Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

Their coat can be black and tan, ruby (bright solid red), Blenheim (white with bright chestnut) or tricolour (black, white and tan).

Their coat is long.

Cavalier King Charles have a silky coat with fringes. Their fur may have a slight wave to it but is never curly.

They have dark eyes.

The Cavalier King Charles is a lively and graceful dog, they are well proportioned, sporty and cheerful. Their head is almost flat between the ears and has a deep stop and they have a pointy muzzle. Their eyes are large but not prominent. Their ears are long, set high and covered in fringe. Their body is short and well proportioned. Their tail is long and fringed. Their limbs are straight and in line with each other.

This toy spaniel is happy, friendly and affectionate towards those in their social group.

They love to play and are always looking for attention from their owners. Although they know how to sit quietly and relax when they need to, the Cavalier King Charles is always full of beans and ready to have fun.

The Cavalier King Charles’ greatest quality is to be able to calm down immediately if they know their owner has something else to do. Even if they struggle to relax they still know how to keep to themselves.

On the other hand, although they know how to be calm and relaxed at home, they are aware of every slight movement and gesture of their owners. The Cavalier King Charles is always keeping an eye out for an opportunity to jump up on the sofa to be loved and petted.

The Cavalier King Charles is a very intelligent pet. They have an incredible ability to adapt, whether that be where they live or their energy. 
They are therefore suitable for either an active and sporty owner or for someone older; just like they can change from a state of euphoria to one of immediate calm.

Their ancestors had a prominent hunting instinct for birds. The Cavalier King Charles has inherited this trait, however, for several centuries their breeding has been focused on developing them to be a suitable pet.

Neither fearful nor aggressive, this toy spaniel generally greets guests with great kindness. On the other hand, they can be quite distant if they don’t trust the person, in this case they will simply ignore them.

Although they know how to keep their distance when they need to, the Cavalier eagerly awaits the slightest movement from their owner. They find it hard to be ignored or excluded from their group, this is a dog that will always be by your side.

Although they know how to hide it, this dog really does suffer with loneliness. Even as a pet, they will struggle to be alone in the house for a whole day.

The Cavalier King Charles is not hard to train, it is however sometimes hard to keep their attention. 

This little dog will try to wriggle out of being trained at every given opportunity. They know how to use their charm and take advantage of a weak trainer.
On the other hand, if training is started early and a motivating reward, like food, is used they tend to cooperate easily.

When alone, they rarely bark. It is one of their best characteristics, especially for a life in an apartment. 

Nevertheless, if they live with other dogs they can be a bit louder as they copy those around them.

This dog doesn’t run away, they value their comfort and would be too scared to lose it and end up alone.

As they can’t stand being alone, this usually well-tempered little dog has been known to be destructive when its owners are away for too long and they are left without anything to do.

Greediness is often a bad thing, but for this easily distracted dog it can be used positively to help with their training.

Strictly speaking, the Cavalier King Charles is more of an ‘alert’ dog than a guard dog. It is not in their nature to be distrustful and would clearly not deter an intruder.

This intelligent and affectionate little dog is both lively and calm and he is a very good choice for first-time adopters. However, don’t be too lax, bear in mind that their good temperament is dependent on training.

This dog is perfectly adapted to city life in an apartment. They are well suited to a more rural life in a house with a garden. 

Whatever the lifestyle may be, this little dog will need to go outside daily and have regular exercise to avoid being overweight.

Despite being calm, the Cavalier King Charles can be particularly lively and needs daily walks to burn off their energy. This dog can also excel in certain activities if they practise regularly.

It is fairly easy to travel with a Cavalier King Charles, but in general they exceed the weight limit for ‘handbag dogs’ on most public transport.

Always keep an eye out to see how the cat reacts, if they don’t like how extravagant the Cavalier is they may get their claws out. Generally, the two get on well, especially if they were introduced at an early age.

Fairly comfortable in all environments (especially if they were well socialised from an early age), the Cavalier usually gets on with all fellow dogs as long as the dog codes of conduct are respected.

Being lively and sporty, this little spaniel is an excellent playmate for children. Because of their kindness, good mood and their inexhaustible energy, they always have a positive effect on children because they each share the same total joy of life.

This toy dog is perfect for the elderly. They adapt well to that lifestyle and really appreciate a constant presence in the house, unlike owners who may be at work during the day for example.

The Cavalier King Charles sheds an adequate amount. When moulting it is advised to brush them every day to get rid of the dead hair.

Life expectancy is about 12 years.

Different to their cousin the King Charles, who is slightly more delicate, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a dog that lives for a long time and seems robust…Unfortunately, the breed is predisposed to some medical complications, notably those concerning heart.

Because of their flat face, the Cavalier King Charles can struggle to breathe and regulate their body temperature. When it is very hot it is important to be careful and prioritise walks early in the morning or late at night.

This dog dislikes the cold and the damp. They are often seen dressed in a coat in the winter.

Predisposed to obesity, these dogs must not fall into a sedentary lifestyle, if so they will struggle physically.

• Mitral endocardiosis (degenerative disease of heart valves)
• Malassezia dermatitis (skin disease)
• Follicular dysplasia of black hairs
• Syringomyelia or Chiari syndrome (neurological disease)
• Dislocation of the patella
• Brachycephalic upper airway syndrome

This dog’s origins can be traced to the King Charles breed who was once much more appreciated than the Cavalier. Today, we are witnessing a reversal of this trend because the Cavalier has fewer health problems, for example with their breathing. The Cavalier comes from crossing the King Charles, the Pekingese and the Pug. They take their name from Charles II who, according to his critics, preferred to play with his dogs rather than deal with state affairs. The breed standard was only fixed in 1928 and it was not until 1945 that the breed was recognised by the Kennel Club. As for the FCI, they definitively recognised the Cavalier King Charles in 1955.