Despite their long name, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a small breed. They’ve got big personalities to go with their small stature, too! How much do you know about the Cavalier King Charles? Here are ten fun facts about these diminutive sweeties.
King Charles II
The breed takes its name from King Charles II of England, who ruled in the 17th Century. The ruler was so fond of the dogs that he passed a law that they couldn’t be barred entry into any public place—including government buildings! The law still stands to this day.
Cavalier Reconstruction
Roswell Eldridge launched a campaign to reconstruct the breed as it existed in King Charles’ time in the early 20th Century. In the intervening 300 years, the King Charles spaniel had been cross-bred with pugs, shortening their snouts and giving them rounder heads.
Ann’s Son
Mostyn Walker managed to bring back the characteristics of the King Charles spaniels seen in portraits of the 17th Century king, beginning with a dog named “Ann’s Son”. This version of the breed became known as “Cavalier King Charles Spaniels.” Despite their old-school roots, they are a relatively new breed.
Four Color Patterns
Cavalier King Charles spaniels come in four distinct color patterns. They can be chestnut and white, tricolor (black, tan, and white), ruby (red-brown), and black-and-tan! All of these colors are purebred Cavaliers, with none being more “true” to the breed than any other.
Comforter Spaniel
The Cavalier King Charles spaniel is also known as the “comforter” spaniel due to their extremely affectionate personalities. They’re the ultimate lap dogs, in fact. If you spend long stretches of time away from home, you should probably not get a Cavalier! They’re quite needy in the grand scheme of things.
American Kennel Club
Strangely, the Cavalier King Charles spaniel didn’t become an officially recognized breed of the American Kennel Club until 1994. This is partly due to the older King Charles spaniel being recognized for so long and the Cavalier variant having first appeared in the 1920s.
Great with Kids
As you might expect, Cavaliers spaniels are great with kids. They have extremely docile and sweet personalities and are generally considered harmless. This makes them exceptional family dogs, as you don’t need to worry about them nipping at your children.
Toy Spaniel?
Dog breed classifications are strange if you’re not used to them. Some breeds are considered “sporting” and others are considered “toys,” but the King Charles spaniel strangely has both designations. It’s officially considered a toy breed, as these tiny pups have never really been used as hunting dogs.
Read More: The 10 Best Dog Breeds for Retirees
Popular Breed
The King Charles spaniel is among the most popular breeds in the US. Who wouldn’t want one of these precious little pups? As of the most recent American Kennel Club registration statistics report, the Cavalier King Charles spaniel is the 18th most popular dog in America!
Read More: 10 Best Dog Breeds for People Who Travel
Apartment Dogs
Due to their calm, laid-back attitudes, sweet personalities, and generally calm demeanors, Cavalier King Charles spaniels make wonderful apartment dogs. They don’t require tons of exercise, they eat a small amount, and they’re not very vocal. This makes them perfect companions for city life!
Read More: 10 Best Dogs for Owners Living in Apartments
