This is the latest of the English Toy Spaniel breeds, developed in the 1920s to recreate the original type of the King Charles. The word `Cavalier’ was added to its name to distinguish it from the modern King Charles, which it seeks to replace. Its nickname is the Cav.
From the 17th century to the early 19th, the King Charles Spaniel had a pointed muzzle.
Then, in the Victorian era, it became fashionable to breed for shorter and shorter faces, until a flat-faced dog was created. At the same time, the dog’s body grew slightly smaller. Many were unhappy with this change and wished to see a return to the earlier type.
Nothing was actively done about this until 1926, when an American by the name of Roswell Eldridge visited England and was upset to discover that the traditional form of King Charles Spaniel, which he had always admired, had effectively become extinct and had been replaced by a smaller, pug-faced dog. He took the extraordinary step of offering money prizes es for the best long-faced’ King Charles Spaniels at the next five Crufts shows.
Eldridge’s challenge started a movement which, in 1928, led to the formation of the Cavalier King Charles Club. Bigger, longer-faced dogs were bred and put into competition against the smaller, short-faced ones. The two types were in direct competition until 1945, when it was accepted that they were now effectively two different breeds and should be treated as such. From that date onwards they were given separate classes. The Cavalier was by now 2 in (5 cm) taller and 3 lb (1.3 kg) heavier that its rival.
As the years passed, the Cavalier began to get the upper hand. Its flat-faced rival gradually lost ground until, by the late 20th century, it had been completely overshadowed. At the very end of the century, the annual Kennel Club registrations for the two breeds were: Cavalier King Charles 12,702; King Charles 221. Even more impressive was the fact that the Cavalier was by then the most favoured of all the 23 recognized toy breeds, outstripping even the popular little Yorkshire Terrier. It had also appeared for some years among the ‘top ten’ of all registered dog breeds.
Traditionally this breed should be seen only in black-and-tan, but because the early Prince Charles (tricolour), Blenheim (red-and-white) and Ruby (solid red) breeds had disappeared, their colours were also accepted for the Cavalier.
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