Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Origins
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (also named Cavalier, Cav, Cavie) has its origins in England, in the 16th-17th century period, taking the name from king Charles I. This breed was depicted in many artworks and was a favorite pet for noblemen and royalty. The breed was eventually introduced in other parts of the Europe and in United States at the beginning of the 20th century.
Appearance
The Cavalier belongs to the medium dog breeds category, having a height of 36-42 cm at the withers and a weight of 5-8 kg, but these measures differ from males to females. The Cavalier is considered to be the largest toy breed, a toy dog Spaniel.
The body, legs and head are covered with a naturally and moderate length silky coat, many times curled and wavy. The coat also covers the legs, chest, ears, tail and feet. The coat varies in color, from rich white, tricolor nuances (white and black with tan markings on the legs, tail, cheeks, eyebrows), tan and black, or red-brown all over the body.
The neck that supports the head is abit arched, strong. The head is almost flat, with a semi-sharp muzzle, lively large eyes, a defined nose. The feathered ears are dropped along the sides. The tail is long and well-feathered, not docked, carried downward the legs or aloft.
Grooming
Due to the length of the coat, the Cavalier needs a constant grooming attention. Brushing and combing the coat should be done once a week or more, if your Cavie is a showdog. Also, take care of the coat excess in the pads and tail areas, clipping the coat twice a month.
Health Facts
This breed is prone to several genetic health defects. One of them is the mitral valve disease, a disease in which the heart murmurs (the heart muscle contractions are irregular) and eventually the heart fails to beat properly, causing heart failure and death.
The second genetic defect is the syringomyelia (SM). This disease is actually a malformation of the lowerback of the skull (reducing the space available to the brain), and it affects the spine and brain areas, leading to paralysis and severe pain. The fluid pockets (syrinxes) formed by this space compression create a sensitivity in the neck, head, shoulder areas: these are important symptoms to discover the disease.
Other health issues are:
- paroxysmal hypertonicity disorder (also called episodic falling): a type of epilepsy in which the muscles are unable to relax;
- hip dysplasia and luxating patellas: genetic diseases of the bone system;
- eye problems: keratoconjuctivitis sicca – the tear glands reduce the production of tears; corneal dystrophy, entropion, distichiasis, retinal dysplasia;
Temperament and Lifestyle
The Cavalier KC Spaniel is one the best companion toy dog to choose for your family. These dogs require constant love and affection, because they can not spend a long time all alone.
They behave really well with children and humans, being able to adapt to any living conditions. They can chase other animals and birds, but this behavior is mostly seen in Cavalier dogs who are bred for hunting purposes.
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel has a very friendly figure and attitude, being intelligent and jovial, playful and energetic, a true toy dog for you and your family.
More articles on this:
- Small dog breeds for children
- The American Water Spaniel
- The Chihuahua
- The Labrador Retriever
- The Yorkshire Terrier
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