The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (CKCS) is a charming and affectionate breed, known for its friendly nature and regal appearance. Originating from the United Kingdom, these small dogs have become beloved family pets worldwide.

The breed has a rich history, dating back to the 16th century. They were favorite companions of British royalty, including King Charles II of England, after whom they are named. Their charming appearance and friendly nature made them popular lapdogs among the aristocracy.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are adaptable and can thrive in various living environments, from apartments to larger homes. They do best when they are part of the family and involved in daily activities. Due to their social nature, they can suffer from separation anxiety if left alone for long periods.

Examples of well-known Cavalier King Charles Spaniel owners that have helped keep the breed in the spotlight are Queen Victoria, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, and U.S. President Ronald Reagan

History

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel hails from small hunting dogs of the spaniel type. They are thus related to breeds such as the Cocker Spaniel and the Sussex Spaniel.

Hunting spaniels were popular at the English court and with the British aristocracy, and eventually, smaller versions were bred to serve as lap dogs. There is a legend about how, when Mary, Queen of Scots, had been executed in 1587, a small spaniel was found hiding among the clothes she was wearing, having kept its mistress company to her death.

The King Charles spaniel is named after Mary´s grandson, Charless II, who kept packs of small spaniels. The dogs followed their master everywhere, and people critical of the king claimed he preferred playing with his dogs over carrying out his royal duties.

Influence from the Orient

During the 18th and 19th century, the import of oriental goods to the British Isles increased dramatically. As a part of this, very small and short-nosed oriental dogs arrived, and they were sometimes bred to the existing English lap dogs – including the small spaniels.

Eventually, short-nosed King Charles Spaniels became the prevailing type, and King Charles spaniels with the original, longer nose became very rare and were considered unfashionable.

King Charles Spanies vs. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

As the 1800s turned into the 1900s, several notable figures began to miss the ”old style” little spaniels with the more normal spaniel noses, and attempts were made to revive this version of the King Charles spaniel by cross-breeding existing King Charles spaniels with the (now extinct) Toy Trawler spaniel. If you want to know more about this, a great source is the book “Toy Dogs and Their Ancestors Including the History And Management of Toy Spaniels, Pekingese, Japanese and Pomeranians”, written by Judith Blunt-Lytton, 16th Baroness Wentworth, and published in 1911 under the name Hon. Mrs. Neville Lytton.

In 1926, Roswell Eldridge from the United States began promoting what he called “Blenheim Spaniels of the old type, as shown in pictures of Charles II of England’s time, long face, no stop, flat skull, not inclined to be domed, with spot in centre of skull.” He offered a dog show class prize of 25 pounds of sterling silver each for the best male and female of this type. Many breeders of the era disliked this very much, as they favoured the short-nosed type. Still, some breeders entered what was then considered sub-par King Charles spaniels in the competition, hoping to win the prize.

Eldrige managed to saw some important seeds of change, and some breeders took his project to heart. In 1928, a Cavalier club was formed and the first standard created. Mostyn Walker owned a dog named Ann´s Son, and the club recognized this dog as a ”King Charles Spaniel, Cavalier type”. The aim was to create dogs resembling the spaniels kept by Charles II during the English Civil War period, when supporters of the monarchy were known as Cavaliers.

World War II brought drastic set backs for the emerging breed. One notable example is the Ttiweh Cavalier Kennel; it´s population of 60 dogs dropped to just three in the 1940s. This was not unique for these specific dogs – the breeding and keeping of pet dogs was discouraged in Great Britain during the war due to food shortages.

In 1945, the British Kennel Club recognised the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel as a separate breed.

The few dogs of the Cavalier-type that were alive at the end of WWII were used to restart the breeding program and all present-day Cavalier King Charles Spaniels descend from these specimens.

Notable differences between a King Charles spaniel and a Cavalier King Charles spaniel today:

• The King Charles spaniel is smaller and tend to weigh less. The average for a Cavalier King Charles is 13-18 pounds (5.9-8.2 kg) while the average for a King Charles is just 9-15 pounds (4.1-6.8 kg).
• The Cavalier King Charles has a longer muzzle. The King Charles spaniel is more flat-nosed.
• The Cavalier King Charles has a flat skull, the King Charles´s skull is domed.

• The ears of the Cavalier King Charles spaniel are set higher.

Physical Characteristics of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

• Size: Small, weighing between 13 to 18 pounds and standing about 12 to 13 inches tall.
• Coat: Smooth, silky, medium-length coat that can be straight or slightly wavy. The standard states it should be free from curl. Feathering can be present on ears, feet, legs and tail in adulthood.
• Colors: Recognized colourations are Blenheim (chestnut and white), Tricolor (black, white, and tan), Ruby (solid chestnut), and Black & Tan.

Historically, the King Charles spaniel was bred to be a lap dog, and therefore deliberately kept smaller than most other spaniels.

The tail was usually not docked, even though docking was common for certain other spaniels.

The four recognised colours

• Blenheim

During the early 1700s, John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, kept chestnut-and-white King Charles spaniels as hunting dogs. His estate was named Blenheim – in honour of his victory at the Battle of Blenheim. Eventually King Charles spaniels with chestnut-and-white colouration became known as Blenheims because of their association with the estate.

Some Blenheim dogs feature a chestnut spot in the middle of the forehead; it is known as the Blenheim Spot or the Duchess Thumb Print. According to myth, Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough, was nervous while waiting for news about her husband who was fighting in the Battle of Blenheim. She pressed the forehead of a pregnant little spaniel with her thumb, and five puppies were later born bearing this finger print mark. The Duke of Marlborough returned safely from the battle and the thumb-print is considered a lucky mark on Blenheim dogs.

