Texas is a big state with a lot of Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppies advertised — and a wide gap between careful, health-focused breeders and sellers who cut corners. Because Cavaliers carry serious inherited risks, especially heart disease, how you choose a breeder matters more than how fast you can get a puppy.

This guide does not list individual breeders — listings go out of date and inclusion would imply an endorsement we cannot verify. Instead it gives you the exact checks Texas buyers can run themselves: the health tests to demand, how to verify them in public databases, Texas-specific buying protections, the questions to ask, and the red flags that should end a conversation. Use it for any breeder in Houston, Dallas–Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio or anywhere else in Texas.

Start With the Breed Clubs and Verified Directories

• Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club, USA (CKCSC, USA) and the American Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club (ACKCSC) — the AKC parent club — both publish breeder referral information and a code of ethics members agree to follow.
• AKC Marketplace — listings there are not a guarantee of quality, but breeders must meet AKC listing requirements; still verify every health claim yourself.
• OFA / CHIC database (ofa.org) — search the parents' registered names to confirm health results independently of anything a breeder tells you.

A breeder found through a club directory still needs the same verification. A breeder who discourages verification needs it most.

The Non-Negotiable Health Tests

Reputable Cavalier breeders test breeding dogs — both parents — and show you the actual certificates or OFA records. For this breed, expect:

• Heart: Annual examination by a board-certified veterinary cardiologist for mitral valve disease (MVD) — the breed's biggest killer. Ask for the cardiologist report and its date, not just "vet checked."
• Eyes: Annual examination by a board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist (OFA Eye Certification / CAER).
• Hips and patellas: OFA or PennHIP hip evaluation and OFA patella evaluation.
• DNA tests: Episodic Falling Syndrome (EFS) and Dry Eye / Curly Coat Syndrome — clear results, or a carrier bred only to a clear partner.
• MRI for syringomyelia (SM): Many top breeders MRI-screen; ask what they do about SM and Chiari-like malformation and listen for an honest, informed answer.
• CHIC number: A parent with a Canine Health Information Center (CHIC) number has completed the breed's recommended core screening — an easy first check on ofa.org.

How to verify in 5 minutes

Get both parents' full registered names, search each on ofa.org, and check that the heart and eye results are current (within about a year for breeding stock) and that DNA results are clear or safely paired. If a name returns nothing, ask why — before, not after, paying a deposit.

Texas-Specific Buying Notes

• Texas Licensed Breeder Program: Texas requires a state licence for breeders who keep 11 or more adult intact female dogs and sell 20 or more animals a year (Texas Occupations Code Ch. 802, administered by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation). Ask larger operations for their licence number and check it with TDLR. Small hobby breeders below that threshold are not licensed — which is normal — so judge them by the health and transparency checks in this guide.
• Visit in person: Texas distances are long, but a video call tour plus an in-person pickup is a reasonable minimum. Be wary of sellers who will only meet in a parking lot or ship a young puppy sight unseen with no questions asked.
• Heat matters: Ask how puppies are kept cool and how the breeder handles Texas summer heat for travel and pickups — Cavaliers are heat-sensitive, and a careful breeder will already have a plan.
• Get it in writing: A written contract and health guarantee, the puppy's vet records and first vaccinations, microchip details, and a clause requiring the dog be returned to the breeder if you ever cannot keep it — that return clause is a hallmark of a responsible breeder.

Questions to Ask Any Texas Cavalier Breeder

• May I see both parents' OFA records and cardiologist reports — and verify them online?
• How old are the parents, how often is the mother bred, and may I meet her?
• Where are puppies raised for their first 8+ weeks, and what socialisation do they get? (Under the breeder's feet in the home is the answer you want.)
• What age do puppies go home? (Never before 8 weeks; many Cavalier breeders wait until 9–12 weeks.)
• What happens if my circumstances change in 5 years? (Answer should be: the dog comes back to us.)
• What questions do you have for me? A breeder who screens buyers cares where puppies land.

Red Flags: Walk Away If You See These

• No verifiable health testing, or "my vet says they're healthy" instead of cardiologist / OFA records
• Multiple unrelated breeds or constant litters available immediately, "rare" colours or "teacup" Cavaliers at premium prices
• No visit, no video tour, no meeting the mother; pressure to pay in full quickly, especially by gift card or wire
• Puppies offered before 8 weeks, no written contract, no return clause
• Prices far below the usual Texas range with no explanation — in Texas, well-bred Cavaliers from fully health-tested parents commonly cost several thousand dollars; a bargain usually means the testing was skipped

Consider Rescue, Too

If you do not need a puppy, Cavalier-specific rescue organisations and Texas shelters occasionally have Cavaliers and Cavalier mixes needing homes — including older dogs whose size, temperament and health are already known. Ask the same health questions and expect an adoption screening; good rescues screen carefully, too.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Cavalier puppy cost in Texas?

Prices vary by breeder, lineage and testing, but puppies from fully health-tested parents in Texas commonly run into several thousand dollars. Treat unusually low prices as a prompt to ask what testing was skipped — lifetime vet costs for an untested puppy can dwarf the saving.

How do I verify a breeder's health testing?

Ask for both parents' registered names and search them at ofa.org. Confirm current cardiologist heart clearances, eye certifications, hip/patella results and DNA status yourself. A reputable breeder expects — and welcomes — this check.

Should a Texas breeder be state licensed?

Only larger breeders meeting the Texas threshold (11+ adult intact females and 20+ sales a year) must hold a TDLR licence under Chapter 802. Many excellent small hobby breeders are legally unlicensed — judge every breeder by verified health testing, transparency, living conditions and contract terms.

What age should a Cavalier puppy come home?

No earlier than 8 weeks, and many responsible Cavalier breeders send puppies home at 9–12 weeks, after first vaccinations, a vet check and early socialisation in the home.

The Bottom Line

Finding a reputable Cavalier breeder in Texas is a verification exercise: club directories to start, OFA-verifiable heart, eye, hip, patella and DNA testing on both parents, a visit or video tour, a written contract with a lifetime return clause — and patience for a waitlist, which good breeders almost always have. Skip any seller who cannot pass those checks, however cute the photos. For more Cavalier guides, visit the US Bulletin Post homepage.

Further reading: American Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club — ackcsc.org and the OFA health database at ofa.org.

Disclaimer: This article is general buyer education, not an endorsement of any breeder and not legal advice. Verify licences with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation and health records with OFA before purchasing.