History:
Long a royal pet, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel was named for King Charles II. History tells us that Charles II was rarely seen without at least one of two Cavaliers at his heels. He wrote a decree that the King Charles Spaniel should be accepted in any public place, even in the Houses of Parliament.

 During the reign of William and Mary, these spaniels were interbred with Pugs, resulting in a significantly altered head shape with flattened face, domed back of the skull and round, protruding eyes. The result of this interbreeding is called the English Toy Spaniel.

Mr. Roswell Eldridge, in the 1920's, offered a reward for spaniels of the older, original type with longer face, un- domed skull and un-bulging eyes. The results of his advertisement, through careful breeding, became the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel joined the Toy Group of the AKC in 1996.

Temperament:

The ultimate lap dog...the Cav craves companionship and should not be left alone all day without some type of company. These sweet, gentle, little dogs want to please and respond well to gentle obedience training. Naturally well-behaved and intelligent, they do better with older children. Generally good with other pets and not known as a barker. Being bred from hunting dogs, they have a strong instinct to chase- so make sure you have a fenced yard. The Cav is an excellent house pet!

Maintenance:

The Cav. requires a fair amout of exercise everyday, either a moderate walk on leash or a romp in a safe area.  Its long coat will need brushing every other day.

The feathered hair on the ears is prone to tangling and matting, so this dog should be thoroughly groomed often. The hair between the pads on his feet should be kept trimmed and the ears should be cleaned regularly.

Weight Range: 13-18 lbs.
Avg. Height:    12-13 in
AKC Group: Toy