Cavalier King Charles Spaniel dog breed falls in the category of small toy dogs with short stature, big dark and round eyes, and a glossy hair coat.
They are
known to be friendly towards all, with a great need for human companionship.
Favorite of
King Charles II, they rose in popularity in the English Royalty with many commissioning
paintings with their pets.
Named after
the Cavalier King, Cavalier King Charles
Spaniel temperament is described as affectionate, friendly and active.
After
Charles II reign they witnessed a decline, with interest in this breed only
coming back in the 1920s due to efforts of an enthusiast.
Even with the
looks of a toy dog, they are playful and athletic with a tendency to chase
everything moving.
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppies are born in a litter of 2
to 6 with the average being 5 puppies.
They weigh around 5-8 pounds at the age of 3 months when
they are available for adoption.
They mature around the age of 12
months with most reaching their full height and weight potential around 18-24
months.
They need to be fed 4 times a day
and taken out several times for pee and potty breaks.
It is important that during this
time they are trained for house training and social interactions for their
all-round development.
Adults weigh about 13-18 pounds and
have a height of 12-13 inches.
They have large round eyes that are
well apart set giving them an affectionate and charming expression.
They have a smooth and glamorous
coat of hair with a slightly rounded skull and naturally feathered floppy ears.
Table of Contents
Cavaliar King Charles Pictures
Quick Facts
Avg. Weight: 13-18 pounds
Avg. Height: 12-13 inches
Life Expectancy: 9-15 years
Dog Group: Toy group
Colors: Blenheim, Black and Tan, Ruby, and Tri-Color
Other Names: Cavaliers, Cavies, Cav, Comforter Spaniel
At A Glance
Size (2/5)
They are short in size with most reaching 12-13 inches as their full height.
They have a slightly longer body compared to their height
Affection Level (5/5)
These dogs are very affectionate towards all whether they are
other dogs, cats or people.
When they are young they need to have exposure to new social
situations to be a well-mannered adult dog.
They are very affectionate to even strangers and have a “to-please”
natural desire in them.
Due to this quality, they make ideal companion dogs to
families and elderly people.
Apartment-Friendly (5/5)
They are very adaptable to living in the apartments and also
due to their short body.
They have moderate exercise needs and are primarily house
pets.
They don’t howl or bark much and having a calm demeanor makes
them pleasant dogs for apartment owners.
Cold Weather Tolerability (3/5)
They have a single coat and don’t provide much insulation in
frigid weather.
They need some extra protection to brave the cold and
preserve their energy.
Make sure they don’t overheat due to their warm coats and
clean their feet so they don’t eat the antifreeze, salt, and grit.
They also have the risk of getting frostbite due to being wet
and their coat not being fully dried.
Hot Weather Tolerability (2/5)
They can’t tolerate heat with their coat acting as a warm
sweater to them.
Due to the small shape of their muzzles, they have less
effective cooling mechanism than other breeds.
Also, they have fur on their feet with heats them while
walking on any heat-retaining surface.
They need good air flow to keep their body heat bearable with
access to cold air and water at regular intervals.
Barking Tendencies (3/5)
They don’t bark much due to their mild and unassertive nature.
Mostly they greet strangers and unknown people with
friendliness, even though they might bark while greeting them.
They only are said to bark whenever their situation requires
it, like on hearing other dogs bark.
Cat-Friendly (4/5)
They get along with cats with many developing good
relationships with the cats.
Due to the same sizes, they tend to be good playmates.
The need to be socialized early in life to be comfortable
with felines as their innate spaniel tendency is to chase them.
Dog-Friendly (5/5)
This breed is known for its
friendly and affectionate nature towards other animals.
On meeting new dogs they don’t show
any signs of aggression and are more than willing to be friends with them.
They are more than happy to meet
with other dogs and play with them.
Exercise Needs (3/5)
They need moderate levels of
exercise with short walks divided over the day.
They need to be leashed while going
out due to their spaniel nature of chasing everything moving.
They can be lazy bodies so they need
regular games even indoors to keep them healthy.
