About the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

For most Cavalier owners, the breed is typified by the Landseer picture "Cavalier's Pets".

While the ancestry of the modern Cavalier can clearly be seen from this and other similar pictures, at one time the breed was in danger of dying out.

History records that many famous people owned Cavaliers, including Mary Queen of Scots, King Charles II, The Duke of Marlborough, and Queen Victoria.

However, by the 1920's the breed had evolved into spaniels that were very short in the face with domed heads and low set ears. They were called King Charles Spaniels. This distinctly different breed still exists today.

In the 1920's, an American, Rowell Eldridge, went to England to seek out the "old style" Cavalier, with the longer nose. He was disappointed to find that they were not available and, to encourage breeders to revert to the earlier type, he offered prizes of £25 for two classes at Crufts in 1926, to be awarded to dogs nearest to the type illustrated in Landseer's picture.

From this start, the interest of some of the breeders was piqued, and they became interested in pursuing the ideal of the "Old Type King Charles Spaniel".

By 1928 a club was formed to promote the breed characteristics, and the name "Cavalier King Charles Spaniel" was adopted.
The breed standard was drawn up at that time, primarily based on Ann's Son, owned by Mrs Mostyn Walker.

The aim was to breed a dog that would be an "active, sporting, sound little dog free from any artificial trimming or coloring".

These founding principles still apply to the breed today.

For those interested in the details of the origin of the Cavaliers' close cousin, the King Charles Spaniel, see the extract from Dogs and All About Them by Robert Leighton (published by Cassell and Company, 1910) - click here.

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