History

Cavalier History & Breed Description

A young King Charles II with his King Charles Spaniels.

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 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 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 similar-shaped
head of today's English Toy Spaniel breed. The King Charles Spaniel remained
popular at Blenheim Palace, 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 1920s, 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,
sometimes called "the kiss of Buddha," "Blenheim Spot," or "Kissing Spot".
So, the breed was developed by selective breeding of short-snouted 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.
This breed craves human attention therefore are not suitable to be left alone all
day. They are very loyal and love cuddles.

.........Breed Description.........
The Cavalier is by most measures the largest toy breed: though clearly a lap
dog, fully-grown adults tend to fill one rather amply. It is nonetheless quite
small for a spaniel, when fully-grown Cavaliers roughly comparable in size to an
adolescent of a more conventional spaniel breed. Breed standards call for a height
between 29 and 33 cm (12-13 inches) with a proportionate weight between 4.5
and 8.5 kg (10 and 18 lbs). Unlike most other spaniels, the Cavalier has a
full-length tail well-feathered with long hair, which is typically carried aloft
when walking.
.........Coat.........
The breed naturally grows a substantial silky coat of moderate length. Breed
standards call for it to be free from curl, with a slight wave permissible. In
adulthood, Cavaliers grow lengthy feathering on their ears, chest, legs, feet and
tail; breed standards demand this be kept long, with the feathering on the feet
cited as a particularly important feature of the breed.
A cavaliers' coat may be beautiful, but, because it can be long, it is very
important to keep it well groomed. This can be done by yourself, or you can hire
a professional groomer. If the coat is not properly cared for, the dog will shed
quite a bit. Daily brushing is recommended to ensure that the coat does not get
matted and that foreign objects, such as grass and sticks, do not become
entangled in the feathering. It also should not be bathed more than twice a week
otherwise it may cause skin irritation.
.........Colours.........
The breed has four recognized colours:
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)
Parti-colours are the colours that include white: Blenheim and Tricolour.
Whole-colours have no white: Black and Tan, and Ruby.
The Blenheim is the most common colour, although the others are not rare. If
you are wanting to show a Blenheim Cavalier King Charles Spaniel extra
points will be given for a rich chestnut dot placed between the eyes on the top of
the forehead, called the lozenge. It is rare which makes it desirable for show
breeders.
.........Temperament.........
The breed is highly affectionate, and some have called the Cavalier King
Charles Spaniel "the ultimate lap dog" or the "Love sponge" of dogs. Most
dogs of the breed are playful, extremely patient and eager to please. As such,
dogs of the breed are usually good with children and other dogs. A well-socialized
Cavalier will not be shy about socializing with much larger dogs. (However, on
occasion, this tendency can be dangerous, as many cavaliers will presume all
other dogs to be equally friendly, and may attempt to greet and play with
aggressive dogs.)
.........Personality.........
The extremely social nature of the Cavalier KC Spaniel means that they require
almost constant companionship from humans or other dogs, and are not suited to
spending long periods of time on their own. This breed is the friendliest of the
toy group.
Some Cavaliers have been known to exhibit traits in common with cats, such as
perching in high places (the tops of couches, the highest pillow, etc), cleaning
their own paws and can also show some birding qualities. Cavaliers have been
seen to catch small birds in mid-flight that are flying too close to the ground.
Such behavior is a result of their earlier use as a hunting dog, and as such,
they can develop habits that preclude them to chase small animals such as
chipmunks, squirrels, etc. Because of this, it is not recommended that a Cavalier
be walked off-leash, as they will single-mindedly chase a butterfly or squirrel
onto a busy road or other dangerous situation without regard for their own safety.

King Charles Spaniels have long been an Aristocratic and Exclusive top breed on the European continent
and in Great Britain. Known to be the canine court favorites they dominated the circles of the elite
Monarchs of the day. They were the perfect Ladies and Gentlemens accessory and the ideal Confidant and
Loyal Companion. One! was not seen without their "Loyal Best Mate!" at any court function or day
to day routine.
During the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries they reigned Supreme along with the Royality of the day.
No other breed has achieved such status.

Blenheim Palace