Cavalier King Charles Spaniel: The First Lady of the Dog World

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a medium-sized, bony toy spaniel with an elegant stance. They take place in our lives as playful, funny, intelligent, and affectionate lap dogs. Cavalier King Charles, with his small body structure, maintains the hardworking nature of the spaniel problem. His gait and movements reveal his free spirit and grace. He has silky, slightly wavy, and medium-length hair. The long hair on the feet is one of the distinguishing features of this breed. This breed is also known as Cav, Cavies for short. He wins people's attention and love with his gentle, sweet, noble, loving, and exciting ways.

At A Glance To The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

Kind

Toy

Weight

10-16 lbs

Height

15 - 20 inch

Family

Spaniel

Origin

Britain

Origin Date

The 1600s

Lifetime

9-15 years

History Of The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is derived from Spanish roots. His origin is England. The toy dogs served briefly with their bodies, their warmth as lap and foot warmer dogs. In addition, they also collected fleas from the bodies of their owners and did so in hunting. Toy Spaniels have become popular in all segments as they appeal to the family they live in both with love and with their different characteristics.

King II in the 1700s. Charles brought the toy Spaniels to the forefront as he loved and cared for them very much. Such love was to such an extent that he was accused of ignoring state matters while caring for his dogs. There were criticisms that he was more interested in raising his dogs than governing Britain. He was dedicated to the black and tan toy spaniel variety. Dogs were so associated with King Charles that they became known in society as King Charles Spaniels.

His popularity waned after King Charles died. Pugs and other breeds with small faces and noses came to the fore in their place. The Duke of Marlborough took over the banner as an admirer and defender of the king Charles genre. The breed was bred with different dogs and inherited a different appearance from its ancestors. The Duke of Marlborough named his favorite red and white variety "Blenheim" among the Cavs. This name was given to dogs of this color in honor of Blenheim Palace. These dogs continued to be in the homes of the nobility and wealthy for generations.

This breed was probably crossed with Pugs and Japanese Chins during the Victorian era. This crossing has affected the formation of today's dogs. He became the recognized dog in America known as the English Toy Spaniel. New breeds of dogs became shorter-nosed and domed-headed, and these breeds began to be preferred over the old ones. The new type of toy spaniel had a domed skull and a flatter face than Charles' dogs. Before long, dogs of this breed began to forget the old breed and became dominant. The traditional toy spaniel of the Restoration era has almost disappeared over time.

In the 1920s, King Charles Spaniel dog fans wondered if the old-fashioned toy spaniel breed they had seen in portraits in magnificent halls of English mansions still existed. When Roswell Eldridge, a wealthy American, came to England, he announced that he would give a monetary reward to British breeders who could breed an "Old World type Bleinheim Spaniel". In anticipation of prize money, breeders strove to revive the old style. They brought their old-style dogs together, and while doing this, they began to be interested and give importance to the old-style dogs.

These dogs were later named "Cavalier King Charles Spaniels" in honor of the King Cavalier King. With a renewed interest in pointy-nosed old-fashioned dogs, the short-nosed breed fell behind in popularity. The word Cavalier was added to the King Charles Spaniel breed. In this way, they intended to distinguish him from the flat-faced King Charles Spaniel (dogs known as English Toy Spaniels in England).

The toy spaniel has accompanied royalty and nobility for centuries, and in 1996 the AKC recognized the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel breed.

Personality & Character Traits

Cavies are a breed that is increasing in popularity day by day, primarily with its noble and impressive external beauty and character traits. He combined the gentle and careful side of the toy breed with the vitality and athleticism of the Spaniel breed. He is a dog that fascinates people with its beautiful face, round eyes, sweet gaze, and gentle and loving nature.

Cavies enjoy spending time with their owner and loved ones. They are pleased with the little attention and look of their owner. Their happiness is also evident from their excitedly wagging tails. They can make moves to get on your lap at every opportunity. They enjoy contact with loved ones and people in general. When you make eye contact, they greet you immediately. They are never shy or reserved. If Cavies realize that you love them even from afar, they can come to you with a single command and come to your lap.

This breed loves to be petted and loved. That's why being alone for a long time and not getting attention makes them sad and leads to behavioral disorders. They are attached to their family and loved ones, and playing games with them is what they enjoy the most. He is friendly and loyal and will always be by your side.

They also get along with children, strangers, dogs, and other pets. He is a very adaptable dog. He is also friendly towards foreigners. They do not exhibit distant, shy and shy behaviors towards strangers. They love children very much, get along well and become playmates. He has a high tolerance for children and is a breed that families with children can easily prefer. They generally get along with pets and are also very tolerant of cats. However, we recommend you bring Cavies together with children, pets, and strangers under your supervision, just in case.

He is an easy breed to train. With his smart side, you can complete your training in a short time when his interest is kept alive, and effort is made. It is very important that he is not brought up to be spoiled and that he receives obedience training. Continuity, consistency, and patience in training are essential for their development. Socializing outside will also positively affect their training process. They are an extroverted and social breed that likes to play with people and travel. As long as you have the right and good leadership, it will be a loyal and obedient dog that will not leave your side.

When you go out for walks and exercise, you should keep your dog on a leash, even though he is a compliant dog that listens. Chasing and chasing things with the advanced hunting dog makes them very happy. He can leave your side in a blink of an eye. That's why if you live in a house with a garden, you should take the security measures accordingly and take your rides on a leash when you go out.

He has a moderate barking tendency and is friendly towards strangers. He may or may not bark at strangers at your door, depending on his mood. Therefore, he will not be an excellent guard dog. Of course, there are also Cav dogs, who are adept at guarding, albeit rare. However, knowing that it is not always possible to be a perfect watchman, you should take precautions accordingly. In addition, they quickly adapt to apartment life with their low barking nature, moderate exercise needs, and good relations with people.