An obese or overweight Cavalier
requires more amount than normal to stay fit.
Grooming Needs (3/5)
They need brushing daily to avoid
the tangling and matting of their fur coat.
Though they don’t have the need to
be trimmed their coat, feathering on ears and hairs between the toes should be.
Also, ears should be checked for
dirt sticking on the inside due to retained moisture.
Bathing not only makes their coat
shiny it also gets rid of bacteria and sweat build-up in their fur.
Playfulness (5/5)
Generally described as playful
these dogs are eager to chase everything that moves.
They are very agile and have a good
energy level so they are always up for a walk outside.
They are active thanks to their
spaniel gene and can even keep with a trotting horse.
They love playing be it with kids,
cats or other dogs.
Trainability (4/5)
Training them requires consistent
efforts and patience.
They have the willingness to learn
new commands and tricks but take time picking them up.
Food is a great incentive for them
with many basing their drive to learn anything on the treats offered.
Intelligence (3/5)
They have average intelligence with
them being good in agility and obedience.
They adapt well according to their situations with many of them having the flexibility for their owner’s routine.
They are also sensitive to their
owner’s signs and signals.
Mouthiness (3/5)
They have a moderate tendency to
chew or nib things around them.
Especially during the teething
stage, they chew stuff to satisfy the urge and to ease the pain of growing new
teeth.
Toothing toys can ease the
discomfort they face and later be their boredom and stress reliever.
Price Group
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel cost around $1200 to $1500 as a puppy and can go up
to $3500 so is considered one of the
expensive breeds to buy.
Most people opt for adopting rescued dogs from the shelters.
It is advisable to check for the puppy or dog’s health before
so to avoid most of the genetic diseases.
About Cavalier Ki>About Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
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They are
one of the largest toy dog breeds that are known for their shiny long hair
coat.
Gentle and
sweet dogs of this breed are good pets for apartment dwellers with the small
area being no concern for them.
They have
moderate exercise needs and are always up for any form of physical exercise.
Properly
house pets they are mostly seen chasing cats, birds or cars whenever they are
out.
They are
also known as “Lap Dogs” and love to be in a human company.
These
affectionate and loving dogs adapt well to their owners so they can be either
be a couch potato or an energy bomb.
They are
originally from England and enjoyed a period of popularity with the Royals.
They are
known for being shown in paintings in the 16th and 18th
centuries by many artists and painters.
Where Cavalier King C>Where Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Came From?
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They have
originated from Malta or Italy and introduced in England by Mary, Queen of
Scots from France.
They had
royal patrons in Charles I and Charles II who were the greatest
admirers of this breed.
It is said
that Charles II always had few spaniels around him and is said to neglect the
kingdom’s affairs for the dogs.
The breed
got their name from him due to his fascination for these dogs.
After the
reign ended so did their popularity with people not wanting them to their
association with the previous king.
In order to
adapt them, they were breed with the pugs who were the new royalty favorite.
Their
appearance changed considerably and they had a flatter face with a domed head
shape.
In 1926, an
American enthusiast Roswell Eldridge offered a prize to breeders to recreate
the original species as shown in the old paintings.
Ann’s Son owned by Mostyn Walker was declared the winner with all the specifics “long face, no stop, flat skull, not inclined to be domed, with a spot in the center of the skull” covered.
Thus it
renewed interest in this breed but after the Second World War, only 6 dogs
remained.
Most of the
current dogs came from them and thus are prone to some genetic propagated
diseases.
There is an
urban myth that King Charles II decreed that this breed be allowed for every
building in the country even the Parliament.
Size
Sizee class="aligncenter">
They have a
height of 12-13 inches in their full
grown state as an adult.
They have
strong sturdy legs with a slightly longer neck with stooping shoulders and a small
firm body.
They are on
the larger side of the toy dog breeds and them being smaller is generally
associated with some disorder or medical defect.
They have a
flowing straight or slightly wavy fur coat that sweeps by their side.
Trainability
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They are
easy to train with many urging the owners to start their training from the
puppy months.
