According to the consumer magazine, Which? – they're pretty unequivocal about it. They say the best UK dog insurance product comes from John Lewis.

This is quite an interesting evolution as far as we're concerned.

We began life in 2001 advising pet owners to avoid high street names and stick with specialist providers of insurance products. e.g. don't go with Argos/Tesco etc, stick with the likes of Direct Line and Churchill.

This, we believed to be accurate at the time, as a result of an apparent 'cashing in' by some companies who simply wanted to get in to the pet insurance sector but who weren't really specialist enough to offer comprehensive cover for the wide variety of issues and health concerns that could compromise dog owners should they actually need to claim on their policies.

As Bob Dylan once wrote though, times are a changin'.

Now we have a more mature dog / pet insurance market and many players have entered, exited, refined and in nearly (nearly!) all cases, improved.

Which? Magazine is independent and very well respected. When they perform a consumer test, they do it thoroughly and without commercial bias. So when they pronounce a product to be 'the best' then, by and large, it usually is.

We tend to refrain from making subjective proclamations on these pages. However, we are more than happy to lean on the experience and good judgement of publications of authority such as Which?.

On this basis, if you're looking for the best UK dog insurance product, you can select John Lewis Pet Insurance with the full confidence that it has the trust and recommendation of one of the UK's most respected consumer guides. That's good enough for us!

With as many as one in three pets requiring an unexpected visit to the vet each year, pet insurance is an important part of responsible pet ownership, says Petplan the UK’s favourite pet insurance provider.

Pet insurance is designed to provide pet owners with peace of mind and financial security so that in the event of an accident or illness their pet can receive the best possible treatment available without having to consider the cost of veterinary bills.

Louise Watson agrees, knowing all too well about the importance of pet insurance. Her boxer Zeus was diagnosed with epilepsy and after extensive tests, which included an MMR scan and a spinal tap, the vet also found he had a heart murmur.

All of Zeus’s scans and tests to diagnosis him and the daily medication he now takes to control his conditions has cost over £4,000 so far. However, thankfully for Louise she took out a Petplan Covered For Life policy shortly after buying Zeus, which has meant that all these costs have been covered by Petplan.

“I’m so grateful to have decided to takeout a Petplan Covered for Life policy – it means we can cover the continual treatment for Zeus’s epilepsy and heart murmur for the rest of his life. I always recommend Petplan to my friends as I wouldn’t know what I would have done without their support.”

With an increasing number of pet insurance policies available, it can be confusing for pet owners to decide the best policy. However, a Petplan Covered for Life plan is the most comprehensive policy on the market. It renews the amount of vet fees cover at the start of each year, which enables policy holders to claim the full vet fee benefit, year after year, as long as the policy is renewed annually. It also pays for ongoing conditions such as diabetes, arthritis, skin conditions and epilepsy.

The vet fees benefit is the most claimed upon area of pet insurance policies; however Covered for Life also offers cover for complementary treatment, boarding fees and advertising and reward if the policy holder’s pet is lost or stolen. Furthermore Covered for Life includes third party liability cover for dogs starting from £1 million.

Looking for the best pet insurance for a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel? Our guide will help you select the most appropriate pet insurance cover for your beloved Cavalier King Charles.

Before we begin our guide on how to choose the best pet insurance for your Cavalier, let's first take a detailed look at the breed, helping us to understand the health problems associated with the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel as well as the other considerations you need to factor before you choose this breed and select the most appropriate pet insurance product.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel: An Overview

As you can probably tell by its name, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels have Spanish roots.  These dogs are also said to be the reason why European Toy dogs existed in the first place. 

People bred small spaniels with various Oriental Toy breeds and the results were small Tudor lapdogs, otherwise reffered to as “comfort” spaniels. The wealthy actually use them as foot warmers and to attract fleas that were otherwise bothering the owner.

Toy Spaniels eventually became popular because it appealed to people of all ages.  Sometime during the 1700s it is said that King Charles II was so taken by his Toy Spaniels that he was actually accused of ignoring important state affairs in order to spend time with his dogs.

These stories about the king and his dogs travelled so fast throughout town and other parts of the country that eventually everyone associated the Toy Spaniel with King Charles himself, thus causing the dog to become officially known as “Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Dogs”.

Soon after King Charles II passed away, the Duke of Marlborough was just as enthusiastic about this dog breed as King Charles II was. The Duke's favorite was the red and white Toy Spaniel which was named after his estate. For generations to come, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel dogs graced the families of the wealthy.

