Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

Aust. Ch. Karhisar Victoriana
Karhisar Cavaliers

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The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel has never been used for the purpose of working, they were more for companions. They adore their families and love being close to them at all times. They are gentle dogs, and do very well around children.

There are paintings from as far back as the 15th and 16th centuries that featured these dogs playing with children. These dogs have always been considered a luxury item since the average person could not afford to keep and feed a dog that wasn't serving a purpose.

The Cavalier was a favorite of King Charles I of Britain, which is the source of the breeds name. Charles II continued the interest in the breed and the popularity increased until the fall of the house of Stuart. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is the number one toy breed in England.

Because of the Pug being the favorite breed of William and Mary, it soon became a political liability to be associated with the dogs of King Charles, and the breed became very rare.

As a young child Queen Victoria owned a Cavalier, during her lifetime interest in developing and breeding dogs and the advent of formalizing dog shows, she helped to change the breed radically from what it was originally. The breed we know today as the English Toy Spaniel was a result of this activity. The English Toy Spaniel became so popular that the original Cavalier all but disappeared.

In the early 1920s, an American went to England to try and buy a pair of spaniels of the type he had seen in the old paintings. He was unsuccessful in his search. He then offered twenty-five pounds each for the best male and female of the "old type" of dogs. The reward generated a lot of ridicule, but also generated great interest in the breed once again. They were recognized by the AKC's Miscellaneous Class for many years, and were finally admitted to the Toy Group in 1996.

They should be between 12-13 inches at the withers and weigh 13-18 pounds. Their coat is silky, of moderate length, and should have rich chestnut markings. To keep their silky coat short and free of mats, Cavaliers require regular brushing and combing, and occasional trimming. Their colors can be Black and Tan - black with bright tan marks above eyes, head, chest, legs, underside of tail; white marks undesirable. Ruby - Rich red; white markings undesirable. Blenheim - Chestnut markings, well broken up, on white ground; markings evenly divided on head, lozenge between ears. Tricolor - black and white, well spaced and broken up, with tan markings over head, inside legs, on underside of tail.

Blenheim = red and white
Prince Charles = tricolor
King Charles = black and tan
Ruby = rich mahogany red

Both parents should have OFA certificates (hips and patella's), yearly CERF (eyes), and most importantly be evaluated cardiac-clear (via auscultation and preferably Doppler ultrasound) for mitral valve disease. MVD is the number one killer of Cavaliers, with up to 50 percent of the breed likely to be affected. Try to choose parents who show clear of MVD at older ages (three to five), as their puppies seem to have the best chance to be clear or less severely affected.

This breed tends to gain weight easily. Some lines are genetically disposed to a serious heart problem, which sometimes causes early death. When selecting one of these dogs, it is extremely important to check the medical history of several previous generations. They are also prone to hereditary eye disease, dislocating kneecaps, early onset of deafness, hip problems, dislocating kneecaps, and ear infections.