Cav-A-Jack

13-17 lbs
10-14"
United States
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Jack Russell Terrier

The Cav-a-Jack is a hybrid breed. His parents are the beautiful Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and the spunky Jack Russell Terrier. He is a small, friendly canine who enjoys people, including small children. Not a high maintenance hybrid, he is ideal for the novice dog owner. Mischievous at times but very fun to have around, his inquisitive nature adds joy to his personality. As long as he is given adequate exercise, he will be a well-behaved little companion. He is likely to be mostly white with red, tan, brown or black markings. He is the perfect choice for a person who lives in an apartment, as well as a family with a fenced-in backyard.

purpose Purpose
Companion
history Date of Origin
Unknown
ancestry Ancestry
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and Jack Russell Terrier

Cav-A-Jack Health

Average Size
Male Cav-A-Jack size stats
Height: 12-16 inches Weight: 13-17 lbs
Female Cav-A-Jack size stats
Height: 10-14 inches Weight: 13-17 lbs
Major Concerns
  • Patellar Luxation
  • Lens Luxation
  • Mitral Valve Disease
  • Degenerative Myelopathy
  • Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease
  • Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)
Minor Concerns
  • Cataracts
Occasional Diagnoses
  • None Known
Occasional Tests
  • Eye Examination
  • Heart Testing
  • Knee X-Rays

Cav-A-Jack Breed History

While there is not much information on the Cav-a-jack breed itself, one can still learn much about the breed by studying the parent breeds. The early beginnings of the feisty Jack Russell Terrier involved the hunt. Perfectly suited to the job, the Jack Russell Terrier was a courageous, energetic breed that loved to work. A small game hunter, his agile form and tenacious spirit made him a desired partner in the forest and on the field. He was recognized by the American Kennel Club after the diligent work of fanciers over the years; his name was officially changed to the Parson Russell Terrier in 2003. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel was a companion dog right from the start. A nobleman and royal gentry's choice, he graced the courts with his presence and was highly favored. Kings Charles I and II eventually gave him their name, so taken were they with the breed. Brought to the United States in the mid 1500s, the American Kennel Club added them to their roster in 1995.

Cav-A-Jack Breed Appearance

The parent breeds of the Cav-a-Jack vary greatly in appearance. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel generally has a silky medium-length coat and may have a wavy texture. The Jack Russell Terrier parent is typically found to have a shorter, coarser coat with a smooth, sleek appearance. Your Cav-a-Jack may be a lovely combination of the two or could lean towards one or the other. Color combinations may be white with red, tan, or black markings. He could be tricolored as well; additionally chestnut coloring may be seen in the combination. His ears can be a combination of small and erect with a slight fold, to very long with feathering. His muzzle will be small and his nose most often black. His eyes will sparkle with mischief and be light to dark brown in color. He will be sturdy in build and quite likely will have a spunky, purposeful gait.

Eye Color Possibilities
brown Cav-A-Jack eyes
Brown
Nose Color Possibilities
black Cav-A-Jack nose
Black
Coat Color Possibilities
white Cav-A-Jack coat
White
brown Cav-A-Jack coat
Brown
pied Cav-A-Jack coat
Pied
red Cav-A-Jack coat
Red
fawn Cav-A-Jack coat
Fawn
sable Cav-A-Jack coat
Sable
Coat Length
coat
Short Medium Long
Coat Density
coat density
pin
Sparse Normal Dense
Coat Texture
coat texture
Cav-A-Jack wavy coat texture
Straight Wiry Wavy Curly Corded

Cav-A-Jack Breed Maintenance

The Cav-a-Jack has moderate grooming requirements. He will need weekly brushing with a pin brush or slicker brush depending on the thickness and consistency of the coat. When he sheds, brushing a few times a week should be enough to remove the loose fur. Depending on the length of his ears, a weekly check for dirt and moisture may be required, especially if your Cav-a-Jack spends a lot of time in the dirt and brush. Maintaining his teeth is important. Brush them several times a week in order to avoid costly dental expense. His nails should be checked and trimmed bi-monthly. When your Cav-a-Jack is young, get him used the grooming routine. It can be a nice bonding time between pet and owner.

Brushes for Cav-A-Jack
Pin Brush
Pin Brush
Slicker Brush
Slicker Brush
Nail Clipper
Nail Clipper
Brushing Frequency
fur daily fur weekly fur monthly
Cav-A-Jack requires weekly brushing
Daily Weekly Monthly

Cav-A-Jack Temperament

The Cav-a-Jack is a lively, spirited little dog. The Jack Russell Terrier parent is a highly intelligent and inquisitive dog. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel balances out the feisty personality by adding a touch of calmness and loads of affection. Your Cav-a-Jack will love his family dearly and prove to be a very adoring family member. He will want to be with the family; do not leave him unattended outside no matter how secure you think your fence may be. He is able to spring over a fence or even dig under it in order to get to what he wants. He may or may not get along with cats since they could appear to be prey and fun to chase. Though an affectionate hybrid, the Cav-a-Jack does have an independent side and will need firm, consistent guidance. Some owners have found the Cav-a-Jack tougher to toilet train then other hybrids but with perseverance your Cav-a-Jack will get it right.