They have
an enthusiastic and eager approach to learning something new.
Along with
good intelligence and a ‘to-please’ attitude they make for good learners though
owners need to be consistent.
Training on
how to behave inside the house and while out for exercise requires a firm and
soft hand.
They are
very sensitive and any type of negative reaction to them can result in them
being shy and even hiding.
Constant
praise and encouragement are to be given as they are slow to pick up commands.
Grooming
Groomingass="aligncenter">
Even though
they have great fur they don’t need much maintenance regarding that.
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel shedding occurs
heavily twice a year during the summer and fall seasons.
They are at
most an average shedder with a requirement of daily brushing to avoid matting
and tangling of hair.
Bathing
them once every two to four weeks gets rids of smelly bacteria and dirt.
Their ears
have to be cleaned regularly as they have the tendency to retain moisture for a
long time leading to infections.
Hair
growing between their toes has to be trimmed regularly too.
Regular
brushing of their teeth and nail trimming should also be part of their routine
grooming regime.
Common Diseases
Common Diseasess="aligncenter">
Even though
they are a healthy breed they can be afflicted with some inheritable diseases.
TARGETING
THE BONES
Luxating Patella:
Dislocation
of their knee cap (patella) or simply slipping of bones from knee joints causes
crippling pain in some cases.
It
happens when knee bones aren’t prominent due to bone defects or are too weak to
lift their weight.
Limping,
frozen legs and sudden yelps are some signs that your dog is affected with this
condition.
A
grading scale is used to know if the dog has a tight knee or one with chances
of cap slipping.
In
mild cases, physical therapy and exercise along with medications are
enough.
Surgery
and treatment are required once diagnosed in case it severe.
Hip Dysplasia:
It
is the deformity of the hip joints due to genes and is common.
It
gradually progresses with age and isn’t fully evident until they become adults.
Dogs
showing signals like less activity, trouble in moving, unusual gait, should be
shown to vet.
X-Rays
aren’t reliable in showing this disease.
In
severe cases, affected dogs may require surgery and medications to keep pain in
check.
TARGETING
THE EYES
Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca:
This condition arises due to the reaction of an abnormal
response of the immune system to the dog’s tear glands.
Also known as “dry eye” it results in less production of
tears which leads to the dry and inflamed cornea.
Symptoms are redness in eye, film or discharge on the eye.
Due to severe discomfort like persistent burning cornea maybe
scarred with the result being permanent blindness.
With proper treatment, this condition can be kept under
control or even be healed.
Eye drops with antibiotic and inflammatory properties should
be used after showing to the vet.
TARGETING
THE NERVOUS SYSTEM
Syringomyelia (SM):
This is a nervous system disorder that happens due to the small size of the rear end of the skull.
It is due to a congenital bone deformity and results in
crowding of cerebellum and brainstem and obstruction in the opening at bottom
of the skull.
Due to this obstruction, the cerebrospinal fluid can’t
properly flow and collects in cavities in the spinal cord.
This causes mild to severe pain in the head and neck regions
and partial paralysis.
Symptoms are scratching the back of the neck on one side,
whimpering and yelping, sensitivity on touching the neck, wobbly walking or
holding head in a certain position.
Almost 30-70% of this breed is affected by this painful
genetic disease.
It can be mild that requires just medications and minor
correction surgery to be back in their normal lives.
For severe cases, there is no cure that is currently
available.
Episodic Falling (EF):
This neurological disorder is caused by a single recessive
gene affecting 1% of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
There is an increase in the muscle tone and the muscles can’t
relax.
It is often confused with epilepsy though in this dog remains
conscious throughout the episode.
Symptoms can be mild like random falling episodes and severe
with seizure-like episodes for a few hours.
It can be identified with gene test and symptoms can start
from 5 months.
TARGETING
THE BODY:
Heart Mitral Valve Disease (MVD):
It is a leading disease that many dogs are affected with and
is one of the leading causes of their death.
It is rare to find an adult dog with this disease with 48% of
their deaths being caused by that.
