Red Barn Cavaliers
For further information about us, please visit here.
We are a blended family of 2 adults and 5 children from ages 6-16, all of whom contribute to the raising of our puppies. We have been building our reputation as a trusted Cavalier breeder in central Illinois since 2018. We are located in McLean, IL, which is 20 minutes south of Bloomington-Normal and 50 minutes southeast of Peoria, but we have puppies growing up and living all over the country - and world! We've had 2 puppies go home to Canada, and 1 puppy go home to Germany.
We take our responsibilities very seriously and strive to ensure the health, safety, and well-being of all our dogs. We carefully select our "moms" and "dads" for having great genetics combined with fantastic personalities. That’s why the happiest days for us are when one of our puppies is adopted by a warm and loving family! We are so confident in our puppies' health that we offer a two-year health guarantee for every puppy adopted from us. We remain a committed resource to you for the lifetime of your dog. If the unfortunate circumstance of having to give up your dog ever occurred and you were unable to keep your dog, we will always take him back.
We are very committed to our dogs, and especially so to your puppy for his or her 8 weeks with us. That is what sets us apart from other breeders. We nurture their docile nature from the beginning to mold our puppies into exceptionally affectionate and loving dogs. We proactively teach your puppy manners, how to behave, how to interact with people appropriately, as well as daily positive reinforcement exercises. Our puppies are raised as part of our family, so they are prepared to go home knowing how to be part of your family. They are handled frequently and socialized well with children and other pets.
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We have a particular focus in raising puppies who are going to become ESAs or psychiatric service dogs. We assign one person who will be that puppy's primary caretaker, so the puppy learns to bond with one person for everything they need, including comfort. We still socialize the puppy with other people, but when it comes to the puppy's needs, we make sure that the same person (usually Drew, Elisabeth, and Mae) provides care, comfort, and meets their needs. To ensure proper socialization we have other people interact with the puppy for "extras," like playtime and snuggles.
As soon as you have a name for your puppy, we begin calling your pup by his name. We encourage families to visit their puppy and/or FaceTime once a week not only so that you can get to know your puppy, but so that when you come to take him home, he knows you and your voice. We encourage families to send us a slept-in t-shirt that we can wrap your puppy in during Facetime, to help immerse them in their Facetime sessions with you. Pick up day is a beautifully emotional day when we see our puppies finally go home with their families. They recognize your scent, your voice, and your face, and they don't have to share you with any other puppies!
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We potty train our puppies and this has been advantageous for our families who live in apartments or big cities. We use pine to begin the house-training process, so when your puppy comes home to you, she only needs reinforcement. This form of potty training has proven to be very helpful in completing house training once home. It serves as a convenient steppingstone since the family only needs to sprinkle the pine outdoors to show the pup where to do business. It only takes a few 'atta boys' before your puppy quickly learns that everything they know about pine can be transferred to the grass. Additionally, your puppy also has an indoor toilet option you can use to prevent accidents in the house! It is crucial to note that we do not use 'kitty litter,' and that using it in place of pine will not work. We send every family home with a big bag of pine to use for either a pan or for sprinkling outdoors, or both. We are used to receiving a lot of questions about this unfamiliar method, so please feel free to ask away!
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You can visit us Live via the button below!
July 2022
Four-week-old Blenheim Cavalier puppy, Princess, and her Ruby littermate, Jenny, pose for the Sunday TODAY Show's Mug Shot segment.
Life lessons from your dog:
It's okay sometimes to just eat and sleep.
When you fall down and get back up, shake it off, forget about it, and go on.
Be very brave no matter your size.
Make your own fun.
Always run to greet your loved ones!
At the end of the day, it is best to snuggle no matter what has happened.
Every day is a brand-new day... just be happy!
Recognized & endorsed by Good Dog in February 2022 for maintaining ethical breeding practices and promoting optimal health not just in our puppies, but for our moms, dads, and retirees as well.
Contact Us
We try to respond to inquiries as quickly as possible, but please be patient with us if we don't get back to you within 48 hours.
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If you are looking to inquire about a puppy, please reach out to us directly at one of these two phone numbers. To expedite the process, text is preferred to make initial contact and then a phone call can be scheduled thereafter. We have written information to provide you, which is easier to send via text message.
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For serious inquiries, please send your message to both numbers as a group chat. This makes it easier for both of us to see your message at the same time, and then either one of us can respond to you, making communication with you faster and more efficient. Please don't be shy - share photos of your other pets if you'd like! We use this opportunity to get to know you and your family which makes it easier to pair the right temperament puppy to your family and lifestyle.
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