Live Life Team
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a descendant of the King Charles Spaniel. This name came from the dog that was a pet of the children of King Charles 1st, and King Charles 2nd later decreed this breed should not be banned in any public place from then on. This is a small breed of spaniel and though it is considered a toy dog, it is one of the larger of this type. They are most commonly found as family pets or as show dogs.
The King Charles Cavalier usually has a moderately long silky coat, which is most often wavy and feathered and can be curly underneath and around the ears. Four specific colours are recognised and these are Blenheim (chestnut and white), Black and Tan, Tricolour and Ruby. Blenheim is the most common colour found. The head should be flat between the eyes and the nose well defined and prominent. Their large, gentle eyes give them an endearing look, which adds to their popularity. The neck should be long and arched and the ears are long and floppy. It moves with an elegant, almost royal gait.
This is a breed of reasonable intelligence and they can be successfully trained to follow simple instructions for rewards such as treats. They are a highly affectionate dog and make good pets, especially if hand raised from puppies. They will quickly adapt to all locations or environments and will easily bond with other dogs. This characteristic can be dangerous, as they will assume all breeds of dogs are friendly and will approach more aggressive breeds without a second thought. They are good companions to humans of all ages, from children through seniors. They thrive on the company of humans and other pets and do not like to spend long periods of time alone. They also share many characteristics with cats and may be found perching in high places or cleaning their paws. They have also been known to catch small rodents and low flying birds. This is thought to originate from their early use as a hunting dog. This may also provide issues when walking a King Charles Cavalier off-leash, as they may chase after small animals or even butterflies and have been known to run into traffic or become stuck in rabbit holes.
The King Charles Cavalier breed is blighted by a long history of genetic complaints and illnesses. It is important to buy these dogs from a reliable breeder, as two in particular can be severe and are extremely common. These are mitral valve disease and syringomyelia. Mitral valve disease can cause heart murmurs and ultimately heart failure and is the leading cause of death in this breed. Syringomyelia affects both the spine and the brain. Both are genetic and can be detected by screening. Other commonly seen problems are hip displacia, eye conditions, ear infections or glue ear, episodic falling, deafness, keratoconjunctivitis sicca, luxating patella and blood disorders.
