Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Temperament:
This small breed dog is indeed a royal cavalier. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel quickly adapts to the demands of its owner. The cheerful and balanced four-legged friend is a pleasant companion for families and singles.
Characteristics
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is very fond of children. With his balanced and friendly nature, he participates very gladly in the life of the people. These are the best conditions for the ideal family dog.
The little four-legged friend is an uncomplicated and reliable partner in everyday life. His cheerful temperament is infectious. But he also demands to be stroked. With these quite pleasant character traits he creeps easily into almost all hearts.
Single people can also benefit from the nature of this little dog. He shows himself as a level-headed and good-humored companion. With him as a partner, a pleasant occupation can always be found. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel regularly offers a reason to go out into the fresh air and meet people. In doing so, he usually shows himself from his best side.
When it comes to choosing suitable company, the royal spaniel shows itself to be quite undemanding. He easily adapts to all circumstances. This four-legged friend loves young and old alike. Even a fresh dog owner without experience gets along with him very well.
Among his peers, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel behaves truly royal. He always sniffs at his peers in a friendly manner. He also warms up quickly with other well-meaning animal species.
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel belongs to the group of small dog breeds. He reaches a maximum height of 35 cm. On average, he brings a weight of 8 kg on the scale. A special feature are the very long hanging ears. The life expectancy is 10 to 15 years.
The coat of this royal breed is very long. It feels silky and smooth. Sometimes slight waves appear in the coat. On the tail, paws and ears, the hairiness is particularly pronounced. In coat color, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel shows great variation. His coat can shine in only one color. However, he can also be two- or three-colored. Black, brown and white are the typical colors of this Spaniel.
Coat care:
Shedding:
Energy level:
Trainability:
Children suitable:
The right food
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel needs about 250 g of food daily. This is composed of lean meat, vegetables and carbohydrates. Ideal donors of carbohydrates are rice or potatoes. The meat portion may be somewhat higher with about 100 g. The rest is divided between vegetables and rice or potatoes.
When it comes to meals, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel behaves just like any other dog. Freshly cooked food offers variety to high quality dry food. With a home-prepared meal, it is advisable to add vitamins and minerals. These make the coat shine and keep the health stable.
When choosing the food bowl, consider the long ears of the little four-legged friend. With a deep and narrow bowl, the ears do not hang so easily in the food.
As with any other dog, the weight of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel should be checked regularly. A weight of 5.5 kg to max. 8 kg is normal and harmless. Fatteners are mainly unhealthy snacks and begged morsels.
With too much weight load, your little royal breed dog quickly loses joy of life. At the same time, he becomes more susceptible to diseases. The age of the four-legged friend can be shortened. Clear rules when feeding help all family members to behave properly.
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Care
With a grooming effort of ten minutes a day, the little four-legged friend is always clean and the coat always looks freshly combed. Grooming includes coat, teeth, eyes, ears and a regular health check. The puppy does not yet have a distinctive coat. With daily grooming sessions you can get him well accustomed to the later necessary ritual.
Behind the ears and on the legs the hair is particularly long. Daily combing and brushing can prevent the fur from matting. This is where you start grooming. Then the whole body may be brushed.
You should only bathe your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel if it is unavoidable. The dog shampoo is first massaged extensively into the wet coat and then rinsed out well. Then the well-dried hair is combed and brushed.
Puppies should not be bathed for the first six months, adult dogs at most every three months. Dirty spots and dirty paws can be washed out with a cloth and lukewarm water.
A balanced diet keeps the teeth healthy. Young dogs still have very soft teeth and must not bite hard things. Only in the time of the change of teeth healthy dog treats with hard consistency are advantageous. So the milk teeth fall out faster, and the new teeth enough space.
With the second teeth, the four-legged friend may be regularly spoiled with a dog biscuit or chewing bone. The hard substance frees the teeth from plaque and protects against tartar. In addition, the teeth are brushed once a week.
Regular cleaning of the inner ear is particularly important for drooping ears. Earwax and dirt can otherwise cause painful ear infections. Encrustations on the eyes are best removed with a lint-free cloth and distilled water.
Check the weight of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel every week. Regular worming and vaccinations are for preventive health care. Especially in winter, the pads can become brittle. Rubbing with milking grease provides good protection.
Suitable accessories
Besides a bowl to eat and drink, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel needs a place to rest and sleep. In a dog basket he feels comfortable and protected. The removable inserts are even usually allowed in the washing machine.
For the care of the prudent four-legged friend you need a high-quality brush made of natural hair and a wire brush. The basic equipment also includes a fine and a coarse metal comb. A dog shampoo with a moisturizing effect is used for bathing.
Special dry cloths for dogs are available in specialized stores. These absorb moisture particularly well. Since they dry again quickly, they are well suited for daily use.
In addition, a tick pliers should be part of the equipment. Use a light collar for daily walks. It should be made of lightweight materials. A matching leather leash will get you through social occasions well. A second leash with a retractable function is good for walks in the open air.
Origin & History
The name of the spaniel goes back to King Charles I.. He ruled England in the 16th century. He was always accompanied by at least one Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. His son Charles II shared this passion. The royal dog even had access to Parliament.
With his innate charm, he charmed the ladies even then. The nobility acquired this dog to keep their offspring busy in a meaningful way. In the harsh times of the 16th century, he not only warmed the body in the cold and not very cozy home. The welcome cavalier was also considered a flatterer of the soul.
Due to crossbreeding with Asian breeds, the nose became much shorter in the 18th century. The whole appearance changed significantly. In 1926 the American Roswell Eldridge came to Europe. He wanted to acquire a dog of this breed. The traveler knew him only from paintings from the 17th century and was disappointed with the greatly changed appearance.
The American wanted this dog with a long snout. That is why he announced a competition. The breed with shorter nose remained as King Charles Spaniel. In 1945 the new breed Cavalier King Charles Spaniel was officially recognized.
Only now the small breed dog became popular in Germany. He has kept his extremely good character traits until today. Therefore, he is as popular as a family dog, as well as a companion for single people.
