Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Dogs and Puppies

History

Over numerous centuries, many small breeds of spaniels were popular throughout the United Kingdom. During the reign of King Canute, in the eleventh century, it was forbidden to hunt with any dog that was not able to fit through an eleven inch diameter gauge. Thus the Toy Spaniel was developed in the United Kingdom. A few centuries later, the Toy Spaniel became a very popular pet, specifically with the royal family. The King Charles Spaniel was given the name due to its Blenheim coated spanielas a children's pet within the household of Charles I.

Around the 1920s, Roswell Eldridge an American paid twenty five pounds for an "old fashioned type" King Charles Spaniel. Through selective breeding, a dog that resembled the boyhood pet of England's Charles II was bred. The name Cavalier King Charles was named to the dog for this reason.

The United States have two breed registries and clubs for this dog: 1) the American Charles Spaniel Club and the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club (CKCSC). The former is the breed club of the AKC or American Kennel Club.

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel needs persistent human attention and does not do well if left alone all day. The dog loves to cuddle and is extremely loyal.

Description

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is considered to be the largest of the toy breed dogs, however maintains many lap dog qualities. It is a considerably small spaniel. Its overall height is between 29 and 33 cm (12-13 inches) and the dogs weight is between 4.5 and 8.5 kg (10 and 18 lbs). As opposed to other spaniels, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel grows a full length tail and has well feathered, long hair.

Coat

The Cavalier King Charles grows a somewhat silky coat of medium length. Due to the length of the coat, it is necessary to keep it well groomed. This can be done by a novice or a professional. When not properly cared for, the dogs coat sheds significantly. Daily brushing of the coat is generally recommended to make sure that the coat does not get matted or entangled with foreign objects. The dog should also not be bathed more than two times per week, because skin irritation could ensue.

Color

The breed has four distinct recognized colors:

* Blenheim (rich chestnut on pearly white background)
* Tricolour (black and white with tan markings on cheeks, inside ears, resembling eyebrows, inside legs, and on underside of tail)
* Black and Tan (black with tan markings)
* Ruby (rich reddish-brown all over)

Temperament

The dog is a very affectionate animal, and many refer to the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel as the best lap dog. Most Cavaliers are very playful, patient and ready to please. Because of these traits, these dogs can be very good with children and other pets including dogs. A properly socialized Cavalier will be very assertive with much larger dogs. This could be dangerous to the Cavalier as it assumes other animals are just as friendly though they may be dangerous.

The extremely social and interactive nature of the Cavalier signals that the dog requires constant companionship and attention from other dogs or people. This dog is not suited to spend long periods of time alone. The Cavalier is often considered the friendliest dog of the toy group.

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