Cav-A-Jack Activity Requirements

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel parent is the type of dog that can be happy sitting on his owner’s lap for long periods throughout the day while the Jack Russell Terrier is a bundle of energy. Capable of scaling a fence if he thinks there is action he should be a part of on the other side, this side of the equation means the energy level of your hybrid may be fairly high. Allow him an hour a day of interaction with you in the form of play, brisk walks, and obedience classes. Your Cav-a-Jack may excel  at activities like field trials or agility so don't be afraid to let him give it a try. He can adjust to apartment living but will be happiest if there is a dog park within close proximity that can be visited every day. A home with a fenced yard is ideal as long as supervision is always maintained.

Activity Level
low activity medium activity high activity
Low Medium High
Rec. Walk Mileage Per Week
9 miles
walk mileage
Minutes of Activity Per Day
60 minutes
activity minutes

Cav-A-Jack Food Consumption

Cups Per Day
2 cups
cup per day cost cup per day cost
Daily Cost
$1.20 - $1.40
food bowls daily cost
Monthly Cost
$34.00 - $45.00
food bag monthly cost

Cav-A-Jack Owner Experiences

Shelby
9 Years
2 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Our last dog which almost made it to 16 years old was great..A Jack Russell......My daughter gave us this Cav-A-Jack female at 5 years old. She also has a Golden Retriever and the two just did not get along. I have noticed after we took her off her hands, she does have issues with other dogs....Which is surprising when considering how much my daughter spent to get her socialised and trained. The dog is brilliant, but not very social at all with other dogs. And never will be. That said, this dog is smart, very agile, and with the Cavalier eyes and ears, very cute....but it does have that terrier blood - so it likes its toys and chases anything. I have read this cross is not a good watch-dog. Sorry, this is the perfect watch dog....she never fails to alert. She couldn't hurt anyone seriously, but she does tell you someone is in the area...Grooming, this cross sheds - a fair bit....2-3 times a week with the brush.....A fortnightly bath and you should be fine. These are people dogs and love spending their time with their owners....Extremely cute and smart, they can butter up their owners with ease.....expect to be watching TV with the Car-a-Jack at your side - also watching TV.....
6 years, 4 months ago
CLIFFORD
5 Years
2 People
Apartment
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Fetch
Very friendly and good with children! Good watchdog, protective. Will not come when called if he gets loose, thinks it's a game for you to chase him! Will go to strangers before you! Likes to cuddle and watch TV. Loves attention and petting.
6 years, 2 months ago
Millie
5 Years
4 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Great, she's a lovely dog, and wouldn't hurt a fly. She's good with everyone, adults and children of both genders, same with adult dogs and puppies. She's a gentle soul but also a greedy one. She's a dog I can trust 100%.
6 years, 1 month ago
Darwin...Charles(king)
4 Years
3 People
Condo
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Saw both parents on purchase. So had a good idea on what to expect. Had an Akita before so went from one scale to the other. Found not the easiest to train as a pup. Had special lessons which helped a lot. Very friendly, almost too much sometimes when walking and meeting other dogs and people. Always kept on a lead unless in open fields or by the river. Always stopped when asked and as happy to be on the lead. But I’m busy areas has been scared of traffic and unsure of loud noises. Hence whey kept him on lead.....at home he is perfect. Live in a flat with large gardens all around so plenty of outside space. Inside he is very happy and always lets me know when an unknown person or car has arrived outside, which isn’t a bad thing. A great companion and always enjoys a cuddle up on couch. Although after a while likes to find a quite space when kids are with me. Too much noise I guess. A dog that loves to be with you but loves to chase. Balls are a must but outside he thinks whatever moves fast is a ball. So some restraint required but not much. Had been great being on own for upto 6 hours at a time. I have read they like some independence and that’s obvious. He just lies around happy till I return. Best dog ever and best mate also. Find him to be very intelligent also. Always listening for certain words..walk or tea time... or ball. But knows then to hav down time. Can praise him more
6 years, 1 month ago
Arley
7 Months
2 People
House
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Fetch
Tug-of-war
Obedience classes
Play
Dog Parks
Arley's father was a Blenheim Cavalier and his mother was a Jack Russell. In the whole of his litter, Arley was the only one who came out looking like a Cavalier, all his siblings were short-haired and mostly white in colour. Arley however resembles a black and tan Cavalier, except with a thinner snout and flecks of white to lighten up his face. He has an adorably mischievous look in his eyes, which fits his curious and mischievous personality! He's a bundle of energy! He loves to play and run around, he even has those "Jack Russell momemts" where he zooms around and around like a crazy thing, sometimes we call him Taz the Tasmanian Devil, like the cartoon. Thankfully he does calm down after he's had a burst of exercise, then he likes to snuggle up somewhere cozy (preferably next to his humans). He's a great combination of the two breeds, the excitability and fun of the Jack Russell with the affection of the Cavalier. He can be a bit of a diva though, he's a really fussy eater and whenever he lies down it has to be somewhere soft. If there's nowhere soft to sleep then he whines until mommy brings him a pillow or a soft blanket. He loves people and dogs, he's very patient so he's great with kids too. Just a great dog all round.
