Dakota – 13‑Year‑Old Blenheim Cavalier
Not Yet Available for Adoption**
Dakota is a soft, serene, deeply affectionate Blenheim girl whose gentle presence brings calm to every room she enters. At 13 years old, she embodies the sweetest parts of senior Cavalier life: quiet companionship, warm naps, slow sniff‑walks, and a heart full of gratitude for every kindness shown to her.
She recently completed her cardiology evaluation and is now on a well‑managed medication plan for MVD, stage C. She still needs a dental and follow‑up bloodwork, so she is not quite ready for adoption, but she is thriving in foster care and showing her foster family just how special she is.
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💛 Personality & Temperament
Dakota is laid‑back, affectionate, and wonderfully easy to live with. She loves being near her humans—always choosing a spot where she can watch them—but she isn’t clingy or demanding.
She enjoys the company of other Cavaliers and has been around cats with no issues. She hasn’t been around children, but she likes both men and women equally and greets new people with gentle friendliness that deepens as she warms up.
Her favorite hobbies include:
• Napping in sunny spots
• Supervising from a cozy bed
• Staying close enough to keep an eye on her people
• Short, leisurely sniffaris at her own pace
She is mostly deaf, so she relies on visual cues and routine, and she handles this with the calm confidence of a seasoned girl who has seen it all.
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🏡 Home Life & Habits
Dakota is doing well with house training, especially when taken outside every two hours. She hasn’t yet learned to signal when she needs to go out, but with consistency she does beautifully.
Other notes from her foster home:
• Walks nicely on a leash at a relaxed, sniff‑focused pace
• Rides well in a crate for short car trips
• Eats enthusiastically—she does adorable “tippy taps” at mealtime
• No resource guarding
• Loves her food and takes her medications easily in pill pockets
• Enjoys a quiet, air‑conditioned lifestyle
She is a peaceful, steady companion who fits best in a calm home where she can continue her slow, comfortable routine.
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🩺 Medical Notes
Dakota’s heart disease is MVD stage C, currently well‑managed with medication. She has had a full echocardiogram reviewed by a cardiologist and is responding beautifully to treatment.
Her ongoing medical needs include:
• Heart medications (one given three times daily, others twice daily)
• Routine cardiology rechecks
• Bloodwork recheck in ~3 months
• A dental procedure, which is being scheduled
• Eye drops for one eye—she takes them like a champ
She eats ⅓ cup Hill’s j/d twice daily and maintains a healthy appetite.
Dakota will require an adopter experienced with MVD or committed to following her medication and monitoring schedule closely.
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🌿 Ideal Future Home
Dakota will thrive in a quiet, steady home with someone who understands senior Cavaliers and the care required for heart disease. She enjoys the company of other gentle dogs and would love a home where she can nap nearby, follow her people from room to room, and enjoy a peaceful, air‑conditioned lifestyle.
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💖 Her Story
Dakota’s journey to rescue is both heartbreaking and inspiring. When her beloved owner passed away, she was unexpectedly taken to a shelter. She had been without her medications and comforts for about eight days—dangerous for a dog with advanced MVD.
The shelter staff immediately recognized her sweetness. They cleaned her up, kept her cool, and one staff member even took her home for a bath and some air‑conditioning. A local rescuer stepped in, pulled her from the shelter, and generously covered her initial veterinary care before transferring her to the Cavalier Rescue Trust.
Within 36 hours of restarting her heart medications, Dakota released nearly two pounds of fluid and began feeling dramatically better. She has been a fighter from the moment she arrived, and her resilience is remarkable.
She was clearly cherished by her late owner, and she carries that gentle, well‑loved spirit with her today.
