Toy Breeds or small-sized breeds has always been quite popular in India. Whether it be Pomeranians, Shih Tzus, Chihuahuas or Dachshunds, all had gradually climbed up the ladder of popularity in this country. And, now another tiny breed, but with an enormous name is slowly capturing the attention and hearts of many Indian dog admirers. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are seeing a slow but steady increase in their availability and demand in this part of Asia. They may be expensive to get, still, there are a lot of potential dog owners who want to raise them as their pets. But these future owners of this breed need to know that Cavies require a substantial amount of care and attention especially in the hot and humid places as their tolerance to high temperatures is below average and India is notorious for its hot weather conditions. So, anyone looking for these mini-canines must be prepared to protect them from excessive heat and moisture especially during the summer months.
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are quite nimble, dignified and well-balanced canines who may be tiny in size but are equally intrepid and fearless in personality. Official standards for the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel are given below:
They are as mentioned, categorized as a toy breed, hence it comes as no surprise that this breed is quite light and short-statured. The average weight of Cavies is around 5-8 Kg, while their height is somewhere between 12-13 inches (at the shoulders).
|
GENDER |
WEIGHT |
HEIGHT |
|
MALE |
05-08 kg |
12-13 inch |
|
FEMALE |
05-08 kg |
12-13 inch |
They have a silky and slightly wavy coat which is medium in length and is free from any curls. The area around the chest, legs, ears, tail, and feet is feathered with long strands of hair. Their coat can be found in quite a few different combinations of various colors.
They have a small but well-made body with a decently long neck which is smoothly set into the sloping shoulders. The chest is moderately deep with well-sprung ribs. Their back is short and the tail is well set but never above the level of the back. The forelegs and hind legs are moderately muscled, compact and sturdy.
Their head is in perfect proportion to the overall size of their body. They have round and large eyes which are mostly dark brown in color and have a sweet and gentle expression in them. They also have long ears with a very good amount of feathering which are set quite high.
They have a small jaw region in which the upper teeth closely overlap the lower teeth to form a complete scissors bite. The muzzle is slightly tapered.
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are one of the most affectionate and friendly breeds out there. They are extremely kind, loving and gentle with their family members including small children. And, not only humans, they are also very affable with other pets in the house whether it is a cat or another canine. This breed is also quite fond of socializing and making new friends. They trust someone new in no time and wants to befriend them as soon as possible. And, because of this, they are not considered a good option as a guard or watchdog. They mostly remain very happy and satisfied and are a treat for the owners when it comes to raising them. General temperamental traits of Cavies are listed below:
The Cav is a small spaniel hailing from the United Kingdom and is considered to be one of the most popular breeds all around the world. Currently, these cute, kind and loving dogs are in the top 20 of the list for most famous dog breeds in the world.
They are also considered to be quite a perfect house pet because of their gentle, good-natured and tender personality. They mix well with everyone, loves their family members to the fullest, are very adjustable and adaptable, socialize well with other animals and are always eager to please their owner. They also love to meet new people, play outside or inside the house and spend almost all of their time with their loved ones.
But, they are also very sensitive in nature as well and are not very tolerable of being left alone. They require attention and presence of someone they love almost all the time. They are known to be very destructive when left alone like some other breeds but they do become quite sad and unhappy if they are not near to their close ones.
Also, their over-friendly and amiable attitude comes at a small cost in the form of their watchdog ability which is basically below average. But, these dogs know how to light up anyone’s mood with their cute and comforting presence and they are a joy and delight to be around.
Cavies are divided into different types on the basis of their coat colors which are as follows:
|
Adaptability |
***** |
Sensitivity Level |
***** |
|
Affection Level |
***** |
Potential for mouthiness |
*** |
|
Apartment-Friendly |
***** |
Drooling Potential |
* |
|
Barking Tendencies |
*** |
Energy Level |
*** |
|
Friendly towards dogs |
***** |
Health Issues |
**** |
|
Friendly towards other animals |
**** |
Intelligence |
**** |
|
Child Friendly |
**** |
Playfulness |
**** |
|
Exercise Needs |
*** |
Shedding Level |
*** |
|
Grooming Needs |
*** |
Social Needs |
***** |
|
Good for novice owners |
***** |
Stranger Friendly |
***** |
|
Trainability |
**** |
Watchdog Ability |
** |
|
Tolerates Heat |
** |
Tolerates Cold |
*** |
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Any dog will do well on a high-quality diet rich in nutrients and same is the case with Cavies. They require not a very substantial amount of feeding material but it should of good quality. A veterinarian’s advice can be taken before selecting the feeding material for a Cavie.
They may be quite small in size but do require a moderate amount of exercise to stay fit and healthy. They immensely love long walks with their loved ones in a park or an open field. They love to explore their surroundings very much and might not easily come back when called, therefore they should mostly be kept on a leash when outside the house. They also love to play various games with their family members which are highly beneficial for their physical as well as mental fitness.
These dogs were born to please their loved ones and hence training them is very easy and also quite a fun experience for the owner. They are decent learners and takes not that much time to grasp what is being taught to them. They also remain very responsive and agreeable while getting trained and always show a positive attitude towards a new training exercise.
They shed on an occasional basis and also in moderate amounts. During, the shedding period, brushing of the coat should be done daily to avoid the mat formation. But, when the shedding period is over, brushing of their coat can be reduced to once a week and bathing and trimming of nails can be done occasionally to make them neat and tidy. Also, their long-feathered ears should be checked regularly for any signs of infection.
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are prone to various health-related problems which are as follows:
Cavs should be taken to a skilled veterinarian’s clinic on a monthly basis for regular health check-ups.
Tiny spaniels were very popular in the European countries around the 16th and 17th century. They were loved and adored by their owners which were mostly aristocrats and noblemen. They were also featured quite heavily in various paintings alongside their owners. These dogs were so close to the heart of King Charles I and his son Charles II that they granted their name to these dogs.
When a new king who preferred pugs came into power, the breeders in hopes of pleasing the king, started breeding these small spaniels with pugs. And with time, their appearance altered quite a lot with their face becoming more flat like a pug. They were starting to look a lot different than the Cavies that were represented in the old paintings.
But, thanks to a rich American named Roswell Eldridge who admired the dogs in the old paintings so much that he offered an extravagant cash price to any breeder who could show or bring him the dog like the ones in the paintings.
The British breeders began careful breeding with English Toy Spaniels, and after some time, the flat and short-faced dogs gradually developed and became like their older selves. And, the ones who closely resembled the dogs in the paintings from the 17th century, were called as Cavaliers. And, thus the breed Cavalier King Charles Spaniel was reborn and revived.
