Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
TECHNICAL FILE
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Group: 9 - Companion Dogs
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Group section: 7 - English Epagneuls companion dogs
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Country of origin: Great Britain
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Date of origin: 20th century
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Primary use: Companion
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Approximate weight: 5-8 Kg
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Approximate height: 31-33 cm
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Colors:
Black and Tan
Ruby - Reddish brown
Blenheim - White and reddish brown
Tricolor - (black, white and reddish brown)
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Average life expectancy: 12 years
HISTORY - The dog of the European aristocracy
As its name suggests, this breed shares roots with the King Charles Spaniel.
Many aristocratic European families owned this spaniel, bred purely for companionship, and some doctors even prescribed the company of this small breed to cure certain illnesses.
According to reports by certain diarists, notably Samuel Pepys, King Charles II of England, who ruled the country between 1660 and 1685, seemed to spend more time looking after his spaniels than managing the affairs of state.
Over time, the breed changed and, given the growing popularity of dogs with flat noses, such as the Pug, dogs with longer noses became relatively rare.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the aesthetic differences between spaniels painted in the 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th centuries were already evident compared to the King Charles Spaniels of the time.
In order to restore the breed's original aesthetic, the American Roswell Eldridge offered a reward at the Cruft's Dog Show in London in 1920 to anyone who exhibited a King Charles Spaniel with a long nose, as depicted in Van Dyck's paintings.
Since the prize was worth 25 pounds, which was a fortune at the time, several breeders tried to recreate the old King Charles Spaniels, which led to the creation of two different breeds: the King Charles Spaniel (flat nose) and the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (taller, heavier and with a longer nose).
Since then, the popularity of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel has grown and has now surpassed that of the King Charles Spaniel.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the aesthetic differences between the spaniels painted in the 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th centuries were already evident in comparison to the King Charles Spaniels of the time. In order to recover the original aesthetics of this breed, the American Roswell Eldridge offered a reward at the Cruft's Dog Show in London in 1920 to anyone who exhibited a King Charles Spaniel with a long nose, as it was portrayed in Van Dyck's paintings. Since the prize was worth 25 pounds, which was a fortune at the time, several breeders tried to recreate the old King Charles Spaniels, which led to the creation of two different breeds: the King Charles Spaniel (flat nose) and the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (taller, heavier and with a longer nose).Since then, the popularity of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel has grown and has now surpassed that of the King Charles Spaniel.
TEMPERAMENT - Born to please
Cheerful and lively, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a friendly and docile breed for children and the elderly, and is the only spaniel bred specifically for companionship.
Its intelligence, combined with its desire to please its owner, make it a relatively easy breed to train in terms of obedience, although it can sometimes be a little stubborn.
This affectionate breed is perfectly suited to apartment life, which doesn't mean it doesn't need to be stimulated and use up all its energy during outdoor walks.
SANTÉ
The great popularity of this breed has led to intensive and poor-quality breeding, contributing to an increase in its diseases, particularly those affecting the heart, of which mitral valve disease stands out.
Syringomyelia, which affects the spinal cord, hip dysplasia and anomalies related to the hearing system are other problems that can affect it.
As with any breed, but especially the Cavalier, it is essential to investigate the breeder very well, analyzing the clinical history of previous generations of their litters.
CHARACTERISTICS
Relationship with other animals - Excellent
Relationship with children - Excellent
Training - Good
Coat care - Demanding
Cold climates - Suitable
Apartment - Suitable
CURIOSITIES
No breed was portrayed as much as this one during the 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, featuring in paintings by magnificent artists such as Titian, Antoon van Dyck, Vermeer, William Hogarth, George Stubbs and Edwin Landseer.