How to Identify a Cavalier King Charles Dog

The King Charles Spaniel was popular with Britain's 17th-century aristocracy and is featured in many paintings and portraits by Van Dyck. Unfortunately, this toy breed lost favor once the reign of Charles II ended, and the dogs are believed to have interbred at will, making this a lost breed.In the 1920s, an American named Roswell Eldridge offered prize money at a Cruft's Dog Show in London to any person who could exhibit King Charles Spaniel look-alikes. The dogs that resulted were classified as their own breed and given the name Cavalier King Charles, both to indicate that it was a separate species as well as to pay homage to the original lost breed. This breed makes for a fine, charming and energetic pet for any household. Here is a guide on how to identify a Cavalier King Charles dog.

Instructions

    • 1

      Assess the dog’s size, weight and any specific physical features. Remember that this is a toy breed; such a dog is rarely more than 12 or 13 inches high at the withers. They usually are half again as long as they are tall and weigh between 13 and 18 lbs. The dog should be lightly built with a deep chest and a belly that reaches the elbows of the dog’s forelegs. The hindquarters curve sharply downward, the slope beginning at a point in front of the hips. This is accentuated by the way the dog holds its tail. Though the tail is long and should have long, feathery fur, it is usually carried curled up under the dog’s belly.

    • 2

      Pay attention to the dog’s fur coat. It should be very silky and of moderate or greater-than-average length with particularly long feathering on the tail, legs, chest and ears. The coloration and acceptable patterns to define the dog as a purebred are particularly strict, making identifying the dog a bit easier.

    • 3

      Realize that there are four acceptable colors and patterns, each defining the dog under a specific sub-name for the species. A Cavalier King Charles Spaniel with red coloring on the ears, sides of the neck, and lower back is called a Blenheim. A tricolor (red, white and black) Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is called a Prince Charles. A Cavalier King Charles Spaniel that is primarily a dark or rich mahogany red is called a Ruby. A Cavalier King Charles Spaniel that is black and tan is called a King Charles. These names originate from the portraits by Van Dyck, indicating whose portrait contained a dog with that specific coloring.

    • 4

      Finish by examining the dog’s head. This breed has a small, flat skull and a conical muzzle. The ears, like all spaniels, should be excessively long and hang down past the dog’s jawline. The nose is pointed and high on the dog’s face. The eyes should be closely set and facing directly forward. The upper lips of the mouth should droop slightly, giving the dog a perpetual sad frown.

    • 5

      Feel confident that if the dog matches this description, then it’s a Cavalier King Charles dog.