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Comparison

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel vs Yorkshire Terrier

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
"Yorkshire Terrier studio portrait"
Toy13.3 yr avg

Yorkshire Terrier

AKC · Toy

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
Toy

Yorkshire Terrier

Lifespan13.3 yrrange 13–14
SizeToy
Weight7–7 lb3.2–3.2 kg
Height7–8 in17.8–20.3 cm
Senior at9 yrgeriatric at 13
AKC groupToy
Energy4/560 min/day
Trainability4/5
Shedding1/5
With kids5/5
With other dogs3/5
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/.

Yorkshire Terrier

  • Moderatetypical onset ~2 yr

    Patellar Luxation

    Description and veterinary guidance for Patellar Luxation 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/.

  • 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 Yorkshire Terrier tends to live about 1.5 years longer on average than the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (13.3 vs 11.8 years).

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is small while the Yorkshire Terrier is toy — a modest difference in day-to-day care.

Energy levels are close, with a slight edge to the Yorkshire Terrier (60 min/day of directed exercise).

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

See Cavalier King Charles Spaniel profileSee Yorkshire Terrier profile
Or calculate your dog's age
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