Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

History and Origins
– The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a British breed of toy dog that was inter-bred with flat-nosed breeds in the late seventeenth century.
– Roswell Eldridge offered a prize for the best Blenheim Spaniels of the old type in 1926.
– The first Cavalier club was formed in 1928.
– The breed suffered setbacks during World War II.
– The Kennel Club recognized the breed as the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel in 1945.
– The breed was introduced to the United States in 1956.

Description and Characteristics
– The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is historically a lap dog and small for a spaniel breed.
– They have a silky coat of moderate length, free from curl, with feathering on the ears, feet, legs, and tail.
– The breed can be confused with the English Toy Spaniel, but they have differences in size and facial features.
– The tail of a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is usually not docked.

Color
– There are four recognized colors for Cavalier King Charles Spaniels: Blenheim, black and tan, ruby, and tricolor.
– Blenheim dogs have chestnut markings on a white background.
– Black and tan dogs have black bodies with tan highlights.
– Ruby Cavaliers should be entirely chestnut.
– Tricolor Cavaliers are black and white with tan markings.

Popularity and Recognition
– The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel ranks as the 15th most popular pure-breed in the United States.
– The breed has gained popularity since 2000.
– The American Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1995.
– The breed has a dedicated parent club in the United States.
– Cavaliers were the 6th most popular dog in the UK in 2007 with 11,422 registrations.
– In some US cities, Cavaliers ranked among the top 10 most popular breeds.

Health Issues
– Cavaliers are prone to mitral valve disease, which is the most common cause of death in the breed.
– They can also suffer from syringomyelia, hip dysplasia, luxating patellas, and vision and hearing disorders.
– Over 90% of Cavaliers have the skull malformation that leads to syringomyelia.
– Cavaliers are also susceptible to other health problems such as ear disorders, eye problems, and thrombocytopenia.
– Mitral valve disease and syringomyelia are significant health concerns in the breed.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cavalier_King_Charles_Spaniel