• Tricolour

This is a black, white and tan colouration. The dog is mostly black and white, but has some tan markings – especially on the cheeks, eyebrows, inside the ears, inside the legs, and on the underside of the tail.

• Ruby

Ruby Cavaliers are chestnut colored. Some have a bit of white in their coats; if this is considered a fault or not depends on the rules of the national club governning the breed.

• Black & Tan

These dogs have black bodies with tan highlights, especially at the eyebrows, cheeks, legs, and beneath the tail.

Temperament and behaviours

Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are known for their gentle and affectionate temperament. They are friendly with both people and most other animals, making them excellent companions for families, singles, and seniors alike. They thrive on human interaction and are known to be very adaptable to their owners’ lifestyles. As for all dogs, early socialization is important to ensure they grow up to be well-rounded dogs.

Since the Cavalier is playful and eager to please, it is not very difficult to train, and it responds quickly to praise and rewards. Positive reinforcement techniques work best.

Even though it is often called ”a lap dog”, it is a spaniel and thus a sporty breed. It likes to be active and can usually dog well in agility competitions. Regular physical and mental exercise is recommended, but the exercise does not need to be strenuous or go on for a very long for the Cavalier to be satisfied.

Other animals

The happy-go-lucky Cavalier is typically quick to make friends with other dogs, including dogs that are much bigger than itself.

The Cavalier has a very strong instinct to chase things, and this can make it an unsuitable companion to rodents, birds and other small pets.

Traffic

Its instinct to chase things makes it vulnerable in traffic. Even a well-trained Cavalier can suddenly ”lose its head” when instinct kicks in, and it can end up injured by a vehicle. Using a leash is strongly recommended.

Health and Care

• Exercise: Moderate exercise needs. Daily walks and playtime are usually sufficient to keep them happy and healthy.
• Grooming: Regular grooming is required to keep their coat in good condition. Brushing a few times a week and occasional baths will help maintain their silky fur. When feathering is present on ears, feet, legs and/or tail, breed standard calls for it to be kept long – not trimmed away or shortened. Some owners (who do not need to keep their dog in show conditon) trim away or shorten the feathering to make it easier to keep the dog clean and the fur untangled.
• Health Issues: Cavaliers can be prone to certain health problems, including mitral valve disease, hip dysplasia, eye conditions, loss of hearing, luxating patellas, and syringomyelia. Regular veterinary check-ups are essential. The lifespan is usually 8-12 years.

Mitral valve disease

Regretably, mitral valve disease (MVD) is very common in this breed, and it leads to heart failure. It is the most common cause of death in Cavaliers, although some do not develop any serious symptoms until they are already elderly. Nearly all Cavaliers develop mintral vale disease at some point in their lives, with heart murmurs that grows progressively worse with time until they cause a heart failure (unless the dog is euthanized before that).

Statistically, roughly half of all Cavaliers have MVD by age 5. Among 10-year-olds, finding a Cavalier that is not affected is rare. After WWII, very few Cavaliers remained and all of today´s Cavaliers are related to this little group. This inbreeding has made MVD widespread in the breed.

A survey by The Kennel Club of the United Kingdom showed that 42.8% of all Cavalier deaths were cardiac related, while cancer (the second-most common cause) only accounted for 12.3% of deaths.

It should be noted that MVD is common in elderly dogs regardless of breed; it is a very common disease of old age (in humans too). What makes the situation so concering for the Cavalier is how it is also common in fairly young dogs in this particular breed. In Cavaliers, early-onset MVD appearing in dogs as young as two years is not a rarity.

If you are considering rescuing a Cavalier, a thorough heart check-up from a vet is recommended to catch any signs of MVD early and put together a management plan.

In 2022, the Oslo District Court banned the breeding of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels in Norway due to their propensity for developing serious health problems. According to the court, breeding them was a violation of Norway´s Animal Welfare Act.

Questions and answers

Are Cavalier King Charles spaniels popular in the United States?

In the United States, the popularity of the breed varies from one location to the next. In 2007-2008, they were only the 25th most popular breed nationwide, but ranked much higher in certain urban location, including 6th place in New York City and San Francisco, 7th in Washington DC, Boston and Atlanta, and 8th in Nashville and Minneapolis-St.Paul. By 2022, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel had become the 14th most popular breed in the United States, a big leap from being at spot 56 back in 1998.

The first recorded import of a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel to the United States is from 1956, when W. Lyon Brown imported one from the United Kingdom. Together with Elizabeth Spalding and a few other enthusiasts, Bronw founded the Cavalier King Charles Club USA.

Do King Charles Spaniels and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels have special permission to enter the Houses of Parliament?

Maybe you have heard the story about how King Charles II, who reigned in 1660-1685, issued a special decree granting King Charles Spanies permission to enter the Houses of Parliament? There is no evidence that he actually did this, and King Charles spaniels do not have any special privileges – they must adhere to the same rules as other dogs.

There is also another version of this story, according to which a royal decree from Charles II gives King Charles spaniels permission to enter any establishment within the kingdom. There is no evidence of the king, or any other British ruler, making such as decree.

What is true is that Charles II doted on his little Spaniels, and they would be allowed to follow him around pretty much everywhere, so it is easy to understand how the myth arose that little Spaniels of this type had very special privileges.

Conclusion

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a delightful, loving, and loyal companion that can bring joy to any household. Their gentle demeanour and adaptability make them a perfect choice for families, individuals, and seniors looking for a furry friend. With proper care, training, and attention, these adorable dogs can become cherished members of your family.