Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniels have been kept as pets for many years, and were popular with Charles II. They have been seen in many historical paintings and the toy spaniels that Cavaliers descend from have been around since Tudor times. Queen Victoria kept a Cavalier called Dash.

Close relations of the Cavelier include the Pug, Cocker Spaniel and the King Charles. The King Charles is slightly smaller than the Cavelier with a squashed-in nose and big, prominent eyes. Most puppies are born with a pink nose but this changes colour to black when the dog gets older. The dogs come in 4 colours; Ruby, Blenheim, Tricolour and Black with Tan.

The coat of a Cavalier is long and silky and needs regular brushing to keep it free of tangles. An occasional bath is also a good idea, especially if your dog likes to roll around in the mud! If the tangles form a knot then leave in some of your conditioner for a while then try to gently ease out the hair. The fur between the paws should also be kept neat and tidy. Try to spend about 5 minutes per day doing this, using a bristle brush, metal comb and a rake.