Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

Coat and looks how to spot one

long, silky and feathered

A long, soft coat that lies straight or with a gentle wave, with generous feathering on the ears, legs, feet and tail, and shown completely untrimmed. The dog itself is a small, balanced spaniel with a nearly flat skull, large round dark eyes, long high-set ears, a short but not flat muzzle and a full-length tail carried cheerfully at about back level.346

Personality what they are like

A sweet-natured, cheerful little dog that mixes the easygoing charm of a lap dog with the lively spirit of a sporting spaniel. It is outgoing and trusting, rarely nervous, keen to please and usually gets on well with children and other animals when socialised.3754

Daily activity how busy a day looks

Moderately active: around an hour of exercise a day, ideally split into a few walks with some off-lead play, plus games and short training sessions.52

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

The silky coat needs regular attention: brushing daily or several times a week keeps the feathering free of tangles, with extra brushing in spring and autumn shedding and an occasional visit to a groomer. The breed standard calls for no trimming in the show ring.523

Home where they are happiest

Very adaptable and happy in a flat or apartment, with a small to medium garden a bonus. What matters most is having people around for much of the day.25

Food basics what goes in the bowl

A complete commercial dog food split into two meals a day, portioned for age and lifestyle, with treats kept to no more than about 10 percent of daily calories.5

Company who they like around

A true companion breed that wants to be with its family as much as possible; PDSA advises not leaving one alone for more than about four hours. Usually sociable with other dogs and pets.5

The story where it all began

Small toy spaniels were popular in Britain and Europe from the 16th century and became court favourites under Charles I and Charles II, whose supporters were known as Cavaliers. In the early 18th century the first Duke of Marlborough kept red and white spaniels at Blenheim Palace, giving the Blenheim colour its name. Victorian show fashion later favoured a flatter face and domed skull, which became the King Charles Spaniel (English Toy Spaniel). In 1926 the American Roswell Eldridge offered prize money at Crufts for spaniels of the older type seen in paintings of Charles II's era. Breeders took up the challenge, a club was formed in 1928 around a dog called Ann's Son, and the Kennel Club accepted the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel as a separate breed in 1945. The breed was rebuilt after the Second World War from very few dogs, reached the United States in the 1950s, gained UKC recognition in 1980 and AKC recognition in 1995, and has since become one of the best-loved companion dogs.264

Recognised by the official bits

The Royal Kennel Club

Toy Group; recognised as a breed in its own right in 1945 (decision dated 5 Dec 1944 per Wikipedia); breed club founded 19282

FCI

Standard No. 136, Group 9 (Companion and Toy Dogs), Section 7 English Toy Spaniels; definitive acceptance 20 Jan 1955; current standard published 1 Dec 2009; no working trial1

UKC

Companion Dog Group; recognised 19804

AKC

Toy Group; recognised 19956

Popularity No. 12 of AKC-registered breeds in 20258