In this, there is a defect in the mitral valve of the heart as
it gradually thickens and degenerates resulting in the blood leaking out.
It, in turn, forces the heart to
pump more blood and faster thereby increasing the leakage from the valve.
At the age of five, most of the
dogs are identifies as suffering from this disease.
Heart murmurs are the first signs
of this fatal disease that progresses as the dog ages.
Vets and other concerned
authorities have made specific guidelines that eliminate the onset of this
disease
Always ask for the puppy from
breeders who follow the guidelines.
Primary Secretory Otitis Media (PSOM):
Also known as “glue ear”, a mucus plug fills the middle of
the inside of the dog’s ear.
It can cause the tympanic membrane to bulge thus causing pain
and sensations in the head and neck.
It affects almost half of them and has symptoms like SM with
some vets confusing the ailments sometimes.
Some of the common health problems that affect toy breeds
including Obesity also affect this breed.
They can also have a case of separation anxiety due to their
dependence on human’s presence near them.
The monthly
expense of keeping a Cavalier King Charles Spanielis around $58-$77.
The food
costs around $25 per month that is
of good quality including their treats.
The first
few months of raising a puppy cost more and it gradually decreases as they grow
up.
Good health
of the dog is also a factor that reduces general hospital bills for the
owners.
Additional
costs include their toys and furniture which are mostly annual expenses.
Visits to
vets for vaccinations, deworming and flea medicine adds to that.
Groomers
add to the bill but this breed requires less maintenance hence can be groomed
at home.
Behavioral
classes required due to their separation anxiety issues should also be
considered.
Behavior With
Behavior With
They get
along with children due to their affectionate and loving nature.
They aren’t
suitable for small children who might treatment them roughly by hugging them
tightly or heavy pets.
They are
ideal for families with children and other dogs.
They are even-tempered
and gentle with great affection and loyalty to their owners.
They are peaceful and polite to everybody with no hardly any aggression in them.
Dogs
Their basic
instinct on seeing other dogs is to offer the first paw of friendship.
They don’t
show any sign of aggression or bark in front of other dogs thus not seen as
intimidating.
They strive
for the company of others and are very social to all dogs.
But when in
puppy phase they have to be exposed to new dogs and situations so they don’t
grow up shy and reserved.
Cats
This breed
is famous for getting along with other animals with ease due to their friendly
nature.
An
energetic, curious cat can be their ideal playmates with both enjoying a game
of chase.
With their
sizes being nearer to each other they don’t see each other as intimidating.
They should
be introduced slowly to each other first so they warm easily to each other.
Their
spaniel instincts to hunt and chase can make them irritating to any cat.
They need
to be trained not to chase any cat that they lay their eyes on as injuries can
happen while running on streets and roads.
Overview
This breed
classified as a toy dog bre>Overviewiders them to be a companion
dog.
Originally
their purpose was to warm the laps of noble ladies and attract fleas leading to
them being nicknamed as “Comforter Spaniels”.
Quiet,
affectionate and gentle is how Cavalier King Charles Spaniel’s temperament is
said as to be.
Small in
size with a shiny coat of straight or slightly wavy hair with large mellow eyes
make them good show dogs.
They have a
friendly nature to all animals and strangers and get along with all others.
Due to
their spaniel genes, they tend to chase everything that moves in front of them necessitating
the need for leashing them.
They have a
long history of being involved with English royalty due to their charms with
Charles II as their admirer.
Something Fun
Blenheim name comes from the battle as these dogs have a spot on their forehead.
It is said that Duchess of Marlborough touched a pregnant dog there while waiting for her husband to return for the ‘Battle of Blenheim’.
Next day the Duke returned and the puppies were all born with the mark.
They were bred from toy Spaniels including
extinct Toy Trawler Spaniel.
Their rise in popularity is recent with the popular show “Sex and the City” where a character, Charlotte York, had one as a pet named Elizabeth Taylor.
They made the biggest jump in the AKC popularity charts in the last two decades.
This is all from our side
about this sweet and gentle dog breed.
To tell us about your
thoughts, feel free to write in the comment section below.
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