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Comparison

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel vs Golden Retriever

Side-by-side comparison from peer-reviewed sources. Lifespan and health figures draw on Royal Veterinary College VetCompass and AKC breed data.

"Cavalier King Charles Spaniel studio portrait"
Small11.8 yr avg

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

AKC · Toy

View breed
"Golden Retriever studio portrait"
Large13.2 yr avg

Golden Retriever

AKC · Sporting

View breed
At a glance

Side-by-side

The numbers that most change day-to-day care. A citrus border marks a meaningful advantage.

Small

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

Lifespan11.8 yrrange 11–12
SizeSmall
Weight13–18 lb5.9–8.2 kg
Height12–13 in30.5–33 cm
Senior at8 yrgeriatric at 12
AKC groupToy
Energy3/545 min/day
Trainability4/5
Shedding2/5
With kids5/5
With other dogs5/5
Large

Golden Retriever

Lifespan13.2 yrrange 13–14
SizeLarge
Weight55–75 lb24.9–34 kg
Height21.5–24 in54.6–61 cm
Senior at6 yrgeriatric at 10
AKC groupSporting
Energy3/545 min/day
Trainability5/5
Shedding4/5
With kids5/5
With other dogs5/5
Health

Common health issues

Top 3 prevalence-ranked conditions for each breed. See each breed's full health profile for screening schedules and source data.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

  • High prevalencetypical onset ~8 yr

    Degenerative Myelopathy

    Description and veterinary guidance for Degenerative Myelopathy land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Moderatetypical onset ~7 yr

    Cataracts

    Description and veterinary guidance for Cataracts land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Moderatetypical onset ~6 yr

    Adult-Onset Cardiac Disease (Echocardiogram)

    Description and veterinary guidance for Adult-Onset Cardiac Disease (Echocardiogram) land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

Golden Retriever

  • Moderatetypical onset ~7 yr

    Cataracts

    Description and veterinary guidance for Cataracts land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Moderatetypical onset ~2 yr

    Elbow Dysplasia

    Description and veterinary guidance for Elbow Dysplasia land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Low prevalencetypical onset ~1 yr

    Congenital Cardiac Defect

    Description and veterinary guidance for Congenital Cardiac Defect land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

Synthesis

Which is right for you?

The Golden Retriever tends to live about 1.4 years longer on average than the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (13.2 vs 11.8 years).

Size gap is meaningful: the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is small and the Golden Retriever is large. Expect different considerations for housing, travel, and vet-care costs.

Both breeds have similar energy requirements — roughly 45 minutes of daily activity keeps either satisfied.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniels carry a heavier breed-specific health burden (1 high-prevalence conditions vs 0 for the Golden Retriever). Budget for screening accordingly.

See Cavalier King Charles Spaniel profileSee Golden Retriever profile
Or calculate your dog's age
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