CAVALIER KING CHARLES SPANIEL APPEARANCE:
The breed has four recognized colors: Blenheim (rich chestnut on pearly white background), Tricolor (black and white with tan markings), Black and Tan (black with tan markings), and Ruby (rich red all over).
CAVALIER KING CHARLES SPANIEL
HISTORY:
For many centuries, small breeds of spaniels have been popular in the United Kingdom. In the eleventh century, in the reign of King Canute, it was illegal to hunt with any dog that could not fit through a gauge that was eleven inches in diameter. Hence, the "birth" of the Toy Spaniel in the United Kingdom. Some centuries later, Toy Spaniels became popular as pets, especially as pets of the royal family. In fact, the King Charles Spaniel was so named because a Blenheim-coated spaniel was the children's pet in the household of King Charles I. King Charles II went so far as to issue a decree that the King Charles Spaniel could not be forbidden entrance to any public place, including the Houses of Parliament. Such spaniels can be be seen in many paintings of the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. These early spaniels had longer, pointier snouts and thinner-boned limbs than today's.
Over time, the toy spaniels were replaced in popularity by short-snouted, dome-headed dogs of asian descent, such as the Pug and Japanese Chin. The King Charles Spaniel was bred with these dogs, resulting in the the similar-shaped head of today's breed. The King Charles Spaniel remained popular at Blenheim Castle, home to the Dukes of Marlborough, where the brown and white version was the most popular - resulting in the name Blenheim for that color combination.
In the beginning of the 1900s, an American named Roswell Eldrige offered twenty-five pounds as a prize for any King Charles Spaniel "of the old-fashioned type" with a longer nose, flat skull, and a lozenge (spot) in the middle of the crown of the head, commonly called "the kiss of Buddha". So, the breed was developed by selective breeding of short-snouted King Charles Spaniels. The result was a dog that resembled the boyhood pet of the future Charles II of England ("Cavalier King Charles"), whence the breed derives its name.
Two breed clubs are found in the United States: the Cavalier King Charles Club USA and the American Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club. The latter club is the breed club of the American Kennel Club.
CAVALIER KING CHARLES SPANIEL
HEALTH:
The breed suffers from a number of congenital defects, most significantly, syringomyelia, a condition affecting the brain and spine, causing symptoms ranging from mild discomfort to severe pain and partial paralysis. Another health issue is mitral valve disease. This condition can begin to emerge at an early age, and is present in many Cavalier King Charles Spaniels by 5 years of age. Responsible breeders are attempting to breed only from dogs that exhibit a later onset of the disease.
Another common defect among Cavaliers is keratoconjunctivitis sicca, colloquially known as "dry eye". The usual cause of this condition is an autoimmune reaction against the dog's tear ducts, reducing the production of tears. The condition requires continual treatment and if untreated may result in partial or total blindness.
CAVALIER KING CHARLES SPANIEL
TEMPERAMENT:
The breed is highly affectionate, and some have called the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel "the ultimate lap dog". However, they require a great deal of human companionship and do not do well if left alone for long periods of time. Most dogs of the breed are extremely patient and eager to please. As such, dogs of the breed are usually good with children and other dogs.
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