In time the look of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel started to change. Eventually, more people started to prefer the look of the shorter-nosed Toy Spaniel.  However, when a rich American named Roswell Elridge traveled to England and offered an enormous money prize for the best “pointed nosed” Spaniels, it sparked a huge interest back to the original look of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. They eventually became the most popular dog in England and was recognized by the AKC in 1996.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Temperament
 
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is opinioned to be the all-around best house pet that a family could own. This dog is playful, sweet, quiet, and overly affectionate. It is an absolute joy to have around and is amiable towards other pets, dogs, and strangers. Cavalier King Charles Spaniels love to explore the outside and is very adaptable when being trained.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Care Guide

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel dogs need a moderate amount of exercise on a daily basis. This can be accomplished with a few short walks or a romp through the yard. This is one breed that is not meant to live outside. As far as grooming is concerned, its long coat will need a thorough brushing at least every other day.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Health Problems

The lifespan of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel can vary from 8 years on up to 15 years. Major health concerns that spring up are CHD, mitral valve insufficiency, and syringomelia. Minor healh issues include entropion and patellar luxation. These are actually serious health problems and selecting a Cavalier requires an exceptional requirement to pick only the best breeders who health screen parents.

Pet Insurance For The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

With the serious nature of the health problems within the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel pet insurance is an absolute necessity. Heart and brain problems are expensive to treat and vet care can be crippling to your wallet if you don't have the right pet insurance. Always select a whole of life (lifetime pet insurance) product as health problems in this breed can arise at any time in the dog's life.

About The Basset Hound

Although we cannot pinpoint the exact time period in history when the Bassett Hound was created, historians have noted that the first mention of this dog was found within 16th-century text that made reference to “short-legged dogs used for badger hunting”.

We also know that similar dwarf breeds that had short legs were used in ancient times, but it is quite difficult to zero in on exactly when and why the Bassett Hound was purposely bred.

The word “Basset” is French and is derived from bas, meaning “dwarf”. We know that short-legged dogs were used for slower-paced hunting during the French Revolution. History of this dog breed shows a much clearer picture after the revolution.

It was at this time that Basset Hounds became more and more common as a hunting companion. Hunters needed a dog that was skilled enough with its scent ability to hunt prey, yet was slow enough so that they could be followed and hunted with guns. This is where having its small dwarf-like body became the perfect hunting recipe for these needs.

Eventually, four different versions of the short-legged kind were created.  One of these versions, the Basset Artesien Normand, is what closely resembles today's Basset Hound. During the late 1800s and then again around 1930, crosses were made with Bloodhounds to bring up their size. The first Bassett Hounds were brought to England and the United States during the late 1800s.

Basset Hound Temperament and Personality

You will find that the Bassett Hound is one of the most laid-back and relaxed dog breeds alive. They are extremely amiable with virtually every other animal and human they come into contact with. The Basset is extremely suited for children and is well behaved even in the company of strange dogs. Although high in affection levels and friendliness, do not underestimate its watchdog abilities. These Hounds made excellent watchdogs.

Care And Maintenance Of The Basset Hound

Basset Hounds need a bit of daily exercise, but not too much.  One or two daily walks on the leash around your neighborhood will suffice.  However, like any animal, it is always beneficial for extra playtime and games when possible. Bassett Hounds should always sleep indoors with the family at night, but during the day having access to an enclosed yard is recommended. Grooming is minimal, with standard brushing and bath times during the week, but make note that these dogs do tend to drool often.

Basset Hound Health Care Guidance

Basset Hounds have a lifespan of between 9 and 12 years, sometimes longer, depending on good health. Major health concerns are ectropion, vWD, CHD, gastric torsion, OCD, thrombopathy, otitis externa, and elbow dysplasia.  Minor issues include patellar luxation. Obesity is often a problem with these dogs when owners overfeed them, so put caution on how much food you provide.

Pet Insurance For Basset Hounds

As you can see, the Basset Hound does suffer from its fair (or unfair, depending on your view point!) share of health problems. This all adds up to a very simple conclusion when it comes to the question of whether you should get pet insurance for your Basset Hound – the answer is an unequivocal yes! By insuring your Basset Hound you can rest safe in the knowledge that your dog's health will be covered should any conditions arise that may be costly to treat. Pet insurance for Basset Hounds is offered by most of the major pet insurance providers but remember, you should always check the small details of any insurance policy. It's recommended to seek out insurance products that cover whole of life (lifetime pet insurance) and be sure to pick a policy that will cover your Basset Hound for any ongoing treatments. Don't forget to make yourself comfortable with any excess you may have to pay on your pet insurance policy.

