The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a British breed of toy dog of spaniel type. Four colours are recognised: Blenheim (chestnut and white), tricolour (black/white/tan), black and tan, and ruby; the coat is smooth and silky. The lifespan is usually between 9-14 years.
"With their soft, melting expression and friendly and fearless temperament, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel has become one of the most popular breeds of dog. Countless people have been enticed by their charm and regard the Cavalier to be both a loyal companion and the ideal family dog. They are perfectly at home curled up with their owner by the fireside or running at full pelt across the fields. In fact, their sporting nature has shown that they can be quite adept at sporting events such as Agility. They are indeed a breed that truly loves to please."
Tina and Dennis Homes book: The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Info below from American Kennel Club Website: (Click here for Link on AKC Cavalier History)
In 1926, Roswell Eldridge placed an ad in a dog-show catalog that dared British breeders to bring a royal breed back from the brink of extinction.
“Blenheim Spaniels of the Old Type, as shown in pictures of Charles II’s time, long face, no stop, flat skull, not inclined to be domed with spot in centre of skull,” read the nondescript, bottom-page notice in the catalog for Crufts, the world-famous dog show.
The royal reference was to Charles II of England, who took the throne in 1661. Known for his rather wanton lifestyle, the “Merry Monarch” was also a prolific dog breeder, always surrounded by a raft of loving, if unhousebroken spaniels that followed him everywhere, from state meetings to his silk-swathed bed at day’s end.
