Welcome to the Cavachons by Design Blog!

We celebrate Bentley & Lexi — two inseparable Cavachons by Design pups who’ve shared 14 joyful years together.

Some Cavachon pairs are simply meant to be — and Bentley & Lexi are one of those unforgettable duos.

Born just two months apart in 2011, Bentley and Lexi have shared 14 wonderful years side by side, bringing endless love, laughter, and joy to their devoted family, Rebecca and Winston.

There is a common belief that training is something you do in puppyhood and then check off the list.

But anyone who has truly lived with a dog knows that is not how real life works.

Dogs are living, feeling, evolving beings. They change with age. They move through seasons. They respond to our energy, our routines, our consistency, and the overall rhythm of the home around them.

Just like us, they do not stop learning once they grow up.

In many ways, adult dogs need guidance just as much as puppies do—it simply looks different.

That is where training refreshers for adult dogs become so

A Simple Habit That Supports Long-Term Health

When you bring a dog into your home, you want to do things right.

You think about food.
You make sure they have fresh water.
You focus on exercise, grooming, and creating a safe, loving environment.

All of that matters.

But there’s one piece of daily care that often gets overlooked—and it’s one I personally feel is important for every dog.

👉 Daily nutritional support.

Dogs are fascinating in so many ways. The more we learn about them, the more impressive they become. From how they hear and learn to how they sleep and connect with the people they love, dogs are full of small details that make them even more special.

Here are a few fun facts about dogs that highlight just how amazing dogs truly are.

Most people measure a good walk by distance. But your dog isn’t measuring distance; they’re measuring information. A structured walk has its place — and so does learning to heel — but a 20-minute sniff walk delivers more mental stimulation than an hour of structured exercise ever could.

If your dog comes home from a walk still restless, still barking, still unable to settle — it’s not because they didn’t walk far enough. It’s because they didn’t get to think enough.

That’s what a sniff walk fixes.

A sniff walk — sometimes called a decompression walk or a free sniff walk — is exactly

What does healthy dog poop look like?

It seems like a simple question. But your dog’s stool is one of the most information-dense health signals their body produces — daily, consistently, completely free of charge. Once you know how to read it, you’ll never look at it the same way again.

This is your complete color-by-color, texture-by-texture guide for dog poop. No fluff, no panic — just the information you actually need to become a genuinely informed advocate for your dog’s gut health.

Every time you pick up after your dog, you have a four-second opportunity to check four things:

• Color — the most immediate signal of

They say that love comes in many forms, 
Through sunshine bright and through life’s storms, 
But few compare, I’ve come to find, 
To a dog’s devoted heart and mind.

No words are needed to convey
The joy they bring to every day, 
Those gentle eyes that seem to see 
The very best of you and me.

Their love asks nothing in return— 
No tests to pass, no roles to learn, 
Just presence, kindness, and our time, 
A bond so simple and sublime.

Through changing seasons, years go by, 
They’re there through laughter and through cry, 
No grudges held, no love grows cold, 
A faithful friend worth more than gold.

They greet us like we’ve been away for years, 
Though only minutes disappeared, 
A spinning tail, a joyful

When people think about heart disease in dogs, they picture genetics, age, or breed.

They rarely think about teeth.

But veterinary cardiology and internal medicine have shown a clear and growing body of evidence:

Chronic dental disease is one of the most common silent contributors to heart strain and systemic inflammation in dogs.

Dental disease is not just “bad breath.”

It is a progressive infection of the tissues surrounding the teeth.

Stage 1 – Plaque

Bacteria form a sticky film on the teeth within hours after eating.

Stage 2 – Tartar

Brought to you by her mom, Perri, this is Sadie — a 3‑year‑old Cavachons by Design pup who spends most of her time in New York City, with the occasional trip to Long Island or Florida.

If you’re looking for one of the simplest, most powerful upgrades you can make to your dog’s diet, sardines deserve a top spot.

These small fish punch far above their weight nutritionally. Sardines support joint health, skin and coat quality, brain development, heart function, and immune resilience — all while being affordable and easy to source.