With early training and socialization, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel can become a better-behaved companion. If you want a friend who loves hugs, does not want to get off your lap, gets along well with everyone, and is loving, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel will be one of the right choices for you.

Best Products for The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

Physical Attributes

Body

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a well-proportioned small dog with a medium-length body. His legs and feet are generally short compared to his body and height. He is a cute lap dog with silky fur, an elegant little body, and a confident stance. 

Head

The flat skull is inclined to a slightly rounded dome shape. His head size is neither too big nor too small,he is in proportion to his body. A standard white color transition is seen in the middle of the skull. His long face has a prominent and slightly tapered muzzle. They can smell very well with their black nose. He has a strong jaw and sharp teeth with a scissor bite. 

Ears

They have long, drooping, and abundantly hairy ears. The ears are set high while the skull is flat. The soft, medium-length hair on the ear is long and wavy. However, it is not curly. Hs ears have wavy, long hair, while his body is short and slightly straighter-haired. They attract attention with their ears that are long enough to go from the top of their head to the bottom of their chin. 

Eyes

The Cavalier has very large and inconspicuous round eyes. There is a black, dark brown frame around the eyes. This adds depth and extra beauty to his looks. His brown eyes are set apart by a white transition that runs down his forehead to his muzzle and chin. Their eyes are in the mask that is compatible with the color of the fur and their distance to each other is proportional. It is a standard feature of whiteness that descends from the forehead to the nose on the face. 

Legs and Feet

The legs and feet of the Cav breed are shorter than their height and body. Although his legs and feet are shorter than his body, he is quite strong, muscular, and durable. Their gait and quick movements reveal their free and strong sides as well as their gentle and graceful nature. 

Tail

You can see their tails sometimes docked 1/3 of the way and sometimes in their natural state. The usually seen and suitable one is the long feathered tail, which is not clamped and left to its natural state. His silky, medium-length, slightly wavy hair is in harmony with his fur. 

Fur

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel has silky, glossy, medium-length hair that is slightly wavy. Their feathers should not be curly or curly. The feathers in the ear, chest, legs, and tail area get longer as they grow, and their flamboyant feathers add a different air to this breed. The long hair on their feet is a distinctive feature of this breed. Although they are hairy, they shed moderately. 

Color

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel usually has a coat of dark chestnut or black-brown-white colors on top of the pearly white color. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel has fur with different combinations over four colors. Blenheim (chestnut, red and white), ruby ​​(rich mahogany red, crimson), tricolor fur (black and tan over white with spots on eyes, cheeks, inside ears, and under the tail) tan over black (like tricolors). It appears with color variations and combinations in the form of tan dots on black.

Care

 To care for the Cavalier's shiny and silky fur, you should comb and brush its fur 3-4 times a week. With regular hair care, you will protect their body health and you will see less shed hair at home. While grooming, you will massage your dog's body and make him happy by caring for him.

In the spring and autumn seasons, a little more shedding can be seen than normal shedding. However, regular brushing and paying attention to the foods you consume can control the spills. In addition, you can take your dog for shaving at the dog hairdresser when they experience intense shedding, and you want to shorten their hair. In general, it is seen that they are shaved to emphasize the hairy appearance on their feet, but it is best to keep their hair in its natural state.

They like to go out and play games in the parks and gardens. However, in addition to this, it is suitable for him to sleep in his owner's bed, on the sofa. So they may need to take a bath on a weekly basis. It is important that the bath products used are suitable for your dog, as they have dense hair. After the bath, it should be dried well and should not be damp.

Nail, ear, mouth and teeth care should also be done on a weekly basis. Their ears need to be checked for dirt and signs of infection. Nails should be looked at regularly and cut 1-2 times a month depending on their growth. You should brush your teeth 2-3 times a week for dental and oral health.

By controlling your dog's body with careful care, you can notice possible health problems early. As a result, your dog will live a more comfortable and long life with weekly routine checks, applied care, and a planned health plan.

Exercise

Although the Cavalier breed was bred to be a lap dog that likes to hang out at home and snuggle on the couches, he also has a sporty side. Therefore, their favorite activities are moderate exercise, brisk walks, and outdoor activities. Don't let him lie on the couch all day, encourage him to walk. After a while, they will want to leave the house before you. The type with a short nose is likely to experience breathing problems in hot weather. Therefore, they should arrange well when they go out and should not do long exercises in hot weather.

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel breed will meet his exercise needs with 30 minutes of activity, and 1-1.5 kilometer walks during the day. Of course, they love to play and are active by playing in the garden or at home, but these activities never mean that they should not go for a walk.

Every day he should take walks with his owner. It should be ensured that he is active both physically and mentally. You can find that they do well in different canine sports when well trained and exercised.

He should always wear a leash when going out because of his hunting and chasing habits. If he sees a scent or creature that they want to follow, it is possible that he will follow them and not be able to respond to your command. For this, it is essential that you, as the leader, always have dominance. Because they are house dogs, it is difficult for them to adapt to street life, so you should pay extra attention to them when outside.

If you have a house with a garden, you can release him under your supervision in an environment where you take security measures with high fences. The small garden environment is also enough space for them to do their exercises. However, if you don't take it out daily, play with him and let him throw their energy away, he may exhibit negative behaviors.

Training

The Cavalier King Charles is a highly intelligent dog that is open to training and eager to please his owner. Their sweet, gentle and loving nature should be supported by the training they will receive during their infancy. First, when they are eight weeks old, the training process should start, and they should receive basic obedience training. The Cavalier can be spoiled and maverick when grown loosely without set rules. In order not to allow this, you should train him and not pamper him by being very loving and protective.