Dogs of the Month - Cavalier Kingdom!

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a small, eager and lively little dog. The breed originated in the late 1600’s and are the result of the King Charles Spaniel being crossed with the Pug, making them a smaller dog with flatter noses, upturned faces and rounder heads. They were named for King Charles II and in the 1920’s a large amount of money was offered by Roswell Eldrige, an American desperate to find someone that had a dog similar to those appearing in Van Dyck’s painting of King Charles II, before the Pug’s were bred in. It wasn’t until the 1940’s that they were classified as their own breed and there for given the prefix Cavalier, to differentiate them from their forbears.

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel as we know them today, are the product of the late 1920’s American breeders, though the modern breed in the true heir to the royal spaniels of King Charles II. They make an excellent addition to any family, they are an affectionate and happy dog. Always eager to please they are fearless and respond well to gentle obedience training, they need to rules to follow and must know their limits. They are said to be naturally well behaved and get along well with not only other dog but non canine pets too. They love people and need constant companionship and shouldn’t be left alone all day. At any time they are going to be left alone it’s best to take them for a walk before you leave, this will put them in a natural rest mode. Due to their hunting background they have the instinct to chase, with their remarkable eye sight and sense of smell they are great for short hunts in open country. It’s best to socialize them well from a young age to avoid them being reserved with strangers as they can be a very pleasant companion dog. They are great to apartment life and are moderately active indoors so are happy enough with a small yard. They do have some common health issues to keep an eye on, eye disease can be hereditary in the breed as well as back trouble and dislocating patella (knee caps) Ear infections can be common and they do gain weight easily so they’re not a breed to over feed.
A serious genetic heart condition, Mitral valve disease, can also cause early death. They don’t tend to cope well in warmer weather and need to be monitored in these times. It’s best to check the medical history of the previous generation if possible; if not make sure you regularly keep check with your vet. Play times will take care of most of their exercise requirements although all breed do require their primal instinct to walk, a daily walk is enough the Cavalier. Their coat is easily maintained with regular brushing and only bathing when necessary. The long hair between their pads needs to be trimmed and their ears are prone to tangling and matting so need to be brushed daily. Cleaning inside of the ears regularly will also help to prevent ear infections.

You will find Cavalier’s in a variety of colors;
Prince Charles – Tri colour.
King Charles – Black and Tan
 Ruby – rich mahogany Red.
Blenheim – Red & White.