Cavalier King Charles Spaniel – The Perfect City and Apartment Breed

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a small and rather energetic dog that adapts well to apartment and city life. It will require a lot of training and attention but it is a very fun dog with a lot of personality.

Properly trained Cavalier King Charles puppies can become great companions since these dogs are calm and playful by nature.

Breed Characteristics and General Appearance

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a small-breed dog, but extremely elegant, aristocratic and active. The breed’s head is rather round, while its nose is pug-shaped, creating its distinctive feature amongst other spaniels.

A King Charles dog has long ears covered with lots of fur and they usually have a brown and white coat with tan or ruby spots. The colors alternate around the coat in swaths that can be very attractive.

A distinctive feature is the coloring around the eyes which often takes on a mask like appearance.

Another distinctive feature is the Blenheim spot – white coloring on the crown of the head. This is also called the Kiss of Buddha and the Kissing Spot. Blenheim is the palace in England where Winston Churchill was born and also the ancestral home of the Dukes of Marlborough.

Average Temperament

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel dogs are usually very friendly dogs that get along well with people, other pets and other canines. They are social dogs that like to be around people and don’t react very well if left alone.

like to be around people and don’t react very well if left alone. Although King Charles dogs are usually friendly, they can show behavioral problems if mistreated or allowed to develop bad habits.

Since they are very energetic, the King Charles dogs will require a lot of attention. They are good dogs for a person who wants a companion that requires attention.

Care Required

As a moderately shedding breed, King Charles dogs need to be brushed about once a week with a firm bristle brush. Bathing is usually done once a month since its hair is rather long and needs to be kept clean.

The dog’s hair is also prone to matting and tangling, especially on and around the ears, brushing is a must as compared to trimming, which is forbidden for show dogs.

Its eyes and ears must be regularly checked for infections. The ears also need to be cleaned regularly.

Exercising

King Charles puppies and dogs will require quite a bit of exercise. They should be walked every day and will enjoy games such as fetch. These dogs need to exercise a lot in order be healthy and well behaved.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel dogs also have a tendency to go overweight, thus exercising is a must. A King Charles dog that doesn’t get enough activity could start misbehaving especially if it’s left alone.

A person should be prepared to spend a lot of time with the dog, training and walking it, since it’s a dog that loves companionship.

Breed Training

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel dogs will usually be fairly easy to train if the owner is prepared to pay a lot of attention to them. These spaniels will respond to attention very well and should follow commands if they know they are supposed to.

A person should be prepared to spend several hours with the dog every day during training. A distinctive feature of the King Charles training is that these dogs never forget once they’ve learned something.

Breed Standard Height and Weight

The standard height for the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is13 inches while the weight is around 10-18 pounds.

Another standard of this breed is its fur that must not be trimmed, especially for dogs that participate in shows. It’s a great lap dog, extremely agile and loving that also likes to swim and fetch.

Health

The three most common and genetic diseases for King Charles dogs are hip dysplasia, Syringomyelia (SM) and Branchycephalic Airway Obstruction Syndrome (BAOS).

Hip dysplasia has been reported to affect one in three King Charles spaniels, while SM is widespread in this breed and can cause neck and head pain and may lead to paralysis.

The BAOS syndrome is caused by genetically inherited stenotic nares, elongated soft palates and everted laryngeal saccules, and lead to serious breathing problems.

King Charles Owner Profile

Its size and appropriate temperament makes the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel dog an ideal apartment or city pet. Something to consider is that this breed does not fare very well in hot weather because of its thick coat.

This dog-breed is perfect for people who are willing to dedicate a lot of time to their dog.

For more information and everything you need to know about the King Charles Spaniel, check out the highly recommended King Charles Spaniel eBook and audio package today!