Before we discuss specific pet insurance for the Chow Chow, let's examine the breed in more detail. You might be thinking about getting a Chow Chow and so we hope our breed guide can help you before you do your research on the best pet insurance for the Chow Chow breed on a specific level.

All About The Chow Chow

Many people compare the Chow Chow to the Spitz dog breed, simply because they share many of the same characteristics.  It is been assumed that because they are so closely related, the Chow Chow is actually a descendant from the Spitz family. Unfortunately, the true bloodline of the Chow Chow cannot be confirmed.  However, we do know that this dog has been widely popular in China for hundreds of years, possibly thousands.

The original function and purpose of the Chow Chow is theorized to have been as a hunting dog which would sniff out and find birds. Soon enough the breed started to decline in its quality and the number of survivors diminished to almost nothing after the Imperial Hunts. But a few Chow Chows were kept inside monasteries and with wealthy families and survived.

The name “Chow Chow” is said to have been created during the 1700s when large numbers of these dogs were imported into England from the Chinese.  The exact reason for the term “Chow Chow” is not known, but dog historians assume that it may be linked to comparing the dogs to Oriental nick knacks. Another possibility is that the term Chow Chow was given because the dogs were packed into the middle of ship cargo when moved to other locations overseas.

The United States first saw the Chow Chow dog breed some time during the late 1800s when they were imported from various parts of England. Queen Victoria took great interest in the breed which helped attract a lot of attention to them. It was 1903 when the AKC finally recognized this dog  as an official breed, especially due to its distinctive noble look.

Personality of the Chow Chow (Chow Chow temperament is a widely discussed and quite hotly contested topic, so we'll be brief)

The Chow Chow is said to be one of the top rated watchdogs that a family can have.  Its protection ability is powerful and this dog is immensely cautious about overlooking its family members. The animal moves in a very reserved, almost noble type of way, and is extremely suspicious of strangers and other animals. Not the most playful of dog breeds, the Chow Chow may be a bit difficult to train.

Health and Care Requirements of the Chow Chow

Chow Chow dogs do not fare well during hot, humid weather. In fact, this dog prefers cold weather at all times.  It's coat is smooth, yet thick, and will need brushing at least one time per week.  Some Chow Chows may demonstrate very rough fur and will need brushing every other day, particularly when shedding. Activity does not need to be tiresome, just a brisk walk each morning is plenty of exercise for this dog.

Chow Chow Health Information

As you consider the best pet insurance policy for your Chow Chow, bear these health factors in mind.

The Chow Chow has a lifespan of up to 13 years, with 9 being the average.  Major health concerns to watch out for are entropion, CHD, and patellar luxation. Minor health issues include stenotic nares, elbow dysplasia, distichiasis, gastric torsion, cataracts, and glaucoma.

As you'll see with this list of health concerns, acquiring a top rated pet insurance product for your Chow Chow should be an essential consideration. Always read the fine print, seek pet insurance products that cover lifetime (whole of life pet insurance) and don't leave it too late – insuring your Chow Chow when they are fit, healthy and well makes a whole load of sense.

You can get more specific information on particular dog breeds at www.dogbreeds.co.uk or you might consider adopting a Chow Chow (try www.dogsblog.com)

We have previously done head to comparisons of UK dog insurance policies, however we've found lately that the comparison opportunity is becoming harder as so many policies are virtually identical – often being underwritten by the same firms – with virtually identical costs, premiums and excess to pay.

On this basis, we are working up a new method by which to put a realistic and informative UK dog insurance comparison table in place that will provide genuine insight for dog owners.

Please stay tuned to the site (subscribe using the form on this page) and we will alert you once we have finalised our comprehensive dog insurance UK comparison chart.

Thanks!

So, if you're looking for a dog insurance policy that will cover dental problems here's our mini guide:

1. Instead of using the web, draw up a list of your top favoured dog insurance providers
2. Give them a call.
3. Ask them if they have any policy coverage for dog dental problems.
4. Ask them if there is any excess for dog dental problems over and above that stated in their policy overview

The reason why this method works is because you can get confirmation from a real person as to whether their pet insurance products have dispensation for dog dental coverage.

You could save an absolute fortune in vet fees if you can get dog insurance dental coverage for your dog's all round oral health.

Related and worth a look:

Dog oral care (did you know, gum disease in dogs can actually be fatal?)