Dog Information – Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
The Cavalier is a delightful breed of dog that is extremely friendly and thrives on human interaction. They are known to have a sweet temperament, making them excellent family dogs and trustworthy with children. Although the true purpose of this breed in life is for a lapdog to live its luxurious life as a companion, the breed has also been successful in the sporting arena of small game hunting. With a little dog training and attention, these canines make wonderful canine companions for life.
The breed’s average height is 12 to 13 inches at the shoulder and they weigh between 13 and 18 pounds. The coat is of moderate length, silky with a slight wave but no curls. The head is slightly rounded with a full muzzle and the ears are long with broad plumage. Weekly brushing with special attention to the ears is recommended. Dog colors are best described as, Blenheim – a rich chestnut on white, Ruby – very rich mahogany. Tricolor – well broken black on white.
Dog health issues to watch out for with this breed include; Ear infections, inspect and clean your ears regularly. Eye problems, knee and back problems, hearing problems, and hip dysplasia. This breed is also prone to genetic heart problems, so you should only purchase these dogs from a responsible dog breeder with a proven genetic history.
The Cavalier descends from the King Charles Spaniel that originated in England centuries ago. In the 17th century they were bred with Pugs to create a smaller breed known today as the English Toy Spaniel. In the 20th century, an American seeking to acquire the original breed offered a cash prize in England to anyone who submitted breeds that had the characteristics of the earliest paintings of the original breed. With these dogs he began to breed and in the 1940s they were given a new classification as a separate breed. At that time they were given the name Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. In 1952, the first Cavaliers arrived in the United States, however, they did not gain full recognition of the breed until 1996, when they were recognized and began to appear in the Toy Group of the American Kennel Club.