Breed History of Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a much-admired Royal Spaniel having been known in Europe and Great Britain since the 16th Century, descending from the toy spaniels of Europe. Packs of the little dogs are said to have been kept by members of the nobility as sporting dogs possessing a highly developed scenting capacity and enjoying nothing better than wading in water.  As lap dogs they were popular with the ladies who used them as comforters by laying them on their stomachs or feet as 'warmers' during their long carriage journeys, thereby being known as the "comforter" of "spaniel gentle".

They first appeared in the courts of England with the reign of Queen Mary the first.  The breed, which appears in many of the great paintings by the Masters, received its name from King Charles II who was always surrounded by the Royal Spaniels.   The original toy spaniels became virtually extinct in the Victorian and Edwardian eras as short nosed breeds took the fore.  By 1923 the King Charles Spaniel (today's English Toy), with its flat nose, had replaced the old-type toy spaniel. In 1926 the incentive for revitalization of the old-type Toy Spaniel was provided by Mr. Roswell Eldridge, an American, who offered prizes of 25 pounds for the Best Dog and Best Bitch of this type at "Crufts". The name Cavalier was added when the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club was founded in 1928 to further develop the breed.

Cavaliers make excellent pets, being very outgoing, happy, loving and devoted dogs.  It would be difficult to find a dog with a more delightful temperament.  Though they are small enough to suit the city dwelling dog lover, they are equally at home in the country.  Though most Spaniels were originally bred as hunting dogs, the Cavalier has been bred exclusively as a companion dog since the days of King Charles the II, and as a Pet and Companion, the Cavalier has no equal.

Cavaliers are a charming Toy Spaniel, elegant but sporting and are versatile dogs, equally happy living in the lap of luxury or hiking in the woods with their owners. Cavaliers make excellent pets for families with children, professional people, or senior citizens. Those people who are lucky enough to own a Cavalier will have a dog that is a loving companion and friend. Cavaliers are a joy to teach being very people oriented, they are extremely intelligent and readily absorb all they are taught and are always eager to please you. They are often seen in the obedience ring, scent hurdling, lure coursing and in fly ball.

Every dog needs some basic maintenance grooming, nails clipped and coat brushed.   Twice weekly brushings should maintain the coat and prevent coat matting.

They should be 12 to 13 inches at the withers: weight proportionate to height, between 13 to 18 pounds. A small, well-balanced dog within these weights is desirable, but these are ideal heights and weights and slight variations are permissible.

They come in 4 colors. We specialize in the Blenheim and Tri Color.
Blenheim: Rich chestnut red markings broken up on a pearly white background. There may be the lozenge or “Blenheim spot”.  The lozenge is a unique and desirable, though not essential, characteristic of the Blenheim.
Tri Color: Jet-black markings broken up on a pearly white background. Rich tan marking over the eyes, on cheeks, inside ears and on underside of tail.
Ruby: Whole- colored rich red.
Black & Tan: Jet-black with rich tan markings over the eyes, on cheeks, inside ears, on chest, legs, and on underside of tail.