When outdoor time is limited, indoor enrichment becomes essential for your dog’s well-being. At Cavachons by Design, we know that a happy, balanced Cavachon isn’t just a product of walks and playtime — it’s also built through mental stimulation and calm skill-building. Simple indoor activities, like scent games, puzzle toys, and mat work, can engage your dog’s brain and help them develop focus, confidence, and emotional balance.

Our story at Cavachons by Design is rooted in raising dogs who are not only adorable but also well-prepared for

At Cavachons by Design, we’ve seen how maintaining fresh bedding, toys, and everyday accessories can make a huge difference for a Cavachon’s comfort, skin health, and overall well-being. Your dog’s items are in constant contact with their skin, mouth, and surroundings — and when these aren’t cleaned regularly, they can harbor bacteria, yeast, odors, and allergens that contribute to irritation, infections, or illness. For clarity, our Cavachons are bred by pairing Cavalier King Charles Spaniels with Bichons, rather than breeding Cavachon to Cavachon, which is considered a poor breeding practice.

A clean

This 7-day calm challenge is designed to help dogs of all ages build calm, confident behavior through simple, everyday exercises. It focuses on mental engagement, emotional balance, and real-life skills rather than just physical tiredness. Whether you’re raising a new puppy or supporting an adult dog, these practices make calm achievable, consistent, and rewarding.

You may have heard the phrase “a tired dog is a happy dog,” and while there’s truth to it, the type of tired matters.

Dogs don’t just need physical exercise — they need mental

Natural detoxification isn’t a single organ’s job. It’s a coordinated, full-body process that depends on multiple systems working in harmony. The gut and liver process and package toxins for elimination, the kidneys filter metabolic waste from the blood, the lymphatic system transports cellular debris, the skin and lungs assist with secondary elimination, and proper hydration and movement keep everything flowing efficiently.

As we discussed in Part 1: Why So Many Dog Health Issues Trace Back to the Gut, detox cannot work properly if the intestinal lining is compromised and toxins are constantly reabsorbed. In 

Many dogs experiencing chronic inflammation don’t have weak immune systems — they have overactive ones.

In our previous posts, Why So Many Dog Health Issues Trace Back to the Gut and The Liver–Gut Connection: Why Detox Matters More Than You Think, we explored how gut integrity and liver function form the foundation of whole-dog health. When the gut barrier is compromised and detox pathways are overwhelmed, the immune system is placed under constant strain.

Because such a large portion of immune activity

Before diving into liver detox, it’s helpful to recall insights from our earlier post, Why So Many Dog Health Issues Trace Back to the Gut 🐾 PART 1, which explains how gut health underpins overall well-being. A compromised gut can increase the toxic burden the liver must process, making gentle support even more crucial.

The liver detoxifies in two phases, and understanding this process explains why slow, steady support works better than aggressive protocols.

Phase I makes toxins more reactive and potentially more dangerous. This phase creates oxidative stress as toxins are broken down into intermediate

Over the years, a consistent pattern has emerged across the dog world, particularly around common concerns like allergies, ear infections, skin flare-ups, digestive upset, and low energy.

On the surface, these issues may seem unrelated. But beneath the surface, they are often deeply connected.

The common thread is gut health — and it helps explain why so many dog health issues trace back to the gut.

Around 70% of a dog’s immune system resides in the gut, which means the digestive tract does far more than simply break down food. It plays a central role in immune regulation, inflammation control, nutrient absorption, and overall resilience.

When the gut is compromised, the effects rarely remain

Thanksgiving brings delicious food, full hearts — and a few hidden dangers for your Cavachon.

When Thanksgiving rolls around, it’s hard to resist those pleading eyes under the table — especially when your Cavachon looks like a walking ball of charm. But while sharing “just a little” of your holiday meal feels harmless, some Thanksgiving staples can trigger major health issues for your Cavachon.

Cavachon’s tend to be more prone to food sensitivities than larger breeds. Rich, fatty, or seasoned dishes can quickly lead to stomach upset, pancreatitis, or worse. So before you pass a