Eldridge died before seeing his plan come to fruition, but several breeders believed in what he said and in 1928 the first Cavalier club was formed. In 1926, the American Roswell Eldridge offered a dog show class prize of 25 pounds of sterling silver each as a prize for the best male and females of 'Blenheim Spaniels of the old type, as shown in pictures of Charles II of England's time, long face, no stop, flat skull, not inclined to be domed, with spot in centre of skull.' The breeders of the era were appalled, although several entered what they considered to be sub-par Cavalier King Charles Spaniels in the competition. These attempts were documented by Judith Blunt-Lytton, 16th Baroness Wentworth, in the book 'Toy Dogs and Their Ancestors Including the History And Management of Toy Spaniels, Pekingese, Japanese and Pomeranians' published under the name of the 'Hon. Īttempts were made to recreate the original Cavalier King Charles Spaniel as early as the turn of the 20th century, using the now extinct Toy Trawler Spaniels. Because of this influence, the red and white variety of the King Charles Spaniel and thus the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel became known as the Blenheim. His estate was named Blenheim in honour of his victory at the Battle of Blenheim. The duke recorded that they were able to keep up with a trotting horse. History Ĭorrect Ruby Cavalier King Charles Spaniel uniform chestnut colour, with no white markings ears and slippers are often slightly lighter but dark chestnut colour should predominateĭuring the early part of the 18th century, John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, kept red and white King Charles type spaniels for hunting. Breeders attempted to recreate what they considered to be the original configuration – a dog resembling Charles II's spaniel of the English Civil War period, when supporters of the king were known as Cavaliers. Until the 1920s, it shared the same history as the smaller King Charles Spaniel. The Cavalier King Charles changed dramatically in the late seventeenth century, when it was inter-bred with flat-nosed breeds.

The lifespan is usually between eight and twelve years. Four colours are recognised: Blenheim (chestnut and white), tricolour (black/white/tan), black and tan, and ruby the coat is smooth and silky. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a British breed of toy dog of spaniel type. Interquartile range 8.1–12.3, median 9.9 The spaniels in those paintings had flat heads, high-set ears, and longish noses.Blenheim, black-and-tan, ruby or tri-colour His prototype is the toy spaniel that has existed for centuries as a companion to royalty and nobility.Ĭavaliers are descended from the same toy spaniels depicted in many 16th, 17th, and 18th century paintings by famous artists such as Van Dyck and Gainsborough. While the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a relatively new breed, recreated less than a century ago.

The more restful members of the breed find happiness sitting on a lap or getting a belly rub. One of the largest of the toy breeds, he's often as athletic as a true sporting breed and enjoys hiking, running on the beach, and dog sports such as agility and flyball. It originated in the United Kingdom, where it is still one of the most popular breeds.īorn to be a companion, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is sweet-tempered, playful, and gentle. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is often called a 'sporting toy breed' because of his combination of spaniel and toy traits.

King spanel