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The Cavalier King Charles
Spaniel is a delightfully affectionate, playful,
intelligent little dog that repays his owner's care
and attention with an endearing devotion.
A toy breed, they have a natural coat which needs no
trimming, long silky ears, and large soulful eyes.
More than one person has described them as looking
like a Cocker Spaniel puppy all their lives. The
tail is often left natural. The standard makes tail
docking optional, but two thirds of the tail must be
left intact. Dew claws are removed as they are
thought to be a hazard to the prominent eyes.
They come in four color
combinations: Blenheim (Red and White, with a red
mask and ears, and red patches on a white body);
Tricolor (Black and White with Tan Points), Ruby
(Solid Red), and Black and Tan (without white).
In addition to being a
fine companion, one of the jobs the Cavalier King
Charles Spaniel was originally bred to do was to
warm laps in drafty castles and on chilly carriage
rides (the other job was to attract fleas & thereby
spare their masters in the days of the Plague).
While so many other breeds of dog no longer perform
the tasks for which they were bred (pulling milk
carts, herding sheep, hunting lions, for example),
Cavaliers still take their responsibility quite
seriously. A prescription written in Olde English
for the Queen of England directs her to keep a "comforte
dog" (now known as the Cavalier King Charles
Spaniel) on her lap to treat a cold. It is almost as
if the breed's motto is "so many laps, so little
time." Cavaliers take cuddling so seriously that "If
you want your pillow you must get there first" is
often heard when Cavalier owners gather. |
