A Corgi Cava is a cross between two popular breeds of dogs.
They’re the result of cross breeding between a Corgi and a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
Although their parents are both members of relatively common breeds, Corgi Cavas remain quite rare.
In a bid to learn more about this little mix, we spoke to Stanley Tucci (@stanleytuccithedog).
Stanley is a Corgi Cava cross that was rescued after being found on the streets of Los Angeles, California.
Let’s hear a little more about Stanley’s story and the Cavalier mix.
1) How did you first hear about Cava Corgis?
I had never heard of them before I found Stanley on Petfinder.com.
2) What attracted you to the cross breed?
Stanley the Corgi Cava (Photo: @stanleytuccithedog / Instagram)
I grew up with Corgis and I always wanted a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel so I knew he was perfect for me instantly! I also loved that the CKCS breed is known for being clingy and great in apartments, as I was moving into a small apartment in a quiet community and I work a lot.
3) Can you give us an insight in Stanley’s personality?
Stanley’s personality is mostly a LOT of anxiety. I’m not sure what he went through for his first two years of life because he was found wandering around in LA, but he has lots of anxiety with people other than me (mostly men, especially minorities). He’s very dramatic and scared most of the time, but when he’s with me and at home, he’s happy. He doesn’t play with toys but LOVES chewing on bones & going for rides.
4) Can you identify Corgi and CKCS traits in Stanley?
• Corgi traits – dramatic, herding, never-ending appetite, protective
• CKCS traits – extremely clingy, quite docile, very loving
5) Do they make good family pets? Do they do well with children?
Stanley has only been around a handful of children and always does pretty well if they’re calm around him. I think he would be a perfect family dog.
6) Does Stanley require a lot of exercise?
Stanley the Corgi Cava (Photo: @stanleytuccithedog / Instagram)
He requires no exercise at all. He hates walks (mostly because he’s scared of leaving the apartment) but he does run around our parking lot sometimes to burn off energy. He could easily go days without leaving the couch.
7) Do Cava Corgi shed a lot? Are they hypoallergenic?
He sheds a LOT. I don’t brush him often because he makes it impossible, there’s lots of squiggling and running away. His fur grows very slowly so I only need to take him to the groomer a few times per year
8) Would you say Cava Corgi are easy to train?
He’s not easy or hard to train. It takes a few weeks to teach him a trick, but he’s pretty smart.
9) What advice would you give someone thinking about an Cava Corgi as a pet?
I would tell someone that it’s the best combination of breeds ever. The craziness from a corgi & calmness of a CKCS.
10) Do you think they would be suited to first time owners?
Definitely would be a great dog for first time owners. Doesn’t require much exercise, can be left alone for a long time & extremely loyal. Just wants to hang out with you all day.
11) What’s your favourite memory, post or story about Stanley?
Stanley the Corgi Cava (Photo: @stanleytuccithedog / Instagram)
The day I got Stanley would definitely be my favorite moment. I was refreshing Petfinder on a Saturday and he popped up as soon as he was listed. I IMMEDIATELY filled out an application. The next day he was at an adoption event in Santa Monica & I was there before they even unloaded the dogs. As he was taken out of his crate I grabbed him, filled out more paperwork & he was mine! He was so cute & scared, still dirty from when they found him. On the way to my car he got scared & immediately got out of his collar, ran under my car on the side of a very busy street. I got to his level and coaxed him over to me. Every since that moment he’s been attached to me.
12) What other Cava Corgi or dog accounts in general would you recommend to our readers?
There aren’t a lot of cavacorgi’s on Instagram but I would recommend @kingston_the_cavacorgi. There is a Corgi-Chihuahua mix that looks a lot like Stanley @cody_the_kingchiu.
Pros
• Loyalty – I didn’t think a dog could get this attached to me. I love having him with me almost everywhere I got (except for work) He’s the perfect companion. Even if I go to take the trash out he’s so excited to see me come back 30sec later.
• Independence – I work over 10 hours a day and never thought i’d find a dog that could be home alone that whole time without too many accidents.
• Size – He’s the perfect size dog at about 15lbs. He fits in my lap which comes in handy in cars & on planes. I don’t carry him all the time but if I have to it takes a while before my back starts hurting.
Cons
• Anxiety – He’s scared of strangers & even people that he’s met before. It’s sad because everyone thinks he’s so cute & wants to pet him but I have to pick him up first, and even then he puts his feet out to try and stop them. I also wish he would enjoy walks more! I have to drag him out of the house – literally.
• Jealousy – He gets very jealous of our cat & wants all of my attention. If i’m petting her, he’s right next to us trying to weasel his way in.
• Food aggression – If the cat gets near his food or near my food he will get nasty and lunge & snap at her. I’m trying to train him to stop but it doesn’t seem to be working. I feed them in separate parts of the apartment. He has never actually bit her before though.
• Escape artist – He hates walks so much that I end up pulling him and he can get out of the harness really easier. I’m working on getting a more secure harness so it doesn’t happen again.
