About Cavalier King Charles Spaniels

The most charming companions...

Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are charming little companions with big soulful eyes that are the perfect addition to virtually any family.  The Cavalier Spaniel puppy begins life as one of the most adorable toy dogs on the planet and grows into an adult Cavalier Spaniel that retains much of that sweet “puppy” look.

How big are Cavaliers?

As the largest breed in the Toy dog category, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are range from 12 to 13 inches at the shoulder and weigh 13 to 20 pounds as adult dogs. But Cavalier King Charles puppies will weigh about 4 pounds at 12 weeks old and can stand up on all fours on your outstretched palm! Puppy or adult – they are the perfect size!

• Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are the perfect size to curl up on your lap. Just try that with a 90 pound Labrador Retriever!

• The King Charles Cavalier is small enough that their tails won’t brush glasses of red wine off the coffee table onto your carpet!  Most of the time, their noses can just barely reach up to the table height, so your canapés are usually safe from being snatched by your pet!

• Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are great travelers and fit easily into travel crates and doggie car seats. They are light enough to carry comfortably to the vet’s office or through an airport.

• Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are easy to pick up – whether you need to quickly get them out of reach of other dogs in the neighborhood, or just give them a kiss and a snuggle.
  

• Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppies in the early stages of their training can be known to jump up on people and pull at their leashes. But at their diminutive size, you don’t have to worry about them knocking anyone over or pulling you anywhere you don’t want to go.

• Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are the perfect size to take a bath in the kitchen sink. A few squirts with the spray hose and they’re good as new!

The Cavalier Personality

It’s fairly well known that the Cavalier Spaniel breed is bred to be a lap dog. Your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel will undoubtedly live up to that reputation by curling up with you from time to time. Cavalier King Charles Spaniels do sleep away a good bit of the day - a fact you shouldn’t be either surprised or concerned about.

Still, your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is not a sleepy or lazy fellow! These little darlings have plenty of energy and are bright, alert and playful. They love going for a walk, meeting other dogs and new people, and chasing a ball around the yard.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppies quickly become very attached to their owners and will likely stay very close, following you from room to room (yes, even into the bathroom!). They are unhappy without their owners and can experience separation anxiety unless properly socialized as puppies. With careful attention and training however, starting out a little at a time, your CavalierSpaniel puppy  will become accustomed to being alone for reasonable lengths of time.

The good news is that Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, while bright and energetic companions, are not "wired," high-strung or “yappy” pets as a rule. She may bark a little bit when your neighbor rings the door bell, but once the door is open, your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel will most likely lick your visitor rather  than continue barking.

The Cavalier King Charles personality makes these dogs a joyful addition to your family as they are easy-going and friendly with children, adults and grandparents alike!

Cavaliers vs. Similar Breeds

Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are not the same as King Charles Spaniels. They are much more beautiful! (Sorry, King Charles, but we’re biased!) The Cavalier Spaniel breed has a longer snout and a more traditionally shaped “spaniel” head, whereas the traditional King Charles Spaniel has the squashed nose more similar to a Pug.

While occasionally mistaken for Cocker Spaniels because of their general shape and size, Cockers are significantly larger dogs (growing to a shoulder height of 16 inches and weighing up to 30 pounds) with stockier frames and cropped (or “docked”) tails. No one would ever consider docking the beautiful plumed tails of a Cavalier!
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