee operates under the Finnish Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club.
For further information, please contact
Katja Vuorenheimo
Chair of Cross-Breeding Committee
katja.vuorenheimo@cavalieryhdistys.com"