Welcome to Meadowlake and our Cavalier King Charles Spaniel family
For more than twenty-five years, Meadowlake has bred Cavalier King Charles Spaniels for sound hearts, gentle temperaments and true breed type — and raised every one of them as part of the family.
The kind of start a Cavalier deserves
A Cavalier is a lifelong companion. Everything we do is aimed at making those years healthy, happy, and easy to love.
How our puppies are raised- 01
Born & raised in our home
Our litters are carefully planned and our puppies are raised by their mothers in our home.
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Health tested, generation after generation
All of Meadowlake’s publicly reported health testing is available at the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) database at ofa.org. Meadowlake Cavaliers follow all the OFA recommended health testing for the breed. Prior to breeding, dogs are screened by a veterinary cardiologist and ophthalmologist. Our dogs also complete OFA screening of patellae, hips and elbows.
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A responsible and knowledgeable breeding program
A breeder who tests and titles her dogs. With 3 decades in this breed, our Cavaliers have earned countless accolades in a wide range of dog sports including conformation, agility, obedience, Canine Good Citizen (CGC), farm dog certification, nose work, AKC temperament test and others.
Three decades, one beloved breed
Meadowlake is the small, home-based program of Dorothy Swanson, who has shared her life with Cavaliers since 1997 and bred them in far west Houston since 1999. It began with a single puppy — Coco, who became a champion, an agility competitor and a therapy dog — and grew into a line built around health, temperament and classic type.
Dorothy is only one of 4 AKC Breeders of Merit Silver currently. She bred 2 of the 2024 ACKCSC Advanced Performance Award winners. Her dog, Fawkes, is the top ranked ruby Cavalier in lifetime points in the AKC National Owner-Handled Series (NOHS) and in lifetime AKC Grand Champion points in Texas. She strongly believes in the preservation of the breed type and wonderful qualities that make a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Mostly, though, she just loves living with Cavaliers.
Read our story
Tested for the things that matter
Every breeding begins with a commitment to health. We carefully screen and test our Cavaliers before breeding, prioritizing their health, well-being, and the future of every puppy.
- Cardiologist heart screening for mitral valve disease prior to breeding
- Ophthalmologist eye exam prior to breeding
- OFA screening of patellae (knees), hips and elbows
- DNA testing for episodic falling and dry-eye / curly-coat
- CHIC numbers you can verify yourself on the OFA database
“Our puppies are born, raised and live in our home. They learn the world from a real family — so they're ready to become yours.”
— Dorothy Swanson, Meadowlake Cavaliers
Recognised by the people who know the breed best
Let's find your family's puppy
Most of our puppies are reserved before they're born. Tell us a little about your home and what you're hoping for — we'd love to start the conversation.