What is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel?

History: The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a relatively new breed of canine to United States. The breed originated in England sometime around the 16Th century. The have been traced back to small toy spaniels found in paintings of European royal families from the 16Th, 17Th, and 18Th centuries. The Cavaliers were pets for royal Europeans who had money for a non-working dog, for pleasure and companionship. King Charles II donated his name to this breed of Spaniel in the 1600’s. King Charles loved this breed so much that he wrote a law stating the Cavaliers were to be allowed in any public place including Parliament. That law still exists today. The Cavaliers were almost a lost breed until the early 1920’s. American Roswell Eldridge went to England looking for a Spaniel from the English paintings. He couldn’t find a single pup and offered a reward to breeders to for one. Early breeders used rejects from the breed of English Toy Spaniels to copy the canines from the paintings. The breed was rescued from near extinction. The first reported Cavalier King Charles Spaniel was brought into the United States in 1946. The black and tan pup was a gift from Lady Mary Forwood of England to Mrs. Harold Whitman of New York. In 1952 only 5 Cavaliers were known to exist in United States. The American Kennel Club accepted the breed in 1996, becoming the AKC’s 140Th recognized breed. The Cavaliers are classified as the largest canine in the toy group along with the Pug.

Characteristics of Cavalier King Charles Spaniel:

• Know as “lap dogs” or “love sponges”.
• Loves people and thrives on people’s affections.
• Do not bark a lot - mine just barks if other dogs are outside and she is inside.
• Loves hunting, hiking, retrieving balls, and swimming.
• Learns tricks and commands easily, especially if food treats are used.
• Outgoing, cheerful, friendly, fearless, happy, trusting, kind, gentle, playful, and snugly.
• Extremely affectionate, loyal, sweet, and charming.
• Followers of their human pack leader everywhere they go, dozily.
• Inquisitive, like to try new things.
• Like to lick; it shows friendliness, submission, respect.
• Can carry them around in arms or a crate - great traveling companions.
• Cavaliers tend to coward down to more dominate breeds of dogs.
• Cavaliers can develop separation anxiety if don’t get the human interaction and attention they crave causing destructive behavior and barking.
• Not a watch dog, too friendly.
• Easy to spoil, so cute and cuddly.
• Some can be shy.
• Cavaliers can take on characteristics of owner - nervous, fearful, etc.
• They should not be left outside in a kennel.
• They do shed their coats.

Ideal Cavalier King Charles Spaniels Living Conditions

• Excellent for families, singles, and the elderly.
• Gets along well with other pets.
• Fits well into a active or more sedentary lifestyle.
• Quickly adapt to life style of owner.
• Great for novice to more experienced dog owners.
• Gets along with toddles and kids of all ages.
• Senior citizens - lap dog, easy to groom, do not require a lot of exercise.
• Not bark a lot unless left along for long periods or time. Great for apartments or condos.
• Gets along well with other animals, especially when exposed at young age.
• Comfort dog for sick or handicapped individuals.
• Small, sturdy size does not overwhelm small child, active enough play fetch and learn tricks with older children.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel’s Appearance

The breed has four recognized colors:

Blenheim (rich chestnut on pearly white background)

Black and white with tan markings

Tricolour (black and white with tan markings on cheeks, inside ears, resembling eyebrows, inside legs, and on underside of tail)Ruby (rich reddish-brown all over)
• Average Height: 12-13 inches tall
• Average Weight: 13-18 pounds
• Life span 10-14 years
• Requires daily grooming, sheds their fur no need to clip their fur.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel’s Needs:

• Food: Well balanced diet. Do not overfeed. Feed one time per day, with no table scraps, except for table raw vegetables, which are good for them. Dog Food at PetSmart.com, Dog Feeders and Bowls at PetSmart.com
• Grooming: Fur is naturally soft, silky, and wavy. As cavalier puppies grow, so does the fur on the ears, legs, chest, and tail. Daily or every other day brushing is required or the fur will tangle. This breed is classified as a light sedder. Trimming or cutting of the fur is not necessary. Dog Grooming at PetSmart.com
• Affection: The Cavaliers are extremely people oriented. They love to follow their human family members around the house. They do not do well left alone in the house for long periods of time. They have to have human affection. If they are deprived of affection they will bark and destroy their enlivenment. Give them lots of love and affection. Dog Cages & Crates at PetSmart.com
• Exercise: Cavaliers get most of their exercise getting on and off people’s laps. They love to chase balls. This breed does not require a lot of exercise, but loves to go for walks, especially through the woods, along beaches, or just cruising through town on sidewalks. Dog Collars and Leashes at PetSmart.com, Dog Clean Up at PetSmart.com
• Toys: The Cavaliers love balls, small stuffed toys, and ropes. Like other puppies, Cavaliers love to chew. They need safe chew toys or they will chew on anything. They will play with any toy you want to give them. Each dog will tend to develop it’s favorite toy. Dog Toys at PetSmart.com
• Training: The easy going temperament and eagerness to please makes training this breed easier than most. They do tend to forget, so use the commands frequently. Dog Training Aids at PetSmart.com, Dog Treats & Biscuits at PetSmart.com
• Other Pets: Cavaliers are very loving and kind. They get along with most pets, especially when they are exposed to a variety of people and animals as puppies.





Medical Issues of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels:

• Heart conditions such as mitral valve disease and heart murmurs, which can lead to heart failure.
• Syringomyelia is a condition affecting the brain and spine, causing symptoms ranging from mild discomfort to severe pain and partial paralysis.
• Episodic Falling (EF) is an exercise-induced disorder when there is increased muscle tone in the dog and the muscles are unable to relax.
• Hip dysplasia is not a common genetic disease in the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, but can occur.
• Keratoconjunctivitis sicca: known as “dry eye”. The usual cause of this condition is that the eyes reduce the production of tears.
• Luxating patella a genetic defect of the femur bone and knees.




Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are excellent companions for almost anyone. The true question is this: Are you really ready for the responsibility of owning a puppy?

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