5 years, 11 months ago
Rosie
4 Years
2 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Fetch
cuddle
Walks
Owned since she was 10 weeks old she was a lively puppy who enjoyed running away with slippers often enough but at around 6 months she was very clingy and shows loads of love Now at age 4 she has recently just had her first and only litter of puppies who are now 2 weeks and so adorable also have dad who is a 11 month jack russell
5 years, 7 months ago
Ruby Leia
7 Months
2 People
Apartment
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Playing
Walk
I had her from 8 wks and have found her easy enough to train. I have found that she always wants to be near me.
5 years, 6 months ago
Rubble
1 Year
5 People
House
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Walk
pulling
Fetch
Cuddling
playing with water
Running
Playing in the snow
He can be difficult at times but has calmed down rapidly since we got him a companion. He is not vicious, but will growl if he starts getting uncomfortable.
5 years, 3 months ago
Bella
14 Weeks
3 People
House
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Bella is temperamental
5 years, 2 months ago
Lucy
14 Years
2 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Our cavajack has been the best dog we’ve ever had. She just passed 2 days ago from liver cancer and my husband and I are devastated. We had her for a little over 14 years. She was so loving, loyal and obedient. She was so intelligent that she was still learning new tricks up until two weeks before she passed. She understood everything my husband and I talked about and knew when we we happy or sad. She could communicate anything she wanted just with her eyes or by hitting us with a front paw. She loved our whole family and was very gentle with children and babies. She never had accidents in the house and was extremely easy to housetrain when she was a pup. She loved to chase cats that would run but would befriend one if they didn’t. In fact we have a cat that was her best friend who she helped mother her kittens with. She loved chasing the geese on the golf course and was known to chase ducks into the water. She loved hunting gophers during her walks and was great off lease. The only thing she lacked was the awareness of the danger of cars. She was never aggressive with other dogs, unless they were with her first. Most times she just ignored other dogs because she enjoyed being with my husband and I, no matter where we were. When my husband and I had surgeries she would lay next to us, taking care not to hurt our injuries and was just happy to take care of us as we recovered. We loved her more than anything and are heart broken now that she’s gone. I wouldn’t want any other breed. Her mother was a jack russel and father was a KC. Her coloring was mostly black with a few patches of white on her back end and white underneath with white legs. Face black and brown and was just adorable.
4 years, 9 months ago
Molly
1 Year
1 People
Apartment
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Snuggles
Walking
Playing
Absolutely the most loving, sweetest, friendliest dog I have ever came across, never bites growls or gets aggressive and when I say never, I mean NEVER, and so attached to me, as I am to her. She is my life
4 years, 9 months ago
Diego
1 Year
4 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Amazing. i love my diego he's a cuddle bug and very energetic!!!
4 years, 7 months ago
Fritz
6 Months
2 People
House
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Play
Just an instant lively bundle of fun for our family. Likes to sport with our 3 mini-goats. Wary of the horses, but will sit in the saddle with me. I adore him!!
4 years, 5 months ago
Bruce
10 Months
3 People
House
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Chase
Go to Park
Look out the window
Eating Snacks
Bubbles
He is really friendly with everyone including strangers all though if he hears someone or sees someone outside he will bark and go metal. But he’s really playful and energetic but also loves his lay ins
3 years, 9 months ago
Lobo
2 Years
4 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Walking
Playing
Jogging
Hiking
Fetch
Lobo was more challenging to potty train than my previous dogs, but he did eventually get there, and he was quick to learn sit, lay down, etc. with food motivation. This dog LOVES people, especially our kids and their friends, and other animals. He is super affectionate. My FAVORITE thing about thing about him is that he is happy to lay on the couch and nap in my lap, but he is also happy to walk, run, play, etc. He is just HAPPY to do whatever you want him to do! He also is aware of people walking by the house, etc., but he hardly ever barks, which I was worried about, being a small dog. He is not yappy AT ALL.
3 years, 9 months ago
Book me a walkiee?
Pweeeze!
Sketch of smiling australian shepherd