With only the utmost affection:  "Puppy uglies" is the period when the Cavalier Spaniel puppy's coat is gone, but it's too early for the adult coat, sometimes 2-3 years too early, depending on the lines.  (Some lines coat up early, and some don't.)  At this stage, the coat is quite short, the muzzle often looks long, the face is narrow, the feet look large, and the legs appear to be on the long side.  The puppy may even be a tad bit clumsy due to the uneven development of certain body parts.  Honestly, we find many pups to be unappealing at this stage, and we feel plenty guilty about feeling this way! 

 

The best thing about this stage of development is that THIS IS TEMPORARY.  We have seen puppy after puppy go from their "ugly" stage to an incredibly lovely adult Cavalier.  Even show breeders hold back certain Cavalier Spaniels from the show ring until they're 2 to 3 years old when they're in full bloom.   

 

The difference between adolescence and adulthood can be quite stark.  Anyone who is familiar with double-coated breeds knows how odd a puppy looks when s/he blows their puppy coat.  It's the same situation with Cavalier Spaniels. 

 

Even if you choose a cute little baby, you'll still have to experience the "Puppy Uglies."  There is no way to avoid this stage of development.

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The best time to determine a puppy's projected adult proportions is at 8 weeks of age.  The coat is dependent on the parents' and grandparents' adult coats.  If you're someone who likes to get the fringe trimmed for easy upkeep, it won't matter to you if the adult coat isn't really long or not. 

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Most of our Cavaliers have coats that are moderate to long in length, but there are always exceptions to the rule, per Mother Nature.  ;-)

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The point to this diatribe is that there is no cause for concern when your beautiful little fuzzy puppy turns into some unknown adolescent!  <3  That young one is still your precious baby, honest!  Don't let anyone who has not raised a number of Cavalier Spaniels from all kinds of different lines tell you that your baby is "odd!"  They simply don't know the score. 

 

Patience is the key, as hard as it may be at times.  Again, the parents' and grandparents' appearance is what will indicate how your baby will turn out in the looks department.

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Please also read:  Blood Anomalies