Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppies available

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

Clubs, Registries, Associations

FCI, AKC, UKC, KCGB, CKC, ANKC, NKC, NZKC, CKC, APRI, ACR, DRA, NAPR, ACA

Interesting to Know

The Cavalier was featured on the hit HBO series, "Sex and the City", as Charlotte York's dog.

Group

Gun Dog, AKC Toy

Heritage

Named for King Charles II, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is descended from the King Charles Spaniel. In the late 1600s the King Charles Spaniels were interbred with Pugs, which resulted in a smaller dog with flatter noses, upturned faces, rounded heads and protruding eyes. The consequence of this breeding is what we know today as the King Charles Spaniel (English Toy Spaniel).In the 1920s an American named Roswell Eldridge offered prize money during a Cruft's Dog Show in London to any person exhibiting King Charles Spaniels with long noses. He was looking for dogs similar to those appearing in Van Dyck's paintings of King Charles II and his spaniels, before the Pug was bred in. A dog called Ann's Son, owned by Miss Mostyn Walker, won the Eldridge prize, however Eldridge had died a month before the show opened and was not there to present the award. His ideas lived on in American breeders. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel breed, as we know it today, is the product of the American breeders of the late 1920s, though this 'modern' breed is the true heir of the royal spaniels of King Charles II. By the 1940s these dogs were classified as a separate breed and were given the prefix Cavalier to differentiate them from their forebears. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel was shown in the Toy Group of the AKC beginning in 1996.

Description

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a beautiful small dog that undoubtedly is a contender for the title of "top tail-wagger." In fact, among the characteristics that Cavalier breeders strive to attain is a tail in constant motion when this breed is moving.

If the characteristic wagging of the Cavalier's plumy tail doesn't melt your heart, surely his large, dark round eyes will. Warm and lustrous, with a sweet expression, they hold the power to extract constant petting and unlimited supplies of food from people under their spell. Not surprisingly, this breed can easily become fat, which spoils its lovely lines, so be strong and offer a walk or playtime instead of the potato chips and pizza your Cavalier is angling for.

Cavaliers pad through the house on slippered paws, always following in the footsteps of their people. With a Cavalier in residence, you'll never be alone—not even in the bathroom. Because they're so attached to their people, they do best when someone is at home during the day to keep them company. They are a housedog and will never thrive in an environment where they're relegated to the backyard or otherwise ignored.

Health Awareness

Like all animals, Cavaliers are susceptible to a number of genetic conditions. These include juvenile cataracts and cardiac mitral valve disease (MVD). However, remember that nature is not infallible, and as your Cavalier ages he may be subject to certain health concerns. Any heart murmur detected by your veterinarian warrants further investigation to rule out any potentially serious condition. Any clouding of the lens of the eye, or irritation, may warrant medication and treatment.

Juvenile cataracts (an inheritable form) and "dry eye" are known to afflict the breed on occasion. Slipping patellas (a bone in the knee) can occasionally be a problem that is correctable with surgery. As with most mammals, the Cavalier is not immune to cancers in various forms. Do keep your veterinarian posted on any sudden change in your Cavalier's appearance or demeanor. Often, the grooming session is a time when you as an alert owner can detect lumps or bumps that should not be there. Your own vigilance is often your Cavalier's best defense against disease.

Life expectancy is about 9-14 years.

Personality

The gregarious Cavalier takes as his role model humorist Will Rogers, who famously said he never met a stranger. The Cavalier is eager to meet everyone who crosses his path, and if that person sits down and offers a lap (or a treat), so much the better.

Like any dog, Cavaliers come in a range of personalities, from quiet and sedate to rowdy and rambunctious. They might or might not bark when someone comes to the door, so they're a poor choice as a watchdog except, that is, for watching the burglar cart off the silver. There are exceptions, of course some Cavaliers will inform you of every event in your neighborhood and bark ferociously when strangers approach but overall you're better off buying an alarm system than counting on your Cavalier to alert you to trouble.

Exercise/Energy level

Cavies may comes from aristocracy, but they're more than willing to descend their royal high horse to romp around a yard and chase moving animals and objects. They get along well with children and other dogs and can be a bit quiet. Cavies do equally well with active types and homebodies. They can be loyal hiking partners or shameless couch potatoes, depending on the owner personality—as long as they get a satisfying walk each day.

Additional Info

Cavaliers can be great playmates for kids who will enjoy throwing a ball for them, teaching them tricks, participating in dog sports, or simply having them on a lap while they read or watch television. Because of their small size, however, they should be supervised when playing with small children who might injure them accidentally.

They get along well with other dogsand can learn to play nice with cats and other pets if introduced to them at an early age. It helps if the cat is willing to stand up for herself because a Cavalier enjoys a good game of chase. They even enjoy it if the cat chases back. Some Cavaliers live peaceably with pet birds while others try to eat them or at the very least pull their tails. Always supervise your Cavalier's interactions with birds and other small animals; they can have a strong hunting instinct.

General Appearance

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is an active, graceful, well balanced toy spaniel, very happy and free in action; fearless and sporting in character yet at the same time gentle and affectionate. It is this typical happy temperament combined with true elegance and royal appearance which are of paramount importance in the breed. Natural appearance with no trimming, sculpting or artificial alteration is essential to breed type.

Size, Proportion, Substance

Size - Height 12 to 13 inches at the withers; weight proportionate to height, between 13 and 18 lbs. A small, well balanced dog within these weights is desirable, but these are ideal heights and weights and slight variations are permissible.

Proportion - The body approaches squareness, yet if measured from point of shoulder to point of buttock, is slightly longer than the height at the withers. The height from the withers to the elbow is approximately equal to the height from the elbow to the ground.

Substance - Bone moderate in proportion to size. Weedy and coarse specimens are to be equally penalized.