Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Information

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is often referred to as the perfect house dog. Its natural qualities and characteristics, such as its tender, kind, and lighthearted nature make it the ideal pet. This breed gets along well with other dogs, animals, and people it does not know. When given the opportunity to be outside, it enjoys the chance to investigate and chase, just like its spaniel counterparts.            

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel requires a modest amount of physical activity on a daily basis. A decent walk on the leash or a play session in a secure area can fulfill these requirements. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a breed that needs to live in an indoor environment, as it may not survive living outdoors. The coat needs moderate maintenance, with brushing being necessary every other day.       

Intervertebral disc disease, which affects the back, tends to be one of the major health concerns for the Pembroke Welsh Corgi. Another major concern is CHD, or Canine Hip Dysplasia, which affects the hip joint. Minor health concerns include epilepsy and degenerative myelopathy. Lens luxation, urinary stones, Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA), and von Willebrand’s Disease (vWD) are occasionally seen in this breed as well.  To make sure that the Pembroke Welsh Corgi is not suffering from one of these issues, regular testing of the hips, eyes, and DNA for PRA is necessary. The average life span of the Pembroke Welsh Corgi is 11 to 13 years.       

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel comes from its spaniel ancestors. It is believed that the breed was derived from the cross of small spaniels and Oriental toy breeds like the Japanese chin or Tibetan Spaniel. Originally affectionately known as comforter spaniels, these small toy dogs were lap dogs and used to warm the feet. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel also became popular because of its ability to attract fleas onto itself instead of its owners. This breed gained such popularity with royalty that it was rumored that in the 1700s King Charles II ignored matters of state due to his preoccupation with his dogs.  Due to this association, the breed earned the name Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Once King Charles II passed, the breed became a favorite of the Duke of Marlborough. The Duke preferred the red and white variety, which he referred to as “Blenheim” in reference to the name of his estate. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel was the choice dog of the wealthy for a significant amount of time in history. The wealthy preferred the shorter-nosed version and the pointed-nosed originals became undesirable. However, this changed when Roswell Eldridge from America arrived in England offering a monetary prize for the finest pointed-nosed spaniels. In an attempt to win the prize, many breeders got to work on breeding the previous version thereby growing their popularity. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel eventually became more popular than their short-nosed equivalents in England and eventually gained modest popularity in America. The AKC did not recognize the breed until 1996, partially due to objection from Cavalier owners who did not want the issues that arise from increased popularity.       

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