King Charles Spaniel

The King Charles Spaniel is known in the USA as the English Toy Spaniel, the varieties of which are Prince Charles (tricolour), Blenheim (red and white), Ruby (chestnut red) and King Charles (black and tan).

In 1903 an attempt was made in the United Kingdom to change the breed name to Toy Spaniel. However, the change was opposed by King Edward VII, a devotee of the breed, and it has retained the name, probably attributed to it because of Van Dyck's seventeenth­century paintings, which frequently showed King Charles with these pets. Although toy spaniels had been known in England for more than 100 years before the reign of Charles II, many people mistakenly believe that the breed was introduced to England during Charles' reign.

The King Charles is an ideal choice. It is a good mixer, marvellous with children and ­ despite its small stature - very hardy. It does, however, require frequent grooming, regular bathing and, like the Pekingese, to have its eyes wiped every day; care must also be taken lest canker should develop in those well-concealed ears.

Origion and history

The king Charles is generally thought of as a British breed, but it can be traced back to Japan in 2000 Be. The original breed was much in evidence at the English sixteenth-century court, when it closely resembled the present-day, longer-nosed Cavalier King Charles. As short-nosed dogs became fashionable, the King Charles Spaniel evolved.

The breed has many royal associations; one was found hidden in the folded gown of Mary, Queen of Scots, after her execution, and Macaulay, in his History of England, recalls how King Charles II endeared himself to his people by playing with these spaniels in St James's Park, London, 'before the dew was off the grass.

King Charles Spaniel Puppies

Good points

• Hardy, despite small stature
• Clean
• Loves children
• Usually gets on with other pets

Take heed

• Needs monthly bath (except in cold weather)
• Needs frequent grooming

Size

The most desirable weight is 8-141b (3.6-6.4kg).

Exercise

The King Charles will look forward to its daily outings, whether accompanying its owner on a shopping trip or going for a scamper in the park. It will be quick to learn how to carry its lead or a newspaper. Don't forget to rub it down with a towel after it has been out in the rain.

King Charles Spaniel Information

General appearance
Compact and cobby, on refined lines, chest wide and deep, legs short and straight, back short and level. Movement free, active and elegant.

Colour
The only recognized colours are: (1) Black and tan - a rich, glossy black with bright, mahogany tan markings on muzzle, legs, chest and linings of ears. (2) Tricolour - ground pearly white with well-distributed black patches, brilliant tan markings on cheeks and linings of ears, under tail and over the eyes; a wide white blaze between the eyes and up the forehead. (3) Blenheim - a ground of pearly white with well-distributed chestnut red patches; a wide clear blaze with the 'spot', a clear chestnut red mark, in the centre of skull. (4) Ruby - whole coloured, a rich, chestnut red.

In the United States this breed is known as the English Toy Spaniel and is classified according to colour.

Head and skull
Skull massive in comparison to size, well domed, and full over the eyes. Nose black with large wide open nostrils, very short and turned up to meet the skull. The stop between skull and nose should be well defined. Muzzle square, wide and deep, and well turned up; lower jaw wide; lips exactly meeting, giving a nice finish. The cheeks should not fall away under the eyes but be well cushioned-up. A protruding tongue is objectionable but does not disqualify.

Tail
Well flagged and not carried over the level of the back.

King Charles Spaniel Feeding & Grooming

Grooming

Regular brushing with a bristle brush is essential. Examine paws for any trace of interdigital cysts, and ears for canker, often detectable by an unpleasant smell. Wipe eyes with cotton wool dipped in a weak saline solution to keep them clear of unsightly tear streaks.

Feeding

About 5-70z (142-198g) of a branded, meaty diet with biscuit added in equal parts by volume; or, if a dry food, complete diet iE> used, 1 cupful 01 feed mixed in the proportion of 1 cup of dry feed to V2 cupful of hot or cold water.

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