Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club

The Kennel Club would like to wish all Cavalier Kings Charles Spaniel enthusiasts a happy new year and thank breeders for continuing to support the Kennel Club Heart Scheme for the CKCS. We have now seen 365 dogs participate in the scheme and we hope to provide an analysis of the scheme results and progress by the spring, this will be sent to all breed clubs to share with members and will feature as part of the breed health and conservation plan for the breed.

We are pleased to confirm that the Kennel Club is offering a total of £13,000 in 2021 to subsidise heart scheme assessments for CKCS by supporting breed club sessions throughout 2021. For support and more information about subsidies available to breed clubs wishing to hold a session in 2021 we ask for breed club secretaries to please contact Fern McDonnell at the Kennel Club via

We urge breed clubs not to miss this opportunity and to get in touch as soon as possible to make arrangements for sessions to be held later in the year in a COVID secure way.

Publication of Results – 2021 onwards
We would like breeders and clubs to consider their views on the publishing of results from Kennel Club Heart Scheme assessments from 2021 onwards. To be clear this would mean that results from an agreed date in 2021 would be published from that date onwards. We would not publish results from assessments undertaken in 2019 or 2020 unless the owner resubmitted their heart assessment form and written permission from the owner(s) via email to the Kennel Club.

We think it is now extremely important that we move to publishing results from 2021 onwards as the overwhelming majority of results are positive and show a way forward for breeders with this condition. Breeders should be proud of their results and the commitment the breed has shown to the scheme and therefore we consider publication of results as a wholly positive move forward with scheme development. Views can be submitted by completing the short survey here https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/8XSJQHT

The Kennel Club Heart Scheme for CKCS – ABS requirements
In December 2020 the heart scheme was added as a requirement for Assured Breeders, with a grace period currently in place until the minimum of July 2021 (COVID dependent). Assured Breeders will be required to have any breeding stock tested under the heart scheme. Any queries regarding specific matings should be made to the ABS department at

Information, Update & Appeals Relating to the Scheme
Finally we would like to remind all owners to contact the Kennel Club for information, advice or appeals relating to the heart scheme to not ask individual Cardiologists to support with administration of the scheme or other queries. All enquiries should be sent to the Kennel Club via