Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, a small dog breed.

This small sporting spaniel was once a favorite breed of the king of England, Charles II (1630 – 1685). He doted on them, and other pleasures, to the point where he was often criticized for neglecting the affairs of the country. Following the king's death, John Churchill, a distinguished general and the first Duke of Marlborough, became the leading supporter of the breed, and especially his favorite color, the red and white, which became known as the Blenheim, named after his manor house on his estate. The breed lost favor however, when William of Orange succeeded to the throne of England. Much later, during the 19th century, the Victorian period, many dog styles changed towards shorter forefaces and smaller dogs. Hence, the earlier longer foreface style of dog, which Van Dyck and many other great artists of the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries had painted, all but disappeared.

In 1926, an American, Roswell Eldridge by name, went to England searching in vain for those longer forefaced dogs, depicted by the great artists. He offered large cash prizes at the prestigious Crufts Dog Show, for the male and female dogs most closely matching that original King Charles Spaniel. There were enough English Toy Spaniel breeders who were in agreement with Eldridge and also wanted a return to the traditional appearance. The genes were already there, lying dormant. By selective breeding, for only 18 years, they succeeded in restoring the longer forefaced specimen and subsequently, the Kennel Club admitted the breed Cavalier King Charles Spaniel to its registry.

These toy spaniels are very popular and easy to keep. They make excellent family companions. They are friendly, gentle, playful, willing to please and very affectionate, and are well suited for smaller quarters. They are excellent with children. They are non-aggressive towards strange dogs and very friendly with other pets. They are moderately active and so, enjoy a good daily walk. Brushing its coat once in a while is sufficient. If you decide to add a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy to your family, look for a reputable Cavalier King Charles Spaniel breeder who tests the breeding stock for genetic health problems and offers a written health guarantee for all puppies. Since they are clever and tractable, puppy training is a good idea. It is important to remember that it is a spaniel and therefore inclined to explore and chase.